French Dance Videos

Below are some sources of dance videos, including items you can buy from France as well as links to things I've found on YouTube etc.

French Dance DVDs from JDC Music

This company in France sells DVDs of various sorts. Of interest to frenchtradaholics is their "folklore" category. I own the following DVDs from JDC:

Video	Del Sauveterre
Les Lavandes du Sauveterre	My current favorite. Lots of good music and dances from the causses (south of Auvergne and Limousin) performed by a regional group.
La Sanfloraine	Another favorite. Specifically Auvergne dances, lots of them. The all-pre-teen-girl cabrette band is something you may not see everyday where you live!
L’Eglantino Do Lemouzi	Limousin dances and songs performed by a local troupe, a bit elderly but none the worse for wear. A fun video, but probably not too many dances that could be taught at a French dance.
Les sonneurs de la vallée noire	This one's about Berry, specifically George Sand country. Also fun to watch, and well acted and produced. A bit too much sightseeing and talk (in French of course), and the set of dances you could learn is limited. But very enjoyable.
Icoranda	Disappointing -- mediocre dancing, not an interesting selection of dances, bad camera work (lots of shots of the dancers' heads and the accordion player's face. Save your $25.

French Dance Videos Free on the Internet

2-Time Bourree (Deux Temps or Bourree a Droit)

Link	Comments
Bourree 2x (lines)	The basic version of the 2x, as demonstrated at the SF Free Folk Festival.
Bourree 2x (lines)	This is a great dance! I've never seen the bourree done as a progressive dance in lines before...
Bourree 2x (lines)	Here's an easy variant on the 2x line bourree.
La Chapelloise (mixer)	I'm told by an English folkie friend that the Chapelloise is a newish dance in France, possibly adapted from similar English dances, and in the UK it's danced to a jig rhythmn. But apparently it's also danced in the US at country music dances -- search for La Chapelloise on YouTube and you'll see.
2x Bourree (2 men)	Interesting how they work their way around the sides of a square instead of the usual linear movement.
2x Bourree (2 couples)	Same dance but for two couples. Nice.
Les Moutons	Les Moutons is really fun. It's a 2x bouree de figure with a sheep theme. At the SF French Dance.
2x circle bourree	2x bourree as a simple circle dance. At the SF French Dance. Get past the camera jiggles at the start.

3-Time Bourree (Trois Temps)

Link	Comments
Lo Caille (3x circle bourree d'Auvergne)	Great tune (fun for the pipers), and a good circle version of the Auvergne-style 3x bourree. From the SF French Dance.
3x Bourree (Bourree d'Auvergne)	I wish this person kept the camera running for a whole lot longer. Now THAT is what dancers do to a three-time bourree in France! Just lovely. All those different variations...
3x Bourree (Bourree d'Auvergne)	Some nice examples of the three-time bourree here too. I especially liked the first couple.
3x Bourree (Bourree d'Auvergne)	These two guys are very good. Perhaps too much all over the room, or maybe I'm just jealous.
3x Bourree (Bourree d'Auvergne)	Check out these four older guys! But no more wine for the cameraperson...
3x Bourree (2 men)	More nice variants on the 3-time.
3x Bourree (2 women)	And yet more variants on the 3-time.
Bourree Tournante des Grandes Poteries (1 couple)	Nicely illustrates how this bourree is done. You can line up several couples doing this dance in parallel. Good Auvergne bourree footwork example.
Bourree Tournante des Grandes Poteries (couples in a line)	Same dance as it would be done at a bal with multiple couples in a line.
Bourree Tournante des Grandes Poteries (couples in a line)	Same dance, more testosterone.
Bourree Tournant des Grand Poteries (2 couples)	Nice demonstration of this 3x bourree for 2 couples.
3x Bourree (couples in a circle)	Called La Boulangere (the lady baker). This would be a fun one to teach at a Bal.
3x Bourree (2 couples)	Called La Gallinette. Nice Auvergne bourree for two couples.
Montagnarde	Interesting to watch...perhaps a little complicated to teach for a French dance. This is not the same dance we teach as "La Montagnarde" -- that one can be found on a couple of the JDC discs, and I'll try to get a video from the SF dance.
Lo Crousado	The classic performance version of Lo Crousado, with flying females. Don't try this at home.
Lo Crousado	Same dance, better filming. Watch the mens' footwork, as this is a nice example of the 3-time.
Lo Crousado	Lo Crousado for the rest of us (no flying). As taught at the SF French Dance.
3x bourree (circle)	Berry style 3x bourree in a circle. SF French Dance.

Bourree Carree (bourree in a square -- both 2x and 3x shown here)

Link	Comments
Bourree Carree 3x	A straightforward 3x bourree for two couples.
Bourree Carree 3x	Pretty similar to the previous ones. I love the tune, what's this one called anyway?
Bourree Carree 3x	Berry-style bourree carree, from the SF French Dance.
3x Bourree (three couples)	I've seen this taught for two couples, but never three. Fun!
Bourree Carree 2x	Partner swapping, anyone?
Bourree Carree 2x	Now here's a nice variant on the Bourree Carree...I like the way the women get to turn the men.

Scottish

Link	Comments
Scottish	Basic scottish nicely demonstrated at our French dance in San Francisco. Especially watch Gary (in suspenders) with Jena.
Scottish	Nice example of a scottish with variations. Odd musical arrangement of Scottish du Landes (old-time string band?)
Scottish	Here's an interesting variant on the Scottish.

Mazurka

Link	Comments
Mazurka	Shows the basic mazurka...some of the couples really have it.

Other Centre France Dances

Link	Comments
Branle du Rat	Here it is...the Rat dance. Only I don't think we do the first half that way, do we? I'd like to get a video from the SF dance.
Branle de Cheveaux	A classic old tune and line dance, taught at the SF French Dance. You can pretty well make out what to do, although it would have been helpful if Laurent, our dutiful videographer, sat down!!
Three Rondeaux from Gascony	A simple dance, and a nice circle mixer. The third tune of the three is in a different time signature, which adds some variety.
from the Pyrenees	(I'll remember the name of this thing and post that shortly)
Polka du Bebe	Simple and cute. SF French dance. (Are there download speed problems with this for some reason?)
Les Brise Pieds	Another very simple circle dance. SF French dance.
Branle a Six (lines)	Pretty simple, and a very old dance. You can picture the men in wigs and the women in hoop skirts.
Bourree on stilts??	Included for novelty value. Insurance issues with teaching this at a dance? And I'd call it a scottish, not a bourree, personally.

Breton

Link	Comments
Avant-deux (Breton)	This is a fun dance for two couples. A lot of mistakes on the dance floor, tho. I love the sound of the two musicians.
Avant-deux	Another avant-deux, this one for pairs of couples.
Avant-deux	Yet another.
Rond de Loudeac (Breton)	A more animated Breton circle dance, with some variations.
Tamm Kreiz (Breton)	More Breton, kind of boring. Careful with those eardrums (it takes a bombarde to raze a village)...
Rondeau	Here's another one that's more fun for the musicians than the dancers...but it's traditional.