Product: Stormy Weather [VHS] (1980)
Rating: 5.0
African American geniuses captured on film
I use this movie as a teaching tool in dance classes in public schools. It shows the roots of every dance form we practice today and proves the point that there is no such thing as a truly "American" form of dance. Tap and hip hop originated from African dance/drumming and how it was used in communication from one plantation to another to help one another escape. Katherine Dunham combined AFrican and CAribeean techniques to create well excuted and smart jazz and modern choreogrpahy. Calloway showed us he is the grandfather of hip hop vernacular, Lena Horne the queeen of style, Bill Robinson, a master craftsman and Fats Waller and Ada Brown true talents that were grown out of singing in churches and learning songs passed down from generation to generation. NO one surpasses the Nicholas Brothers in grace and style, and Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly openly admitted they were greatly influenced by them. Please note that there are other small appearances by Noble Sissle and other trailblazers in the film. If you are student and watching the film, notice the first dance scene about the cake walk - look it up and learn about its history. To me, this movie proves we are all one.Also, Amazon, please note that when you bring this up to pay it says it stars Eddie Rochester Anderson. It does not, he was the brilliant leading man in Cabin in the Sky.