Films About Dancing
Dancing has been a vibrant and expressive form of art that has captivated audiences for generations. Films about dancing often explore themes of passion, competition, self-discovery, and the power of movement. Through exuberant choreography and heartfelt performances, these films not only showcase the beauty of dance but also delve into the personal journeys of the characters involved. They can range from light-hearted musicals to intense dramas, highlighting the transformative and sometimes turbulent nature of dance in people's lives.
Here’s a list of notable films about dancing:
“Dirty Dancing”, 1987
Director: Emile Ardolino
A romantic drama that follows a young woman, Baby, who falls in love with a dance instructor during a summer vacation at a resort. The film is famous for its iconic dance scenes and the theme of breaking social barriers.
Starring: Jennifer Grey, Patrick Swayze, Jerry Orbach, Cynthia Rhodes, Jack Weston, Jane Brucker, Kelly Bishop, Lonny Price, Max Cantor, Charles «Honi» Coles, Neal Jones, 'Cousin Brucie» Morrow, Wayne Knight, Paula Trueman, Alvin Myerovich, Miranda Garrison, Garry Goodrow, Antone Pagán, Thomas Cannold, M.R. Fletcher, Jesus Fuentes, Heather Lea Gerdes, Karen Getz, Andrew Charles Koch, D.A. Pauley, Doriana Sanchez, Jennifer Stahl, Jonathan Barnes, Dwyght Bryan, Tom Drake, John Gotz, Dwayne Malphus, Clifford Watkins, Stamati Arakas, Darren W. Conrad, Lori Janney, Karen Kaster, Maxine McClanahan, Jonathan Reed;
Production year: 1987;
Genre: drama, melodrama, music;
MPAA rating: pg13;
Duration: 100 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,1;
More information about the film “Dirty Dancing” on the website imdb.com
“Step Up”, 2006
Director: Anne Fletcher
This film tells the story of a troubled young man who forms an unlikely partnership with a disciplined ballet dancer. Together, they discover their shared passion for dance while also navigating their personal struggles.
Starring: Channing Tatum, Jenna Dewan, Damaine Radcliff, De'Shawn Washington, Mario, Drew Sidora, Rachel Griffiths, Josh Henderson, Tim Lacatena, Alyson Stoner, Heavy D, Deirdre Lovejoy, Jane Beard, Richard Pelzman, Carlyncia S. Peck, Ryan Sands, DeLon Howell, Dominique Boyd, Reina Poindexter, Angelica Huesca, Frank Ferrara, Frank Herzog, Natalie Steinberg, Jamie Scott, Isaiah Washington, Jiehae Park, Sheila Cutchlow, John Leslie Wolfe, Karim Fawzy, Tom Quinn, Shiloh Monaco, Jeanne, Robyn Norris, Jeannie Ortega, Damien Escobar, Tourie Escobar, Jeremiah Griffin, Caitlin Kinney, Kevin Eugene Green, Javes Wiggins, Steve E. Carter, Donald Rheubottom, Donald Waugh, Larissa Rotnitskaya, Spencer Longmore, Leigh Bender, Rachel Dickey, Brett Frankel;
Production year: 2006;
Genre: drama, melodrama, crime, music;
MPAA rating: pg13;
Duration: 104 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 6,5;
More information about the film “Step Up” on the website imdb.com
“Footloose”, 2011
Director: Craig Brewer
A classic musical drama about a city teenager who moves to a small town where dancing is banned. He fights to change the town's rules and introduce the joy of dance to his peers.
Starring: Kenny Wormald, Julianne Hough, Dennis Quaid, Andie MacDowell, Miles Teller, Ray McKinnon, Patrick Flueger, Kim Dickens, Ziah Colon, Ser'Darius Blain, L. Warren Young, Brett Rice, Maggie Elizabeth Jones, Mary-Charles Jones, Enisha Brewster, Josh Warren, Corey Flaspoehler, Anessa Ramsey, Jason Ferguson, Frank Hoyt Taylor, Jayson Warner Smith, Claude Phillips, Clay Chappell, Tony Vaughn, Staley Colvert, Daniel Burnley, Jack Davidson, Alisa Riggs, Tracy Goode, Clayton Landey, John Still, Brian F. Durkin, Amber Brooke, Sandra Ellis Lafferty, D. Dylan Schettina, Blair Jasin, Jasmine Cook, Reece Thomas, Ivey Lowe, Anna Marie Dobbins, Kevin Renard Fisher, Andrew Ruark, Travis Young, Jamal Sims, Kyle Wayne Cordova, Skyh Alvester Black, Madison Benson, Jonathan Sylvan Carey, Bubba Carr;
Production year: 2011;
Genre: drama, melodrama, comedy, music;
MPAA rating: pg13;
Duration: 113 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 5,8;
More information about the film “Footloose” on the website imdb.com
“Black Swan”, 2010
Director: Darren Aronofsky
A psychological thriller that follows a dedicated ballerina as she becomes consumed by her pursuit of perfection. The film explores the dark side of the dance world and the sacrifices made for art.
