Product Details

• Actors: L. Ewing, S. Fava, J. Brosnahan, C. Levy, M. Watt
• Directors: Carol Teten
• Format: Color, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: All Regions
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Rated: G (General Audience)
• Studio: Dancetime Publications
• DVD Release Date: November 25, 2002
• Run Time: 45 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00007JO72
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #184,664 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Review

Entertainment and Education are blended with great style in a new two-volume video. 'DANCETIME 500 Years of Social Dance' which takes us from Renaissance Court Dances to 1990s rap and MTV styles...each of the social dances has been scrupulously researched but there is nothing stuffy about the presentation. The wonderful performers race us through 500 years of changes in the ways that people have related to each other on the dance floor. Helpful subtitles give us background on what we are seeing, but most viewers will probably be too busy watching the highly skilled dancers to read the titles during a first viewing. --Connecticut Post

Product Description

DANCETIME DVD! 500 Years of Social Dance, Volume II, has greatly expanded the content of the popular video (DANCETIME! 500 Years of Social Dance, Volume II). It features the social dances, music, and fashions of Western culture PLUS over 193 instructional dance documents and 221 film references, with 20th century historical timelines. The extraordinary innovation, allows the viewers to see the synchronized dance performance and educational text simultaneously or separately. Volume II explores the 20th Century American dance panorama: a nonstop explosion of multicultural dance fads.

See all Editorial Reviews

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A low budget marvel, January 23, 2005

By 

F. Behrens "Frank Behrens" (Keene, NH USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dancetime DVD! 500 Years of Social Dance, Vol. 2 (DVD)

While browsing through the film collection over at Keene State College, I ran across two 45-minute video tapes named "Dancetime: 500 Years of Social Dance." The first volume was subtitled "15th-19th Centuries," the second "20th Century." Produced by Dancetime Publications and performed by a very personable troupe of young dancers that calls itself Dance Through Time-all on a bare stage but nicely costumed-they take us on a whirlwind tour of dances like the Balli, Galliard, Minuet, Quadrille, Polka, and Waltz (I am naming very few of the many) through the Castle Walk, Tango, Charleston, Jitterbug, Twist, right up to Hip Hop and Country Western. I was quite breathless by the time the second went bad on me (some people play them on dirty machines and return them with no shame or apology) and I had to stop watching to protect my player.

A relative in back in my former hometown tells me that these tapes are so popular in New York Public Libraries that there is a long waiting list for them and you cannot renew them after you keep them for a week. But now these two wonderful sets are out on DVD and have all sorts of extra features not found on the tapes.

For starters, you can simply play them through and let the frequent short subtitles keep you up on what is being danced. Or you can play them with a text superimposed over the picture. Or you can play only the text and the sound without the picture. But in those last two cases, keep your finger on the Pause button, because the text remains on the screen only as long as the dance does and you will never be able to read it all at that pace. There are also two or three CD-ROM features of historical interest, such as time-lines.

The dancers are all young and personable, and they make it all look so easy. Some of the narration is drowned out by the music but not very often. My senior citizen groups especially love watching the dances of the early 20th century.

Very highly recommended.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Treasure Chest for Any Dence Lover, December 20, 2005

By 

Sofiya Kozlova (NY, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dancetime DVD! 500 Years of Social Dance, Vol. 2 (DVD)

This DVD traces the history, dance steps, fashion and romance of the 20th century. Surprisingly, it is both an educational and entertaining experience.

I had such a good time seeing the dances that my parents and grandparents did. They are lively, sexy, and spontaneous. When I saw the dances of my own youth, I re-experienced many wonderful memories. This volume was fun to observe from beginning to end. The DVD contains background information, which is worth keeping for its encyclopedic content.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Learn Culture through Dance, November 20, 2005

By 

Wendy Brickman "Wendy Brickman" (Monterey, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dancetime DVD! 500 Years of Social Dance, Vol. 2 (DVD)

What a fascinating DVD this is for those of us who love history and dance. To be able to see the many changes in our fashion, music, and dance styles is a real eye-opener! From the 15th century's traditional ballroom dances to the 20th century's iconoclastic hip hop, our culture has truly "evolved" in astounding ways! The 2-volume set includes so many music segments and period fashions that the diversity of historical eras really amazed me. Actually, I enjoyed this so much, I can hardly wait to see the instructional videos.