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Dance in the movies

topic posted Wed, April 9, 2008 - 2:13 PM by  offlineRosanna
I was wondering if ppl could recommend to me movies great dancing in them. The movies themselves don't have to be great, just the dancing!

Here's a few that I've enjoyed:
Rize
Idlewild (TERRIBLE movie, great dance sequences though)
Cabaret

Any others?
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Rosanna
online Rosanna
SF Bay Area
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  • Re: Dance in the movies

    Wed, April 9, 2008 - 3:39 PM
    I really enjoyed "Yellow." It's not a big budget, classy film, but it was a really nice story and the woman who plays the lead (who also developed the screenplay) can really dance.
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    • Devon
      Devon
      online 19

      Re: Dance in the movies

      Wed, April 9, 2008 - 3:45 PM
      I would suggest checking out pretty much every Bollywood movie in the last twenty years.

      Don, Dhoom 2, Asoka (my favourite), Lagaan to name a few.

      As for other films...How retro do you wanna go? We've got Flashdance and Footloose (who remembers those!?!), Save the last dance, Dirty Dancing, Chicago. I can't think of any others right now. I'll come back if I think of any more.

      OH...there's always Brigadoon and West Side Story...
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      • Re: Dance in the movies

        Wed, April 9, 2008 - 4:15 PM
        Asoka is an awesome movie! I second that.
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        • Devon
          Devon
          online 19

          Re: Dance in the movies

          Wed, April 9, 2008 - 4:48 PM
          I freaking love that movie. Bollywood films have spoiled me in general. Now, I am not completely satisfied with a film unless it has at least two dance numbers complete with wardrobe changes.
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        • Maral
          Maral
          offline 65

          Re: Dance in the movies

          Fri, April 11, 2008 - 9:53 AM
          I dunno, I loved Lagaan (and lots of other Bollywood movies) but found Asoka so over-the-top and cheesy that I just couldn't enjoy it that much. And that's saying a lot for a Bollywood movie, and for a fan of cheesy movies.
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          • Lori
            Lori
            offline 58

            Re: Dance in the movies

            Fri, April 11, 2008 - 10:43 AM
            Okay John Travolta was a complete A-hole in it, but I did like all the dance sequences in Staying Alive. Another thing I liked is it has Cynthia Rhodes (played Penny in Dirty Dancing) in it. I really like her, I guess she retired from dance after DD to be a full time mom.

            I also love Memoirs of a Geisha, not so much for the dancing or the story, but I love movies that focus on the evolution of an artist. That process is my entire life, so I enjoy watching it in different forms (even if its the Karate Kid!)
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      • Desd...
        Desdemona
        online 20

        Re: Dance in the movies

        Fri, April 11, 2008 - 1:11 PM
        I'll second the Bollywood recommendations. Also look at Naach, which is about a dancer. Taal also features a lot of good dance numbers.

        Stomp the Yard is good. I've seen bits of Step It Up and it looks pretty good, too.

        There's a good tango/love story Dance of a Dream with Andy Lau.

        I'm a big MGM musical fan, too. Anything with Fred Astaire or Gene Kelly in it is going to have amazing dancing.
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  • Michele
    Michele
    offline 0

    Re: Dance in the movies

    Thu, April 10, 2008 - 9:48 AM
    I'd like to also throw in
    "Kama Sutra: A tale of Love" By Mira Nair
    There's some really gorgeous indian style dance moves in it.
    I think that's the movie that first interested me in the indian (orissi? Odissi?) style of dance.
    The static poses and symbolism in each move is really beautiful. Plus it's a really great movie.
    Naveen Andrews (of LOST) plays Raj Singh the prince. Yum yum ;)

    my 2 coppers :)
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  • Gibs...
    GibsonPearl
    offline 206

    Re: Dance in the movies

    Thu, April 10, 2008 - 2:06 PM
    The dancing in "Gadjo Dilo" is what made me want to bellydance...there aren't "dance scenes" per se but the main female character is super sexy and dances a bit with the musicians. I loved it...great movie too.

    "Latcho Drom", by the same director, is also great although not really a story but more a journey. There's a young girl toward the beginning that does this phenomenal barrel turn that is to die for!
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  • Dusty
    Dusty
    offline 196

    Re: Dance in the movies

    Fri, April 11, 2008 - 8:33 AM
    Stomp the yard (not exactly quality cinema, but it's SO worth it for the dancing)
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    • Mia
      Mia
      offline 73

      Re: Dance in the movies

      Fri, April 11, 2008 - 6:18 PM
      "Stomp the yard (not exactly quality cinema, but it's SO worth it for the dancing)"

      I totally agree. I wait til my husband is otherwise busy and I watch all that stuff just to see the moves - I even get up and dance along ; )
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  • Sharon
    Sharon
    offline 161

    Re: Dance in the movies

    Fri, April 11, 2008 - 5:00 PM
    Satin Rouge has some okay turkish style bell dancing but the camera work drove me nuts. Nice story about a mature woman finding herself through dance, although the ending creeped me out a bit and seemed totally implausible.

