Customer Reviews

AMERICA DANCES! 1897-1948: A Collectors Edition of Social Dance in Film

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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.

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!

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.

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!

America Dances! 1897-1948: A Collector's Edition of Social Dance in Film is an archive of American film clips featuring dance, many of which are originally from the era of silent movies. From the "Comedy Cakewalk" and "Two Step" of the early 1900's, to the many variants of the Charleston in the 1920s, the Lindy Hop and the Jitterbug in the 1930's, to Rumba, and Conga in the 1940s, and much more, a vast plethora of dance styles and highlights have been preserved for posterity. An inspirational treasury that scholars and choreographers will find useful, and that fans of dance are sure to enjoy. 75 minutes.

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.