Movies About Dancing

From Directors: Stanley Donen, Gene Kelly, starring Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, Debbie Reynolds, Jean Hagen
Rated G

Singin' in the Rain is a classic musical comedy starring Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds. Set in Hollywood during the transition from silent films to talking pictures, the film follows Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly) and Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen) as they navigate their way through the changing industry. Famous for its scene of Kelly singing and dancing in the rain, the film follows the couple as they struggle to save their failing movie career and figure out how to make the transition to sound movies. Along the way, they are joined by Don's best friend, Cosmo Brown (Donald O'Connor), who helps them find their way. With plenty of music, dancing, and comedy, Singin' in the Rain is a timeless classic.

From Directors: Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger, starring Anton Walbrook, Marius Goring, Moira Shearer, Robert Helpmann
Rated Not Rated

The Red Shoes is a British fantasy film from 1948, directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. It follows the story of Victoria "Vicky" Page, a talented young ballerina who is taken under the wing of Boris Lermontov, the famed impresario of a renowned Russian ballet company. Vicky is soon cast in the lead role of a ballet based on the classic Hans Christian Andersen fairytale, "The Red Shoes". As her fame and workload increases, however, Vicky is forced to choose between her love for Julian, a young composer, and her commitment to dance. The film follows Vicky as she struggles with her decision and ultimately makes the heartbreaking decision to pursue her dream of becoming a great dancer. With gorgeous cinematography and a powerful original score, The Red Shoes is widely considered to be one of the greatest films ever made.

From Darren Aronofsky, starring Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel, Winona Ryder
Rated R

Black Swan is a psychological thriller directed by Darren Aronofsky that focuses on Nina Sayers, a ballerina who is pushed to her physical and psychological limits as she strives for perfection and to become the perfect Swan Queen. After being cast as the lead in a production of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, Nina is thrown into a world of competition, pressure, and anxiety as she strives to perfect her part and make it her own. As the tension increases, Nina suffers from hallucinations and enters into a dark and increasingly chaotic spiral of paranoia and obsession. With the help of a new dancer, Lily, Nina attempts to channel her inner dark swan, but ultimately succumbs to her own inner demons. The film culminates in a climactic performance that will leave the audience breathless.

From Mark Sandrich, starring Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Edward Everett Horton, Erik Rhodes
Rated Not Rated

Top Hat is a romantic comedy musical directed by Mark Sandrich and starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. The film follows a dancer, Jerry Travers (Astaire), who travels to London to star in a show. While there, he meets a beautiful society woman, Dale Tremont (Rogers), and falls in love with her at first sight. However, Dale mistakes him for her best friend's husband, who is also named Jerry. After a series of misunderstandings, Dale and Jerry eventually clear things up and fall in love. The film features several classic dance numbers, including the famous "Cheek to Cheek" scene, and received seven Academy Award nominations. It has since become one of the most beloved musicals of all time.

From Stephen Daldry, starring Jamie Bell, Julie Walters, Jean Heywood, Jamie Draven
Rated R

Billy Elliot is the coming-of-age story of an 11-year-old boy in a British mining town during the 1984-85 coal miners' strike. Billy’s father and older brother work in the mines, and his family expects him to do the same. However, Billy discovers a passion for ballet and secretly begins taking dance classes, despite the protests of his family, his mining community, and his teacher. Through his dance, Billy learns to express himself and gain confidence, and he discovers an escape from the chaos of his home and community. With the help of his dance teacher, Billy finds the courage to pursue his dreams and his talent, eventually winning a place at the Royal Ballet School. In the end, the family comes to accept Billy’s dreams and ambitions, and the film celebrates how passion and courage can overcome even the most difficult of obstacles.

From Levan Akin, starring Levan Gelbakhiani, Bachi Valishvili, Ana Javakishvili, Kakha Gogidze
Rated Not Rated

And Then We Danced is a 2019 Georgian drama film directed by Levan Akin. Set in the Georgian National Ensemble of Folk Dance, the film follows Merab (Levan Gelbakhiani), a passionately dedicated dancer who is thrown off balance by the arrival of Irakli (Bachi Valishvili), a new male dance partner. Through their intense and ultimately romantic relationship, Merab must choose between his heart and his traditional upbringing. As he navigates between the expectations of his family and the ambitious dreams of his future, Merab's struggle and journey of self-discovery is a powerful reminder of the cost of freedom of expression.

