Ballroom Dancing

I netflixed these this past week:

Mad Hot Ballroom

A documentary about 11-yr-old kids from various public schools in New York City learn about ballroom dancing.  Great candid interviews from the kids and teachers on their thoughts about ballroom dancing.  It just amazed (or maybe reminded) me on how the world is viewed and understood from that age. 

It was so good that I bought the DVD.

Take the Lead

A semi-biographical movie about Pierre Dulaine (watch Mad Hot Ballroom first to know who he is) and the high school aged kids he teaches. 

Although the script needed help, the dancing did not.

Marilyn Hotchkiss Ballroom Dancing and Charm School

A recently widowed baker finds hope in tragedy when he helps a stranger involved in a car accident on his way to a promised rendevous at a dancing school.

It’s one of those movies that if you come in the middle, you don’t know what’s going on. 

The movie is a bit slow for my taste.  The only character I liked was Donnie Wahlberg’s Randall who happens to be the best dancer in the class.

High School Musical

My curiosity was peeked when I received this from Netflix a couple of weeks ago. 

I watched it through, sort of.  Like my niece, I fast forwarded through the dialogue to get to the musical parts. 

I have to admit that I liked it’s choreography–something that even I can do.  After all, it was by Kenny Ortega, who choreographed Dirty Dancin’.  The songs were also catchy, especially the last (We’re All in This Together). 

But, admittingly, it made me want to watch Grease.