This is a list of movies featuring recognizable dance forms, demonstrating them, shedding light on their origin, or being the base of a plot.

This article is not about Dance film or Dance for camera which are separate genres. It is also not about Musical films, although they often contain a significant amount of dancing. However they are a specific form of art in itself, therefore their listings generally pertain to the articles specifically related to the topic of musicals. This by no means prevents musicals from being included here, but they are required to meet the outlined criteria. Fred Astaire's and Gene Kelly's filmographies may significantly contribute to these lists.

Movies with plot based on dance[link]

Ballet[link]

• The Red Shoes (1948) - Film classic with dance editing far ahead of its time. Directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, starring Moira Shearer. Intricately weaving backstage life with the thrill of performance, this film centers on the dilemma of a young ballerina torn between the composer who loves her and the impresario determined to fashion her into a great dancer. 134 min, and based loosely on the fairytale.
• The Tales of Hoffmann (1951) - Directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, starring Moira Shearer and Ludmilla Tchérina. Film version of Jacques Offenbach's opera but making full use of film techniques and special effects. Not just a film of a stage production.
• Suspiria (1977) - A legendary horror film directed by Italian Dario Argento where a new student at a dance academy/school for girls experiences strange goings on.
• The Turning Point (1977) - The story of two women whose lives are dedicated to ballet. Deedee left her promising dance career to become a wife and mother and now runs a ballet school in Oklahoma. Emma stayed with a company and became a star though her time is nearly past. Both want what the other has and reflects back on missed chances as they are brought together again through Deedee's daughter who joins the company. Starring: Shirley MacLaine, Anne Bancroft, Tom Skerrit, Anthony Zerbe, Leslie Browne, Mikhail Baryshnikov and Alexandra Danilova.
• White Nights (1985) - movie starring Mikhail Baryshnikov about a Russian dancer who wants to defect.
• Dancers (1987) - movie starring Mikhail Baryshnikov, about a ballet company.
• Billy Elliot (2000)
• Center Stage (2000) - movie about the students of the American Ballet Academy.
• Save the Last Dance (2000) - movie starring Julia Stiles as a girl who wants to study as a professional dancer.
• Dracula: Pages from a Virgin's Diary (2002) - A silent movie directed by Guy Maddin, a ballet interpretation of Dracula.
• The Company (2003) - An inside look at the world of ballet. With the complete cooperation of the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago, Robert Altman follows the stories of the dancers, whose professional and personal lives grow impossibly close, as they cope with the demands of a life in the ballet. Neve Campbell plays a gifted but conflicted company member on the verge of becoming a principal dancer at a fictional Chicago troupe, with Malcolm McDowell playing the company's co-founder and artistic director, considered one of America's most exciting choreographers. James Franco plays Campbell's boyfriend and one of the few characters not involved in the world of dance.
• Wishing Stairs (2003) - South Korean horror film set in an all-girls art school, in which two of the main characters are competing ballet students.
• Flying Boys (2004) - South Korean film about a group of high school seniors who are reluctantly pressured into joining a ballet class.
• Dancing with Time (2007) - Four dancers, nearing their eighties, take up the challenge of Heike Hennig to return to the stage in Leipzig’s opera house.
• Ballet Shoes (film) (2007) - Three adopted sisters, Pauline, Petrova and Posy Fossil where each has a different talent: acting, machinery and ballet.
• Morristown: A Ballerina Love Story (2008) - Morristown is a ballet movie set in Morristown, TN that depicts the stories of a young girl’s drive to become a professional dancer and the ballet veteran who helps her find her way.
• Center Stage: Turn it Up (2008) - Kate Parker auditions for the American Ballet Academy but she doesn't get a place. She starts work in a trendy hip-hop club and teams up with a former hockey player as she continues to perfect her dance skills. This movie isn't really a sequel to 'Center Stage' [2000] as there's no continuation or development of the original film's storyline, although a couple of the characters (dance teachers played by Peter Gallagher and Ethan Stiefel) from the first movie reappear in this one.
• Mao's Last Dancer (film) (2009) - Based on the autobiography of Chinese dancer Li Cunxin, this movie tells the story of his selection from an impoverished rural village to train at Madame Mao's Beijing Dance Academy. The film then follows Li as he travels to the US and is confronted with cultural differences (East/West; Communist/capitalist) and his desire to be true to his artistic soul. Directed by Bruce Beresford.
• Dance Subaru! (2009)
• Black Swan (film) (2010)
• TuTuMUCH (2010) - Traces the stories of 9 young girls vying for a place in the prestigious Royal Winnipeg Ballet School. Follows each girl as she participates in a month-long summer intensive that serves as an audition for the school.
• Dance Academy (2010)- Fifteen-year-old Tara Webster has grown up on a farm in country Australia and has dreamt of being a dancer ever since she was a little girl. When she makes it into the National Academy of Dance - the best school in the country - she is sure her life is about to be spectacular. What Tara doesn'trealise is how far behind she is in her training, and that there's a whole lot more to surviving the Academy than just dancing...