From Baz Luhrmann, starring Nicole Kidman, Ewan McGregor, John Leguizamo, Jim Broadbent
Rated PG-13

Moulin Rouge! is a musical romantic drama directed by Baz Luhrmann and starring Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor. Set in the Montmartre Quarter of Paris, France in the year 1900, the film tells the story of a young poet/writer, Christian (McGregor), who falls in love with the star of the Moulin Rouge, cabaret actress and courtesan Satine (Kidman). They embark on a passionate and ultimately tragic love affair while struggling against their different social classes and the forces that threaten to tear them apart. The film is renowned for its vibrant visuals and its mix of modern popular music with classic show tunes.

From Directors: Jerome Robbins, Robert Wise, starring Natalie Wood, George Chakiris, Richard Beymer, Russ Tamblyn
Rated Approved

West Side Story is a musical film directed by Jerome Robbins and Robert Wise and released in 1961. It is an adaptation of the 1957 Broadway musical of the same name, which was inspired by William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet. The movie tells the story of two rival New York City gangs, the Sharks and the Jets, and their rivalry over territory and a teenage girl, Maria. The Sharks, led by Bernardo, are Puerto Rican immigrants while the Jets, led by Riff, are of Polish-American background. When Maria and Tony, a former Jet, fall in love, it leads to a tragic showdown between the two gangs. This classic musical is set to songs composed by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim, and the film won an impressive ten Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Supporting Actor (George Chakiris).

From George Stevens, starring Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Victor Moore, Helen Broderick
Rated Passed

"Swing Time" is a classic romantic musical comedy directed by George Stevens and released in 1936. The film tells the story of Lucky, a dancer and gambler (played by Fred Astaire) who is sent to find a partner for a dance contest with his boss's daughter, Penny (Ginger Rogers). On his journey, Lucky meets and falls in love with Penny, but must choose between her and his job. Along the way, he and Penny face many obstacles, including Penny's intended suitor and Lucky's gambling debt. With their friends and the help of a band of musicians, the two ultimately triumph and find true love. The film features some of the most iconic dance numbers ever captured on film, including the classic "Pick Yourself Up" dance.

From Sooni Taraporevala, starring Julian Sands, Jim Sarbh, Sarah Jane Dias, Rahul Khanna

Yeh Ballet is a 2020 Indian drama film directed by Sooni Taraporevala, starring Manish Chauhan and Achintya Bose as two unlikely dance partners. The film follows two boys from Mumbai as they struggle to pursue their dreams as ballet dancers. Manish and Achintya, two teenagers from very different backgrounds, are united through their love of dance and discover a new world of possibilities. The film is set against the backdrop of the vibrant city of Mumbai and is an inspiring tale of two boys who, against all odds, find the courage to follow their dreams. The film tells the story of their journey as they strive for greatness, and how their passion for ballet ultimately unites them.

From Marilyn Agrelo, starring Heather Berman, Emma Therese Biegacki, Eva Carrozza, Evangelina Carrozzo
Rated PG

From Noah Baumbach, starring Greta Gerwig, Mickey Sumner, Adam Driver, Michael Zegen
Rated R

From Stanley Donen, starring Jane Powell, Howard Keel, Jeff Richards, Russ Tamblyn
Rated Approved

From Andrew L. Stone, starring Lena Horne, Bill Robinson, Cab Calloway and His Cotton Club Orchestra, Katherine Dunham and Her Troupe
Rated Passed

From Randal Kleiser, starring John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John, Stockard Channing, Jeff Conaway
Rated PG

From Rob Marshall, starring Renée Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Richard Gere, Taye Diggs
Rated PG-13

From Vincente Minnelli, starring Gene Kelly, Leslie Caron, Oscar Levant, Georges Guétary
Rated Passed

From Emile Ardolino, starring Patrick Swayze, Jennifer Grey, Jerry Orbach, Cynthia Rhodes
Rated PG-13

From Alan Brown, starring Ryan Steele, Reed Luplau, Catherine Miller, Kimiye Corwin
Rated TV-14

From Bob Fosse, starring Shirley MacLaine, John McMartin, Ricardo Montalban, Sammy Davis Jr.
Rated G

From Jeffrey Walker, starring Xenia Goodwin, Mackenzie Fearnley, Ines English, Adam Sollis
Rated Not Rated

From Michael Damian, starring Jane Seymour, Thomas Doherty, Kika Markham, Ace Bhatti
Rated PG

From John Badham, starring John Travolta, Karen Lynn Gorney, Barry Miller, Joseph Cali
Rated R

From Herbert Ross, starring Anne Bancroft, Shirley MacLaine, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Tom Skerritt
Rated PG

From Roy Del Ruth, starring Eleanor Powell, James Stewart, Virginia Bruce, Una Merkel
Rated Passed