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Movies Featuring Ballroom Dancing

(In Chronological Order)

1. Top Hat (1935--Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire).  This joyous Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers musical features an Irving Berlin score and the classic duet "Cheek to Cheek." Astaire stars as Jerry Travers, a singer-dancer who auditions some new moves for producer Horace Hardwick at his hotel. The beautiful Dale Tremont (Rogers) is staying downstairs and the wackiness begins when she mistakes Jerry for Horace in this romantic comedy that received an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture.

2. Swing Time (1936--Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire).  Many claim that this is the best of the 10 Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers movies, and Time Magazine named it one of its All-Time 100 Movies. In this classic musical, Astaire plays Lucky, a gambler who misses his wedding to a young socialite and must come up with $25,000 for another chance at her hand. He ends up meeting the lovely Penny, a dance instructor, and soon forgets about his old flame. Songs include "The Way You Look Tonight."

3.      Shall We Dance (1937--Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire).  Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers kick up their heels on an ocean liner in this musical. Ballet star Pete Peters (Astaire) is in love with celebrity Linda Keene (Rogers), and his infatuation leads him to set sail across the Atlantic. Unfortunately, he hardly knows her, but a little white lie results in everyone thinking the two stars are married. George and Ira Gershwin provide the musical score that includes "They Can't Take That Away from Me."

4. You Never Were Lovelier (1942--Fred Astaire and Rita Hayworth).  The incomparable Fred Astaire pairs up with the alluring Rita Hayworth for this delightful musical featuring the compositions of Jerome Kern and Johnny Mercer. While in Buenos Aires, Robert (Astaire), a dancer, meets Maria (Hayworth), the daughter of a rich Argentinian entrepreneur, who won't let her sisters get married until she herself is betrothed. Features performances by Xavier Cugat and Miguelito Valdes.

5. Easter Parade (1948--Judy Garland and Fred Astaire.)  Judy Garland and Fred Astaire sing and trip the light fantastic to 17 Irving Berlin tunes in this romantic holiday classic. Berlin's songs add sparkle to the simple plot of a hoofer (Astaire) who teams with an inexperienced chorus girl (Garland) in order to show up his former dance partner, Nadine.  

6.  Saturday Night Fever (1977--John Travolta).  Director John Badham's musical ushered in the disco craze with the character of 19-year-old Tony Manero. By day, Tony's a paint store clerk, but at night he's a polyester-clad stallion who rules the dance floor of a Brooklyn nightspot with his partner, Stephanie (Karen Lynn Gorney). Although the plot addresses socioeconomic themes, it's the Bee Gees soundtrack and Travolta's strutting, Oscar-nominated moves that make the movie.

7.      Dirty Dancing (1987--Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey).  Expecting the usual ennui that accompanies a summer in the Catskills with her family, 17-year-old Baby Houseman (Jennifer Grey) instead finds herself in love. The object of her affection: the resort's free-spirited dance instructor, Johnny Castle (Patrick Swayze).  But Baby's disapproving dad soon steps in to keep Johnny from putting the moves on his artless daughter. The film earned Oscar honors for Best Song ("I've Had the Time of My Life").

8.      Tango, Our Dance (1988--Robert Duvall).  Argentine filmmaker Jorge Zanada  spent three years exploring the cultural origins of the tango -- a dance Martha Graham called "the most beautiful dance of this century" -- by talking to milongueros, the amateur dancers who work to preserve its traditions, and capturing their work on film. The result is a colorful study of a passionate pastime with a roster of famous enthusiasts, including dancer Juan Carlos Copes and actor Robert Duvall..

9.  Salsa--The Motion Picture (1988--Bobby Rosa).  Watch it for the salsa dancing, not for the story line. 

10.  Lambada (1990--J. Eddie Peck).  Lambada has its heart in the 1950s; it has its soul in the 1980s.  Kevin, a.k.a. "Blade" (J. Eddie Peck), is a math teacher by day, dancer/G.E.D. instructor by night. Sandy (Melora Hardin) is the kind of student Sting warned about in "Don't Stand So Close to Me."  Lambada is cheesy as all get out and doesn't have an original idea in its body.  It isn't as good, but it's still a hoot. And there's lots of steamy Lambada dancing in the nightclub scenes.