Ballroom[link]

• The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle (1939) - documentary-style biopic about early ballroom dance stars Vernon and Irene Castle.
• Roseland (1977) - The film is made up of three connected short features, The Waltz, The Hustle and The Peabody. All three stories share a theme of the protagonists trying to find the right dance partner, and all are set in the Roseland Ballroom in New York City.
• Strictly Ballroom (1992) - plot based on competitive ballroom dance.
• Shall We Dance (1996) - Japanese movie.
• Dance with Me (1998) - starring Vanessa L. Williams and Chayanne - plot based on Latin dancing: ballroom vs. street.
• Dance with the Wind (2004) - South Korean film about a man who falls in love with ballroom dancing, but finds himself drawn into the sordid and corrupt world of "cabaret bars". After he seduces the police chief's wife, a female detective is assigned to go undercover to collect evidence against him. Once the two get to know each other, she asks him to teach her how to dance.
• Shall We Dance? (2004) - remake of the 1996 Japanese movie, starring Jennifer Lopez and Richard Gere.
• Mad Hot Ballroom (2005) - a documentary about a ballroom dance program for fifth graders in the New York City public school system.
• Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing and Charm School (2005)
• Innocent Steps (2005) - Starring South Korean Actress Moon Geun-Young, she was obliged to replace her older sister—a trained dancer supposed to compete in order to pay for a family debt.
• Take the Lead (2006) - starring Antonio Banderas as a ballroom dance studio teacher who volunteers to teach dance in a New York public school.

Hip Hop/Street[link]

• Wild Style (1983)
• Beat Street (1984)
• Breakin' (1984)
• Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo (1984)
• Save the Last Dance (2001) - Stars Julia Stiles, Sean Patrick Thomas, Kerry Washington and Terry Kinney.
• Honey (2003) - Stars Jessica Alba, Mekhi Phifer.
• You Got Served (2004) - Stars Omarion, Marques Houston and Meagan Good.
• Rize (film) (2005) (Documentary)
• Roll Bounce (2005) - Stars Bow Wow
• Save the Last Dance 2 (2006) - Stars Columbus Short, Ne-Yo and Izabella Miko.
• Step Up (2006) - Stars Channing Tatum, Jenna Dewan and Mario (entertainer).
• Take the Lead (2006) - Stars Antonio Banderas
• Feel the Noise (2007)
• Planet B-Boy (2007) (Documentary)
• Stomp the Yard (2007) - Stars Columbus Short, Meagan Good, Chris Brown (American singer) and Ne-Yo.
• How She Move (2007/2008)
• B-Girl (film) (2008)
• Make It Happen (film) (2008)
• Step Up 2 the Streets (2008) - Stars Briana Evigan, Robert Hoffman (actor), Channing Tatum, Adam Sevani and Cassie (singer).
• Dance Flick (2009)
• Step Up 3-D (2010) - Stars Adam Sevani and Alyson Stoner.
• Stomp the Yard 2: Homecoming (2010) - Stars Columbus Short, Collins Pennie and Pooch Hall.
• StreetDance 3D (2010) - Stars George Sampson, Diversity (dance troupe) and Flawless (dance group).
• Boogie Town (2011) - Stars Brenda Song, Katerina Graham, Marques Houston
• Honey 2 (2011) Stars Katerina Graham
• You Got Served: Beat the World (2011)
• StreetDance 2 (2012)