    Dance With Me with Vanessa Williams and Cheyenne is a really corny story with some fabulous salsa dancing. I especially love the Salsa de Rueda scene in the club.

    I'm almost ashamed to admit it, but I really loved the dancing in Honey with Jessica Alba. Okay, the hey-kids-lets-put-on-a-show-and-save-the-world plot is super corny, but then most dance movies are corny.

    I recently saw Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing and Charm School. NOT great dancing, but the story is fun and Mary Steenburgen's character is a hoot.
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    • Re: Dance in the movies

      Fri, April 11, 2008 - 5:43 PM
      Second for Planet B-Boy and Latcho Drom, and third for Strictly Ballroom.

      Those endless barrel turns in Latcho Drom are mindblowing. In fact, the first part of the movie, from India into Egypt is pretty mindbogglingly beautiful. I could watch it over and over.
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  • Belinda
    Belinda
    offline 24

    Re: Dance in the movies

    Fri, April 11, 2008 - 11:40 PM
    The Tango Lesson ......

    written by and starring Sally Potter.....
    it's kind of autobiographical, on a whim she starts learning tango and ends up performing....
    the notes about how the movie was made and the history of Tango are quite interesting....
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    • kate...
      katedarling
      offline 59

      Re: Dance in the movies

      Sat, April 12, 2008 - 9:21 AM
      oo yeah Sweet Charity is a good one. Another old musical that made a huge impression on me is Singin' in the Rain, not so much for the corny but wonderful Donald O'Connor/Debbie Reynolds stuff but for the absolutely smoldering pas de deux between Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse. I remember that being the first dance I ever saw that just stopped me in my tracks.

      I really appreciate the Bollywood recommendations here because I've never known where to start.
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  • Becky
    Becky
    online 16

    Re: Dance in the movies

    Sun, April 13, 2008 - 10:18 AM
    Guys and Dolls!!! The overture, the Havana club scene, the underground craps scene right before Marlon Brando murders "Luck Be a Lady Tonight" until it's unrecognizable...

    Also, I second West Side Story! Ah, so good...

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    • Jeffrey
      Jeffrey
      online 189

      Re: Dance in the movies

      Sun, April 13, 2008 - 10:34 AM
      Here's a few of my faves:
      "All That Jazz"
      "Cabaret"
      "Carmen-(The Flamenko Version)"
      "Fame"
      "Flashdance"
      "The Turning Point"
      "An American in Paris"
      "White Nights"
      "Kiss Me Kate"
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  • Rebekah
    Rebekah
    offline 40

    Re: Dance in the movies

    Sun, April 13, 2008 - 12:36 PM
    Episode 14--Season 5 of the Highlander series has Flamenco dancing and the art of Spanish swordplay...the way it's all done in this one is just wonderful...tells how the dance tells a story and how the movements with the sword are a dance...so it's all connected...

    So, not to sound like a Highlander geek...but I'd recommend that one...*giggle*...highly...*giggle* again...

    There's also one of them where Elisabeth Gracen belly dances with a Sheik's harem...her dancing sucks, but it's funny and the other girls are quite good...I'm just not sure which one that one was...I'll have to search it down...

    *goes off to drool over Adrian Paul*
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  • Sharon
    Sharon
    offline 161

    Re: Dance in the movies

    Mon, April 14, 2008 - 11:37 AM
    Anything by director Carlos Saura. My favorite is Tango. I didn't love Salome, Flamenco was pretty fabulous and there are more I haven't seen. The dancing is always excellent!
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  • Hayley
    Hayley
    offline 47

    Re: Dance in the movies

    Mon, April 28, 2008 - 12:39 PM
    I was just in a movie(dancing), to be released hopefully in about a year on the sci-fi channel, its based on an H.P. Lovecraft story. keep an eye out for it!!
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  • IKIWIKI
    IKIWIKI
    offline 160

    Re: Dance in the movies

    Fri, May 2, 2008 - 8:49 AM
    I have an exhuastive list of dance movies sorted by type of movie and style of dance. I'm in the process of just finishing a few updates and then it will be added to the SOUL Movement section of my website - www.dancersdreamland.com

    Prior to my site revamp, the listing was known as one of the most extensive dance movie lists on the web.

    I'll try to get it posted this weekend.

    My favorite dance movies:
    Center Stage (the movie that made me want to take up dancing)
    Dirty Dancing (who doesn't love Patrick)
    Happy Feet (animated and adorable)
    Shall We Dance (the original and remake - both excellent)
    Step Up (hot, hot, hot)
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    • Maureen
      Maureen
      offline 179

      Re: Dance in the movies

      Fri, May 2, 2008 - 12:45 PM
      Rize made me cry--i loved it! and i love Cabaret (though i usually hate musicals).

      people seem to really like Strictly Ballroom, but i haven't seen it.
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