Everyone loves to see people move, groove, and shake their bodies when the music starts. No matter the dance form, be it ballet or breakdance, no one can really resist the beauty and grace of this particular art form. If you’re part of the bunch, here are the ten best movies that’ll make your heartbeat go faster.
The Sound of Music (1965)
If there is one film that can have anyone singing along to its songs, it is The Sound of Music. Not to mention, you’ll fall in love with every single one of the characters. Julie Andrews is Maria, who becomes the governess for the seven children of Captain Von Trapp, who, for context, is a strict widower and naval officer working in Austria.
Maria’s love for music and life brings joy to the Von Trapp family, and she eventually falls in love with the Captain. The only problem is that the Captain is engaged to someone else. Also, did we see Nazis are planning to invade the country?
Fame (1980)
Fame is a film built around a group of genius students who attend an art high school in New York City. The film sees them graduating while telling us all about the challenges and struggles they face while they try to carve out a career in drama, music, and dance.
The characters of the film are Coco, who is a confident dancer; Leroy, who is seen as a rebellious dancer; Bruno, a musician who is shy; and a lot more. In simple terms, here you can see the highs and lows one faces if one chooses to follow their passion.
West Side Story (1961)
Put together Romeo and Juliet with New York gangs, and season it with some catchy songs and dances, and you get West Side Story. Natalie Wood and Richard Beymer star as Maria and Tony, who fall in love with each other.
They are polar opposites and belong to rival groups we know as the Jets and the Sharks. Their love story isn’t easy, as Bernardo, Maria’s brother, is always looking for chances to break the two lovers.
Moulin Rouge (2001)
Moulin Rouge is one film that you’ll never forget because of how it handles love, music, and Paris. The film takes place in Moulin Rouge cabaret and stars Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor as Satine and Christian. They are two lovers who are fighting against the odds.
Satine is a famous courtesan promised to a wealthy duke, whereas Christian is a poet writing a show for the Moulin Rouge. The best thing about this film is that we get to see them sing, dance, laugh, cry, kiss, and face tragedy together.
Footloose (1984)
If you want to kick off your Sunday shoes and dance like there’s no tomorrow, you should watch Footloose first. It follows Ren, a cool guy from Chicago, who moves to a dull town where dancing is something people frown upon.
Ren shakes things up with his dance moves, music, and the way he sees life. Ren also falls for Ariel, but like Maria and Tony from West Side Story, they do have to deal with a nosy father and over-ambitious boyfriend.
La La Land (2016)
Place a bet: La La Land will have you swoon over the city of stars and star-crossed lovers while it celebrates the two important things in everyone’s life, which are dreams and love. Ryan Gosling is Sebastian and Emma Stone is Mia, who are two artists running after their dreams trying to make it in life.
Sebastian wants his own jazz club, and Mia wants to become a famous star. Together, they sing the best song and create the best memories, but eventually go their separate ways.
Save the Last Dance (2001)
This pick on our list is a film that shows love is colorblind and dancing is a universal dialect. Plotwise, it tracks Sara, who is from the suburbs and loves to dance. She is met with a tough time after losing her mom and moves to the city with her dad.
It is in the city where Sara meets Derek, a boy who dabbles with both music and medicine. Derek teaches Sara how to dance to the urban beat while she helps him with his studies and dreams. They fall in love but, like every other couple, face problems with unhappy parents and nosy people.
Step Up (2006)
Step Up revolves around Tyler, a street dancer who gets a new start when he meets Nora, who loves to do ballet. They team up for her senior dance competition and blend their dance styles and worlds.
Along the way, they face challenges from Tyler’s past, Nora’s boyfriend, and the pressure to keep themselves cool before their big performance. If you’re a dancer looking for a film that captures all the important things about dancing, be it groove or passion, Step Up is your man if you catch the drift.
Billy Elliot (2000)
Billy Elliot tells the story of Billy, a boy from a mining town in England who is more interested in ballet than boxing. Despite his father and brother warning him not to do it, Billy joins a ballet class.
This is where he crosses paths with Mrs. Wilkinson, who is tough but also, most of the time, supportive. She tells Billy to follow his heart and dance like the world is going to end tomorrow. Billy Elliot is a brilliant film, one that will teach you why it is important to be true to ourselves.
Flashdance (1983)
If you’re someone who loves to shake their toes freely, then you’re not much different than Alex. In the film, she is a welder who dreams of becoming a ballet dancer someday. By day, she melts iron and fixes stuff, but by night, she dances like it is the end of the world.
Alex also has a crush on her boss, Nick, who is very supportive of her dreams but also wants more. To simplify, the film captures the energy, sweat, and rhythm of dancing and teaches you how to let loose and own the dance floor.
So, these were our top picks for the best movies about ballet and dancers. Did your favourite make the cut? Leave a comment below and let us know!