USA,
2005, 110 min
Shown in 2005
CREDITS
- dir
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Marilyn Agrelo
- prod
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Marilyn Agrelo, Amy Sewell, Brian David Cange
- scr
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Amy Sewell
- cam
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Claudia Raschke
- editor
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Sabine Krayenbühl
- mus
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Steven Lutvak
- source
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Paramount Classics, 5555 Melrose Ave, Chevalier 215, Hollywood, CA 90038-3197. FAX: 323-862-1103. EMAIL: angie_de_los_santos@paramount.com.
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COMMENTS
Marilyn Agrelo in person.
OTHER
The refined world of ballroom foxtrots collides with the chaos of New York City schoolkids in this documentary cross between Spellbound and Strictly Ballroom. “We’re making little ladies and gentlemen here,” says a teacher, but it’s far more fun than that, as the film follows several groups of ten- and eleven-year-old boys and girls as they’re set free in a world they never knew existed and discover talents in themselves they never could have imagined. A citywide ballroom dancing competition unites the schoolkids: the PS 150 kids from Tribeca are a seemingly typical cross-section of youngsters: some attentive and aware, others who don’t care. The predominantly Dominican kids of PS 115 out of Washington Heights may have fewer resources than the downtown group, but they’re just as talented. From Bensonhurst comes PS 112, dancing less out of a desire to win and more out of sheer joy. “It’s more than learning steps... it’s life,” notes their principal, summing up both the value of dancing and the lesson of this entertaining film. Brilliantly capturing the infectious energy of teachers and pupils, Mad Hot Ballroom is at its best with the kids themselves: laughing, clowning around and learning not only how to dance like ladies and gentlemen, but how to take pride in their lives.
FACTOID #7
Governor Pat Brown welcomed the crowd at Opening Night of the Festival October 30, 1963. Other attendees included George Peppard, Willie Mays and the governor’s wife Bernice; it also happened to be the couple’s 33rd wedding anniversary.
