20th Century American Dance

Product Description These two DVDs comprise a thorough and engaging look at the major themes of 20th century dance in the US. With Volume II of Dancetime DVD!, see reconstructions of dances from each decade of the 20th century. On American Dances! you ll find some the same dances and more in authentic period footage of Americans young, old, famous, and average dancing, whether on stage, at a dance club, or during an impromptu boogie on a beach! Review Dancetime Publications, the company responsible for the unique instruction series on the history of American social dance, 'How To Dance Through Time' has pulled together an equally unique 'collector s edition' of primary source film clips mainly newsreels and television footage of American dance. Culled from the National Archives and other news sources, these 60 clips, ranging from just a few seconds to several minutes in length, provide a rare glimpse into American trends and tastes through over a little more than half a century. Highlights include seconds drawn from an 1897 Thomas Edison film Charity Ball, early 1900s newsreels of young men and women doing a spontaneous 'cakewalk' at a beach resort, film clips of legendary dance duo Irene and Vernon Castle, demonstrations of the Charleston from a 1960 episode of 'The American Musical Theatre,' as well as scenes of dance marathons, contests, and the wild jitterbugging of the renowned late Whitey s Lindy Hoppers. Granted the film stock is rough in spots (frequently, and understandably, dark, and grainy), but Dancetime has supplied an appropriate piano accompaniment for consistency throughout. Fun for both dance fans and scholars, this program is recommended for all dance collections. --Library Journal America Dances belongs in a category of its own: archival footage showing the evolution of dance within popular culture...not merely of historic interest, the footloose performances of the Charleston and other antique-fad dances gathered here are invariably more exciting than the watered down versions devised by contemporary choreographers for Broadway, TV or the movies. --LA Times