Mad Hot Ballroom

20052005
GG
1h 45min

7.4/10

Documentary Family Music

The students of several New York City elementary schools learn ballroom dancing and compete in a city wide dance competition.The students of several New York City elementary schools learn ballroom dancing and compete in a city wide dance competition.The students of several New York City elementary schools learn ballroom dancing and compete in a city wide dance competition.

7.4/10

3.4K

Top credits

See production, box office & company info

Awards
- 8 wins & 10 nominations

Videos2

See production, box office, & company info

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. —Anonymous

new york city ballroom dancing self confidence poise teacher 59 more

Taglines
- 6,000 kids. 60 schools. 10 weeks. 1 dream.
Genres
Certificate
- G
Parents guide

Trivia
The three schools that the film follows are: PS 150 from the affluent Tribeca area; PS 112 from the primarily Italian and Asian area of Bensonhurst; and PS 115 from Washington Heights, a Dominican neighborhood where over 97% of the residents live below the poverty line.

Quotes
Tiny boy with curly hair: A girl and a boy loving each other, you know, really loving each other and being together and
[waxes lyrically for a while]
Tiny boy with curly hair: ... It is very beautiful!

Crazy credits
Some of the children add their observations about life in film clips during the credits.

Connections
Featured in Late Night with Conan O'Brien: Episode #12.148 (2005)

Soundtracks
FEVER
by Peggy Lee

Top review

8/10

Up Tempo, Uplifting Documentary

Mad Hot Ballroom is a terrific, fun documentary that you must see. You will be smiling coming out of the theater, looking for the nearest ballroom dance studio to learn Tango, Swing or Merengue.

"Mad Hot Ballroom" documents a New York City Public Schools program in which 5th graders learn ballroom dancing and then take part in a city wide competition. The film focuses on the kids and teachers from three schools from different ethnic and economic strata. Drama builds as the competition moves from Quarterfinals to the Championship. You will be engaged, excited and enchanted by the kids, the teachers and the dancing.

One part "Strictly Ballroom", one part "Spellbound", "Mad Hot Ballroom" rates a gold medal!

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