Product Description

DanceTime! is a journey through 500 years of social dancing, traveling from court to country, ballroom to bistro, salon to street. The choreography of each dance is the result of extensive research and is staged with period music and costumes. Volume I/ The 15th to 19th Centuries Dance through history with the revelry of the Renaissance, the elegance of the Baroque, the charm of Regency country dances and the swirling headiness of Victorian couple dances. The DVD format includes all of the original sources. The Dances/ Balli, So Ben Mi Chi Ha Bon Tempo, La Volta, Galliard, Minuet, Contredances, Folies d'Espagne, Country Dances, Quadrilles, Durang's Hornpipe, Polka, Mazurka, Galop, Waltz Cotillion. DANCETIME DVD! 500 Years of Social Dance is a collectible two-volume set with an outstanding array of dance and music spanning 500 years. The 38 dances shown in the DVDs are woven together with witty commentary, and provide outstanding entertainment, as well as a comprehensive dance and social history education. Volume I displays the dances, fashions, and music from the 15th century through the 19th century, while Volume II focuses on the 20th century. The two-volume set includes 60 well-known musical selections and 100 elaborate period fashions within the 38 dances. The DVD adds 600 source documents and historical timelines. Anyone who loves history, social studies, culture, costumes, dance, music or theater will be captivated by this unforgettable set. All the dances in DANCETIME! are carefully researched from authentic period manuscripts. Both volumes have received rave reviews from consumers, libraries, colleges, dance lovers and historians.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #104590 in DVD
• Released on: 2002-11-25
• Rating: G (General Audience)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Color, DVD, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 35 minutes

Review
interesting costumes and delightful musical selections as well as facts to please those who enjoy information concerning history, social studies, cultures, and costumes, as well as dance and music. --The Washington Post

Review
bonus features-such as added options of simultaneous instructive text diagrams and descriptions-that truly take advantage of DVD's expanded capabilities. --Video Librarian

Review
...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. --Connecticut Post

Customer Reviews

Treasure Chest for Any Dence Lover
This DVD traces history, dance steps, fashion and romance. I was amazed that it is an educational and entertaining experience.
Both the beauty and complexity of these older dances are impressive. The costumes are exquisite and the dancers imbue meaning into the steps, which they perform. Volume 1 is a fascinating window into the past. The DVD has a ton of background information, which is worth keeping for its encyclopedic content.

An amazing video history of social dance from the courts of Italy, France, and England to the ballrooms of America
Dancetime DVD! 500 Years of Social Dance Volume I: 15th-19th Centuries is an amazing video history of social dance from the courts of Italy, France, and England to the ballrooms of America. Viewers are treated to enthralling demonstrations of each style of dance as it arose, as well as the grand history of this wonderful pastime. Now the Dancetime! video series has been further enhanced on DVD with over 600 original source documents and historical timelines. Viewers may also investigate dance steps and instructional text simultaneously or separately from the program. An excellent survey of the evolution of an art form, highly recommended for public library collections along with its companion volume "Dancetime DVD! 500 Years of Social Dance Volume II: The 20th Century".