San Jose filmmaker and bluegrass musician Chip Curry’s documentary about Evo Bluestein’s elementary school folk dance week program will be screened on Sunday, January 29 as part of the NCBS International Bluegrass Music Museum Film Festival. The films will be shown Noon-5:00pm at the Redwood City Main Library, 1044 Middlefield Road in Redwood City.

The filmmaker will speak to the audience and answer questions about the project.

The Bluestein Family

“American Folk Dancing — A Week With Evo Bluestein” examines the value of roots music and dance instruction for students in an era when arts education has been eliminated in many California schools. The documentary was shot at Buena Vista Elementary School in Walnut Creek. Bluestein is a Fresno-based musician and educator who has appeared at numerous California bluegrass and folk festivals over the past three decades. He began his music career as a young member of Fresno’s famed Bluestein Family.

Producer & director Curry of Chrysalis Films has been making films for over 25 years. He has been experimenting with the art of moving imagery since his very first 16 mm project.  He believes that story is the foundation upon which all great visual media is based. “My greatest joy is building a story from the drama, and color I see in the fleeting moments of daily life and assembling it as an indelible piece of moving art.” This is his first project selected for showing at the festival.

Filmmaker Chip Curry

Curry’s musical career started in Tucson, Arizona in the 1970s when, with his five-string banjo, he led the Summerdog Bluegrass, Mariachi, and Swing Ensemble to a ten-year stint as the Southwest’s premiere string band. He currently plays several hundred shows a year in the Bay Area for children, seniors, and general audiences.

The NCBS IBMM Film Festival is part of the FREE 5th Annual NCBS Bluegrass On Broadway Festival, set for January 27-29, 2012 in Redwood City.

Complete Festival Schedule

Principal financial support comes from the Redwood City Civic Cultural Commission, Redwood City Public Library, One World Montessori School, Tapistry Church, and Wickersham & Murphy.

Evo Bluestein leads a student dance.

Posted Jan 11th, 2012 by Michael Hall in Bluegrass on Broadway |