11.      Scent of a Woman (1992--Al Pacino and Chris O’Donnell).  Hoping to earn extra cash during the Thanksgiving holiday, poor prep-school student Charlie Simms (Chris O’Donnell) agrees to look after blind -- and cantankerous -- Lt. Col. Frank Slade (Al Pacino), in a tour-de-force performance). Though the callow student and jaded colonel are mismatched, as Simms follows Slade around Manhattan on a string of wild escapades, their relationship grows and Slade is unmasked as a sentimental romantic.

12.      Strictly Ballroom (1992).  This quirky Australian made romantic comedy is sure to leave you tapping your toes. Directed by Baz Luhrmann, Strictly Ballroom is the off-beat story of a championship ballroom dancer Paul Mercurio who breaks all the rules by choosing an ugly duckling dancing partner (Tara Morice). Sweet, funny and original, this is one you won't forget quickly.

13.  Swing Kids (1993--Robert Shawn Leonard).  This is the story of a close-knit group of young kids in Nazi Germany who listen to banned swing music from the US.  Soon dancing and fun leads to more difficult choices as the Nazi's begin tightening the grip on Germany. Each member of the group is forced to face some tough choices about right, wrong, and survival.

14.  True Lies (1994).  In this movie, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Tia Carrera take turns dancing American style Tango.  While the steps performed are pretty simple, Arnold and his ladies perform them with great aplomb.

15.      Shall We Dance (Japanese Version) (1995--Koji Yakusho).  During his daily commute, likable but dejected Tokyo office worker Shohei (Koji Yakusho) sees a stunning woman in a dance studio. Taken with her, he enrolls in ballroom dance lessons at the studio, even though he risks losing face by taking part in what his society considers an improper activity for a man. Shohei quickly realizes, however, that he has a gift for dance and loves participating in it, much to the alarm of his wife and daughter.

16.      The Tango Lesson (1997--Sally Potter.)  Frustrated with her latest movie script, a screenwriter (played by writer-director Sally Potter) flees to Paris, where she meets a talented tango dancer (Pablo Veron) who changes her life. Filmed mostly in black-and-white with occasional fantasy scenes shot in color, this lyrical independent drama is loosely autobiographical for Potter, who studied dance in the 1970s before devoting her life to film.

17.      Dance with Me (1998--Vanessa Williams and Kris Kristofferson).  Sparks fly when Ruby, a dance instructor looking for a partner to enter the World Open Dance Championships, meets a Cuban dance teacher. But the charming Rafael is looking for more than just a dance partner.

18.      Tango (1998--Juan Carlos Copes).  Oscar-winning cinematographer Vittorio Storano painted the backdrop for this film about a director with a passion for dance. When his wife (Cecilia Narova) leaves him, Mario (Miguel Angel Sola) begins work on a film about the tango. Trouble begins when he falls for Elena (Mia Maestro), whose lover is a gangster (Juan Luis Galiardo). Lalo Schifrin provided the beautiful score for this film, which received an Oscar nomination for best foreign film.

19.  Tango.  (1999--Miguel Angel Sola).  Set in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the film tells the story of director Mario Suarez's quest to make the ultimate tango film. Lonely after his wife (one of the film's stars) has left him, Mario must find the themes that will hold the film together, while simultaneously permitting his musicians and dancers the freedom of expression that is necessary to satisfy the tango-hungry Argentine audience. Things become complicated when Mario falls in love with Elena, a beautiful and talented young dancer who is the girlfriend of the powerful and dangerous Angelo Larroca, an investor in the picture. And Mario's creative vision is challenged by his investors when he plans a scene that recreates Argentina's dark years of political suppression and "disappearances".

20.  Burn the Floor (2000).  Filmed at its world premiere and starring 44 of the world's champion ballroom and Latin dancers, Burn the Floor is the dance sensation that has taken the world by storm. An explosive journey through dance, it takes you on a roller coaster ride from the elegance and beauty of its opening waltz through the emotion and heart of "Passionata" to the cool sexy modern beats of the contemporary finale, "Would You Like to Dance with Me?" Burn the Floor is receiving standing ovations and rave reviews worldwide for its excitement, energy, skill, and passion. The show takes ballroom dancing to a new height.

