Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersIndependent Spirit AwardsWomen's History MonthSXSWSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
Sign In
New Customer? Create account
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
IMDbPro

Only When I Dance

  • 20092009
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 1h 18m
IMDb RATING
6.9/10
267
YOUR RATING
Only When I Dance (2009)
Two young kids try to dance their way out of the favelas of Rio.
Play trailer3:39
1 Video
2 Photos
Documentary
Two young kids try to dance their way out of the favelas of Rio.Two young kids try to dance their way out of the favelas of Rio.Two young kids try to dance their way out of the favelas of Rio.
IMDb RATING
6.9/10
267
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Beadie Finzi
  • Stars
    • Irlan Santos da Silva
    • Isabela Coracy Alves Nascimento Santos
    • Mariza Estrella
  • Director
    • Beadie Finzi
  • Stars
    • Irlan Santos da Silva
    • Isabela Coracy Alves Nascimento Santos
    • Mariza Estrella
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 3User reviews
    • 17Critic reviews
    • 59Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 3 nominations

    Videos1

    Only When I Dance: UK Trailer
    Trailer 3:39
    Watch Only When I Dance: UK Trailer

    Photos

    Only When I Dance (2009)
    Add photo

    Top cast

    Edit
    Irlan Santos da Silva
    • Self
    Isabela Coracy Alves Nascimento Santos
    • Self
    Mariza Estrella
    • Self
    • Director
      • Beadie Finzi
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Connections
      Featured in Grierson 2010: The British Documentary Awards (2010)

    User reviews3

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    7/10
    everything is beautiful at the ballet
    This is a really lovely documentary that follows two Brazilians, Irlan and Isabela, both from poor families, who want to be professional ballet dancers.

    Ballet is one of the most difficult art forms to break into, and one of the most beautiful. In order to succeed, you need discipline, an iron will, perseverance, ability to take criticism, and talent. I put talent last because as a creative artist myself, some of the most incredibly talented people I've ever known did not have careers because they gave up or didn't try.

    These two young people are at an added disadvantage - Isabela because she's black, and both she and Irlan are poor.

    The director of the Centro De Danca Ballet school of Rio de Janeiro, Mariza Estrella, does a lot for the students, including purchasing expensive toe shoes and not charging for the lessons of the poor students. But when it comes to entering international competitions - - which are essential to bring a dancer to the attention of an opera company - the parents have to make big sacrifices to get their children there -- the ticket, the hotel, the registration, food - it adds up to people who can't afford $50 for toe shoes.

    We see that Irlan has star quality - a handsome young man, an excellent dancer, with a dramatic presence. Irlan travels to Lausanne, Switzerland where he competes and, as a finalist, is offered a scholarship that will cover his expenses to the big international competition in New York.

    Irlan and Isabela are both in New York, but Isabela does not make the finals. She is devastated, but she does not quit. Rather than go the next year, it is decided that she will continue her preparations, which includes losing a little weight. Irlan is invited to join the American Ballet Theater.

    I looked both of these talented youngsters up to see what happened to them after the film. In 2015, Irlan was moved up to Senior Artist from Junior Artist by the American Ballet Theater. Isabela has had a career with Ballet Black, a group of black and Asian dancers that travels throughout the world. Isabela performs as a soloist.

    These are two people who fought their way out of the slums and mean streets of Rio with the support of their families, which I think is important as well in working toward their goals.

    Very inspiring.
    helpful•0
    0
    • blanche-2
    • Jul 18, 2016

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 2009 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Languages
      • Portuguese
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Tylko gdy tańczę
    • Filming locations
      • Lausanne, Canton de Vaud, Switzerland
    • Production company
      • Tigerlily Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $8,738
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $2,181
      • Jul 4, 2010
    • Gross worldwide
      • $8,738
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 18 minutes
    • Color
      • Color

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    • IMDb Answers: Help fill gaps in our data
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2023 by IMDb.com, Inc.