The trailer hook for Mad Hot Ballroom (6000 kids; 60 schools; 10 weeks; 1 dream) pretty much tells you what this is all about. We are along for the ride as a bunch of 5th grade kids from 3 elementary schools in New York City dance their way through quarter- and semi-finals to the finals of the Rainbow Team Matches where the coveted (and enormous) trophy for the best team is up for grabs.

We follow precocious 10-11 year-olds of diverse backgrounds from 3 public schools:
1.Washington Heights (most of the kids here are Spanish-speaking immigrants from the Dominican Republic, over 97% live at or below the poverty line),
2.Bensonhurst (exuberant Brooklyn kids from a traditional Italian neighbourhood that has become 50% Asian within the last 5 years)
3.Tribeca (articulate, streetwise, downtown kids)

A non-profit organization called American Ballroom Theater’s Dancing Classrooms provides ballroom dance instruction at over 60 public schools in New York City. The 10 weeks of attendance is compulsory and the teachers are passionate. The dance repertoire includes merengue, rumba, swing, foxtrot, and even tango. We watch in fascination as the children (some more obviously talented than others) learn the steps and shyly pair up, and as they progress, we cheer them on through the nerve-racking competitions.

The teachers are characters in their own right. Yomaira (a vivacious Latina with her own brand of tough love) gives bilingual instructions at Washington Heights and has an eye on the trophy that has eluded her so far. Rodney acts as a role model to the little boys who might well grow up into gang members. Soppy Alison weeps as she speaks of her kids growing up into ‘ladies and gentlemen’.

But the stars of Mad Hot Ballroom are the kids, from the exuberant Michael to good-natured Zeb to young Cyrus (he of the serious mien and the shock of hair), and especially the talented team of Wilson, Elsamelys, Karina, Kelvin, Jattna and their partners. Economically and socially disadvantaged, these kids’ resolve and determination break all barriers and allow them to rise above their circumstances. Guided by their dedicated teachers and with the support of their families, their confidence and self-esteem increase and truancy rates drop as they twirl their way to a resounding finale.

Director/Producer Marilyn Agrelo and Writer/Producer Amy Sewell are first time feature film-makers who have captured a turning-point in the lives of these youngsters poised on the brink of their teenage years. As they teeter-totter between childhood and adolescence, boys and girls speak out about their present concerns and their hopes for the future. Always candid, often hilarious, these kids are allowed to reveal themselves as they are, and Agrelo and Sewell have such a subtle and delicate touch that at no time do you feel any intrusiveness on their part. The interviews with the kids out of school are done so naturally, the kids seem to have no sense of self-consciousness at all, and considering cameras must have been aimed straight at them, this is amazing and points to Agrelo’s and Sewell’s skill and expertise.

I enjoyed Mad Hot Ballroom immensely. I was rooting for the kids every step of the way and tapping my toes to the music. You haven’t seen merengue and rumba until you’ve seen Wilson and Elsamelys sway their way through their routines. It’s a joy to see the smiles on their faces as they dance--they are so obviously enjoying themselves. I recommend Mad Hot Ballroom to everyone. Even if you have absolutely no interest in ballroom dancing, you can’t help but be mesmerized by these smart and very lovable kids who will dance their way into your heart.





Recommended:
Yes

Video Occasion: None of the Above
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 9 - 12