Photo: Courtesy of Lionsgate Films.
You just got served...clips of your favorite movies where characters who’ve just gotta DANCE use movement and well-executed choreography to demonstrate their internal struggles, emotional breakthroughs, and heroic journeys — society, socioeconomic class, and naysaying parents be damned! Now, please note these are dance movies, not musicals (for the most part), so don’t get all hot and bothered when Chicago isn’t on the list.
We’re talking about films where dancing — not accompanied by songs that move the story forward — is an essential part of the plot. And, while these movies are technically grounded in reality, the dance element always adds a little silliness that requires a certain suspension of disbelief. So, put on your leotards and start warming up for 10 things that can only happen in dance movies.
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1. Death-defying lifts that must be mastered in a very short period of time
Movie: Dirty Dancing
Nobody puts Baby in the corner, but they might put her in the hospital. Sure, she and Johnny trained all summer to get that epic lift just right, but the other guests at Kellerman’s didn’t know that. All they saw was the quiet girl with frizzy hair dancing with a staff member (who had just gotten fired) and nearly plunging to her death. And, though Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone quasi-managed to pull it off in Crazy, Stupid, Love, you should never, ever try this at home.
Movie: Dirty Dancing
Nobody puts Baby in the corner, but they might put her in the hospital. Sure, she and Johnny trained all summer to get that epic lift just right, but the other guests at Kellerman’s didn’t know that. All they saw was the quiet girl with frizzy hair dancing with a staff member (who had just gotten fired) and nearly plunging to her death. And, though Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone quasi-managed to pull it off in Crazy, Stupid, Love, you should never, ever try this at home.
2. The split-second, mid-number complete costume change
Movie: Center Stage
We’re no strangers to quick changes, thanks to the many dance recitals of our youths, but in a two-second camera pan-up, Jody Sawyer goes from wearing a periwinkle dress, pink tights, pink pointe shoes, and her hair half-up to a red leotard, red skirt, tan tights, red pointe shoes, smokey eye makeup, red lipstick, and her hair in cornrows. Also, she doesn’t appear to leave the stage while all of that occurs. What sort of sorcery is this, and where was it when we were struggling with our own tights in the wings?
Movie: Center Stage
We’re no strangers to quick changes, thanks to the many dance recitals of our youths, but in a two-second camera pan-up, Jody Sawyer goes from wearing a periwinkle dress, pink tights, pink pointe shoes, and her hair half-up to a red leotard, red skirt, tan tights, red pointe shoes, smokey eye makeup, red lipstick, and her hair in cornrows. Also, she doesn’t appear to leave the stage while all of that occurs. What sort of sorcery is this, and where was it when we were struggling with our own tights in the wings?
3. Exotic dancers paid to regular-dance at strip clubs
Movie: Flashdance
What’s even better than a stripper with a heart of gold? A stripper with a heart of gold who never even takes off her clothes. She’s so talented that customers don’t even care about seeing the goods. They’re just happy they can contribute to her ballet-school tuition fund.
Movie: Flashdance
What’s even better than a stripper with a heart of gold? A stripper with a heart of gold who never even takes off her clothes. She’s so talented that customers don’t even care about seeing the goods. They’re just happy they can contribute to her ballet-school tuition fund.
4. Psychic choreography as a result of romantic chemistry
Movies: Step Up, Save the Last Dance
He’s hip-hop; she’s ballet — but their bodies know all the same moves. He doesn’t know a pas de chat from a pas de bourrée. She doesn’t know the running man from the robot. It doesn’t matter; explosive sexual chemistry is all these two need to move together in perfect harmony.
Movies: Step Up, Save the Last Dance
He’s hip-hop; she’s ballet — but their bodies know all the same moves. He doesn’t know a pas de chat from a pas de bourrée. She doesn’t know the running man from the robot. It doesn’t matter; explosive sexual chemistry is all these two need to move together in perfect harmony.
5. Dancing in the streets without anyone getting arrested or proposing
Movie: Fame
Go ahead, you crazy kids: Block off traffic, and strut your stuff on top of cars. Police and pedestrians won’t mind — you’re young, you’re talented, and everyone’s going to remember your name (FAME!). And, you’re not insane; you’re trendsetters. In the future, we’ll call this phenomenon a “flashmob,” and there will be not one but two of them in a rom-com starring Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis.
Movie: Fame
Go ahead, you crazy kids: Block off traffic, and strut your stuff on top of cars. Police and pedestrians won’t mind — you’re young, you’re talented, and everyone’s going to remember your name (FAME!). And, you’re not insane; you’re trendsetters. In the future, we’ll call this phenomenon a “flashmob,” and there will be not one but two of them in a rom-com starring Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis.
