Dancing and the movies have been a winning combination ever since the early days of cinema. When film was silent, dancing was an ideal form of artistic expression to put up on the screen, and it didn’t fade away when the “talkies” came in. From Gene Kelly in Singing in the Rain, to Natalie Portman in Black Swan, dance on film encompasses all genres, styles and expressions. Dancing can be an integral part of the movie structure (as in a musical) or be used as a stylistic expression of the action. It can underscore emotion, or heighten it: it can illustrate an internal monologue or simply demonstrate a dancers skill in movement.

Dancing on film tends to fall into three distinct groups:

1. Films where dancing is a pivotal point of the plot.

2. Films where dancing is what characters do to illustrate points or moods (generally musicals or Bollywood films, where dancing on reception desks or through a park are either generally perfectly acceptable behaviour or part of several fantasy sequences)

and

3. Films that just happen to contain some dancing as part of the plot. It might be professional (characters visit the ballet, for example) but is most likely not (in a nightclub or party scene)

Now, obviously I’m happy to watch any dancing on film, anywhere, anytime. You might have guessed that from the fact that I write a dance blog! But the first two groups of films are closest to my heart, especially films where dance is essential to the plot. Below are some of the best dance-led and musical films you can watch to see some beautiful dancing.

Singing in the Rain

This one goes without saying! Truly amazing dancing, beautifully choreographed, and a witty, lively plot. Film history.

Black Swan

For a film about ballet largely danced by actors, the dancing does them credit. Its also unusual to have such a dark film about the dance world.

The Red Shoes

A beautiful film, that films such as Black Swan owe a debt to, about a ballerina held in thrall to the dance.

Strictly Ballroom

An hilarious, antipodean take on the world of ballroom dancing, with great cinematography.

Talk To Her

Although little dancing actually appears in the film, the story of a comatose ballerina and an unconscious bullfighter is fascinating and includes a delightful sequence by Pina Bausch.

And for an afternoon of guilty pleasure, you can’t go wrong with Flashdance, Footloose, Grease or Dirty Dancing…

1. If you are good enough, the ultimate dancing goal is to be a professional dancer or choreographer. You usually need to make this decision at a reasonably young age, as most dance training starts very early. For ballet and bharata natyam, for example, children tend to start classes at around the age of five. Other dance forms, such as street dance or ballroom, tend to start a little later. If you are aiming to be a professional dancer, it’s best to start as young as possible. However, taking adult classes before taking a degree in dance is still a way in if you have the talent and the determination!

2. Training to be a dance teacher. Perhaps you’ve taken classes for years (at whatever age) and have realised you’d prefer to pass on your dancing skills to others rather than to dance yourself. Teaching dance can be very satisfying, and will also enable you to work freelance hours which could be useful if you have family commitments. Once you’ve completed your teacher training at a Council for Dance Education and Training approved organisation, you either choose to join an established dance school or to start out on your own. As a self-employed dance teacher, your initial outlay is relatively low (adverts in the local press, hire of a church or village hall, appropriate clothing, and maybe roller banners or signs for outside the class) You’ll soon be on your way, bringing dance to a new generation!

3. Working for a dance company in a different capacity. That’s what I do in fact! I took ballet classes in primary school, but realised quite quickly that I was never going to be a prima ballerina. However my dream of dancing never left me, so I work during the day in administration at a professional ballet school, and I take adult dance classes at night. I feel privileged to be part of helping others fulfil their dancing dreams, and I’m surrounded by dance 24/7!

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A friend of mine from India was out with me one day hunting for chess sets for the chess club at school when we passed a dance troupe doing some unusual dance in the mall we were at. The chaperone informed us when we inquired that the dance was called Bharata Natyam.Bharata Natyam is a classical dance form and one of the oldest dance forms in India. It’s very popular across India and is performed widely by both male and female dancers.

This dance form was performed in the courts and temples of South India in ancient days. In the eighteen hundreds Bharata Natyam was documented and codified as a performing art by the then popular quartet of brothers who called themselves the Tanjore Quartet. The musical style developed by the Tanjore Quartet has through the years until present days influenced the dance itself. The dance has been taught to new generations of dancers and through this it been kept alive.

Bharata Natyam is now the national dance of India. The dance form is usually performed with classical Carnatic music. A portion of the dance steps gets its influence from the sculptures found in Chidambaram one of the ancient temples in India.

Bharata Natyam is also known as a ‘fire dance'and it includes Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Odissi and Mohiniattam. Kuchipudi is the element of earth, Mohinattam is the element of air, Odissi is the element of water and Kathakali is the element of sky.

