Favorite Dance Films!

I love the art of dance and even more so dance themed movies. Today I  thought I would put together a compilation of some of my all-time favorite dance films I’ve watched over the years. Some films are funny and some are mushy all while showcasing the some of the best choreographed dance scenes I’ve ever seen!

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Synopsis: Former acclaimed dancer Na Young-Sae attempts to make a comeback. Young-Sae then brings to Korea Jang Chae-Rin, an ethnic Korean from China who he presumes is a highly talented dancer. To Young-Sae’s surprise he soon learns Chae-Rin is an inexperienced dancer and her older sister is the talented dancer. With only three months until the Dance Championship, Young-Sae attempts to turn Chae-Rin into a world-class dancer …

Innocent Steps transports it’s viewers to the world of competitive ballroom dancing. The main character is Chae-Rin as she trains to compete in competition with Young-sae as they train together for long hours. I saw this movie right when I first started watching Dancing With the Stars since I love ballroom dancing. It’s got a lead the the audience is rooting for and the film is full of heart!

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Synopsis: Two youngsters from rival New York City gangs fall in love, but tensions between their respective friends build toward tragedy.

One of my top favorite musicals of all time! West Side Story is full of joy, sadness, jealousy, passion, and some of the best choreographed dance sequences I have ever seen in a film! Not only is it a romantic love story, but I love how the film incorporates many types of dance from Jazz to Latin. Every time I hear the song America it makes me get up and dance along to the music.

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Synopsis: Sara is moved from a small Midwestern town to the south side of Chicago when her mother dies in a car accident, and must live with her father. She soon falls for an African American teenager at her new high school and he has less than an idyllic past. They share a love for dance (ballet and hip hop respectively) and together they tackle the problems that go with an interracial relationship.

This a movie about dance, but also has important discussion about race and prejudice. I loved how this movie showed dancers that come from two different worlds and put aside their differences to bond over their their love for dance. They also take time to learn each other’s dance styles all while falling in love. It’s a dramatic fill that has all the feels.

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Synopsis: This is film is based on the real-life event of how a group of enthusiastic girls take on hula dancing to save their small mining village, Iwaki, helping the formation of Joban Hawaiian Center (now known as Spa Resort Hawaiians), which was later to become one of Japan’s most popular theme parks.

I’ve always admired the art of Hula dancing and this movie inspired me to want to learn this cherished style of dance. Hula dancing has many intricate movements and I love how each dance tells a story. This film is based on a real-life event and we get to see the passion and dedication a group of girls has to save their town. Hula does not come easy to them and we get to see how they train and work through obstacles to achieve their goals and save their town.

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Synopsis: Chicago centers on Velma Kelly and Roxie Hart, two murderesses who find themselves in jail together awaiting trial in 1920s Chicago. Velma, a vaudevillian, and Roxie, a housewife, fight for the fame that will keep them from the gallows.

While Chicago is a story about women behind bars for murder, it definitely it feels anything but dreary. The movie is full of glitz and glamour of the 1920s and has many showstopping tunes that are sure stick in your head. There is a mixture of dance styles used in this film and some dance scenes are even acrobatic. It’s a story that has its audience hooked from beginning to end!

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Synopsis: Fame chronicles the lives and hardships of students attending the High School of Performing Arts (known today as Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School), from their auditions to their freshman, sophomore, junior and senior years.

After watching this film, I definitely wanted to be a part of this school that always seemed to burst out in song and dance for any occasion. I liked that the audience really gets to connect to the characters as we watch them from when they first enter the school up until graduation. I love how big the dance numbers are in this film and how the character have so much passion for their art. I also enjoyed how is its shows a variety of music and dance styles.

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Synopsis: A successful but unhappy Japanese accountant finds the missing passion in his life when he begins to secretly take ballroom dance lessons.

This movie is on the quiet side, but is full of heart! The main character Shohei Sugiyama is a shy man who is moving through life in a monotonous routine. When he happens upon a ballroom dancing studio and takes lessons he reignites that passion in his life once again. It’s interesting to seem him grow from a novice dancer to competing in competitions. It’s an uplifting film about try new things and doing what you love.

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Synopsis: In 1960s Baltimore, dance-loving teen Tracy Turnbladauditions for a spot on “The Corny Collins Show” and wins. She becomes an overnight celebrity, a trendsetter in dance, fun and fashion. Perhaps her new status as a teen sensation is enough to topple Corny’s reigning dance queen and bring racial integration to the show.

Another one of my favorite dance films to watch! The main character Tracy fights against prejudice and vows to make a change in the community after beating the odds and winning a spot on a local show. It’s a film that is very entertaining and will make you laugh out loud. The 50s doo-wop sound of the songs is incredibly catchy and I like the wide variety of characters portrayed in the film.

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What are some of your favorite dance movies to watch and why? Share your top picks in the comment section below!

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