Rating: Summary: Explosive, Brilliant Review: "Burn the Floor" (DVD), is a film of the stage play "Burn the Floor" and burn the floor they do. Wow! It's a year 2000 salute, a tribute to dancing couples. Many of the dances are interpretations, abstractions of the milestone dance styles of the 20th Century, performed by 23 couples, the world's newest crop of ballroom champions. The choreography is brilliant and dazzling, with each couple sharing the limelight in individual routines, but somehow it works together, as one. A time machine that whisks the viewer back to the smooth waltz, Hollywood and Broadway of the thirties, the Lindy, Fred Astaire, World War II and Glenn Miller. Then the Jitterbug, Zoot Suit, Reet Pleat and right cuff to look sharp enough to see your Sunday gal. Holy Moly Batman, we eventually zoom back to the 21st Century. "Hot", the finale, is a hand-clapping, finger snapping, mind boggling Mambo/Salsa of the 21st Century. It is all new, fresh, sexy, wet and hot. The music, the moves, the artistry of the dancers and the ambiance of the stage, draws the spellbound viewer into the action. After seeing this film, many will browse the Yellow Pages in search of dance lessons from their nearest studio. This DVD is a keeper: you can play it over and over and never tire of watching it.
Rating: Summary: Explosive, Brilliant Review: "Burn the Floor" (DVD), is a film of the stage play "Burn the Floor" and burn the floor they do. Wow! It's a year 2000 salute, a tribute to dancing couples. Many of the dances are interpretations, abstractions of the milestone dance styles of the 20th Century, performed by 23 couples, the world's newest crop of ballroom champions. The choreography is brilliant and dazzling, with each couple sharing the limelight in individual routines, but somehow it works together, as one. A time machine that whisks the viewer back to the smooth waltz, Hollywood and Broadway of the thirties, the Lindy, Fred Astaire, World War II and Glenn Miller. Then the Jitterbug, Zoot Suit, Reet Pleat and right cuff to look sharp enough to see your Sunday gal. Holy Moly Batman, we eventually zoom back to the 21st Century. "Hot", the finale, is a hand-clapping, finger snapping, mind boggling Mambo/Salsa of the 21st Century. It is all new, fresh, sexy, wet and hot. The music, the moves, the artistry of the dancers and the ambiance of the stage, draws the spellbound viewer into the action. After seeing this film, many will browse the Yellow Pages in search of dance lessons from their nearest studio. This DVD is a keeper: you can play it over and over and never tire of watching it.
Rating: Summary: A GREAT SHOW! Review: A friend brought over the VHS, and I was so blown away that I immediately ordered the DVD. The dancing is so fun, energetic, and the cast is OBVIOUSLY having the time of their lives. It makes me regret sneering at dance classes when I was a kid! Like the live audience, I wanted to stand up and cheer--and start dancing in the aisles. Some people have quibbled about the camerawork and editing. Speaking as a professional film editor, I found the camerawork and editing to be first rate. The editing follows your eye, in much the same way you would if you were at a show live. Of course your eyes cannot give you zooms, crane shots, or closeups, but I felt the editing was inspired. It increases the energy of the show AND gives you a real "feel" for the dance...as opposed to the "Fred and Ginger" school of the uncut long shot master take. Yes, the cutting is quick at times, but you certainly see enough of the footwork that it's a joy to also see the closeups of the dancers faces and bodies. A static proscenium or rostrum camera would have destroyed the energy and rhythm. This video takes it's place with the DVD of "Cats", in my book, in terms of wonderfully conveying the freedom, joy, and liberation of dance.
Rating: Summary: It will make you want to DANCE!! Review: Any sort of ballroom dancing is terrific to watch, but this will blow you away. The video box will in no way prepare you for the exciting dancing, dancing, dancing that follows. THIS IS NOT FOR THE TIMID AND TRADITIONAL. Even I, at times, was jawdropped at the uninhibited sexual nature of it. Now, it isn't the whole show, but several sequences are indeed rather racy--in terms of clothing and dancing. But it you can get past that, it is a treat for anyone. Special favorites for me are the swing sequence and the Fred and Ginger bit. But all of it is spectatular and worth watching.
Rating: Summary: Well-intentioned, but the cinematography was abysmal Review: As a ballroom/latin dancer, I was thrilled when I thought I'd finally found a video of a show featuring the type of dance I do. I was vastly disappointed after watching through this video. The dancing was probably excellent, but I certainly couldn't tell. Whoever did the filming obviously had no clue about how to film a dance show. The "special" effects (rapid cuts, dizzying changes in view, slow-motion, zooming in to dancers' faces, etc.) were probably meant to enhance the video but ended up ruining a good portion of the dancing. The swing scenes were pretty good, I have to admit, but all in all I found this video to be a complete waste of my $25. My advice: if you're a swing/lindy dancer, you might be able to pull a few cool moves off this video. If you're a ballroom/latin dancer, don't bother, you won't get much out of it besides a slight headache and maybe motion-sickness. If you just want to see a movie with ballroom dancing, there are better ones out there, like Dance with Me.
Rating: Summary: Well-intentioned, but the cinematography was abysmal Review: As a ballroom/latin dancer, I was thrilled when I thought I'd finally found a video of a show featuring the type of dance I do. I was vastly disappointed after watching through this video. The dancing was probably excellent, but I certainly couldn't tell. Whoever did the filming obviously had no clue about how to film a dance show. The "special" effects (rapid cuts, dizzying changes in view, slow-motion, zooming in to dancers' faces, etc.) were probably meant to enhance the video but ended up ruining a good portion of the dancing. The swing scenes were pretty good, I have to admit, but all in all I found this video to be a complete waste of my $25. My advice: if you're a swing/lindy dancer, you might be able to pull a few cool moves off this video. If you're a ballroom/latin dancer, don't bother, you won't get much out of it besides a slight headache and maybe motion-sickness. If you just want to see a movie with ballroom dancing, there are better ones out there, like Dance with Me.
Rating: Summary: MTV meets International Style Ballroom Review: As a dancer and instructor I was looking forward to a social dance show. What a disappointment. Lots of cleavage and bun shots, crotch grabbing, and supposedly sexy looking costumes and antics. The choreography was self absorbed and uninspired. I suppose the dancing was okay, though it was hard to tell as the camera angle changed every few seconds and slowing of the video made the leaps oh so long. But what do I know; you may like it.
Rating: Summary: Burn the Floor: Camera Work and Editing Is Dismal Review: Both the dancing and music is superb, BUT.... Unfortunately, this live performance was almost ruined by the way it was videotaped and then chopped-up when the tape was apparently edited by idiots. Also, I saw it on DVD and it appeared quite fuzzy to me in places. It's still worth watching, just be prepared to get a headache from the editing jumping from place to place about every 2 seconds. And if you want to see any of the dancer's faces, forget that too.
Rating: Summary: Nothing like what I expected Review: Given that the dancers are supposed to be real ballroom competitors, I was expecting spectacular dancing. What I saw was repetitious choreography with a few latin moves thrown in. It was worse than one would expect to see in a beginners dance class. If you want to see some real ballroom dancing, buy something else - anything else. Some of the best movies are: Strictly Ballroom Shall We Dance? (Japanese) Dirty Dancing
Rating: Summary: Nothing like what I expected Review: Given that the dancers are supposed to be real ballroom competitors, I was expecting spectacular dancing. What I saw was repetitious choreography with a few latin moves thrown in. It was worse than one would expect to see in a beginners dance class. If you want to see some real ballroom dancing, buy something else - anything else. Some of the best movies are: Strictly Ballroom Shall We Dance? (Japanese) Dirty Dancing
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