More than 60 Original Film Clips including Silent Films, Newsreels, Instructional Films, Feature Films This exciting new video/DVD offers an opportunity to see rare historical clips of 'dance in film' which have been lo... more »st to the public for years...until now! Highlights in the collection are: elegant performances from the silent film era by Irene and Vernon Castle who are the role models for modern ballroom dance, Black Bottom clips demonstrating colloquial roots, newsreels showing Charleston contests, excruciating couple dancing in the interminable dance marathons, and a variety of the finest clips available for the show stopping Lindy Hop, celebrated by the renowned Whitey s Lindy Hoppers! A nostalgic history lesson, America Dances! provides a fascinating record of some of the pivotal dance moments of our history, reflecting changing dance trends, expertise, and taste. A dance chronicle of our culture through the years, this retrospective spans the panorama from average Americans dancing in newsreels to top quality performers who have left a legacy of graceful dance moves across the ballroom floor. America Dances! offers the original movements and images of the people who actually created them. This is a collectible treasure, an original resource for both aficionados and scholars, to be preserved for future generations and ideal for viewing again and again.« less
"This DVD presents and incomparable collection of historic dance clips. But whoever is behind Dancetime Publications hasn't got a clue about handling historical material. They ripped out the original soundtracks and replaced them with a ragtime piano track that has nothing to do with either the rhythm of the dancers or the music of the periods. Get this DVD --- because I know of no other source to see these dance clips --- but be prepared to turn the sound off, and wonder how anyone could have blown it this bad in their concept of historical preservation."
Enjoyable exposé
Ersa | Sweden | 08/10/2005
(3 out of 5 stars)
"There are a lot of interesting authentic clips on this DVD. I consider this to be a must have for anyone who is lost in early 20th century social dancing. I have not seen most of these before. But the off beat piano track is a shame."
Great collection of short clips, turn off the volume
underwater kiss | ny | 01/31/2009
(3 out of 5 stars)
"If you have never seen any vintage clips, this is a great collection. classic moves, and clear depiction of styles. But the soundtrack! The solo piano presents such an utterly superficial (bordering on ignorant) impression of what the actual soundtracks might have been (swing, latin, etc.), that is better to just turn off the volume, it is that annoying. Obviously a big job for a pianist, but in this case, way too big a job for the talent available. If you are going to overdub a soundtrack, and charge your retail price, show some knowledge of the period musical styles!"
Only for dance history buffs
Wendy Brickman | 06/25/2004
(1 out of 5 stars)
"If you're a dance history buff, you might enjoy this, but be warned--the material appears to be mostly fuzzy public domain film clips, nothing from familiar films. "Social Dance IN Film" suggests that it has film clips--it should be "Social Dance ON Film." Also, most if not all of the music is just a badly-synchronized piano--even films from the sound era are accompanied by this piano. (Couldn't they keep the original tracks? ...or are music rights preventing their use?) The audio is really pathetic. If you are only interested in the movement of dance, then you might like it."
See authentic dance history!
Wendy Brickman | Monterey, CA USA | 11/21/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I just loved seeing the DVD, "America Dances! 1897-1948." Talk about "stepping back in time....this was literally what I did!. I got a kick out of seeing all of the historical dance film clips from the first part of the 20th century. I was able to view a rare 1897 film `Charity Ball', an early 1900s newsreel of young men and women doing a spontaneous "cakewalk", the legendary dance duo Irene and Vernon Castle, Charleston demonstrations from "The American Musical Theatre," as well as dance marathons, and innovative jitterbug contests. This video gave me both dance and history. It was a double treat!"