Swing[link]

With the Whiteys Lindy Hoppers

• Hellzapoppin' by Henry C. Potter (1941)
• A Day at the Races by Sam Wood (1937)

Modern movies

• The Jungle Book by Walt Disney (1967)
• Malcolm X by Spike Lee (1992)
• Swing Kids by Thomas Carter (1993)
• The Mask by Chuck Russell (1994)
• Love N' Dancing by Robert Iscove (2009)
• Toy Story short film (2009)
• Leading Ladies by Daniel Beahm, Erika Randall Beahm (2010)
• Midnight in Paris by Woody Allen (2011)

Tango[link]

See also Tango (dance)#Tango in film

• The Tango Lesson (1997) - starring Sally Potter and Pablo Verón, directed by Sally Potter.
• Tango (1998) - starring Cecilia Narova and Mía Maestro, directed by Carlos Saura. Director, Carlos Saura. Popular dancers and folk groups demonstrate what is considered to be the national dance of Argentina. Over 300 dancers participate as they are photographed by the master cinematographer, Vittorio Storaro.
• The Tango Bar (1998) - starring Raúl Juliá.
• Assassination Tango (2002) - starring Robert Duvall, Rubén Blades and Kathy Baker, directed by Robert Duvall.

Other[link]

• Funny Face (1957) - A musical with Audrey Hepburn and Fred Astaire. The most memorable scene is where a talented Audrey Hepburn dances a jazzy ballet with two backup dancers.
• Shall We Dance (1937) - a Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers musical with lots of dance, including ballet. One of the most memorable dances is on roller skates.
• Singin' in the Rain (1952) - starring Gene Kelly.
• Oh... Rosalinda!! (1955) - Directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, starring Anton Walbrook and Ludmilla Tchérina. Based on the operetta Die Fledermaus by Johann Strauss but updated to take place in post-war Vienna as occupied by the four-powers of Britain, America, France and Russia.
• Luna de Miel (1959) - Directed by Michael Powell and starring Ludmilla Tchérina and Antonio. A light story showcasing the talents of Antonio and his troupe of Spanish dancers. Also many travelogue style scenes of Spain before the tourist boom.
• Saturday Night Fever (1977) - starring John Travolta, featuring a disco dancing competition.
• All That Jazz (1979) - A semi-autobiographical film directed by famed broadway choreographer Bob Fosse. The film portrays the life of a theater director and choreographer as he tries to balance work with his personal life. Shows the process of choreographing and rehearsing for a broadway show.
• Footloose (1984) - starring Kevin Bacon, about a town in which dancing is banned.
• Dirty Dancing (1987) - plot based on club/performance partner dancing.
• Tap (1989)
• Sing (1989)
• Flamenco (1995) - A must-see for flamenco lovers. Performers: Paco de Lucía, Manolo Sanlúcar, Enrique Morente, Joaquin Cortes, Jose Menese, Lole y Manuel, Mario Maya, Jose Merce, Matilde Coral, Carmen Linares, Merche Esmeralda, Chocolate, Manuela Carrasco, Farruco, Fernanda de Utrera, La Paquera de Jerez, Manzanita, Ketama, Agujeta, Manuel Moneo, Paco Toronjo, Maria Pages, Aurora Vargas, Remedios Amaya, Juana la del Revuelo, La Macanita, Chano Lobato, Rancapino, Tomatito, Potito, Duquende, Belen Maya, El Grilo.
• The King is Dancing (2000) depicts the life of Jean-Baptiste Lully and his relationship with King Louis XIV of France.
• Save the Last Dance (2001) - starring Julia Stiles, a high school girl who strives to get into the Juilliard Dance Academy.
• Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights (2004) - loose sequel to Dirty Dancing
• Step Up (2006) - A hip hop meets ballet love story.
• Make It Happen (2008) - A story about a girl (played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead) who finds a new dance technique; burlesque cross hip hop.
• Pina (2011)
• Love n' Dancing (2009)
• Turn the Beat Around (2010)
• The War Zone 3D (2011)
• Footloose" (2011)

