22 best dance movies that will bring the club to your living room
The best dance movies never fail us – whatever mood we’re in when we press play.
We still remember the sheer awe of watching Jenna Dewan and Channing Tatum spark off each other through choreography in Step Up. The envy as Jessica Alba delivered impossibly slick moves in Honey. The brief but unwavering delusion that we, too, could win a street dance battle after You Got Served. And, of course, the deeply humbling phase where we memorised the Hairspray choreography for an impromptu family performance (regrets? Perhaps).
So yes, we love dance movies. And frankly, we’re done apologising for it.
The feel-good factor is practically guaranteed with a great dance movie: the fancy footwork, the boundary-pushing choreography (and no, we will not be taking notes from TikTok insisting early noughties classics are “cringe”), and that irresistible message of unity, self-expression and unfiltered joy. But if you’re craving something darker, the genre delivers there too — just look at the psychological intensity of Black Swan.
We’ve also been treated to more recent delights, from Rachel Zegler’s star-making musical turn in West Side Story to Sabrina Carpenter proving her on-screen charisma (and choreography credentials) in Work It.
So without further ado, consider this your cue to cha-cha-slide straight into our edit of the 22 best dance movies to inject a little extra energy into your life.
©Screen Gems/Courtesy Everett CollectionBurlesque (2010)
Starring: Christina Aguilera, Cher, Julianne Hough, Stanley Tucci and Kristen Bell.
What's it about: With talent like that on screen, an unforgettable dance movie is practically guaranteed. Burlesque follows Ali, an aspiring singer who leaves her small hometown for Los Angeles, only to find herself working as a dancer at a struggling burlesque lounge run by the fierce Tess. Packed with dazzling choreography and plenty of original music, it’s a full-throttle celebration of ambition, glamour, and show-stopping performances.
©IFC Films/Courtesy Everett CollectionFrances Ha (2012)
Starring: Greta Gerwig, Mickey Summer and Adam Driver.
What's it about: Greta Gerwig plays a dance company apprentice whose life ambition and dream is to become dancer – we see her throw herself headlong into this, but will she succeed? The most iconic scene from the film has to be of her character Frances dancing through the streets of New York to David Bowie's Modern Love. She also co-wrote the film with her now-husband Noah Baumbach, who also directed.
©Miramax/Courtesy Everett CollectionShall We Dance? (2004)
Starring: Richard Gere, Jennifer Lopez, Stanley Tucci and Susan Sarandon.
What's it about: Starring Richard Gere and Jennifer Lopez, this one is an absolute classic. Gere is a somewhat lost middle-aged man who finds new meaning in his life when he starts taking dance lessons – in secret. J-Lo plays his beautiful instructor Paulina, while Susan Sarandon plays his wife Beverly, who is kept in the dark about her husband's new passion.
20th Century FoxThe Greatest Showman (2017)
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, Zendaya and Michelle Williams.
What's it about: The likes of Hugh Jackman, Zendaya and Zac Efron had us on our feet in The Greatest Showman, which was a glorious spectacle of underdogs rising above the criticism and expectations of society to succeed and entertain us with a colourful, nostalgic circus backdrop. Nothing short of inspirational!
©Miramax/Courtesy Everett CollectionChicago (2002)
Starring: Renée Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Richard Gere and Queen Latifah.
What's it about: From stage to screen, Chicago is a must-watch, packed with show-stopping dance sequences. The story follows nightclub sensation Velma, who kills her philandering husband, and the slick, cunning lawyer Billy Flynn, who not only defends her but also represents Roxie, another glamorous murder trial starlet. Glitz, jazz hands, and drama collide in a dazzling display that’s impossible to look away from.
SonyHustlers (2019)
Starring: Jennifer Lopez, Keke Palmer, Constance Wu, Lili Reinhart and Julia Stiles.
What's it about: Empowerment is undeniably sexy, especially when Jennifer Lopez is at the helm of it. The multi-talented performer literally took our breath away playing a stripper named Ramona, who teams up with her fellow strippers to scam finance bros. Storyline aside, the incredible, sexy routines certainly put the film in pole position on our list.
NBC UniversalStep Up (2006)
Starring: Channing Tatum, Jenna Dewan and Alyson Stoner.
What's it about: Step Up was the movie in which its stars, Jenna Dewan and Channing Tatum, fell in love IRL. Swoon! While their relationship didn't stand the test of time, the movie is still iconic, with its super cool dance routines centred around the story of a young man from the wrong side of the tracks helping a ballet dancer learn some hip-hop moves for her big audition.
Everett Collection Inc / Alamy Stock PhotoHairspray (2007)
Starring: John Travolta, Nikki Blonsky, Zac Efron, Christopher Walken, Michelle Pfeiffer and Brittany Snow.
What's it about: You Can't Stop The Beat with this 2007 musical number that had us dancing all night long. The movie follows teenager Tracy Turnblad as she overcomes discrimination based on her appearance to make it in the big, glittering world of television superstardom. The film was an A-list spectacle with the likes of John Travolta, Zac Efron, Amanda Bynes, Michelle Pfeiffer and James Marsden starring.
Photo 12 / Alamy Stock PhotoBring It On (2000)
Starring: Kirsten Dunst, Gabrielle Union, Jesse Bradford and Eliza Dushku.
