Swing

Dance Lessons 101: The Ultimate Couples Dancing Instruction Video for Beginners (Shawn Trautman's Dance Collection)

Dance Lessons 101 is the best starting point for Ballroom, Country, Swing, and Latin Dancing. This DVD is proof you can learn to dance without live lessons! You will be dancing the Slow Dance, Waltz, Swing, Salsa, Two-Step, Cha-Cha, Hustle, and West Coast Swing in a matter of minutes. Also referred to as the Ultimate Couples Dancing Instruction Video for Beginners, Dance Lessons 101 was designed and developed with the end-user in mind. Customer feedback received from Shawn Trautmans acclaimed DVD, the Couples Ultimate Dance Sampler, was the key to developing such a user-friendly and easy-to-follow curriculum. Now, with just one DVD, you can quickly learn eight of the most popular social dances. Dance Lessons 101 includes nearly two hours of instruction, picture-in-picture technology, HD filming for optimum clarity, and multiple camera angles to ensure that you, the student, get the best view. Each step and move is taught for both the leader and the follower as well as together, allowing you the option of learning with or without a dance partner. Also, menu selections in the DVD provide you with options of going from one dance to another without hassle. Your instructors, Shawn and Joanna Trautman, will have you dancing in a matter of minutes! Owning this DVD is the equivalent of having your own private instruction at home for a fraction of the cost. Whether learning for an event like a wedding or a cruise or if you simply want to try something new to get out and stay fit, Dance Lessons 101 is the best choice to start and feel good about your new hobby. After completing this video dance lesson, you will have your choice of more than two dozen other titles in Shawn Trautmans Dance Collection to further your learning.

Astaire & Rogers Ultimate Collector's Edition (Flying Down to Rio / The Gay Divorcee / Roberta / Top Hat / Follow the Fleet / Swing Time / Shall We Dance / Carefree / The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle / The Barkleys of Broadway)

2006 marks the arrival of five Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers films (Flying Down to Rio, The Gay Divorcee, Roberta, Carefree, and The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle) on DVD after the first five were released in 2005. The big package is this Astaire & Rogers Ultimate Collector's Edition, which contains all 10 films plus a CD, a bonus DVD with the documentary Astaire and Rogers: Partners in Rhythm, press-book replicas, and some other material. If you want the big package with the extra stuff but already bought the five films in 2005, you can get the Astaire & Rogers Partial Ultimate Collector's Edition, which includes everything except the actual discs of those first five films. Or, if you only want the five new films, pick up Astaire & Rogers Collection, Vol. 2 as a bookend to Astaire & Rogers Collection, Vol. 1.

The Astaire-Rogers films mix light romantic comedy (usually centered around mistaken identities and ending, inevitably, in blissful wedding promises) with elegant dinner wear and surreal sets intended to transport '30s audiences away from the Depression to such locales as Rio, Paris, and Venice. The two stars are also aided by a recurring stable of RKO players such as Edward Everett Horton (master of the double-take), Eric Blore, and Helen Broderick. And then there's that sensational dancing set to great songs by the likes of Irving Berlin, George and Ira Gershwin, and Jerome Kern, numbers that are not merely entertaining but also innovative for their time in that they reveal character and advance the plot. Add it all up, and you have a recipe for an irrepressible joie de vivre that practically defines the movie musical.

Flying Down to Rio (1933) headlined Dolores Del Rio and Gene Raymond, but it was the fourth- and fifth-billed stars who would rewrite cinematic history. Astaire and Rogers had limited screen time, but were still able to establish many of the trademarks of their later films. The heart of the film is "The Carioca," a company dance extravaganza in which they take the floor together for the first time; their eyes meet and their foreheads touch. Their dance lasts only a few minutes, but it was the highlight of the film and audiences wanted more. The Gay Divorcee (1934) is their best early picture, a loose adaptation of Astaire's stage show, 'The Gay Divorce.' The only song retained for the movie is Cole Porter's smash hit "Night and Day," which is the setting for a sublime pas de deux between Fred and Ginger. The closer is the sprawling 17-minute ensemble number "The Continental." Roberta (1935) was a step backward, with too much time spent on 1930s Parisian fashion and the romance between top-billed Irene Dunne (who gets the best Jerome Kern ballads, "Yesterdays" and "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes") and Randolph Scott. But as the second-banana couple Astaire and Rogers still get a tap battle, a romantic duet, and plenty of comic banter.

