WEST SIDE STORY
This is one of our favourite musicals with elaborately choreographed dance scenes. The rivalry between two New York gangs, The Sharks and The Jets gave us some of the greatest dance battles of all times. The scene, where Tony and Maria could not keep their eyes off each other in the midst of a packed dance floor, gave us the perfect love-at-first-sight moment.
SHALL WE DANCE?
The movie revolves around John Clark (Richard Gere), a lawyer who finds comfort in dance. The chemistry between Gere and Jennifer Lopez during the tango scene created fireworks on screen. Simple yet captivating, this movie will make you want to sign up for ballroom dancing classes.
STEP UP
Although every Step Up movie follows more or less the same storyline, there’s no denying the amazing and creative dance sequences each movie brings. We love Moose (Adam Sevani) and Camille (Alyson Stoner) dancing on the streets of New York to the remix of Fred Astaire’s, I Won’t Dance in Step Up 3D and the Mob suiting up and dancing in perfect sync in a corporate office in Step Up 4: Revolution, but the first Step Up (picture left) outing with Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan will always be our favourite. The best part of the films is that they cast real-life dancers which gives a certain amount of authenticity. Oh and they have some of the most
jaw-dropping dance scenes.
TAKE THE LEAD
Who would not want Antonio Banderas as a dance teacher? Charming yet strict, Pierre Dulaine started teaching ballroom dancing to students who have received detention in an attempt to improve their behaviour. The effortless way in which Banderas carries himself, the way his character treats his students with politeness and dignity, the way the movie captures the essence of ballroom dancing — there are several reasons to love this movie.
FLASHDANCE
This movie follows the life of Alex Owens (Jennifer Beals), an exotic dancer who struggles to become a professional dancer. Two dance scenes — Alex dancing to What A Feeling, and the final audition where she tears up the dance floor — will always be our all-time favourite.
FOOTLOOSE
How can there be a town where dancing is forbidden?! Sounds unreal? That’s what the characters in this movie protest against. Set in the ’80s, this one is all about breaking free from the restrictions of society to express raw emotion through dancing, led by an incredible Kevin Bacon.
SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER
Get your Boogie Shoes ready cause You Should Be Dancing by the end of the movie! You really can’t resist jiving to retro disco music, with over 20 greatest hits of Bee Gees, including How Deep is Your Love, More Than A Woman and Night Fever. And yes, we will always remember John Travolta in a white suit killing it on the disco dance floor to Bee Gees’ Stayin’ Alive.
BILLY ELLIOT
What happens when a 11-year-old boy in a coal-mining town falls in love with ballet? He has to lie, sneak around and face all sorts of hurdles to pursue his passion. A young Jamie Bell is flawless as the eponymous character who, through his dance, wins his father’s heart and scores a place at the Royal Ballet School. Who says dreams don’t come true?
SINGING IN THE RAIN
Drama? Check. Comedy? Check. Singing? Check. Dancing? Double check. This gem of a movie has it all. From Cosmo Brown (Donald O’Connor) and Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly)’s flawless tap dancing to Gene Kelly swinging and singing in the rain, there’s nothing not to love about this movie. Though more than 60 years old, it still has the power to cheer you up and leave you mesmerised.
DIRTY DANCING
No one puts Baby in a corner! And rightly so. Whether it’s Johnny Castle (Patrick Swayze) swaying to the slow, sensual music with Frances ‘Baby’ Houseman (Jennifer Grey), or Baby overcoming her insecurity to dance on stage, not to mention those practice sessions — this is one groovy movie. That last “lift” and Johnny singing Time of my Life will always remain one of the most iconic dance movie moments.
Which is your favourite Hollywood film on dance?
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