Dance Flicks Movies

Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger's influential musical tragedy set the stage for the climactic dance ballets that became a staple of the Arthur Freed-MGM musicals (An American in Paris, Singin' in the Rain and The Band Wagon) of the early 1950s. Hans Christian Andersen's tragic fairy tale forms the basis of this film about betrayal, love and art. The story begins as struggling composer Julian Craster (Marius Goring) attends a performance of the Lermontov Ballet Company and recognizes his own score in the production of "Hearts of Fire." Julian protests to ballet company director Boris Lermontov (Anton Walbrook) about the unauthorized use of his music. Impressed by Julian's talent, Boris hires him to compose the score for his next ballet -- a dance version of "The Red Shoes." Boris also hires an attractive young dancer, Victoria Page (Moira Shearer), to perform in the ballet. When the lead ballerina announces that she plans to get married, Boris, in a pique over being abandoned, casts Victoria in the starring role. As Julian works on the score and Victoria struggles to perfect her dance technique, the two fall in love. When "The Red Shoes" ballet is premiered -- seen in a stunning and glorious fifteen-minute sequence -- it is a raging success and it makes Victoria a star. But when Boris learns that Julian and Victoria have fallen in love, Boris, who is secretly in love with Victoria, in a fit of rage forces Julian to leave the ballet company; Victoria leaves with him. Since Boris owns the rights to "The Red Shoes" ballet, he forbids Victoria to perform the dance and she becomes unemployable. Time passes and Julian and Victoria are now happily married. Julian's compositions have made him an international success. One day, with Victoria disembarking from a train in Paris, she meets Boris, who implores her to do one performance of "The Red Shoes" in Monaco. Victoria agrees as Julian cancels an engagement in London to travel to Monte Carlo in order to convince his wife not to perform the ballet. But Victoria goes on with the performance, with tragic results. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

This dance-and-horror hybrid follows the trials of a nightclub owner who has visions of murders from the killer's perspective. ~ Carly Wray, Rovi

A privileged white girl from the suburbs moves to the inner city and attempts to perfect her notoriously clumsy dance moves in this parody of popular dance movies. Damon Wayans Jr. and Craig Wayans star in a comedy co-written by Shawn, Keenen Ivory, Marlon, Craig, and Damien Wayans, who also directs. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

A group of East Village bohemians struggle to live their lives and pay the rent on time in this filmed performance of Jonathan Larson's Pulitzer and Tony award-winning Broadway musical. With success and acceptance always just out of reach, these starving artists must do their best to remain optimistic about the future while contending with such formidable obstacles as poverty and the growing AIDS epidemic. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Emma Watson, Yasmin Paige, and Lucy Boynton headline director Sandra Goldbacher's made-for-television adaptation of author Noel Streatfield's classic novel of the same name. The setting is 1930s London. Orphans Pauline (Watson), Petrova (Paige), and Posy Fossil (Boynton) have all been adopted by eccentric explorer Professor Brown (aka "Gum"), and raised as sisters by Brown's benevolent niece Sylvia (Emilia Fox). Before the three girls get to know their adventurous adoptive father, however, Gum vanishes for over a decade. Though her faithful retainer, Nana (Victoria Wood), does her best to keep the family afloat, Sylvia simply can't keep up with the demands of raising a family, and her health begins to deteriorate. Eventually, faced with dwindling financial resources, she decides to take in lodgers. Those who arrive as household guests include the lively academics Dr. Smith (Harriet Walter) and Dr. Jakes (Gemma Jones), plus curvy dance instructor Theo Dane (Lucy Cohu) and kind-but-pensive Mr. Simpson (Marc Warren). As the nontraditional family begins to see their lives changed by these new arrivals in ways that they never anticipated, Pauline, Petrova, and Posy enroll in the local theater school and set about establishing themselves as stars of the stage. But while Pauline dreams of becoming a world-famous actress and Posy longs to grow into a graceful ballerina, Petrova just wants to take to the sky as an aviator. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Kenny Ortega's High School Musical 2 reunites the cast from the hit made-for-Disney Channel original to tell another story in the lives of the musically inclined students attending East Side High. The sequel takes place primarily at the Lava Springs Country Club, an exclusive summer resort that hires Wildcat basketball hero Troy Bolton (Zac Efron), his genius girlfriend Gabriella Montez (anessa Hudgens), and their two best friends. The parents of scheming Sharpay Evans (Ashley Tisdale) own the resort, and she wields her remarkable power in an attempt to win Troy away from Gabriella. Eventually Troy must decide between a bright future with a scholarship, or true love. High School Musical 2 premiered on the cable outlook on August 17, 2007. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

Jennifer Beals stars as Alex Owens, a Pittsburgh steel-mill welder by day, and bar dancer by night. Harboring dreams of a career in ballet, she is given financial support in this endeavor by her boss Nick Hurley (Michael Nouri) and moral support by demanding but big-hearted instructor Hanna Long (Lilia Skala). The film's signature scene is, of course, Alex's water-drenched dance audition, largely performed in long shot by her dance double Marine Jahan. Essentially an old-fashioned backstage yarn, Flashdance was given a contemporary spin by its pulsating, musical score featuring the Oscar-winning Best Song, Flashdance...What a Feeling, (music by Giorgio Moroder, lyrics by Keith Forsey and Irene Cara). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