With a score by Irving Berlin, Top Hat (1935) is most famous for two numbers, Astaire's definitive tuxedo setting "Top Hat, White Tie, and Tails" and the feathery duet "Cheek to Cheek." But other joys include Astaire's "Fancy Free" declaration, "Isn't It a Lovely Day," and the grand finale "The Piccolino." Follow the Fleet (1936) changes the pace a bit, with Astaire playing a sailor, and it suffers from making him and Rogers the second-banana couple to the dull Randolph Scott and Harriet Hilliard. But it still has plenty of laughs and some classic Irving Berlin numbers, including "Let Yourself Go," which Rogers sings before she and Astaire compete in a dance contest; a Rogers solo tap number; "I'm Putting All My Eggs in One Basket," their best comic dance. The pièce de résistance is "Let's Face the Music and Dance," a show within a show in which the pair dons their customary evening formals. Effortlessly flowing from pantomime to song to dance, this sublime piece of storytelling is one of the series' defining moments. Maybe their most enjoyable picture, Swing Time (1936) features the set-piece "Pick Yourself Up," in which Rogers "teaches" Astaire to dance before they break into a spectacular number; the farewell ode "Never Gonna Dance," and the Oscar-winning "Just the Way You Look Tonight," from the team of Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields.

Shall We Dance (1937) has a complex plot that has Astaire and Rogers actually getting married before the final credits roll, and turns George and Ira Gershwin's brilliant "They Can't Take That Away from Me" into a heartbreaking ode. Other great songs include "Slap That Bass," "They All Laughed," and "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off," unforgettably performed on roller skates. The eighth and ninth entries in the series tried some different approaches, with the underrated Carefree (1938) more of a comedy vehicle for Ginger (yet still including some fine dances and Irving Berlin songs as well as their first onscreen kiss) and The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle (1939) portraying the pair as historical dancing stars and using a score of turn-of-the-century standards. The Barkleys of Broadway (1949) is the oddity, reuniting the stars 10 years after their last RKO picture when Judy Garland had to be replaced due to health problems. It's trademark MGM: splashy colors, Fred in a gimmicky solo number (playing sorcerer's apprentice to a line of unoccupied shoes), Oscar Levant providing his usual dynamic pianism and acerbic personality, and a score that is at its best when it borrows songs from a previous generation (including the big ballroom number set to "They Can't Take That Away from Me"). The film falls short of their best work, but serves as a fond remembrance of the most glorious partnership in film history. --David Horiuchi

Top Hat:Showman Jerry Travers is working for producer Horace Hardwick in London. Jerry demonstrates his new dance steps late one night in Horace's hotel much to the annoyance of sleeping Dale Tremont below. She goes upstairs to complain and the two are immediately attracted to each other. Complications arise when Dale mistakes Jerry for Horace.Swing Time:Lucky is tricked into missing his wedding to Margaret by the other members of Pop's magic and dance act and has to make $25000 to be allowed to marry her. He and Pop go to New York where they run into Penny a dancing instructor. She and Lucky form a successful dance partnership but romance is blighted (till the end of the film at least!) by his old attachment to Margaret and hers for Ricardo the band leader who won't play for them to dance together.DVD Features:Available Subtitles: English Spanish FrenchAvailable Audio Tracks: English (Dolby Digital 1.0)Includes:Flying Down to Rio (1933)The Gay Divorcee (1934)Roberta (1935)Top Hat (1935)Follow the Fleet (1936)Swing Time (1936)Shall We Dance (1937)Carefree (1938)The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle (1939)The Barkleys of Broadway (1949)Astaire and Rogers: Partners in Rhythm (bonus disc)Soundtrack CD samplerCollectible photo cardsReplicas of original press booksMail-in poster offerFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: MUSICALS/MUSICALS Rating: UNRATED UPC: 012569829459 Manufacturer No: 82945

Burn the Floor: The New Show 'Floor Play' / Jason Gilkison

Ballroom dancing has always been about a man and a woman, moving together up close and personal. Today, stripped back to its soul, it is hot, sweaty and sexy. This is ballroom dancing in the new millennium. This is Floor Play.

Conceived, directed and choreographed by World Champion Ballroom dancer Jason Gilkison who choreographed the original Burn the Floor which has been seen by over 3 million people worldwide. Floor Play has been ten years in the making, and features a hand picked cast of dancers. Breath-taking, action-packed, unpredictable, sensual, and ultimately inspiring, this is Jason s legacy to us all.

