By Wonderwall.com Editors
3:00am PST, Feb 16, 2024
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It's been 40 years since "Footloose" opened in theaters on Feb. 17, 1984. To mark the occasion, we're taking a look back at the all-time greatest movies about dance and dancers, starting with this classic…
Dancing as a form of rebellion? Yes, please! Kevin Bacon starred as Ren McCormack — a Chicago native who moves to a small town where both dance and modern music have been banned — in the 1984 classic "Footloose."
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Julia Stiles starred as a teenage ballet dancer whose dreams of studying dance at Juilliard are sidelined when her mother dies suddenly in 2001's "Save the Last Dance." After moving in with her dad and transferring to a new school in Chicago, she falls for Sean Patrick Thomas's Derek, who helps her get her dancing mojo back.
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Most dance flicks are peppy and charming, but 2010's "Black Swan" was downright terrifying. Natalie Portman — who won an Oscar for her work in the psychological thriller — starred as an overachieving ballet dancer whose world is rocked when she forms a close connection with a rival played by Mila Kunis. The drama scored four more Oscar nominations including best picture and best director for Darren Aronofsky.
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Detailed ballet and modern dance routines were on full display in the 1980 teen musical drama "Fame," which gave us a close-up look at the intense training that goes into making it in the performing arts. The film won two Oscars — best original score and best original song for the title track — and scored four more Academy Award nominations including best original screenplay. It spawned a 1982 TV show and a 2009 remake.
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The 2000 coming-of-age teen drama "Center Stage" centers around a group of students (including a young Zoe Saladana in her feature film debut) at the fictional American Ballet Academy, where they're training to become professional dancers. The film includes several stunning dance numbers including an epic finale set to Michael Jackson's "The Way You Make Me Feel" and Jamiroquai's "Just Dance."
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Was there ever a couple who could glide across the floor more beautifully than Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire? Doesn't seem like it! They sure were dreamy in 1936's "Swing Time," which centers around a dancer who falls for his new partner in spite of being engaged to another woman. The musical rom-com won the Oscar for best original song for "The Way You Look Tonight" and scored another Academy Award nomination for best dance direction.
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Jennifer Beals starred in 1983's "Flashdance" as a young woman who works at a steel mill but dreams of becoming a professional dancer. The romantic drama won the Oscar for best original song for "Flashdance…What a Feeling" and scored three more Academy Award nominations.
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Christina Aguilera made her feature film debut in the 2010 musical drama "Burlesque," which scored a Golden Globe nomination for best comedy or musical film. She stars as an aspiring dancer who takes a job as a waitress at the titular burlesque club owned by Cher's on-screen alter ego. The all-star cast includes Julianne Hough, Kristen Bell, Stanley Tucci, Eric Dane, Peter Gallagher, Alan Cumming and more.
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In 2007's "Stomp the Yard," Columbus Short stars as a teen who moves to Atlanta and joins a Black fraternity step crew — and teaches them a thing or two about street moves — after things turn violent for his childhood dance team in Los Angeles.
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Jennifer Lopez starred alongside Lili Reinhart, Keke Palmer and Constance Wu as exotic dancers who scam their way to big bucks by stealing from their clientele — rich New York City businessmen — in the 2019 crime dramedy "Hustlers," which is based on a real story. J.Lo's impressive moves on the pole helped her score a Golden Globe nomination for best supporting actress.
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Channing Tatum danced his way into our hearts in 2012's "Magic Mike," which centers around a group of male exotic dancers. The Steven Soderbergh-directed drama spawned two sequels, a stage show and a reality TV show.
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Years before he portrayed the title character in "Magic Mike," Channing Tatum starred opposite Jenna Dewan in 2006's "Step Up." They fell in love while shooting the romantic teen drama, which centers around a juvenile delinquent who falls for a privileged dancer studying at the arts school where he works as a janitor. Sparks fly as they dance together and he freshens up her routine with a few of his hip-hop and breakdance moves.
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Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze shared the screen in one of the most iconic dance films of all time: 1987's "Dirty Dancing," which won the Oscar for best original song for "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" — the soundtrack for arguably the most famous dance number in cinema history. The romantic drama spawned a short-lived TV show, a stage show, a 2017 remake and a 2004 prequel — more on that next!
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Diego Luna starred as a dancer working as a waiter who connects with a wealthy American high school student living in Havana (Romola Garai) in 2004's "Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights," which is set in 1958 during the Cuban revolution. He teaches her to dance as they fall for one another — original "Dirty Dancing" star Patrick Swayze even makes a brief cameo!
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The 1943 musical "Stormy Weather" starring Bill "Bojangles" Robinson is loosely based on the famed dancer's real life. Lena Horne portrayed his on-screen love, a fellow dancer with whom he crosses paths several times over the course of their lives.
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Jessica Alba starred as an aspiring hip-hop dancer and choreographer in 2003's "Honey," which tanked with critics but won countless fans with its fun and flawless dance sequences.
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John Travolta scored an Oscar nomination for his performance as a disco dancer in 1977's "Saturday Night Fever," which was a massive hit at the box office. Karen Lynn Gorney co-starred in the dance drama as his new partner.
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In 2020's "Feel the Beat," Sofia Carson stars as an aspiring Broadway dancer who misses her shot at making it on the Great White Way and moves back to her hometown in Wisconsin, where she ends up coaching a local dance team — and regaining her confidence!
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A young Jamie Bell starred as the titular ballet dancer in 2000's "Billy Elliot." The coming-of-age dramedy follows the title character as he discovers his passion for dance and gears up to audition for the Royal Ballet School. It scored three Oscar nominations including best director and best original screenplay and spawned a hit Broadway musical that won 10 Tony Awards including best musical.
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Liza Minnelli won an Oscar for her performance as singer-dancer Sally Bowles in the 1972 musical "Cabaret," which centers around the denizens of a nightclub in Berlin during the rise of Nazi Germany. The film won seven more Academy Awards including best supporting actor for Joel Grey and best director for Bob Fosse. It also scored two more Oscar nominations: best picture and best adapted screenplay.
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In 2020's "Work It," Sabrina Carpenter stars as an uncoordinated but intelligent high school student who creates a dance group in order to win a competition that'll make her appear more impressive as she applies to Duke University. Sparks fly when she gets close to a talented but mysterious choreographer played by Jordan Fisher.
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The beauty of ballet is captured in detail in 1948's "The Red Shoes." Moira Shearer stars as a ballerina torn between her romance with a young composer and her career with a prestigious company and the man who runs it. The romantic drama won two Oscars and scored another three Academy Award nominations including best picture.
