Top 20 Greatest Dance Scenes in Dance Movies

hey hey what's this i see i thought this was a party let's dance welcome to watch mojo and today we're counting down our picks for the top 20 dance scenes in dance movies [Music] [Applause] [Music] for this list we'll be looking at the best dance scenes from movies that have a strong dance theme throughout and deserve to be celebrated which movie dance scene have you tried to master let us know in the comments number 20 el tango de roxanne moula rouge you don't have to put on that red light as christian agonizes over sateen spending the night with duke the narcoleptic argentinian assisted by nene and the other performers warned him about the dangers of falling in love with a courtesan [Applause] [Music] using elements of argentine tango the performers tell the story of desire passion suspicion and betrayal almost foreshadowing the events to come mirroring the dinner scene with sateen and the duke the intensity and conviction of every move heightens especially as the music continues to build [Music] the fast cuts between the two eventful scenes adds to the drama and tension only ending when they reach their climactic crux [Applause] number 19 cell block tango chicago and now the six mary murderouses of the cook county jail in their rendition of the cell block tango from the first note of all that jazz to the final beat of hot honey rag chicago's choreography is nothing short of iconic however we do have to give a special mention to cell block tango for its cinematic value vigorous choreography and message of female empowerment pop [Music] while we're certainly not condoning murder we love how each step is a forceful move that ties in perfectly with their storytelling and there's bernie lying on the couch drinking a beer and chewing no not chewing popping it's also a powerful sight to see the ensemble dance together in a celebration of strong and unapologetic women [Music] after watching this we're sure no men will ever do them wrong again number 18 mine hair cabaret although this song was only added for the 1972 movie adaptation it instantly became a classic due to its intricate choreography drawing us into the kitkat club of 1930s berlin we watched sally bowles and the ensemble perform this compelling number you'll be seeing a lot of bob fosse creations on our list but this routine in particular really accentuates the isolations that became synonymous with his style don't dab your eye my hair or wonder why my hair i've always said that i was a rover you mustn't knit your brow you should have known by now you'd ever cause to doubt me my hair while the movements look quite simple the detail that goes into even the tiniest flick of a wrist is placed with precision and purpose and the use of charography and levels is [Applause] [Music] [Applause] sensational number 17 cheek to cheek top hat this song begins with jerry and dale in a close hold as he expresses his feelings through song as they move away from the crowd the audience is treated to an elegant and graceful dance break that exemplifies everything we love about hollywood's golden era movie musical [Music] fred astaire and ginger rogers well-established on-screen chemistry alongside their ability to make every move look effortless makes this one of their most memorable and beloved dances to this day as jerry attempts to dance his way through dale's heart we can't help but fall for the elegance romance and glamour throughout their performance [Music] number 16 jump and jive stormy weather starring the nicholas brothers who were known for their incredible style high energy and acrobatic choreography this routine is so effortlessly cool appearing from the audience the pair leap onto the dance floor using pretty much every surface while performing a perfectly synchronized tap dance routine [Music] despite being considered a pioneering movie for african americans in 1943 unfortunately racism overshadowed their undeniable talent it's thus all the more important that we celebrate them and their phenomenal skills [Music] it's no wonder this scene comes toward the end of the movie as what could possibly follow their epic finale [Music] [Applause] number 15 there will be some changes made all that jazz [Music] inspired by fosse's chaotic life and career the semi-autobiography musical follows joe gideon whose fast and loose lifestyle finally catches up with him after ignoring doctor's advice to slow down he suffers a heart attack and ends up on life support he starts directing hallucinatory dream sequences starring his girlfriend ex-wife and daughter who all scold him for his reckless behavior and reinking who plays katie a thinly veiled characterization of herself leads the trio in this number you better change your way of living and if that ain't enough she's right joe you better listen you better change the way yes from the glittery outfits to the strong and well-defined movements this dance is a tribute to fosse's choreography as well as the star's talents [Music] number 14 time warp the rocky horror picture show [Music] [Applause] if our list has you itching to get to your feet you're in luck as this next entry comes with instructions it's crazy to think that a song that was written just to fill time during the stage production would eventually become one of the most famous