6. Dance performances everyone on the planet seems to care about
Movies: Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, Hairspray
When you’ve got the drive and raw talent, sooner or later someone is going to notice. Rather, everyone is going to notice. People in bars, mortal enemies, even parents of mortal enemies, will all experience a profound paradigm shift after your 3-minute routine. It's that good.
Movies: Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, Hairspray
When you’ve got the drive and raw talent, sooner or later someone is going to notice. Rather, everyone is going to notice. People in bars, mortal enemies, even parents of mortal enemies, will all experience a profound paradigm shift after your 3-minute routine. It's that good.
7. One person starting a party with two words: "Let's Dance!"
Movies: Footloose (both the original and the remake)
The new bad boy in town wants to corrupt everyone — with dancing. It doesn't hurt that he can magically cue up a Kenny Loggins song when he walks into a room. Footloose just goes to show that the more forbidden you make something, the more teens will want to do it. Maybe the minister in Beaumont should’ve outlawed studying or helping the elderly. Then, during an epic final scene, rebellious teens would all show up for the SATs, totally ready to blow the analogy section out of the water after all their hush-hush prep sessions. That’ll totally teach those mean adults to be careful what they ban.
Movies: Footloose (both the original and the remake)
The new bad boy in town wants to corrupt everyone — with dancing. It doesn't hurt that he can magically cue up a Kenny Loggins song when he walks into a room. Footloose just goes to show that the more forbidden you make something, the more teens will want to do it. Maybe the minister in Beaumont should’ve outlawed studying or helping the elderly. Then, during an epic final scene, rebellious teens would all show up for the SATs, totally ready to blow the analogy section out of the water after all their hush-hush prep sessions. That’ll totally teach those mean adults to be careful what they ban.
8. Money and relationship problems solved simultaneously after a series of impressive backflips
Movies: You Got Served, Bring It On, Stomp the Yard
A hardscrabble crew overcomes insurmountable odds to dance their way out of trouble and into success. Botched drug deals, poverty, and recidivism are total bummers, but having a close-knit crew that’s got your back no matter what will always lead to a happy ending — in a dance movie, that is.
Movies: You Got Served, Bring It On, Stomp the Yard
A hardscrabble crew overcomes insurmountable odds to dance their way out of trouble and into success. Botched drug deals, poverty, and recidivism are total bummers, but having a close-knit crew that’s got your back no matter what will always lead to a happy ending — in a dance movie, that is.
9. Underground dance-offs wherein everyone agrees on a winner
Movie: Breakin’
Two crews enter, only one can emerge victorious. Except everyone at the battle already knows — and is totally okay with — which dancers will win. What even is the point, then?
Movie: Breakin’
Two crews enter, only one can emerge victorious. Except everyone at the battle already knows — and is totally okay with — which dancers will win. What even is the point, then?
10. Normal high schools comprised entirely of professional dancers
Movie: She’s All That
This isn’t technically a dance movie, per se, but the climax does take place at a dance — specifically, the prom. How does everyone in school suddenly know a choreographed dance to this random song the DJ chose to play? And, yeah, we know they tried to explain it by having Usher’s character say, “We’re going to do that dance I taught you, and I know you’ve been practicing.” That might work for something like the Cha Cha Slide or the Macarena, but not this perfectly synchronized routine that’s almost Fosse-esque in execution. Also, we would like to lodge a formal complaint for the unrealistic expectations this scene gave us for our own proms.
Movie: She’s All That
This isn’t technically a dance movie, per se, but the climax does take place at a dance — specifically, the prom. How does everyone in school suddenly know a choreographed dance to this random song the DJ chose to play? And, yeah, we know they tried to explain it by having Usher’s character say, “We’re going to do that dance I taught you, and I know you’ve been practicing.” That might work for something like the Cha Cha Slide or the Macarena, but not this perfectly synchronized routine that’s almost Fosse-esque in execution. Also, we would like to lodge a formal complaint for the unrealistic expectations this scene gave us for our own proms.
BONUS: Just two bros having an emotional conversation about their childhood memories and fear of the unknown via hip-hop duet, nothing to see here
Movie: High School Musical 3: Senior Year
Please take a moment to picture the star athletes at your high school. Now, picture them dancing together in a totally macho way — or just having a discussion about their feelings. This is also another movie that gave us unrealistic expectations for the prom. Disney truly is the land of make-believe.
Movie: High School Musical 3: Senior Year
Please take a moment to picture the star athletes at your high school. Now, picture them dancing together in a totally macho way — or just having a discussion about their feelings. This is also another movie that gave us unrealistic expectations for the prom. Disney truly is the land of make-believe.