An aspiring ballerina from a wealthy family learns some lessons about both dancing and life from a roughneck with soul in this teen drama. Tyler Gage (Channing Tatum) grew up on the wrong side of the tracks in a rough section of Baltimore, and has been in and out of trouble with the law most of his life. Finding himself before the judge yet again, Tyler is sentenced to 200 hours of community service, and he ends up mopping floors at the Maryland School of the Arts. Tyler catches the eye of Nora (Jenna Dewan), a gifted ballet student who is trying to incorporate hip-hop moves into her classical routines. None of Nora's fellow students seem to be on the same page as her, but Tyler is a talented street dancer with strength, moves, and enthusiasm. Despite the misgivings of the school's administrators, Nora persuades Tyler to team up with her for a major class project. Tyler gains a new self-respect as he gives in to the discipline of the dance academy, but he wonders if this new opportunity means turning his back on who he really is. Matters become all the more complicated when Tyler and Nora realize they're falling in love. Step Up was the first directorial credit for choreographer Anne Fletcher, who designed dance routines for the films Bring It On, She's All That, and Boogie Nights. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

"Grease," said the poster and the Barry Gibb song, "is the word." Transferring its setting from Chicago to sunny California, and adding a dash of disco to the ersatz '50s score, producer Allan Carr and director Randal Kleiser turned this long-running Jim Jacobs-Warren Casey Broadway smash into the biggest blockbuster of 1978. 1950s teens Danny (John Travolta) and Australian transfer Sandy (Olivia Newton-John) spend their "Summer Nights" falling in love, but once fall comes, it's back to Rydell High and its cliques. As one of the bad-boy T-Birds, Danny has to act cool for best pal Kenickie (Jeff Conaway) and their leather-clad mates Sonny (Michael Tucci) and Doody (Barry Pearl, in the role Travolta played on-stage). Despite befriending Frenchy (Didi Conn), one of the rebel Pink Ladies, virginal Sandy is "too pure to be Pink," as the Ladies' leader, Rizzo (Stockard Channing), acidly observes. Declaring their devotion in such ballads as "Hopelessly Devoted to You" and "Sandy," Sandy and Danny split, reconcile, and split again amidst a pep rally, dances, drive-ins, and a drag race, before deciding "You're the One That I Want" at the climactic carnival. With Travolta white-hot from Saturday Night Fever (1977), Grease soundtrack singles climbed the charts and summer movie crowds poured in. With the presence of Joan Blondell, Eve Arden, Sid Caesar, Edd "Kookie" Byrnes, and Frankie Avalon appealing to grown-up memories, Grease became the highest-grossing film of 1978, the highest-grossing movie musical ever, and the third most popular film of the new blockbuster '70s after Star Wars (1977) and Jaws (1975). Its sequel, Grease 2, did not exactly set the world on fire in 1982. ~ Lucia Bozzola, Rovi

A teacher and his students open up new worlds for one another in this urban drama inspired by a true story. Pierre Dulaine (Antonio Banderas) is a prize-winning ballroom dancer and instructor from Manhattan who volunteers his services to a high school in one of the roughest neighborhoods in the Bronx. Principal Augustine James (Alfre Woodard) in turn gives Dulaine a tough assignment -- a detention class with some of the biggest troublemakers on campus. When the kids learn that Dulaine intends to teach them how to dance in the classic style, they're incredulous at best and dismissive at worst -- until Dulaine demonstrates his moves for the class. While Dulaine's charges -- including Rock (Rob Brown), LaRhette (Yaya DaCosta), Ramos (Dante Basco), Eddie (Marcus T. Paulk), and Sasha (Jenna Dewan) -- respect his talent, they have their own way of dancing, and as they mix hip-hop moves with ballroom discipline, they create an exciting new style. Dulaine also strives to instill self-confidence and a work ethic in his kids, insisting they can make their way out of the ghetto if they're willing to try. Screenwriter Dianne Houston based Take the Lead on the real-life story of Pierre Dulaine, who taught dance as a volunteer to at-risk students at New York elementary schools. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

The captain of the East High basketball team and the key member of the academic club shock the student body by teaming to audition for the upcoming school musical in a Disney Channel Original Movie that's all about being yourself and following your dreams. Troy (Zac Efron) is best known as the player who keeps the East High basketball team on the scoreboard. Of course, life isn't always about athletics, though, and as Troy slam-dunks on the boards, beautiful and brainy Gabriella (Vanessa Anne Hudgens) is raising the reputation of East High as the key member of the school's successful academic team. Despite their outgoing natures, no one would ever peg Troy and Gabriella as theater types. When word gets out that this popular pair has secretly chosen to reach for the stars and try their luck on the stage, the students of East High are about to learn an important lesson in teamwork while gearing up for a musical performance that will have their audience dancing in the aisles. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

This film adaptation of the Broadway musical based loosely on Puccini's opera La Bohème features many members of the original cast. It follows a year in the lives of seven friends living the disappearing Bohemian lifestyle in New York's East Village. AIDS and both its physical and emotional complications pervade the lives of Roger (Adam Pascal), Mimi (Rosario Dawson), Tom (Jesse L. Martin), and Angel (Wilson Jermaine Heredia); Maureen (Idina Menzel) deals with her chronic infidelity through performance art; her partner, Joanne (Tracie Thoms), wonders if their relationship is worth the trouble; Benjamin (Taye Diggs) has sold out his Bohemian ideals in exchange for a hefty income and is on the outs with his former friends; and Mark (Anthony Rapp), an aspiring filmmaker, feels like an outsider to life in general, always behind the camera recording the events but never playing a part. ~ Cammila Collar, Rovi

Set during the rise of hip-hop in the 1980s, the comedy The Breakdance Kid follows the travails of a b-boy who is having troubles with his love life. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi