The Spirit Moves
Now in DVD - Digitally Remastered
IN STOCK TODAY

" 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. "

Part 1: Jazz Dance from the Turn of The Century to 1950

Part 1 contains the best demonstrations of Lindy Hop and jazz steps by artists at the Savoy including James Berry, Pepsi Bethel, Teddy Brown, Sandra Gibson, Leon James, Al Minns, Frankie Manning and Willamae Ricker. Dances include the Cakewalk and Charleston Black Bottom, Susie Q, Shake Blues, Gutbucket Blues, Trunky Doo, Big Apple and aerial Lindy Hop.
(45 minutes)Region Free - $59.95

Part 2: Savoy Ballroom of Harlem, 1950's

Filmed at the Savoy Ballroom in the 1950's, Part 2 features footage of dancing by the general public. This is important because of the visit to the famous Savoy ballroom, and because the 'public' includes Al Minns and Leon James. Part 2 includes Bebop, Lindy, Shim Sham, Charleston, and an aerial Lindy contest for the Harvest Moon Ball Championships.
(30 minutes)Region Free - $59.95

Part 3: Postwar Era

Filmed at P.S. 28 (Brooklyn) and at the Palladium (New York), Part 3 features dances from the ‘Bebop Era’ features the Flying Home Harlem Style, Bebop improvisations, the Mambo and an Applejack Challenge, danced by Teddy Brown, Sugar Sullivan, Jack Asquiew, Leroy Appens, Tandaleo and Jackie, plus others.
(40 minutes)Region Free - $59.95

Mura Dehn was a Russian dancer who emigrated to the United States in the 1930s and was absolutely bowled over by the dancing she saw at the Savoy Ballroom and by the authentic jazz dancing of the African-Americans. She made it her life's work to capture this historically important dancing on film. It took her many years to get the funding for the project. When she finally started filming, in 1950, she was able to locate a number of the original Savoy Ballroom Lindy Hoppers to do some demonstrations in her studio which she filmed vividly against a stark white background. Her voice-over commentary is interesting, but not always clear on the primitive soundtrack.

She also gathered a great deal of dancing footage from the Savoy Ballroom in its last years in the 1950s. The dancers are still quite fantastic, especially as original Lindy Hoppers Leon James and Al Minns get into the circle. Now the music has changed to bebop and Latin and the feeling is often cool rather than hot.

The long-awaited DVD version has been digitally remastered without deviating from the authenticity of the original. It still has the rustic look of archival dance footage, but is cleaner and easier on the eye. Best of all, the menu can direct you to the chapters you want to view.

Click on each DVD image below to see the chapters in it and to order. The first one has the most Lindy Hop in it. Part 3 has the most Mambo footage.