Burn the Floor

Swing Dancing for Beginners Volume 1 (Shawn Trautman's Dance Collection)

Beginners Volume 1 offers the easiest and most thorough instruction for anyone wanting to learn both Single-Time Swing and East Coast Swing, the two most popular versions of Swing dancing. Each volume is professional, easy to follow, designed for beginners and fun for everyone. With nearly 1½ hours of instruction and multiple camera views, Shawn and Joanna Trautman will build your confidence and have you dancing along with them - literally. The design of the curriculum and camera placement for the DVDs allows leaders to do the EXACT movements that Shawn presents, and it allows followers to mimic Joanna in real time without having to turn away from the screen. In addition, youll also get to dance each dance with music alongside the instructors at the end of each section. This beginner DVD covers everything from the history of Swing, how to do Slow Steps, Rock Steps, and Triple Steps, what the footwork is for both leaders and followers, how to properly use the four connection points specifically for Swing, and how to go from one dance position to another to another, seamlessly. Youll also learn lead and follow elements to each move, what adding lilt to your body means, how to do left turns, right turns, underarm turns, and much more. With nearly two decades of experience, a number of World Champion students to their credit, and their recently published book Picture Yourself Dancing, Shawn and Joanna have perfected the basic elements of each dance while specializing in the leading and following aspects which are extremely hard to find. Shawn and Joanna will demonstrate, explain, and teach you to lead and follow the Swing so you can dance anywhere with anyone, rather than just learning a single step that can only be done with your partner. Once youre comfortable with this DVD, youll want to look into Beginner Volume 2 as it seamlessly adds on to everything you learned here to rapidly gain confidence based on consistency and repetition.

Number Ones

Benny Goodman - Adventures in the Kingdom of Swing

Swing Dancing for Beginners Volume 2 (Shawn Trautman's Dance Collection)

Hang on to your bobby socks! Ladies Inside Turns, the Guys Inside Turns, Wraps, Fake Wraps, Behind the Back Hand Changes, Tuck-Turns, Touchbacks, and much more are all taught in Swing Dancing for Beginners Volume 2. This DVD is for anyone comfortable with Swing Dancing basics and ready for the next step. Swing for Beginners Volume 2 is professional, easy to follow, designed specifically for beginners and fun for anyone getting started with dance lessons and is ready to add a few more moves to their repertoire. With near 90 minutes of instruction, multiple camera views, and beginner-friendly curriculum, Shawn and Joanna Trautman will build your confidence and help you get moving on the dance floor. Filmed and presented with multiple camera angles and Picture-in-Picture technology, you will be surprised at just how easily you learn with the right instruction. The design of the curriculum and camera placement for the DVDs allows the leaders to do the EXACT movements that Shawn presents, and it allows the followers to mimic Joanna in real time without having to turn away from the screen. In addition to learning along with the instructors with split-screen formatting, you will also get to dance each dance with music alongside the instructors at the end of each section.

Ballroom Dancing Intermediate with Teresa Mason

By popular demand this series continues with the Intermediate level of Ballroom Dancing and is designed for all ages and for those who have already mastered the Beginner¹s level. Learn one-on-one, step-by-step with Teresa, as she takes you through the techniques of the most popular dances.

FOXTROT
CHA-CHA
TANGO
WALTZ
RUMBA
SWING

Instructor Teresa Mason is a professional teacher and performer and is a former national champion competitor. She operates Dance Arts in Houston and her teaching is accredited by the Imperial Society. Please see the entire library of Teresa Mason Instructional Dance DVDs at www.kultur.com

Titles in the Ballroom series include:
D1206 BALLROOM DANCING FOR BEGINNERS
D1304 BALLROOM DANCING FOR INTERMEDIATE
D1349 BALLROOM DANCING FOR ADVANCED

West Coast Swing for Beginners Volume 1 (Shawn Trautman's Dance Collection)

No experience necessary! The basics of lead and follow West Coast Swing including the sugar push, left side pass, right side pass, outside turn, the cut-off pass, the reverse pass, the tuck turn, the starter step, and much more are all taught from a complete beginner perspective. Whether for a hot night at a cool jazz club or just something fun to do, this volume is for everyone as you will learn to lead and follow West Coast Swing. West Coast Swing for Beginners Volume 1 is professional, easy to follow, designed specifically for beginners and fun for anyone wanting to get started with dance lessons. With nearly 90 minutes of instruction, multiple camera views, and beginner-friendly curriculum, Shawn and Joanna Trautman will build your confidence and help you get moving on the dance floor. Filmed and presented with multiple camera angles and Picture-in-Picture technology, you will be surprised at just how easily you learn with the right instruction. The design of the curriculum and camera placement for the DVDs allows the leaders to do the EXACT movements that Shawn presents, and it allows the followers to mimic Joanna in real time without having to turn away from the screen. In addition to learning along with the instructors with split-screen formatting, you will also get to dance each dance with music alongside the instructors at the end of each section.