Part 1: Jazz Dance from the Turn of the Century to 1950
Filmed in a studio setting, Part 1 contains demonstrations of ragtime and jazz dances by artists at the Savoy 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. 45 minutes
Part 1 of 3 DVDs, this rare cultural treasure is the most extensive video encyclopedia of African American Social Dance from 1900 to the 1980s. THE SPIRIT MOVES traces the evolution of African American dance in urban America.
DVD Preview
The chronicle of these 20th century dance fads is essential for dance and music research, as well as for the exploration of our social and cultural history. Shown with its 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 and recorded the vital contribution of African American dance to the Jazz scene and thus, to our cultural heritage.
THE SPIRIT MOVES is a rare and vital social document providing a living record of the men and women who forged American social dance styles into an improvisational art form.
Previously, it was only available for viewing at the Dance Collection of the New York Public Library, or on VHS to a select group of swing dance aficionados. THE SPIRIT MOVES is such an important archive that Dancetime Publications is now making it available to libraries, schools, dance aficionados, and scholars throughout the United States and across the globe.
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
Reviews
The Spirit Moves "A seminal appreciation of the evolution of African-American dance in urban America, The Spirit Moves Parts,1,2, & 3 is a must-have for any serious American dance history DVD collection." The Midwest Book Review
The Spirit Moves : A History Of Black Social Dance On Film 1900-1986 ... Mura Dehn - the dancer - freely admitted, "it was so tremendously effortful to swallow the rhythmic pill." However, she knew instantly that this remarkable scene had to be documented: "So, I sacrificed my career to promote the tidal wave of black jazz, to film the greatest dancers of the Savoy… My contribution is to have assembled and preserved these dances as presented by their greatest exponents." And for that, we have to give thanks! … such a buzz! Overall we get an incredible document that delivers both the dance styles and a living record of the men and women who forged those styles into an improvisational art form. ...these DVDs are not cheap but they are essential viewing. This is our history. If you’ve danced to jazz or funk or house you have participated in that cultural continuum. Over 20 years have elapsed since Mura Dehn passed away and fortunately The Spirit Moves has been rescued from obscurity and cult status. I’ll leave the final word to the critic of the Village Voice who reviewed the film when it was premiered at the Public Theatre in NYC: “Jazz dance, like jazz music, is one of America's major contributions to world culture, and if you haven't seen the film, then you have been cheated of your own dance history.” Paul Bradshaw/mondomix.com/
THE SPIRIT MOVES "The dancing is often spectacular...a remarkable record of vernacular dance." Ballet Review
The Spirit Moves Part 1
