Mad Hot Ballroom (2005)
Average Rating: 7.1/10
Reviews Counted: 116
Fresh: 97 | Rotten: 19
This heartwarming documentary will win audiences over, as the sheer charm of precocious, enthusiastic children learning to dance resonates from the screen.
Average Rating: 7.5/10
Critic Reviews: 35
Fresh: 34 | Rotten: 1
This heartwarming documentary will win audiences over, as the sheer charm of precocious, enthusiastic children learning to dance resonates from the screen.
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Average Rating: 3.8/5
User Ratings: 8,215
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Movie Info
Every year, the New York Public School system sponsors a dance competition for youngsters in fifth grade; in this contest, boys and girls ages 10 and 11 learn traditional ballroom dancing styles such as the fox trot, the rumba, and the tango, and then pit their skills against other students from around the Big Apple. Mad Hot Ballroom is a documentary which offers an inside look at this event, as well as the teachers and students who take part, with a particular emphasis on three schools: P.S.
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All Critics (117) | Top Critics (35) | Fresh (101) | Rotten (19) | DVD (16)
Charming if slightly overlong.
Top CriticListening to the kids talk is a treat in itself, but watching them strut their stuff in the final competition is enough to make you stand up and cheer.
It's kind of like the dance version of that documentary Rock School.
The kids are adorable, and so is the movie.
Clearly, the dance lessons are life lessons as well, nurturing self-confidence, team spirit, the joy of dancing and even a slight touch of Old World etiquette in an otherwise too-busy- to-be-courteous world.
Aside from being perfectly irresistible, the movie is also deeply inspiring, especially for children.
Inspiring and enjoyable, this docu chronicles the physical and psychological transformation of school kids of different social classes as they enter into the 'exotic' world of ballroom dancing.
A sweet, and utterly entertaining portrait of children learning about confidence, achievement, skill, and also understanding the game of the sexes at such a young age.
Charming, poignant and festive "Mad Hot Ballroom" is an inspirational documentary that shows the power of dance to invigorate self-esteem and ambition in young hearts.
The dozen or so whom Agrelo and Sewell chose to emphasize are especially appealing, but nearly all of them are bright, thoughtful, confident and dedicated -- a heartening glimpse of the coming generation.
Dance documentary hits all the right beats.
In all its unscripted glory, it shows us pre-adolescence with an astonishing authenticity that should be the envy of a hundred coming-of-age movies.
Cute, comical kids help make this ballroom dancing comp-romp a feelgood winner despite inexpert editing.
For its length, it would have been nice to learn a little bit more about some of the children. Nonetheless, Mad Hot Ballroom is still an uplifting and inspiring tale.
While Agrelo pushes a little too hard at times the attitude of the kids and the enthusiasm with which they perform dance makes it well worth a look.
It's a tale of tears, triumph and tread-upon toes; it may wear you out, but it'll put a spring in your step too.
... it's delightful to see the kids enthusiastically cheering each other on and they are terrific dancers. It'll make you want to take ballroom dancing lessons.
This documentary that is fun for the whole family
[Its] heart shines through during conversational scenes with the candid children.
A delightful documentary that shows how creative expression is a necessity in the lives of urban children.
persuasively shows how these lessons help bridge the gap between boys and girls during that uneasy period when the sexes are still suspicious of each other.
Only an icy hearted cynic could disparage this joyous, infectious documentary.
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Latest News on Mad Hot Ballroom
April 30, 2008:
Ferrera Searching for Agrelo's Invisible SignDuring her summer hiatus from Ugly Betty, America Ferrera will star in a "coming-of-age drama" for...
April 6, 2006:
Critical Consensus: Take Or Leave This "Lead,: An Odd "Number," "Benchwarmers"This week at the movies, we explore the joys of dance ("Take the Lead"), mistaken identity...
January 3, 2006:
Chicago Critics Announce Their NominationsThanks to Movie City News for sharing the scoop on the Windy City critics and their favorite flicks...
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Foreign Titles
- Un... deux... trois dansez (FR)
