Part 1: Jazz Dance from the Turn of The Century to 1950
Coming Soon in DVD --- November 2008

View QuickTime sample of Leon James, Al Minns and Pepsi Bethel.

View QuickTime sampleof Frankie Manning

View QuickTime sample of Sandra Gibson.
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Part One of the documentary The Spirit Moves is a visual history vividly showing, among other things, the African-American roots of swing dancing and original authentic jazz dance. Dances include the Cakewalk, Charleston, Boogie-woogie, Shimmy, Susie-Q, Snake hips, Black bottom, Fish tail, Savoy Lindy Hop, Blues, Calypso, Applejack. Mura Dehn's own voice-over commentary but not always clear due to a fuzzy soundtrack.

Filmed in a studio setting with the idea of capturing the quality of every movement and gesture for serious students of the dance. There is even a sequence in which Al Minns, Leon James and Pepsi Bethel dance in nothing but diapers (!) so that you can see the articulation of their ribs and hips. Sandra Gibson does a "Boogie" which leaves you no doubt as to why that was her nickname at the Savoy. Frankie Manning and Willa Mae Ricker demonstrate Charleston and the first Aerial step, which Manning invented. For them the camera uses both slow motion and hyperspeed to demonstate how fluid and even their movements are. There is a very nice Big Apple.

This extraordinary documentary is something every serious swing dancer and student of African-American dance will want to have.

45 mins.