21.  The Wedding Planner (2001--Jennifer Lopez and Matthew McConaughey).  In this movie, Jennifer and Matthew perform both the foxtrot and tango.

22.  Assassination Tango (2002--Robert Duvall).  John J. (Robert Duvall) is a seasoned hit man sent on a job to Argentina. When the general he's sent to kill delays his return to the country, John passes the time with Manuela (Luciana Pedraza), a beautiful dancer who becomes his teacher and guide into Argentina's sensual world of the Argentine Tango. But John's idyll is shattered when the reality of why he's there becomes clear.

23.  One Last Dance (2003--Patrick Swayze and Lisa Niemi).  Real-life couple Patrick Swayze and Lisa Niemi star in this drama about three dancers -- Travis (Swayze), Chrissa (Niemi) and Max (George de la Pena) -- who reunite after years of estrangement to perform one last dance choreographed by their former mentor, who recently died and left his dance company on the verge of disbanding. But the dancers' creative collaboration dredges up old battles, leaving them more vulnerable than ever before.

24.  Abrazos:  Tango in Buenos Aires (2003--Documentary). Filmed over the course of nine days, this colorful documentary captures the excitement of the fifth annual Buenos Aires Tango Festival, where some of the world's most accomplished dancers come to compete -- and win. With stirring traditional music, dizzying choreography, nine stages, 300 couples and more than 200,000 passionate fans, it's an experience you'll never forget.

25.  Shall We Dance (2004--Richard Gere, Jennifer Lopez, and Susan Sarandon) (John Clark (Richard Gere) has all he could ever ask for, including a successful career and a loving wife (Susan Sarandon).  Even so, he can't find true happiness and becomes intrigued by stunning dance teacher Paulina (Jennifer Lopez). Drawn by her allure, John heads to the studio and signs up for lessons. As John's friendship with Paulina grows, so does his love for dance, renewing his lease on life. Based on the 1995 Japanese film.

26.   Dirty Dancing:  Havana Nights (2004--Patrick Swayze, Diego Luna, and Rene Lavan.)  It's 1958 when the Miller family moves to Havana, where 18-year-old Katy's (Romola Garai) parents expect her to be the belle of the high-society ball. Instead, she falls for Xavier (Diego Luna), a waiter who teaches her how to dance and partners with her for an upcoming contest. But Fidel Castro's rise to power forces Americans to depart, putting Katy and Xavier's relationship in jeopardy. Patrick Swayze reprises his role as Johnny Castle.

27.  Take the Lead (2005--Antonio Banderas).  Inspired by a true story, Antonio Banderas plays acclaimed ballroom dancer Pierre Dulane in the film which revolves around a professional dancer who volunteers to teach in the New York City public school system. But when his classic methods clash with his students' hip hop instincts, he teams up with them to create a new style of dance and becomes their mentor in the process.

28.  Marilyn Hotchkiss--Ballroom Dancing and Charm School (2005--John Goodman, Marisa Tomei, and Danny Devito).  Randall M. Miller’s romantic comedy focuses on two strangers (Marisa Tomei and Robert Carlyle) who are led by a curious string of events to meet and fall in love at a local ballroom-dance school.

29.  Mr. and Mrs. Smith (2005--Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie).  Marriage has gotten stale for John and Jane Smith (Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie), a husband and wife who don't yet know that they share the same undercover line of work: They're both guns for hire. Hiding their occupations has never been a hardship for either of them … until they discover that their next assignment involves them targeting each other!  While this movie isn't strictly about ballroom dancing, it does feature a nice American Tango between Pitt and Jolie that captures the passion to be felt and expressed while dancing the American Tango.

30.  Mad Hot Ballroom (2005).  Eleven-year-old New York City public school kids journey into the world of ballroom dancing and reveal pieces of themselves and their world along the way. Told from their candid, sometimes hilarious perspectives, these kids are transformed, from reluctant participants to determined competitors, from typical urban kids to "ladies and gentlemen," on their way to try to compete in the final citywide competition. Providing unique insight into the incredible cultural diversity that is New York City, this film profiles several kids from three schools (out of 60) at this dynamic age, when becoming that "cool" teenager vies for position with familiar innocence, while they learn the merengue, rumba, tango, the foxtrot and swing.