Jazz Dance from the Turn of the Century to 1950
The Spirit Moves DVD collection is a the single richest living record of African Americans’ great influence on cultural, social, and dance history. Part 1 presents demonstrations of ragtime and jazz dances by artists made famous at the Savoy Ballroom including James Berry, Pepsi Bethel, Teddy Brown, Sandra Gibson, Leon James, Al Minns and Frankie Manning. Dances include the Cakewalk and Charleston Black Bottom, Susie Q, Shake Blues, Gutbucket Blues, Trunky Doo, Big Apple and some aerial Lindy Hop.The Spirit Moves is a rare and vital social document providing a living record of the men and women who crafted American social dance styles and jazz music into an improvisational art form. Previously, the films comprising this DVD were only available for viewing at the Dance Collection of the New York Public Library and a select group of followers. Dancetime Publications has made the most extensive video encyclopedia of African American Social Dance available to the world’s libraries, schools, dance aficionados, and scholars.Carol Téten’s Dancetime Publications’ compilation of Mura Dehn’s raw footage of directed improv from 1900-1950.
DVD run-time: 45 minutes
A remarkable record of vernacular dance. Ballet Review
PROGRAM DETAILS:
The Spirit Moves traces the evolution of African American dance in urban America. The study of these 20th century dance fads is essential for dance and music research and the exploration of our social and cultural history. Shown with original editing, this DVD contains the only footage of this kind still in existence. It was recorded and created over a period of thirty years by Mura Dehn, a European filmmaker who recognized the vital contribution of African American dance to the Jazz scene, and thus, to our cultural heritage.
Contents: The Spirit Moves, Part 1
Cast
Artists of the Savoy Ballroom of Harlem
Narrator – Mura Dehn
CHAPTER ONE: RAGTIME
Strut
PEPSI BETHEL, ALFRED MINNS, LEON JAMES
Cakewalk
ESTHER WASHINGTON, ALFRED MINNS, LEON JAMES
Breaks
Steps In Cakewalk
ESTHER WASHINGTON, PEPSI BETHEL
JAZZTIME
Charleston 1920’s
THE ENTIRE ENSEMBLE
JAZZTIME
Charleston 1930’s
THE ENTIRE ENSEMBLE
CHAPTER TWO: BLUES
Rent Party
THE ENTIRE ENSEMBLE
Shake Blues
SANDRA GIBSON
Speak Easy
LEON JAMES, AL MINNS & GUEST PARTNER
Male Shake Blues
AL MINNS
Gutbucket Blues
SANDRA GIBSON & JAMES BERRY (GUEST ARTIST)
CHAPTER THREE: SAVOY ROUTINES
Trunky Doo
AL MINNS, PEPSI BETHEL, LEON JAMES
Aerial Lindy
LEON JAMES, ESTHER WASHINGTON
California (Lindy)
WILLIAM & FRANKY MANNING (sic)
(WILLAMAE RICKER & FRANKIE MANNING)
Big Apple
THE ENTIRE ENSEMBLE
POSTWAR TRENDS
Calypso
ALFRED MINNS, GUEST PARTNER, TEDDY BROWN
Apple Jack
THOMAS KING, SCUBY STROHMAN
DISCOUNT PACKAGE:
3 DVD Set - THE SPIRIT MOVES: Volumes 1-3
