E. Moncell Durden started making this film in 2003. It was supposed to be a sample to procure the funding he needed to complete the full series. He didn't know anything about film making and made this on iMovie. He did the editing, curated the music, conducted the interviews the opening sequence is edited by Durden but the interviews were conducted by Athony Ynot Denaro. He was never able to secure the rights to the music and many of the film clips. The film also needed audio and color correction and because he made it on iMovie and he no longer have the files and the program doesn't exist anymore. No one was able to go in a make necessary changes. Anyway he’s decided to work on a new film with proper funding, a film crew etc. so enjoy this work of passion that never truly reached its full potential but is still a good piece of work. Thank you for watching.

VOICES OF THE COMMUNITY

Everything Remains Raw is a film that investigates the genealogy of afro-Caribbean retention present in dance practices throughout the african diaspora; highlighting an assortment of influential and cross-cultural phenomena that helped construct and characterize the communication practices demonstrated in America’s Afro-latina/o communities and the globalization of their aesthetic values.

“This film is a visual dissertation that draws together an incredible array of aesthetic progenitors to Hip Hop dances and the histories entailed therein.”

–Dr. Imani K. Johnson–

“Everything Remains Raw is an eye-opening compendium of historical clips plus contemporary interviews and footage of African American dance. It’s Moncell’s labor of love.”

–Dr. Brenda Dixon-Gottschild–

“The film is a well-organized ethnographic/instructive narrative in which Mr. Durden intertwines his own research in issues of history, terminology, and aesthetic principles, with first-hand declarations from some of the most knowledgeable practitioners of hip-hop, past and present. I have used major parts of Mr. Durden’s film in my dance history and theory classes. Students find the film very relatable and enlightening in ways that challenge their prior assumptions, both in terms of how to teach hip hop and how to understand it as an art form.”

– Dr. Carl Paris–

“I’d like to officially say this documentary is monumental and it is paramount that we support this historic and very much needed documentary on street dance and its connectors here in the States. Street dance is at a very important cross roads and its imperative that we address the current issues of the day; which is an issue of ownership and acknowledgement. In short we cannot allow Hip-Hop dance to follow the path of authentic Jazz music and/or Jazz dance. We may not be able to stop the natural evolution of the dance but we can definitely make sure that its pioneers and creators are recognized and acknowledge for their contribution.”

– Dr. Rennie Harris–

FOR EDUCATIONAL USE ONLY

"The deep-rooted structures within a culture our found in the retentions of characteristics of behavior that are not bound by time and geography; surface structures is effected by time and geography.”

–Cheryl Willis–