Press Play and Pass the Popcorn

Lindsay Live | Feb 12, 2008 | 0

Ethan Stiefel as Cooper Nielson in "Center Stage"

If you think you need to spend lots of money on theater tickets to see some good quality dancing, think again! All it takes is a Netflix membership, a rainy day, and an open mind.

One of my favorite things to do on a cold, dreary Saturday afternoon, is to invite some of my dance friends over for an all-day movie marathon!  

Now, I don't claim to be some kind of movie connoisseur, but if there's one film genre I know inside and out, it's dance. As a dance major in college, I was required to watch and analyze a plethora of classic dance movies as well as a variety of newer dance films. Whether old or new, dance movies are fun, exciting, and always contain an element of fiery passion or old-fashioned romance.

Here is a list of a few dance-filled films I'd recommend for a movie marathon:

Singin' in the Rain
Dirty Dancing
The Turning Point
Billy Elliot
All That Jazz
Fame
Center Stage
A Chorus Line
Tap
The Company
Save the Last Dance
Step Up
Footloose
Flashdance
The Red Shoes
Chicago

Most of these films are slightly more modern, but if the classics are more your speed, the best place to start is with a Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers film. "Swing Time" and "Shall We Dance" are two of my favorites. Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, whether tapping energetically in unison or gliding across the dance floor in each other's embrace, had the kind of artistry and on-screen chemistry that could never be replicated today. Watching them dance together is such a breath of fresh air.  

Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in "Swing Time"

If you want to see large spectacle dance numbers with ornate scenery and scantily-clad showgirls, start with some of Busby Berkeley's old films. Berkeley is credited as the first Hollywood movie director/choreographer to give the camera complete mobility when shooting dance numbers. He would shoot from interesting angles, providing the audience with images that were not possible to achieve on the stage. If you think this might interest you, check out "Gold Diggers of 1935." This movie has one of the most spectacular dance scenes I have ever seen, with 100 men and women tapping in unison after the famous "Lullaby of Broadway."

"Lullaby of Broadway" in "Gold Diggers of 1935"

And then, of course, there's "West Side Story," which is really in a league of its own. Jerome Robbins successfully took his creation from the stage to the big screen without sacrificing any of his original and revolutionary choreography. The choreography and music seem to work in perfect tandem (not just a coincidence!), helping to tell the story of the warring Sharks and Jets, the 20th century versions of Shakespeare's feuding Montagues and Capulets. If you include "West Side Story" in your movie marathon you'll be humming "Cool" all week long!

Classic Jerome Robbins choreography in "West Side Story"

While this list of dance movies is nowhere near complete, I hope some of my suggestions will help you plan your next movie marathon. So dim the lights, press play, and lose yourself in the magic of dance.

Oh yeah, and don't forget the popcorn!

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Enthusiast, Dance Movies, Movies (all tags)