The technique of Bharata Natyam includes Nritya, Nritta and Abhinaya or Natya. In abhinaya, Bharata Natyam is performed to portray a story. Nritta is only about dance movements so it’s for enjoying pure Bharata Natyam. Nritya is a mix of nritta and abhinaya. Bharata Natyam performers wear temple jewellery and heavy saree for performing Bharata Natyam.

These days, there are undergraduate and Post Graduate Degree courses available focusing on the theory and practice of Bharata Natyam.

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Sadly, I will have already returned to the capital by then. In fact my business partner and the best magician London has to offer has already been on the phone several times since I arrived to visit my old university friend threatening to throw himself off Tower Bridge if I don’t get myself back to the office. He’s such a drama queen! Everyone knows he’s way too afraid of heights to climb all that way up…

But back to dad dancing. I’m sure everyone knows what “dad dancing” is ; or if they think they don’t, they will have seen it in action – they just don’t know it. A family wedding is usually the perfect place to spot some classic examples; the barely moving feet, the waggling arms and nodding head – all out of time with each other, of course – are the essential ingredients for a bit of dad dancing and I would love to know what scientists make of its origins. Or maybe they are going to discuss a cure? If that’s the case, I’d like to volunteer my Uncle Ted as a test subject. It’s embarrassing for someone who makes a living from dance to have someone so hopeless as a blood relative!

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Shoes – The most important rule of all is to make sure the chosen shoes are ideal for Zumba, NOT just a standard pair of running shoes. Thin-soled Zumba shoes with exceptional flexibility are really the only sensible option and can immediately eliminate a world of potential injuries.

Class Size – Often overlooked as an important consideration, guidelines suggest that a class should never really exceed 20-25 people, which ensures that the instructor is able to keep an eye out for those who may be putting themselves at risk during the routines.

Limber Up – Incredibly important in any examples of exercise but perhaps even more so in the world of Zumba – a sensible and extensive warm up period is truly essential to prevent muscle strain. Before diving into the dance, consider at least 10-15 minutes of stretching and getting your heart-rate on the up to prevent a rather large shock to the system.

Limitations – Every person taking part in Zumba will naturally have their own unique levels of capability and energy, therefore none should ever feel compelled to keep up if they feel their own strength depleting. Even if this means nothing more than a five –minute breather out of the way by the display stand in the corner, all taking part must accept limitations and never attempt to push personal limits too far.

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Have you heard that old joke about how army men dance? Well, I believe they use two left legs! While this may be an attempt at humour directed at the rigid postures they adapt once they don their uniform, it undermines the fact that people in the defence forces are an extremely fit lot. In fact, all of us need to be fit. It does not matter if you are defence personnel, a member of the Society for all Artists or a homemaker; being fit is not something we can shy away from. And dancing does have a lot to offer in terms of keeping one’s body and mind toned and fit.

Dance helps the cardiovascular system and keeps us young. It also increases our lung capacity considerably. Dance helps to develop strong bones and lubricates our joints. All that movement is not for nothing! There are slow dances like the Waltz and there are fast ones like the Salsa. Depending on the speed and intensity, it helps us burn calories while building our stamina. It might surprise you to know that dancing improves our memory too! Well, we need to remember and coordinate all those intricate steps with our partner, right? While you may have perfect balance in one position, with dance you master your sense of balance.

Dance broadens our mind to new people, new cultures and styles. It also helps us expand our social circle as we make new friends. I am sure you have never seen a shabby dancer. That’s because we all want to look our best while dancing. Dancing makes us feel happy, which in turn rids us of stress and depression – two of our immune system’s biggest enemies. So if you aren’t a dance aficionado yet, go ahead, hit the floor!!

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I remember when the word Streetdance used to be laughed at. We’d be out there, doing our thing on the street, and nobody would notice us. With our cardboard laid out and all of us going for it late into the night, battling each other for the best moves, we were our own crew. We didn’t need anybody else, and we certainly didn’t need anyone’s approval. Our own was enough.

Then, what was this I saw on Channel 4 the other day? Streetdance on TV? It didn’t surprise me in the least. Channel 4 are always one step ahead when it comes to covering the lesser-known sports and lifestyles, and although they don’t always do a bad job, I wasn’t exactly hopeful that the program would put streetdancing in a whole new light which would represent it very well.

But I was wrong. And so was my friend Dave, who now works full-time for Red Diesel Plymouth – a pretty funny thing when you consider that back when we laid the cardboard out Dave was adamant that he would never become a “part of the vicious evil corporate machine.”

