The 10 Best Dance Movies Ever Made, According To Ranker

With the highly anticipated release of Steven Spielberg’s remake of West Side Story just around the corner, the vast community of experts on Ranker are at it again, and this time, thousands have chimed in to vote on the “Best Dance Movies Ever Made”.

Dance and the visual medium have been a natural couple since the beginning of film. While there are many good dance films, a truly memorable dance film must incorporate many elements outside of the actual choreography. These elements include an exciting musical score, extravagant costumes, a moving plot, and engaging characters.

10 Bring It On (2000)

While receiving mixed reviews when it first came out, Bring It On has since become a cult classic due to its intelligent satire, elaborate cheer-squad routines, and Kirsten Dunst’s break-out performance in the film. Not to mention being considered the first true “Cheerleading film”. The original film went on to spawn several direct-to-video sequels, a TV movie, and even an award-winning stage musical on Broadway.

9 Flashdance (1983)

Popular with the audiences, but panned by critics, Flashdance has since joined a pantheon of other 80s hits like Footloose, Purple Rain, and Top Gun noted for their original soundtracks that went on to have lives of their own, after initial release.

Jennifer Beals became an icon for her role in the film, especially after the release of the “Maniac” music video by Michael Sembello, for which he was nominated for both an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for his high-energy soundtrack from the film.

8 Saturday Night Fever (1977)

The film that capitulated John Travolta to international stardom, Saturday Night Fever captures the essence of the 1970s Disco era. The film combines all the elements of a classic dance film while feeling remarkably like a documentary, dealing with the poignant issues like pre-AIDS sexual mores and societal disillusionment of the late 70s.

Travolta was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in the film. The critical and box office success of Saturday Night Fever led Travolta to star in another classic dance film of the 70s era, Grease.

7 Save The Last Dance (2001)

Save the Last Dance follows two young Chicago-based dancers, who are also an interracial couple, as they navigate the many trials and tribulations that go with their relationship.

The film explores the clash of cultures of the two protagonists through Ballet vs Hip-Hop, contrasting their two upbringings and dance backgrounds. This unique fusion of dancing genres is what helps to make Save the Last Dance feel markedly different compared to the others that made the list.

6 West Side Story (1961)

Based on the successful 1957 Broadway musical, the 1961 film version of West Side Story manages to deliver the same thrills and drama of the stage performance. This romantic musical not only wowed critics but was a hit with audiences as well, becoming the highest-grossing film of the year. A new film remake of West Side Story, directed by the legendary Steven Spielberg, is set to be released on December 10, 2021.

Much of the success of the original 1961 film has been attributed to the unique cinematography and use of innovative editing style during the dance sequences. The editor of the film went on to win the Academy Award for Best Film Editing for his ground-breaking work.

5 Step Up (2006)

Best known as Channing Tatum’s breakthrough film role, Step Up also introduced Anne Fletcher in her directorial debut. Fletcher had worked previously as a successful dancer and choreographer, as a director, her dance experience helped to make the various dance sequences in Step Up particularly authentic.

Step Up was panned by critics but loved by audiences. Because of its box office success, the film went on to spawn a whole franchise, including five sequels, a tv show, and a live stage production in Dubai.

4 Footloose (1984)

Kevin Bacon stars in this 80s classic, whose memorable soundtrack by Kenny Loggins contributed to the film’s success. Two songs from the original soundtrack reached # 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and Loggins was later nominated for the Academy Award for Best Music for his song “Footloose.”

RELATED: 10 Best Uses Of Songs In Footloose, Ranked

Footloose went on to inspire a successful Broadway musical adaptation and a 2011 film adaptation. The story of the original film is based loosely on the real-life town of Elmore City, Oklahoma, who banned dancing at the behest of the local reverend, the ban was only overturned in the 1980s due to a group of high school student activists.

3 Singin’ In The Rain (1952)

Singin’ in the Rain was directed, choreographed, and starred silver screen legend, Gene Kelly. A prime example of the escapist musical comedy genre, the film follows three performers during Hollywood’s transformative years during the late 1920s, when “talkies” first began to appear.

The film’s famous “Singing in the Rain” scene, when Gene Kelly gracefully dances solo across rain-swept streets, is especially noted by film historians as being the epitome of the dance sequence in film, and is still being studied and appreciated to this day, the film holding a perfect 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.

2 Grease (1978)

After the success of Saturday Night Fever, John Travolta went on to star in Grease, arguably his best performance. Grease was an instant hit with both critics and audiences when it first came out and is still cherished by many, even being selected for preservation by the Library of Congress in 2020.

Grease harkened back to the teenage romantic musicals of the 1950s, with its wholesomely nostalgic plot and catchy dance numbers. The success of the film came from its ability to lean into the clichés of the 50s teen drama while being self-aware of the silliness of its plot and humorous character tropes.

1 Dirty Dancing (1987)

Starring 80s heartthrobs, Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze, Dirty Dancing follows a woman who falls for a dance instructor while on holiday. Grey and Swayze were both dancers and actors, so many of the dancing scenes featured the actual actors, this contrasted to a similar 80s film Flashdance, which used stand-ins instead.

Like many 80s films, the music of Dirty Dancing had a life after its initial release with the original song “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life” even winning an Academy Award for Best Song. The film has had a huge impact on subsequent romantic dancing filming, helping to inspire both parodies and spin-offs alike. In 2020, a Dirty Dancing sequel was announced, with Jennifer Grey reprising her role.