moments of the entire movie in another dimension [Music] whether you're a fan of this cult classic or you think frankenfurter is just a type of sausage you absolutely know this one and probably can't resist joining in with such simple instructions even the most uncoordinated dancer will be tempted to get up and do the time warp [Applause] [Music] [Applause] again number 13 fame fame while our other entries so far have focused on carefully choreographed numbers this one shows that sometimes it's just about feeling the music when bruno martelly's dad proudly plays his song outside the school all the students start dancing in the street to this catchy rhythm [Music] [Applause] [Music] interestingly the famous title song hadn't actually been written yet at the time of filming so they were dancing to donna summer's hot stuff instead due to its similar beat [Music] [Applause] [Music] for this moment the students can forget about the grueling intensity of performing arts school and instead focus on the pure fun that dancing can bring [Music] number 12. town called malice billy elliott it's quite tricky to choose just one standout moment from this gritty and inspiring british flick but we have to go with billy's punchy improvised dance to town called malice by the jam [Music] when his dance teacher sandra visits the elliott family billy is left feeling torn between following his dreams or following the expectations of a northern lad dancing his way through the town billy dances off the walls as he vents his frustration deviating from the graceful ballet and incorporating tap dance we can almost feel his torment as he expresses himself the best way he knows [Applause] how [Music] number 11 the audition dance a chorus line we're whisked behind the broadway scenes where countless hopeful performers are auditioning for a spot in the chorus line god i hope i get it i hope i get it how many people does he need we're now professionals but based on what we see we would need a bigger stage just to cast all that talent this scene also provides exposition introducing us to the principal characters who will get to know better throughout the movie i really need this job please god i need this job i've got to get this job from their very 80s style outfits to the perfect sharpness and synchronicity of their movements this dance is so satisfying to watch as the final auditionees perform ensemble it's hard not to get lost in the moment and forget that this is only just the [Music] i hope i get audition number 10 rich man's frog sweet charity who is it who is it who is it who is it who is it who is it who is it it's me the frog took america by storm in the 1960s so it only made sense that it would feature in the most exclusive club in new york fosse's signature style is very prominent in this scene through its punchy isolations abstract movements and unusual poses the performance led by dancer suzanne charney is split into three variations called the aloof the heavyweight and the big finish all of which bring a new aesthetic to the dance genre [Music] the innovation behind the choreography secured its position in dance movie history and even influenced beyonce's get me bodied music video in 2007 [Music] number nine alex's audition flash dance [Music] while flashdance has multiple memorable dance moments nothing cemented itself in popular culture as much as alex's audition [Music] based on a real story alex is a welder stripper who dreams of becoming a ballerina she leaves everything on the dance floor as she combines the elegance of ballet with more modern and jazzy steps as well as impressive leaps [Applause] [Music] although jennifer beals had multiple body doubles this doesn't take away from how sensational this routine is it might not have been the audition the panel expected but it certainly wasn't the one they were going to forget number eight you're the one that i want greece sandy tell me about it the final scene of greece celebrates friendship as two gangs closed the door on high school and put all past feuds behind them while we go together ends the flick on a party high we're already on our feet as soon as danny spots sandy in those famous tight leather pants using the school carnival as their backdrop sandy and danny shimmy and groove their way through the rides coming down the stairs with iconic moves [Music] it's cheesy entertaining and energetic who knew that sending off high school could be this much fun number seven the barn dance seven brides for seven brothers if you want almost seven minutes of dance heaven this is the movie for you as the brothers head into town to take their newly learned etiquette skills for a test drive they find themselves in a dance-off for the attention of the town's women they dance their boots off pulling out every trick and flip to steal the show and the affections of their dance partners there's so much intricate choreography that it took the dancers three weeks to nail this routine the movie's choreographer michael kidd was known for his challenging and acrobatic choreography and the payoff is evident [Music] [Applause] number six step in time mary poppins [Music] although this call in response song incorporates instructions into its lyrics we think we'll leave this one to the pros dick van dyke as bert leads the chimney sweeps across the