Mad Hot Ballroom
Year | 2005 |
Director(s) | Marilyn Agrelo |
Rating | PG |
Genre(s) | Documentary, Family |
Runtime | 105 min |
Ballroom dancing goes from lame to cool for a group of New York City students in this insightful documentary, which follows a group of 11-year-olds as they learn to dance old-school styles including the merengue, rumba, tango, foxtrot and swing. Candid interviews capture the kids’ initial reluctance at learning ballroom dance and their transformation into serious competitors determined to win a citywide competition.
Sample Discussion Guide Questions:
The teachers who were interviewed in the film mentioned how they had seen positive things in the students since implementing the ballroom dance program. How do you think ballroom dancing helps these students?
Ballroom dancing wasn’t considered “cool” for a long time. Emmitt Smith, a famous football player, won the first season of Dancing With the Stars. Do you think a program like this, and its involvement of high-profile celebrities, have changed views on ballroom dancing?