Starring: Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel, Barbara Hershey, Winona Ryder, Sebastian Stan, Toby Hemingway, Benjamin Millepied, Ksenia Solo, Kristina Anapau, Janet Montgomery, Sergio Torrado, Mark Margolis, Tina Sloan, Abraham Aronofsky, Charlotte Aronofsky, Marcia Jean Kurtz, Shaun O'Hagan, Chris Gartin, Deborah Offner, Stanley Herman, Michelle Rodriguez Nouel, Kurt Froman, Marty Krzywonos, Leslie Lyles, John Epperson, Arkadiy Figlin, Tim Fain, Sarah Lane, Liam Flaherty, Patrick Heusinger, Olga Kostritzky, Christine Redpath, Alexandra Damiani, Rebecca Azenberg, Laura Bowman, Holly L. Fusco, Abigail Mentzer, Barette Vance, Lillian di Piazza, Megan Dickinson, Jessy Hendrickson, Geneviève Lebean, Rachel Jambois, Ryoko Sadoshima, Kaia A. Tack, Lauren Fadeley, Sarah Hay, Adrianna de Svastich;
Production year: 2010;
Genre: drama, thriller;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 103 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 8;
More information about the film “Black Swan” on the website imdb.com
“Flashdance”, 1983
Director: Adrian Lyne
This film tells the story of a young woman who works as a welder by day and as a dancer in a nightclub by night. She dreams of becoming a professional dancer and faces numerous challenges along the way.
Starring: Jennifer Beals, Michael Nouri, Lilia Skala, Sunny Johnson, Kyle T. Heffner, Lee Ving, Ron Karabatsos, Belinda Bauer, Malcolm Danare, Philip Bruns, Micole Mercurio, Lucy Lee Flippin, Don Brockett, Cynthia Rhodes, Durga McBroom, Stacey Pickren, Liz Sagal, Norman Scott, Mr. Freeze, Frosty Freeze, Prince Ken Swift, Crazy Legs, Robert Wuhl, Steve Price, Matt Landers, Darren Roy, Frank Pesce, Larry John Meyers, David DiManna, Helen Dexter, Mark Anthony Moschello, Debra Gordon, Erika Leslie, Jim McCardle, Ernie Tate, Bettina Birnbaum, Deirdre L. Cowden, Colin Hamilton, Tony De Santis, Marjean Dennis, Bob Harks, Ann Muffly, Henry Crowell Jr., Frank Tomasello, Jumbo Red, Evette De Marco, Richard Fritz, Mike Berro, Ella Demler, Monique Gabrielle;
Production year: 1983;
Genre: drama, melodrama, music;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 95 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 6,2;
More information about the film “Flashdance” on the website imdb.com
“La La Land”, 2016
Director: Damien Chazelle
A modern musical that intertwines the lives of an aspiring actress and a jazz musician in Los Angeles. The film is celebrated for its stunning dance sequences and its exploration of dreams and romance.
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, John Legend, J.K. Simmons, Rosemarie DeWitt, Finn Wittrock, Callie Hernandez, Sonoya Mizuno, Jessica Rothe, Tom Everett Scott, Joshua Pence, Amiee Conn, Terry Walters, Thomas Jefferson Shelton, Cinda Adams, Claudine Claudio, Jason Fuchs, D.A. Wallach, Mike Fallin, Trevor Lissauer, Olivia Hamilton, Anna Chazelle, Marius De Vries, Nicole Coulon, Damon Gupton, Christopher Michael Stevens, Keith Harris, Kaveh Rastegar, Shaylah J. Stevens, Natalie Imani, Briana Lee, David Douglas, Miles Anderson, Bobo Chang, Meagen Fay, Robert Haynes, John Hindman, Valarie Rae Miller, Nicole Wolf, Corrin Evans, Kiff VandenHeuvel, Camryn Ray Cavaliero, Zoë Hall, Dempsey Pappion, Clifton «Fou Fou» Eddie, Cal Bennett, Nedra Wheeler, Javier Gonzalez, Khirye Tyler, Arthur Horowitz;
Production year: 2016;
Genre: musical, drama, melodrama, comedy, music;
MPAA rating: pg13;
Duration: 128 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 8;
“Save the Last Dance”, 2001
Director: Thomas Carter
This film follows a young girl who moves to Chicago after her mother’s death and falls in love with a hip-hop dancer. The two explore their cultural differences through dance.
