Dance film a compelling look at NYC jitterbugs

An epidemic has swept across New York City public schools,
turning classrooms into dance floors. Yes, the Big Apple has fallen
prey to ballroom fever, and, as evidenced by the new documentary
film, “Mad Hot Ballroom,” directed by Marilyn Agrelo,
the dancing bug has bitten a surprising array of youth.

“Mad Hot Ballroom” documents the journey of New York
City fourth and fifth graders as they learn the art of ballroom
dancing and compete for the grand prize at the annual citywide
competition. Although over 60 public schools in the city have added
ballroom dance to their curriculum, the documentary focuses on
three very different schools.

P.S. 115 in uptown Washington Heights is comprised mostly of
Dominican immigrants, where 97 percent of the school’s
families live at or below the poverty level. P.S. 112, located in
Brooklyn, is made up mostly of Italians and Asians, while P.S. 150,
located in the trendy area of Tribeca, is a multicultural melting
pot.

In documenting the children dance swing, tango, merengue, rumba
and the fox trot, the filmmakers capture much more than mere steps.
Through dancing, the film tells the stories of a handful of
students as they come of age in the city and express their thoughts
on dating, family, education and their futures. The film manages to
eloquently capture an age that, while exposed to a world of adult
problems and issues, is still shrouded in childlike excitement and
innocence. Thus dance becomes a common medium through which the
children express their dreams and goals for life.

What makes this film great, rather than just cute, is that the
competition provides incredible character development and suspense.
As little Wilson from Washington Heights steals the show with his
merengue, one cannot help but become engrossed in his story and
yearn for his success. Beyond just capturing the immediate stories
of the students, the film is also an ode to New York itself, with
the children representing the city’s diversity and unbridled
spirit.

While a documentary about children and ballroom dancing would
seem to have only a limited audience, the film manages to create a
compelling drama that would be difficult for anyone to resist.

-Emily Camastra