Celebrates the joy of dance
Dance With Me is that fun kind of film you can get the old tape out and revisit every once in a while, and it remains fresh even after multiple viewings. The characters are likable, the cast clicks well together, the music is a terrific assortment of different styles, and plenty of well-choreographed dance routines are featured. All of these blend well to make for a feel-good movie.Although the focus of the movie is simply to celebrate the joy of dance itself, three parallel plots are introduced that give the story cohesiveness, as well as somewhere to go. A young Cuban man (Chayanne) travels to Texas to meet the father he has never known (Kris Kristofferson), who runs a dance studio, and romances one of the teachers who works at the studio (Vanessa Williams), while everyone at the studio prepares for a dance competition in Vegas.
These three elements are mixed well, thanks to a fine ensemble cast. Chayanne has a boyish, friendly charm that is immediately disarming. Williams and Kristofferson, two actors I've never been particularly fond of, turn in great performances and won me over as a new fan. They have splendid screen chemistry with Chayanne, and the multiple plots are developed well because of this. The supporting cast have their share of great moments too, and provide plenty of comic relief.
The wide variety of music and dance styles throughout the movie are utilized well. Look for excellent choreography, particularly in the nightclub sequence where Williams gets spun, turned, and whirled by about a hundred other dancers. The dance competition finale is staged brilliantly, showing everything from ballet to sizzling salsa in an exhilarating fashion.
Overall, an enjoyable movie, in the spirit of the old MGM musicals, where the only thing that's important is to have some pleasant, escapist fun.
score 8/10
MartianOctocretr5 13 June 2006
Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw1393057/35638
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