Best 10 Dance Movies Of All Time

Jul 24, 20204 min read

|By- Janvi Merchant|

For all the dance enthusiast out there, dance is a form of expressing your own self. Dance helps in healing by gaining control of the subconscious mind eliminating and avoiding tension, stress, and overthinking. Dance has evolved and changed tremendously over the years. Ballet is where it all started. So from ballet to jazz, to tap dance, to hip-hop and contemporary is how the beautiful form of art evolved. This #FIlmyFriday, here are the top 10 dance movies of all time (in no particular order):

1. Flash Dance (1983)

Jennifer Beals staring as Alex Owens, a Pittsburgh steel mill worker by day and an exotic bar dancer by the night chases her dreams to enroll her career into ballet, she is provided financial support by her boss who is played by (Michael Nouri) and her two best friends Jeanie and Richie give her unconditional love and encouragement. Not to forget, her mentor Hannah, a former ballerina herself who gives Alex advices and all the moral support she deserves. The signature scene is this film was her water drenched dance audition that made the public go crazy behind her dance moves. The other factor that made Flash Dance a hit was the soundtrack, of course! What a feeling took away Oscar winning best song (written and composed by Giorgio Moroder, Keith Forsey and Irene Cara).

2. Girls Just Want To Have Fun (1985)

Janey (Sarah Jessica parker) a newbie in town starts her school in Chicago where she meets Lynne (Helen Hunt) who ends up being her best friend, both share the passion for dance and desperately try to enter a dance contest on a major TV Channel. The major obstacle faced by Janey is her priggish colonel father. However, overcoming all the obstacles and fighting her way like a rebel, she ends up winning the dance contest

3. Dirty Dancing (1987)

Dirty Dancing is an American drama, romance, dance film directed by Emile Ardolino and written by Eleanor Bergstein. The title is not that promising but the movie turns out to be a beautiful love story between two people from different backgrounds. The story is about a sweet daddy’s girl, “Frances baby” who falls head over heels in love which a dance instructor (Johnny Castle). The dance instructor’s partner somehow ends up being pregnant, Baby then volunteers to replace her steps and take her place. The movie was a box office hit along with the soundtrack and the mesmerizing dance choreography.

4. You Got Served (2004)

The competitive world of street dance is explored by two best friends who dream of opening their own hip-hop dance studio. As the leaders of a hot local dance crew, they are challenged to win the big bounce that brings a big drift to their friendship. The main plot of the movie is to make the audience go insane behind the epic choreography. If you are a hard-core hip hop lover you have got to watch this movie.

5. Shall We Dance? (2004)

Cheers to our queen Jlo (Jennifer Lopez), who has done outstanding work in this movie. The film is a remake of a Japanese movie which earned a record of 9.5 million dollars in US box office. John Clark a working lawyer with a respectful pay check and a happy family finds some pieces missing in his life, out of the blue John ditches his day to day routine in hopes of meeting Paulina, a beautiful dance instructor he would occasionally spot gazing out of the studio. Despite all her efforts, both of them form a special bond that goes beyond the bond of a normal student and instructor.

6. Step Up (2006)

Personally, I love this film. This movie is the first segment of the Step Up series, starring Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan. The choreography involves a classic fusion between hip hop and ballet. Nora (Jenna) an aspiring ballet dancer belonging from a wealthy family has all the comforts in life, whereas Tyler (Channing Tatum) a talented street dancer grew up with a lot of difficulties, however Nora gives a new meaning of life to Tyler. Both pair up to prepare themselves for an auspicious event which will determine their future. The dance routine is choreographed by Anne Fletcher who also choreographed in Bring it on, Boogie nights and she’s all that.

7. Footloose (2011)

Footloose is the remake of the 1984 film of the same name, starring Kenny Wormald and Julianne Hough. Teenager Ren moves to a new town where he finds himself in shock to know that he’s living in a place where dance and rock music is illegal.

8. Street Dance 2 (2012)

After suffering a terrible humiliation from the dance crew Invincible, street dancer Ash sets up his journey to find out a new crew, putting together a fusion of Latin salsa dance and hip hop. The sequel to Street Dance sees our hero fall in love with a beautiful salsa dancer as he discovers the magic, power and passion of dancing for the ultimate global dance off.

9. ABCD – Any Body Can Dance (2013)

The movie is a dance drama film directed by Remo D’Souza, starring the Indian Michael Jackson Prabhu Deva sir, Ganesh Acharya and Kay Kay Menon as the leading roles. Participants of the dance India dance series also appear as the supporting roles. The movie showcases Vishnu being cheated by his good friend and business partner Jehangir, due to which he is motivated to train his own dance crew and turning them into professional trained dancers who end up winning the competition and fulfilling Prabhu Deva’s dream. If you dare to dream, impossible is nothing!

10. Ballerina (2016)

Ballerina titled Leap! Is an animated musical adventure starring Felicie an orphan who just wants to dance. Felicie and her best friend Victor embark on an adventurous journey to make Felicie’s dream of being a prima ballerina at the Paris opera.