Whether it’s professional dancing or just busting a move, there’s something about dancing that simultaneously lifts your mood and showcases the body’s grace. This translates into the film industry, with movies focusing on the professional world of dance while also highlighting the power of dance for fun. If you enjoy dancing and want to see it on the big screen, check out these six realistic movies about dancers.
6. Footloose (1984)
Our sixth selection for movies about dancers is the 80s classic Footloose. Big-city teen Ren moves from Chicago to the small rural town of Bomont, where its residents have placed an unjust ban on Rock ‘n Roll music and dancing. Trying to fit into a new lifestyle, Ren finds himself in trouble when Ariel Moore, the preacher’s daughter, catches his eye. Now, Ren must find a way to convince the city council to lift the ban on dancing, starting with the community’s strict preacher.
–IMDb score: 6.6
5. Center Stage (2000)
Next on our list of movies about dancers is Center Stage, focusing on the competitive world of ballet. The film focuses on the education of three young students from various backgrounds as they study at the American Ballet Academy. Jodie doesn’t have the ideal body for dancing, Eva doesn’t have the right attitude, and Maureen doesn’t have the heart. The three girls will come to learn that love can be found in unlikely places and that dance should be something to enjoy, not endure.
–IMDb score: 6.7
4. Hairspray (2007)
Fourth on the movies about dancers list is an early 2000s hit, Hairspray. It’s 1962, and Tracy Turnblad is a teenager obsessed with the Corny Collins Show, dreaming about becoming a dancer alongside the dreamy Link Larkin. After one of the stars leaves the show, Corny Collins holds auditions, and Tracy manages to get the spot. However, once Tracy sees the segregation that dominates the show, she decides that integration needs to happen…as long as it doesn’t mess up her hairdo.
–IMDb score: 6.7
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3. Flashdance (1983)
Rounding out the top three movies about dancers is Flashdance, featuring Jennifer Beals as Alex Owens. Steelworker by day and exotic dancer by night, 18-year-old Alex Owens is a powerhouse who dreams of making it in a real dance company. When she discovers her boss, Nick Hurley is supportive of her performing career, Alex renews her efforts and is cheered on by Nick and her mentor, Hanna Long.
–IMDb score: 6.7
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2. Dirty Dancing (1987)
Of course, we can’t have a selection of movies about dancers without including the 1987 hit Dirty Dancing. One summer away from the Peace Corps, Baby is hoping for a fun summer and instead gets deposited with her family at a sleepy resort in the Catskills. Her luck quickly turns for the better when the resort’s dance instructor, Johnny, enlists Baby as his new partner. As the two fall in love, Baby’s father forbids her from seeing Johnny, but Baby is determined to finish the summer with one last big dance.
–IMDb score: 7.1
1. Billy Elliot (2000)
Last but not least on our movies about dancers list is Billy Elliot, an inspiring film for male dancers. 11-year-old Billy Elliot’s life changes forever when he stumbles upon a ballet class during his weekly boxing lesson. The son of a coal miner in Northern England, Billy has an unmistakable raw talent for ballet, which inspires Mrs. Wilkinson. But will Billy’s father approve of his change to dance?
–IMDb score: 7.7
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