Dance, Dance

You might not know this about me but I adore dance movies. These movies, with the huge dance numbers and energetic music in the background, are usually considered to be my "happy movies", movies I watch whenever I need to smile. But I am picky about the dance movies. I despise Dirty Dancing and Save the Last Dance - two movies most people think of immediately when discussing dance movies. These movies in my opinion are just horrible. They take themselves too seriously and they're definitely not good enough to do so. My dance movies are fun and they make me want to get up and dance. And if they are good, they know it. So, without further ado, and in no particular order, here are my dance movies:

1. Take the Lead (2006) - a classic example of dancing first, plot second.


2. Moulin Rouge (2001) - Everytime I watch the "Roxanne" dance sequence, I get chills. True. Watching it doesn't make me feel exactly happy but this is a movie that knows its good.


3. Step Up (2006) - God help me but yes. I did rent this movie and yes, I loved the dancing. Jenna Dewan starred in both this one and was in the tange scene featured in Take the Lead.


4. Napoleon Dynamite (2004) - I know this isn't exactly a dance movie but the big end dance scene is the climax and therefore the most important scene.


5. Chicago (2002) I really hated this movie. I could barely sit through it but the only scene that was worth torturing myself was the "Cell Block Tango" scene. Buying the soundtrack to me was pointless. This was all about WATCHING the huge dance numbers.


6. Swing Kids (1993) - Once again, not the happiest movie but after watching this movie, me and my friend Kim desperately wanted to swing dance.


7. Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire - There is no specific movie because any movie these two were in became a classic dance movie for they are still two of the greatest dancers of all time. I actually quit tap dance lessons when I was younger after a few months because I wasn't immediately dancing like Gene Kelly.


8. West Side Story (1961) - It's not the most realistic portrayal of NYC gangs ever on screen but man, after watching this movie, you like to pretend that the gangs there really do compete in choreographed dance offs.


Note: I really wanted Seven Brides for Seven Brothers on this list, particularly the barn-raising scene, but I couldn't find a clip. If I could have found it, that would have been the first one mentioned for sure.