Movies with memorable dance scenes[link]

• The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1921) - Rudolph Valentino dancing Tango.
• After Seben (1929) - short film starring George Snowden and featuring Breakaway.
• Flying Down to Rio (1933) - Carioca dance and more.
• A Day at the Races (1937) - featuring lindy hop and Frankie Manning.
• Keep Punching (1939) - featuring Frankie Manning in the Big Apple sequence
• Cottontail aka Hot Chocolates (1941) - Soundie featuring the Whitey's Lindy Hoppers, including Frankie Manning and lindy hop.
• Hellzapoppin' (1941) - a film remembered for its lindy hop scenes and Frankie Manning dance performances.
• Never on Sunday (1960) - scenes of Greek line and solo dancing.
• Zorba the Greek (1964) - the origin of Sirtaki.
• The Sound of Music (1965) - has a scene of Ländler danced; however choreographed in an American ballroom way, rather than in an authentic Austrian folk way.
• El Bolero de Raquel (Raquel's Bolero) (1967) - The movie star Cantinflas featuring a bootblack, who, in one episode, feebly joins a professional dancer during her performance to Ravel's Bolero producing both comical and highly artistic Spanish dance. The title is a pun for Ravel's Bolero.
• Urban Cowboy (1980) - featuring John Travolta.
• Flashdance (1983) - Jennifer Beals' character doing a breakdance routine during a prestigious dance school audition to the Academy Award-winning song "Flashdance... What a Feeling".
• Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985) - Pee-wee goes to a bar and does the "Peewee Dance" while listening to Tequila by The Champs.
• Hairspray (1988) & (2007) - featuring line dance.
• Scent of a Woman (1992) - Al Pacino as blind Colonel dances Argentine Tango.
• Addams Family Values (1993) - featuring Raúl Juliá in a stunning scene of Tango.
• Pulp Fiction (1994) - featuring John Travolta and Uma Thurman in a twist contest.
• Chicago (2002)- There is the most famous Cell Block Tango number.
• The Fighting Temptations (2003)- Cuba Gooding Jr. as Darrin Hill, successfully does a backflip while directing his church choir. He is later seen breakdancing during the end credits.
• Toy Story 3 (2010) - Buzz Lightyear and Jessie (Toy Story) do a dance before the cr

TV shows[link]

See category:Dance television shows

• 30 Seconds to Fame, featured dancing among other "talent search" episodes
• Angel episode "Waiting in the Wings"
• The Arthur Murray Party
• Bailando por un sueño, "Dancing for a Dream", a reality series on the Mexican television network Televisa, in which celebrities are partnered with common, everyday people
• Come Dancing
• The Hot Shoe Show - BBC TV 1980s
• Dancing with the Stars
• Electric Circus
• Fame
• Got to Dance
• Dance India Dance
• Just Dance
• So You Think You Can Dance
• StarDance
• Strictly Come Dancing
• Strictly Dance Fever
• Ballroom Boot Camp
• Americas Best Dance Crew
• Dancing with the Stars
• Glee
• Dance Academy
• Dance Moms
• Shake It Up

Dance portal

Puneeth Rajkumar
Born	(1975-03-17) March 17, 1975 (age 37) Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Other names	Power Star, Appu, Lohith
Occupation	Actor, Singer
Years active	1975–present
Spouse	Ashwini Revanath
Children	Drithi Vanditha
Parents	Rajkumar, Parvathamma Rajkumar

