“Victorian Era Couple Dances”

How To Dance Through Time, Volume V: Victorian Era Couple Dances continues the tradition of The Romance of Mid-19th Century Couple Dances. The viewer re-visits the classic 19th century couple dances in order to explore 32 innovative step variations, which were developed in the last part of the 19th century. The Waltz flourished with turning embellishments; the Polka blossomed into playful variations; the Galop rose to a new level of expertise; and the Mazurka became the major showpiece of the era. As with all videos in the How to Dance Through Time series, the dances are introduced with a concise, historical overview and illustrated with authentic photographs and drawings. The steps were carefully researched from period manuscripts and are recreations of historical dances. Close up and slow motion views make learning the moves simple and fun. Dance historian and choreographer Carol Tten is an engaging presence in the series, providing historical context and calling out dance instructions as professional dancers demonstrate. Following each instructional section, dancers from the Dance Through Time company perform with authentic music and fashions of the era.