America Dances! 1897-1948

A terrific compilation of over 60 archival dance clips drawn from the Vitagraph, Edison, and RKO studio libraries, among others, America Dances! presents an engaging historical look at the nation's social dance scene, from the turn-of-the-19th century cakewalk to the mid-20th century Harlem-born hit Lindy hop. Highlights include clips of ballroom king and queen Vernon and Irene Castle (circa 1915), the “Big Apple” (the dance hit of 1938 as seen here performed by Jimmy Stewart and Jean Arthur in Frank Capra's You Can't Take it With You), and footage from dance marathons, Charleston competitions, and Dance Masters conventions, reminding viewers of the importance dance has played in the social fabric of America, both as a participatory and spectator “sport.” Expert piano accompaniment featuring period and original music adds to the nostalgic atmosphere. Although the DVD contains no extras, it does offer access to individual clips. Highly recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (L. Stevens)