Puneeth Rajkumar (born March 17, 1975) is an Indian film actor who acts in Kannada films and the youngest son of Kannada superstar Dr Rajkumar and the younger brother of leading KFI star Shivaraj Kumar. As a child artist, he appeared in 12 films. He won the National Film Award for Best Child Artist for the film Bettada Hoovu in 1986.^[1]

After having appeared in films as a child actor in the 1980s, Puneeth rajkumar made his film debut in a leading role in Appu. The film was a huge hit. He has been noted for his performances in films like Abhi(2003 film), Aakash (2005), Arasu (2007), Milana (2007), Vamshi (2008), Raam (2009), Jackie (2010) and Paramathma (2011) which are his biggest commercial successes so far.He is currently the highest paid actor in Kannada Film Industry at 5.75 crores per movie.His latest movie Annabond has shattered all records by any other actor in kannada cinema industry.The success rate of his movie career is above 90%.

In 2007, he got a Filmfare award for his performance in Arasu^[2] and in 2008 he received a Karnataka State Best Actor Award^[3] for his performance in Milana.

Currently he is the highest paid actor in the Kannada Film Industry.^[4][5] He has the most commercially successful movie hit rate with all of his movies netting huge profit. He has 17 films in a row that have stayed in theatres for minimum of 100 days, a rare achievement in the Indian film industry.^[6] He hosts the quiz show Kannadada kotyadhipati which is modeled on the Hindi show Kaun Banega Crorepati hosted by Amitabh Bachchan, which was in turn modeled on the British show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? hosted by Chris Tarrant.^[7]

Biography[link]

Puneeth Rajkumar was born as Lohith to Kannada Film Industry Matinee Idol Dr Rajkumar^[8] and producer Parvathamma Rajkumar. He is their fifth and youngest child.

He started his film career when he was six months old in Premada Kanike^[9] and also appeared in Sanadi Appanna^[10] when he was one year old. He appeared as a son for his real father in many movies such as yarivanu,vasantha geetha and so on . He left school at a very early age and began to act in movies. He studied with a private teacher at his home and later received a Diploma in Computer Science. He then started his career in a mining business before entering the film industry in leading roles. He was trained in dancing and fighting for three years before his first film as a hero. Puneeth has had training in Kalarippayattu, one of the oldest Indian Martial arts.

Debut as an actor[link]

His acting career really started with the movie Vasantha Geetha, where he performed well when he was 5 years old.^{[citation needed]} Following this movie he worked in a few more popular movies between 1980 to 1984. In 1985 he worked on Bettada Hoovu and was honored with a National Film Award for Best Child Artist.^[11]

Child artist (Mostly as Lohith)[link]

His initial name was Lohit. Later the name was changed to Puneeth Rajkumar. A lot of people in Karnataka still know him by "APPU" ^[12] As a child artist he appeared in 12 movies: 'Premada Kanike' (6 month-old child), 'Sanadi Appanna' (1 year-old child), 'Vasantha Geetha', Bhagyavantha, Hosa Belaku, Chalisuva modagalu, Bhaktha prahlaada, Eradu nakshatragalu, Bettada hoovu, Yaarivanu, Shiva Mechchida Kannappa and Parashuram.He costared his father in 11 out of 12 movies.

Lead roles[link]

After his performances in movies as a child artist, he re-entered the film industry in 2002 as the protagonist of the movie Appu which was remade in Telugu as Idiot and in Tamil as Dum in subsequent years under the direction of Puri Jaganath who directed his brother Shivaraj kumar in the movie Yuvaraja. He received awards for the films Arasu and Milana. For the role he played in Arasuand Raj-The Showman movie, he got a Film Fare Best actor award and received Karnataka State Best Actor award for Milana. The latter successfully ran for 50 days in over 137 centres in Karnataka, and 100 days in 50 centres.^[13] It completed a record 1 year run in PVR Cinemas, Bengaluru in September 2008.

