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The Testament of Ann Lee Sets Dec. 25 Release, Reframing Shaker Faith Through Song and Dance

A Shaker historian explains how the film channels the sect’s ecstatic worship and musical heritage even as its services stopped featuring dance more than a century ago.

Overview

  • Amanda Seyfried leads the cast as Ann Lee under the direction of Mona Fastvold.
  • The trailer highlights ecstatic worship, serpentine imagery, and turbulent ritual scenes underscored by intense music.
  • Portions of the production were filmed at Hancock Shaker Village in Massachusetts, according to a board member there.
  • The Shaker community today consists of three members in Sabbathday Lake, Maine, and regular dancing in worship ended in the 1880s.
  • Shaker songs were traditionally monophonic and often believed to be spirit-given, with melodies like Simple Gifts later influencing American music.