rooftops of london in an incredibly athletic routine choreographed by michael kidd this ambitious dance sees the chimney sweeps leap around the rooftops and dance with props as well as performing the highly animated choreography this is one of the most entertaining scenes in the entire movie and even mary poppins breaks her stern exterior to enjoy the show before showing them all how it's done of course [Music] [Applause] number five the final dance footloose in a town where dancing is banned what better way to let off some steam than to well dance while of course wren's acrobatic freestyling in the warehouse is certainly a key moment it comes in a close second to the final scene with the band finally lifted the teams cut loose to kenny logan's title track [Music] sure none of the principal cast are fully trained dancers but that doesn't lessen the effect of this iconic scene granted kevin bacon has since claimed in an interview that he sometimes pays wedding djs not to play the song worrying that people might expect him to bust a move [Music] number four you should be dancing saturday night fever look out give the kids certain room he's taking over again before donning a t-bird's leather jacket john travolta was getting his disco on in his first major film role as tony monero in saturday night fever with pulsating help from the bee gees and a song that basically calls you to the dance floor travolta put the spotlight on the disco genre as he clears the floor to strut his stuff [Music] [Applause] pulling out all the archetypal steps with some impressive splits and spins it's no wonder that this scene is such a crowd pleaser the movie had a huge influence on the late 70s popular culture and helped bring disco into the mainstream [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] number three i've had the time of my life dirty dancing nobody puts baby in a corner we just have two words for you the lift whenever people think about this dance number they go straight to this famous moment but that doesn't mean that the whole dance itself doesn't deserve some love too [Music] [Applause] as we hit the climax of the movie all the work that johnny and baby have put in throughout the summer finally gets its spotlight and baby shows off her recently found confidence it's such an engaging routine and clearly everyone wants a piece of the action so it's not long until they're all on their feet too oh and did we mention the [Music] lift [Music] number two dance at the gym west side story from the first finger snap of the prologue to the high energy of america it's almost impossible to choose just one standout moment however we have to give the edge to dance at the gym for its beautiful storytelling while the purpose of the dance is ostensibly to bring an end to the gang's rivalry the dance-off becomes a stand-in for violence under the watchful eyes of the authorities [Music] while each side tries to out-dance the other we get a brief interlude as tony and maria first meet the choreography is truly inspired as dance serves to separate and unite the two sides simultaneously before we unveil our number one pick here are a few honorable mentions mandy white christmas now that's how you do christmas [Music] prove me wrong white knights we love seeing these two dance icons together the final dance strictly ballroom sometimes you just gotta break the rules want more mojo ms mojo produces original high quality pop culture related videos on all your favorite movies and shows plus celebrity news fashion lifestyle and more hey guys it's phoebe with mizmojo my name is sam my name is eliza and i'm emily i'm rebecca and welcome to ms mojo if you want videos on all the best reality shows teen dramas disney movies and sitcoms be sure to check out ms mojo for new videos every day number one singing in the rain singing in the rain what a glory feel and i'm happy again not only is the title member of this iconic movie one of its most famous scenes but it's also likely what springs to mind when you think of the great gene kelly after a kiss from kathy dawn is so elated that even a little or a lot of rain can't dampen his spirits come on with a rain i have a smile on my face jumping on lampposts splashing in puddles and swinging his umbrella this dance evokes so much joy i'm singing and dancing [Music] approximately a year after choreographing the amazing ballet sequence in an american in paris kelly was handed a script that simply read dawn dances in the wet street six words that led to the creation of a classic [Music] do you agree with our picks check out this other recent clip from watchmojo and be sure to subscribe and ring the bell to be notified about our latest videos

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Keywords: dance scenes in dance movies, dance scenes in movies, dance scenes, dance movies, best dance scenes, best dance movies, best dancers, movie dances, movie dancers, footloose, saturday night fever, dirty dancing, west side story, singin' in the rain, moulin rouge!, chicago, cabaret, all that jazz, the rocky horror picture show, fame, billy elliot, sweet charity, flashdance, grease, watchMojo, watch mojo, mojo, top 10, list, dance, movies, romance dance movies, dance battles movies

Id: eCtWECBqk3A

Length: 24min 18sec (1458 seconds)

Published: Sun Dec 13 2020