In 2009, he starred in Raaj-The Showman which got mixed reviews from critics . His other movie that year, Raam succeeded at the box office.^[14] In 2010, Prithvi was released and completed 75 days run.^[15] The movie got critical appreciation for its bold portrayal of ongoing politics in Karnataka.^[16][17] He won accolades from both critics and audiences for his role in the 2010 blockbuster movie Jackie where he played a character that's rustic and local, yet charming and suave.^[18][19]

He acted in 3movies in the year 2011, including Hudugaru, which was a multi-starrer.^[20] The other 2 included Paramathma^[21] under the direction of director Yograj Bhat. followed by Anna Bond to be directed by Soori.^[22],the hit director who had directed him in Jackie. Anna Bond is scheduled for release on 1st May 2012

Singing career[link]

Apart from acting Puneeth has also had a singing career. He has sung since his childhood in all his movies as a child artist, when he entered as a male lead he also began singing at least one song in all his films.

It is usual for music directors of his movies to record a song in his voice, as most of his songs have mass appeal. From his first movie Appu, he was using his voice for solo songs mostly. With the song Jothe Jotheyali from the movie Vamshi he sang duets too which became a hit song of 2008.^[23] In 2010 he sang another fast-number in his hit movie Jackie after which he rendered voice to his brother Shivrajkumar's film titled "lava kusha" and Mylari.^[24] Now Puneeth has given voice for Golden Star Ganesh movie Shyloo.

Other Interests[link]

Before entering the film industry, he was actively involved in a Home Banner Vajreshwari Combines' film distribution job in Karnataka, this still continues. He produced some of the movies made for their brothers Shivaraj Kumar as well as Raghavendra Rajkumar. Two TV serials were also produced by him.

In the movie Akasmika he designed the costumes of Rajkumar.

Puneeth has knowledge of SteadiCam which is used in films to shoot scenes like stunts and car chases. Learning about new brand cameras and high definition lenses to movies is probably his favorite hobby.

As per the wishes of his father Rajkumar, he along with his brothers and family have built a hotel in Gandhi Nagar, Bengaluru called Dr. Raj International.^[25]

Puneeth involves himself in philanthropic works with his mother Parvathamma Rajkumar and carries this out in an Ashram called Shakti Dhama in Mysooru.^[26]

Brand endorsement[link]

He is the brand ambassador for fSquare, Malabar Gold,^[27] Manappuram ^[28] and for a dance show called "DHEE". Also his decision to be brand ambassador for state-owned Karnataka Milk Federation without any remuneration for its product "Nandini", has been praised by media and fans.^[29][30] Decades ago his father Dr Rajkumar also became the brand ambassador for "Nandini" milk products without taking remuneration, which had helped KMF products to increase sales in the Karnataka State and outside too.^[31]

He is now the brand ambassador of Royal Challengers Bangalore, an IPL team.^[32] He has replaced Upendra, who was the brand ambassador of the team in 2008 and 2009.

Filmography[link]

As a child artist[link]

Leading role[link]

TV shows[link]

Personal life[link]

He married Ashwini Revanath at the age of 24 and they have two daughters Drithi and Vandhita.^[11]

Awards and honours[link]

National awards[link]

• National Film Award for Best Child Artist - Bettada Hoovu - 1986 ^[36]

State awards[link]

• Karnataka State Film Award for Best Actor - Milana - 2008
• Karnataka State Film Award for Best Actor - Prithvi - 2010

Filmfare awards[link]

• Filmfare Best Actor Award - Arasu - 2006 ^[37]

Other awards[link]

• AKKA Best Actor Award for the movie Raam
• Suvarna channel movie awards - Best actor for the movie "Jackie" - 2010
• Vivel best actor Udaya Film Awards for the movie jackie-2010
• Best actor south scope award for the movie-"Raj -the showman"-2009

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References[link]