Dance With Me
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Movie Reviews of Dance With Me
Movie Review: The best of the ballroom dance films
Summary: 5 Stars
As a heavy-duty ballroom dance fan, I found this the best of all the ballroom dance films - for sheer talent. I had no idea Vanessa Williams was that good a ballroom dancer, let alone such a fine actress and a stunning woman. Chayenne, not the best actor around, is nevertheless somewhat sweet and charming but he cannot hold a candle to the firepower of the professional ballroom dancers. The scenes where the competitions take place are fabulous, using real ballroom dance champions, doing real, not bastardized, ballroom dancing.
The story-line behind the dancing (and it *is* behind the dancing) is a nice one but predictable. Chayenne is a Cuban immigrant on a trip to meet his American father (Chris Christofferson), who doesn't know Chayenne is his son, fathered by him in an old love affair aboard a cruise ship. Chayenne arrives to do handyman work at Christofferson's dance studio and the latter soon realizes Chayenne is his son, which creates tension between them. To me, that aspect of the film was padding and could easily have been omitted in favor of more dancing.
The better parts have to do with a clash in dance style between Vanessa Williams' character and Chayenne's but they work it out and it becomes great fun to watch the two free-form dancing together, and dancing with others at small night clubs.
Truth to tell, I wish there were far more ballroom dance movies of high quality like this one. The other ballroom dance movies are built more around love stories, such as "Strictly Ballroom". "Shall We Dance", with Richard Gere and Jennifer Lopez is also good but doesn't have the professional spark that "Dance With Me" reveals.
(Not that this has much to do with ballroom dance, but I am still waiting for some hugely talented person to release a high-quality DVD of just Fred Astaire's dances. JUST the dances with dates, partners, name of film; no interviews, no talking, just his dances, with and without partners. If anyone knows of such a DVD, I'd sacrifice my firstborn for it!)
Movie Review: Just watch the dancing? Impossible!
Summary: 5 Stars
When DANCE WITH ME came out on VHS, we were urged to go right out and rent it because the reviewer felt it deserved more attention than it received in theaters. Upon renting it, we were amazed at the amount of music and dance pouring over us. The woman in the beginning dance scenes made our hearts stop and the blond female singer in the Cuban nightclub was mesmerizing. We have tried several times to determine who they are. But this was just the beginning. One is transported past any failings of the story by the driving rhythms and dancing. The music makes you want to move; the dancing makes you want to find a dance studio. The conflict between dancing for the joy of it and dancing in competition is well delineated without overpowering the more important and sometimes subtle points of the film. In addition to the outstanding performances of Vanessa Williams and Chayanne, this film is full of delightful surprises such as Jane Krakowski's stunning dance with Chayanne, Joan Plowrights fun-filled participation,the "community dances" at the Cuban nightclub, and spectactular dances from current and past participants in actual dance competitions. The hullabaloo at the dance competition is augmented with the talent, humor, passion, disappointments, and beauty that is dance. The morning after watching and thoroughly enjoying this film, on several levels, we decided to "just watch the dancing" before taking it back to the video store. Two hours later we rushed to get it back before the deadline! It is not possible to "just watch the dance sequences". We have repeatedly viewed, shared and recommended this film. We wore out our VHS versions and purchased the DVD. Any serious dance enthusiast should have this film in the library along with STRICKLY BALLROOM, SHALL WE DANCE, and the many classic musicals now available on DVD. This review is based on both VHS and DVD versions.Movie Review: Wonderful, great, fantastic, spectacular, superb, fun, etc.
Summary: 5 Stars
The first time I saw this movie I was hooked. I've watched itmaybe 50 times in the past 2 years and I NEVER tire of it. It'swonderful. While I didn't care for movies like "StrictlyBallroom" or "Dirty Dancing," I REALLY got into this music because it had dance with an ethnic flair. The Afro-Carribean style Latin music, or whatever it's called technically, as well as the other styles, such as salsa and just plain old fashioned dance music, was great. This is the kind of movie that makes you want to get up and shake it around a little. However, it was more than just hot music. It had glamour, especially in the competetion sequence. From the ballroom dancers to the Latin-style dancers in the scene, everyone looked glamourous, and it was great to see because it was realistic. It featured great actors as the male and female lead, and a humorous, energetic supporting cast. It was sexy without resorting to the all-too common gratuitous sex sequences found in so many lesser movies. This makes it a great, wholesome, yet still sexy romantic comedy. And Chayanne is hot, yes, but even hotter is the guy who played his love interest's ex-dance partner. Too bad Valenzuela (the male one) didn't get more screen time. If you like romance, comedy, music, any type of dancing, and well developed characters, this movie is for you. ENDMovie Review: Vanessa Williams Takes My Breathe Away
Summary: 5 Stars
Vanessa Williams Vanessa Williams Vanessa Williams!!! Vanessa Williams is stunningly beautiful in this movie and it is worth watching just to see her in her outfits, dancing, smiling, standing tall proud and beautiful. Beyond that, it's just good, old fashioned romancing. Chayanne is from Cuba, the guy is super positive, a great dancer, a can-do guy. Williams is a beautiful but jaded dance pro who teaches dance to support herself. Chayanne courts her, they fall in love, but she has issues that make it unclear how things are going to work out (see movie to find out :)
It is the kind of movie that I would want to watch again, not so much for the plot, but just for those moments of sexual tension and energy between Chayanne and Vanessa Williams. I loved Chayanne, he is a can do guy in this movie, like I said, and Vanessa Williams just sizzles; the inner beauty of the woman just comes through loud and clear and I can't help but love and pine for her. Greg Feirman, (...)
Movie Review: Beautiful Love Story
Summary: 5 Stars
I love this movie! Vanessa Williams looks incredible in this movie and her partner Chayanne looks so handsome too. I absolutely enjoyed the part where Ruby and Rafael go to the Salsa Club TITON and Dance together so wonderfully, it was so much fun to watch them together. Rafael was such a gentleman to her when he walked with her back to her apartment. My favorite part of the film was that WHITE HOT love scene!!! I love the way he touches her and kisses her, I definitely would've love to see them make passionate love to each other full on nudity and everything. Vanessa looked stunning in her costume and makeup in the dance sequences plus I definitely want a Rafael of my own and I'm an Dark Chocolate African-American female. Too bad Vanessa and Chayanne can't get together in real life because they would be beautiful together. I would like to see another movie similar to this from Williams and Chayanne.