Starring: Julia Stiles, Sean Patrick Thomas, Kerry Washington, Fredro Starr, Terry Kinney, Bianca Lawson, Vince Green, Garland Whitt, Elisabeth Oas, Artel Kayàru, Cory Stewart, Jennifer Anglin, Dorothy Martin, Kim Tlusty, Felicia Fields, Ora Jones, Tab Baker, Kevin Reid, Andrew Rothenberg, Mekdes Bruk, Ronnie Ray, Tai Davis, Karimah Westbrook, Erica Hubbard, Richmond Talauega, Whitney Powell, Brenda Pickleman, Julie Greenberg, Anna Paskevska, Malaika Paul, Jennifer Echols, Ellie Weingardt, Earl Manning, Latisha Oliver, Nefertiti Robinson, Roland Tabor, Anthony Talauega, Richard Whitebear, Earl Wright, Ariane Dolan, Chryssie Whitehead, Sarita Smith Childs, Trinity Hamilton, Randy Herrera, Audrey Leung, Katrina Oeffling, Joanna Wozniak, Maia Wilkins, Davis C. Robertson, Michael Anderson;
Production year: 2001;
Genre: drama, melodrama, music;
MPAA rating: pg13;
Duration: 112 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 6,2;
More information about the film “Save the Last Dance” on the website imdb.com
“Center Stage”, 2000
Director: Nicholas Hytner
A coming-of-age drama that centers around a group of ballet students at a prestigious dance academy as they navigate the challenges of their passion, relationships, and the pursuit of their dreams.
Starring: Amanda Schull, Zoe Saldana, Susan May Pratt, Peter Gallagher, Donna Murphy, Ethan Stiefel, Christine Dunham, Stephen Stout, Maryann Plunkett, Laura Hicks, Barbara Caruso, Jeff Hayenga, Victor Anthony, Karen Shallo, Carlo Alban, Giselle Daly, Shakiem Evans, Ilia Kulik, Sascha Radetsky, Lisa LeGuillou, Robert Montano, Megan Pepin, Victoria Born, Kirk Peterson, Julie Kent, Debra Monk, Sandra Brown, Elizabeth Gaither, Oksana Konobeyeva, Ekaterina Chtchelkanova, Elizabeth Hubbard, Eion Bailey, Nancy McDoniel, Sandy Hamilton, Olga Merediz, Elvis Crespo, Giselle Tcherniak, Jamie Bonelli, Micki Paley, Randy Pearlstein, Nancy Hess, Lovette George, Priscilla Lopez, Brenda Denmark, Warren Carlyle, Marcia Jean Kurtz, Kari Thompson, Aesha Ash, Sean Stewart, Ashley L. Anderson;
Production year: 2000;
Genre: drama, melodrama, music;
MPAA rating: pg13;
Duration: 115 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 6,7;
More information about the film “Center Stage” on the website imdb.com
“You Got Served”, 2004
Director: Chris Stokes
Focusing on street dancing and the competitive dance scene, this film follows two friends who aspire to win a dance battle while navigating friendship and rivalry.
Starring: Omarion, Marques Houston, Jennifer Freeman, J-Boog, Lil» Fizz, Raz B, Marty Dew, Jerome Jones, Tanee McCall, Malcolm David Kelley, Meagan Good, Steve Harvey, Christopher Jones, Robert Hoffman, Michael Taliferro, Esther Scott, Irene Stokes, Dorien Wilson, Lil» Kim, Juanita Charles, La La Anthony, Wade J. Robson, Oscar Orosco, Jackée Harry, Brenda J. Crawford-Bee, Skip Cheatham, Dwight Crossfield, Troy Ewing, Don Gibbs, Darryl Huckaby, Dejai Jeffries, Mohamed Moretta, Big Nat, David «Elsewhere» Bernal, Donnie «Crumbs» Counts, Jon «Do Knock» Cruz, Jason «Easy Roc» Geoffrey, Lamonte Goode, Gabriel «Wicket» Joachico, Garland Spencer, Allen «French Twist» Tepper, Ivan «Flipz» Velez, Isaiah Vest, Julie «Jules» Urich, Aminah Abdul-Jillil, Karla Andrade, Keely Armistead, Vai Tiare, Paulette Azizian, Ryan «Bosco» Baker;
Production year: 2004;
Genre: drama, music;
MPAA rating: pg13;
Duration: 95 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 3,9;
More information about the film “You Got Served” on the website imdb.com
These films not only entertain but also inspire audiences to appreciate the art of dance, its emotional depth, and its ability to connect people across diverse backgrounds.
In conclusion, films about dancing serve as a vibrant tapestry that weaves together the complexities of human emotion, ambition, and freedom of expression. From the exhilarating performances in “Flashdance” and “Dirty Dancing” to the poignant narratives of “Black Swan” and “La La Land,” these films not only showcase the artistry and athleticism of dance but also explore themes of love, perseverance, and self-discovery. They invite audiences to experience the transformative power of movement, reminding us that dance is not just a form of entertainment, but a universal language that speaks to the depths of our souls and the heights of our aspirations. Through the rhythm of their stories, these films inspire us to embrace our passions and find our own voices on and off the dance floor.