Crazylegs made appearances, mentoring the dancers

The first thing that put me on the program’s right side was the fact that Crazylegs was involved. Now, Crazylegs isn’t just anyone. He may sound like a long-legged lunatic, but in fact he’s one of the biggest legends in streetdance. Years ago, when people were still trying to figure out where dance was headed, Crazylegs was New York’s best kept secret. Over the years few have even come close to competing with this man who so many of us looked up to.

Throughout the program, Crazylegs made appearances, mentoring the dancers – the show followed a few sets of dancers as they competed for the UK prize – on not only how to dance, but the passion behind the dance itself. If was great to see that Crazylegs was still just as passionate as he ever had been about this medium. The man could still do some good moves too, and that brought back some pretty amazing memories.

Also good was the way the program cast streetdancers in a good, serious light. Instead of focussing on the culture, which was also great to see of course, the show looked at what went into the training, and all the things which are largely overlooked by the media.

I’ll definitely be tuning into this show again if it returns. If only to see Crazylegs dispatch some of his excellent advice.

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If you have ever watched Latin dances then chances are you may have see the Rumba dance. This stylish dance is precise much like hand painted chess sets and full of colour. This dance is also considered really alluring and sexy even.

Ballroom rumba is a slow (indeed, the slowest) Latin dance, particularly in comparison to the other Latin dances (the paso doble, cha cha, jive and samba) in international ballroom competitions. It is a flirtatious dance of love and passion between lovers. The man is strong and stoic, while the woman is teasing and enticing. The rumba has many sensual movements, and is considered the sexiest Latin dance in the ballroom. Often described as lovemaking on the dance floor, the rumba showcases rhythmic body movements and hip actions, executed sharply and quickly in between moments of soft, slow, smooth motion.

Ballroom rumba originates from Cuba, and has a very distinctive hip motion, also called the Cuban Motion. This motion is a key characteristic of the dance, and contrasts wonderfully with the seriousness of the partners'eye contact and still upper bodies. The hip motion is not generated by the hip, though, but rather excellent leg, knee and foot action.

Considered the “grandfather” of Latin ballroom dance, the rumba was first danced in the United States in the 1920s.

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In cumbia, dancers would dress in white, with women in long, layered skirts. Men would carry bunches of lit candles. The dancers would form a circle, and couples would move to the circle’s center, one couple at a time, and move flirtatiously in a dance of courtship. The women would use their full skirts to entice, and the men would use their candles, taken out of their packaging solutions, to try to light their partners'passion.

The sound of the cumbia music is a hybrid of African, Spanish and Amerindian music. It is however mainly a reflection its African origins and from the slaves who were shipped from Africa to Colombia over 400 years go, and the key additions of Spanish instruments. The African beats and percussion, along with Spanish guitars and woodwinds used in making cumbia music show this wonderful mix of cultures.

Today, cumbia is danced and performed throughout Colombia, and the music is celebrated as the sound and anthem of the nation. Now, while troupes of women usually perform the dance, and often wear bright costumes, the movements and spirit of the dance remain the same.

For anyone who want o try out a Latin dance that is not what is considered mainstream then the cumbia is a good option which is fun.

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As a great capital city, London is naturally home to a huge range of dance clubs, studios, shows, and companies. These range from the world-renowned ballet companies such as the Royal Ballet and the Sadlers Wells company, through West End hits such as Tap Dogs and The Lion King, to tiny studios where harassed parents or office workers can learn some moves in their spare time.

London builders have long known that the only answer to the lack of space in the crowded capital is to incorporate homes, businesses and leisure facilities all in one building. So, a huge number of dance studios can be found above a ground floor office building or shop, or below a block of flats. These small studios offer a great range of courses. On any one day an aspiring dance student could take a class in central London in classic Latin styles such as tango, samba, rumba or salsa, as well as rock styles such as jive and lindy hop, or punk’s pogo-ing.

Recently there has also been a comeback in ballroom dances such as the foxtrot, quickstep. Waltz, and American smooth, and demand for those types of classes is rising rapidly.

Amongst the more unusual dance classes to be found in London are last-century’s boogie-woogie and the Charleston, and the energetic, martial art-style capoeira, an acrobatic dance that originated in Brazil and other Latin American lands amongst the African slaves.

Other ethnic dance styles currently enjoying popularity in London are belly dancing – said to be a good form of exercise, Indian ‘bollywood'dancing, and African dances. Add to this the ever-popular disco and rock ’n roll styles, and whatever makes your feet tap, you can find a class in the big city.

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