How a Georgia Sea Island dancing game travels through generations
Discover the origins of Shoo Lie Loo, a rhythmic circle game. This video explores the song's journey from the 1950s recordings of the Georgia Sea Island Singers to a modern family performance.
The song's lineage traces back to Bessie Jones, a member of the Georgia Sea Island Singers. This folk and gospel group was documented by Alan Lomax during the 1950s. Jones was not only a performer but a vital figure in preserving the songs and games of the Sea Islands.
The performance features Elizabeth Mitchell and her family, including her husband Daniel Littleton and nine-year-old daughter Storey, on the 2010 Smithsonian Folkways album Sunny Day. The song is played as a dancing game where participants stand in a circle, clap to the beat, and call for a friend to fly across the circle like a bird.
Source: Shoo Lie Loo by Elizabeth Mitchell from Sunny Day (Smithsonian Folkways)
