Dancing in Films

[Dreadful Scathe]

Ive seen quite a few films that some great dancing in them - occasionally I have even got moves from them. Whatever style you dance you can borrow moves from just about anything - even Ice Skating. Heres a few films with good dance themes or dance bits in them - please add more

• Dirty Dancing
  Most well known. More sleaze than jive but nice moves
• Save the Last Dance
  hip hop and ballet - Ive seen hip hop style Ceroc teachers before
• Strictly Ballroom
  Good variety of dance. I perfected my 'knee slide' from this
• Dance with Me
  Cuban style dance film mainly but lots of other bits
• A Day at the Races
  Marx brothers comedy with a great lindy hop scene and an AMAZING woman who spins round an entire 50 foot oval stage without stopping (theres also lindy hop in Hellzapoppin')
  

others ive not seen but have heard good things about are SWING KIDS and SWING with Lisa Stansfield in it

and as an aside people who obviously can't dance - Sophie Ellis Bextor

[Gus]

Originally posted by Dreadful Scathe


(theres also lindy hop in Hellzapoppin')

Hellzapoppin is THE swing film ... the short swing sequence is a callsic because it features none other than the ledgendary Frankie Manning ... with his team. saw it once, from what I remember they dance to a track thats about 200 BPM! There is also an amazing airstep thrown in for good meansure ... a true Classic

others ive not seen but have heard good things about are SWING KIDS and SWING with Lisa Stansfield in it

Aside from the dancing Swing Kids is also a superb and deeply moving film. the opeening scene at the dance hall shows some great lindy.

Swing is another good film with some good dance scenes ... you may well recognise some of the faces, many from the 100 club and a close up of the most famous bottom in the dance scene ... any guesses as to who's?

[Lou]

I thought Swing was an OK movie - the plot was pretty predictable, but the dancing was good, and it did star the gorgeous Hugo Spear.

I much prefered Swingers, which had some great Lindy/ECS (?) as the finale. I'd recommend this movie especially to anyone who's just broken up from a relationship.

So, Dreadful Scathe , have you managed to pick up any good moves from Fame ?

[Gadget]

How about the BBC2 trailer with the dancing? They don't look as if they are having much fun.
{Although I must say that the rooftop-run trailer is excelent, and I wish I could do the Capoira moves on the skyscraper one.}

[SwingSwingSwing]

Other films that I've seen on TV over the last year or so....

Malcolm X has some Lindy early on with Frankie Manning and Ann Miller.

Buck Privates, an Abbot and Costello movie, has a sequence with Dean Collins and Jewel McGowan doing smooth style Lindy Hop

Hellzapoppin' - as well as the rightly famous Whitey's Lindy Hoppers piece there's a short bit where Dean Collins dances with Martha Rae during "Watch The Birdie"

The Canterville Ghost has some lindy hopping GI's

Rock Around The Clock has some Lindy Hop type stuff in it too.

I've got all these on tape. There's plenty more that I've haven't seen on the TV schedules like Cabin In The Sky, Don't Knock The Rock, Ride Em Cowboy. There's a James Stewart film that has got a partnered Charleston competition in it but I can't remember what it's called.

SwingSwingSwing

[Jayne]

How come no-one's mentioned Moulin Rouge and that fantastic tango sequence??? If anyone's got the DVD have you watched the entire sequence from the four camera angles? I learnt a step at an Argentinian Tango class a while ago that would be great in a slow ceroc number - very seductive.

As anyone who knows me will testify, I'm a shy retiring character but I've always wondered - how do you get to be a dance extra in a film? I know Franck posted an advert ages ago but I've never found anything since... Do you have to be a dance/drama school kid? I just think the experience of doing it would be great...

Back to reality...

Jayne

[Dreadful Scathe]

I can't really remember Hellzapoppin' as I saw it 10 years or so ago - it struck me as the original surreal film (gave the Zucker brothers all their ideas probably)- I wouldnt have noticed the dance as much back then. Ive just tried to track down a copy but can't find it anywhere.

[Rachel]

Originally posted by Jayne
- how do you get to be a dance extra in a film? I know Franck posted an advert ages ago but I've never found anything since... Do you have to be a dance/drama school kid? I just think the experience of doing it would be great...

I believe Linda Barker from Cricklewood Ceroc keeps a list of people interested in dancing as film extras - http://jivesalsa01.uuhost.uk.uu.net/get_on_film!.htm. Give it a try!
Rachel

[Jayne]

Originally posted by Rachel
I believe Linda Barker from Cricklewood Ceroc keeps a list of people interested in dancing as film extras - http://jivesalsa01.uuhost.uk.uu.net/get_on_film!.htm. Give it a try!
Rachel

Cheers Rachel!

I'll sort out a suitable photo....

Jayne

[Wendy]

And what about Al Pacino in Scent of A Woman and he was blind !!! A dance like that would be ... well... it would take my breath away .... sigh ......mmmmmm

Wx

[JYork18]

I think the best dance film I've ever seen is called "Burn The Floor". It doesn't have a plot, just 2.5 hours of the most sensational dancing!!

The swing/Lindy/Jive section in particular. If you haven't seen it, it brings a completely different meaning to Team Cabaret.

YOU MUST SEE THIS FILM.

J

[Rachel]

Originally posted by JYork18
I think the best dance film I've ever seen is called "Burn The Floor". It doesn't have a plot, just 2.5 hours of the most sensational dancing!!

The swing/Lindy/Jive section in particular. If you haven't seen it, it brings a completely different meaning to Team Cabaret.

YOU MUST SEE THIS FILM.

J

I totally agree! I've been trying to promote it to everyone I know ever since I saw it for the first time. It's incredible ... totally inspiring, and it's certainly changed my style of dancing. Definitely a must see!
Rachel