Genre Lists

This guide provides an overview of recent DVDs that may interest researchers in the Dance, Music, Theatre, and Video & Visual Art fields. Additional titles can be accessed through the library catalog; you can search by keyword, person, genre, or title.
 

 
We also provide access to a number of streaming video resources, including Dance on Video and the Routledge Performance Archive.

Jump to a section:

• Dance
• Music
• Theatre
• Video & Visual Art

Suggested keywords: modern dance, choreographers, ballet, hip-hop dance, dancers, dance festivals

Bill T. Jones: A Good Man
Jones and his company create an original dance-theater piece, 'Fondly do we hope...fervently do we pray.'
Call Number: UMDVD 7342

Dance on Screen
This documentary explores the question: how has the media influenced dance in the 20th century and vice versa?
Call Number: UMDVD 8990

Flex is Kings
Follows the struggles of several young men who practice flex, an intense dance style that originated in Brooklyn.
Call Number: UMDVD 9094

Hanya Holm: A Retrospective
Archival footage and photographs trace the life and career of this German modern dance pioneer.
Call Number: UMDVD 6834

Merce Cunningham Dance Company: Park Avenue Armory Event
Features the December 2011 performances that marked the disbanding of the dance company.
Call Number: UMDVD 7333

Never Stand Still
Legendary icons appear alongside new innovators to reveal the passion, discipline, and daring of the world of dance.
Call Number: UMDVD 7334

One Day Pina Asked...
This film looks at the work of choreographer Pina Bausch and her Wuppertal, Germany-based dance company.
Call Number: UMDVD 9099

The Passionate Pursuits of Angela Bowen
A biography of the iconic Angela Bowen, who became a classical ballerina and legendary dance teacher.
Call Number: UMDVD 10097

The Spirit Moves: A History of Black Social Dance on Film, 1900-1986
Demonstrations of ragtime and jazz dances by well-known artists such as James Berry, Pepsi Bethel, and more.
Call Number: UMDVD 5971 pt. 1

Suggested keywords: musicians, popular music, piano music, [genre of music]

Don't Stop Believin': Everyman's Journey
Follows the real life rock 'n' roll fairy tale of Arnel Pineda, who went from YouTube to fronting a legendary rock band.
Call Number: UMDVD 8921

Jerry Bergonzi: Creating a Jazz Vocabulary
Explores important jazz improvisation foundations for building one's jazz vocabulary and technical skills.
Call Number: UMDVD 10092

Muscle Shoals
Details Rick Hall and the 'Muscle Shoals sound' that has helped create many important and resonant songs.
Call Number: UMDVD 8861

Note by Note: The Making of Steinway L1037
Follows the creation of a Steinway concert grand piano from forest floor to concert hall.
Call Number: UMDVD 9706

Say My Name
Women of the hip-hop and R&B world speak candidly about class, race, and gender in pursuing their passions as female emcees.
Call Number: UMDVD 10096

Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap
Ice-T interviews numerous hip-hop legends, including Afrika Bambaataa, Mos Def, KRS-One, Run-DMC, and more.
Call Number: UMDVD 7273

Twenty Feet from Stardom
A spotlight on the untold stories of legendary (back-up) singers such as Darlene Love, Merry Clayton, and more.
Call Number: UMDVD 8168

Vinylmania: When Life Runs at 33 Revolutions per Minute
Explores the role of vinyl records in the 21st century as experienced in 11 worldwide cities.
Call Number: UMDVD 9101

Warming Up: Complete Warm-Up Sequence for the Violin
Simon Fischer guides two violinists through each exercise in his book ‘Warming Up.’
Call Number: UMDVD 9640

Suggested keywords: experimental theater, drama, theater production, Shakespeare

Acting Techniques of Topeng: The Masked Theatre of Bali
Demonstrates how to adapt Topeng acting styles and techniques to Western productions.
Call Number: UMDVD 6831

Black Theater, 1950-1980: Artist Interviews
Actors, producers, and directors discuss the growth of, and challenges faced by, the black theater movement.
Call Number: UMDVD 6820

Brace Up!
The filmed performance of Chekhov's 'Three Sisters' by the avant-garde Wooster Group in April 2003.
Call Number: UMDVD 5574

Break a Leg: An Introductory Guide to Stage Directing
Offers guidance on stage directing, including what to expect when getting started, building momentum, and more.
Call Number: UMDVD 7886

The Directing Process
Includes segments on the history of directing, play selection, text analysis, the audition process, and more.
Call Number: UMDVD 7888

Performance Selections from the Five Main Schools of Japanese Traditional Noh
Nine performance selections showcase the five main schools of traditional Japanese noh.
Call Number: UMDVD 7368

Playing Shakespeare
Explores how the Royal Shakespeare Company makes classic plays accessible to modern audiences.
Call Number: UMDVD 5060

Shadow Master
A dramatization of Balinese life that reveals the cultural context of theater, music, and dance on the island.
Call Number: UMDVD 5901

Tomorrow We Disappear
Three of Kathputli's most-talented performers wrangle with the reality of their approaching eviction.
Call Number: UMDVD 9480

Suggested keywords: modern art, found objects, exhibitions, video art, experimental films, [art movement]

Art 21: Art in the Twenty-First Century (Season 6)
A spotlight of contemporary artists at work from Nigeria to New York City, Beijing to Brazil.
Call Number: UMDVD 7347

Art and Craft
Follows the story of Mark Landis, one of the most prolific art forgers in U.S. history.
Call Number: UMDVD 9088

Art of Memory
Woody Vasulka's video art piece about the violent events that have shaped the 20th century.
Call Number: UMDVD 7657

Art Safari
Ben Lewis travels in search of great contemporary art, interacting with artists, dealers, collectors, and critics.
Call Number: UMDVD 8658

Bending Sticks: The Sculpture of Patrick Dougherty
Celebrates the career of internationally renowned environmental artist Dougherty and follows a year of his work.
Call Number: UMDVD 9087

Bill Viola: Selected Works
A collection of Viola's four most acclaimed video art pieces, each structured around a solitary theme.
Call Number: UMDVD 6557

Herb and Dorothy
Tells the story of an unlikely pair who built one of the most important contemporary art collections in history.
Call Number: UMDVD 8008

Hand-Drawn Histories: The Films of Lee Whitmore
Features four short personal works by the animator.
Call Number: UMDVD 9591

The Hidden Art of Islam
Features the rich visual culture of Islam, based on calligraphy, Arabesque floral designs, and geometry.
Call Number: UMDVD 8982

Over Your Cities Grass Will Grow
An exploration of Anselm Kiefer's sprawling art village, La Ribaute, which features elaborate construction and tunnels.
Call Number: UMDVD 7539

Surveying the First Decade: Video Art & Alternative Media in the U.S.
A comprehensive history of experimental and independent video in the U.S. between 1968 and 1980.
Call Number: UMDVD 8432

To Inform & Delight: The Work of Milton Glaser
A documentary about Milton Glaser, who is for many the personification of American graphic design.
Call Number: UMDVD 5755

Visions of Light: The Art of Cinematography
Traces the evolution and innovations of cinematography through the lenses of the world's greatest filmmakers.
Call Number: UMDVD 10063

Waste Land
Brooklyn-based artist Vik Muniz travels to Rio de Janeiro's "Garbage Garden" and photographs its workers.
Call Number: UMDVD 7702