What's it about: Honestly, Bring It On! As the one and only film that introduced our younger British selves to the world of competitive American cheerleading, we watched as the newly-elected team captain at Rancho Carne High School battle it out with their rivals from East Compton after realising they stole their incredible choreography. Kirsten Dunst, Eliza Dushku, Jesse Bradford, and Gabrielle Union star in this essential noughties film.
Cinematic Collection / Alamy Stock PhotoDevdas (2002)
Starring: Shah Rukh Khan, Madhuri Dixit and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.
What's it about: It would be criminal not to acknowledge the Bollywood movie industry in this list, as pretty much all of their movies feature incredible dance routines. Devdas, starring Shah Rukh Khan, Madhuri Dixit Nene and Aishwarya Rai, is one of India's classic films, with its dance to the song Dola Re and Maar Dala taking our breath away with its intricate, traditional choreography, which shines a light on South Asian culture at its finest.
Everett Collection Inc / Alamy Stock PhotoHoney (2003)
Starring: Jessica Alba, Missy Elliot, Zachary Isaiah Williams and Joy Bryant.
What's it about: Jessica Alba in Honey was absolute fire! She took on the titular role of Honey Daniels, a hip-hop choreographer in Harlem, New York, who is discovered by a hotshot director. However, when he soon starts demanding sexual favours, Honey is forced to spring into action and make the best decision for her life.
Dale RobinetteLa La Land (2016)
Starring: Emma Stone, Ryan Gosling, Jessica Rothe, John Legend and J.K. Simmons.
What's it about: Watching Ryan Gosling dance is, of course, swoon-worthy. But doing so alongside Emma Stone in La La Land had us longing for even more glitz and glamour as we watched them show off their fancy footwork in front of the backdrop of old-school Hollywood glamour. Oscars Best Picture mix-up or not, Damien Chazelle won our hearts with this epic musical.
© 1980 Warner Brothers Entertainment, Inc. All rights reserved.Fame (1980)
Starring: Irene Cara, Debbie Allen, Lee Curreri and Maureen Teefy.
What's it about: Fame followed the lives of several teenagers who attend a performing arts high school for gifted students in New York City in the seventies, so you can be sure that this musical kept us on our toes with its energetic numbers. The movie begins at their auditions before highlighting their journeys throughout high school until graduation.
©20th Century Studios/Courtesy Everett CollectionWest Side Story (2021)
Starring: Rachel Zegler, Ansel Elgort, Mike Faist, Ariana DeBose and Maddie Ziegler.
What's it about: There have been countless West Side Story remakes over the years, and while we won’t claim this one as the definitive version, the dance sequences are absolutely phenomenal. The cinematography, performances, and iconic songs sweep you up, making for an evening that’s equal parts exhilarating and emotional. A truly beautiful dance movie, you’ll be tapping your toes one moment and reaching for a tissue the next.
AJ Pics / Alamy Stock PhotoSave The Last Dance (2001)
Starring: Julia Stiles, Sean Patrick Thomas, Kerry Washington and Bianca Lawson.
What's it about: No matter how much TikTok tries to tell us that Julia Stiles' dancing in Save The Last Dance was stiff, we just don't want to listen! The movie, in which she starred alongside Sean Patrick Thomas, saw her character Sara move to Chicago to learn hip-hop dancing after failing her elite Juilliard ballet audition. Whether you rate the dance sequences or not, this movie is one to watch.
AJ Pics / Alamy Stock PhotoHigh School Music (2006)
Starring: Zac Efron, Ashley Tisdale, Corbin Bleu and Vanessa Hudgens.
What's it about: "We're all in this together!" Nothing has us practising our dance moves in the living room more than the first instalment of High School Musical, which saw Troy and Gabriella, two completely different high school students, come together to audition for their school's musical secretly. We're not ashamed to admit that the movie's songs, such as Start Of Something New and Stick to the Status Quo, are on our Spotify list!
© 2000 Universal Studios. All Rights ReservedBilly Elliot (2000)
Starring: Jamie Bell, Gary Lewis, Julie Walters, Adam Cooper and Jamie Draven.
What's it about: We all love a groundbreaking film, especially from a different perspective. Jamie Bell plays the 11 year old titular character in this British film, who stumbles upon a ballet class and surprises the instructor with his raw potential for the dance. Ultimately, this is a heartwarming story about a boy who just wants to dance against all odds.
©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett CollectionMagic Mike (2012)
Starring: Channing Tatum, Joe Manganiello, Matt Bomer, Alex Pettyfer and Matthew McConaughey
What's it about: Yes, we’re including Magic Mike on this list of the best dance movies, and we stand by it. Loosely inspired by Channing Tatum’s real-life experience as an 18-year-old stripper in Florida, the film follows a seasoned performer who takes a wide-eyed newcomer under his wing, showing him the ropes (and the routines). It even spawned a wildly popular live stage show in London.
Maximum Film / Alamy Stock PhotoYou Got Served (2004)
Starring: Jennifer Freeman, Marques Houston, Omarion and Raz-B.
What's it about: Nothing gets us going more than an epic street dance battle, and nearly two decades later, You Got Served, starring Omarion, Jennifer Freeman and Marques Houston, does not disappoint. The plot? When Elgin and David begin crushing the dance battle scene at their local club, rival Wade challenges them to a dance-off for a major cash prize.
©Netflix/Courtesy Everett CollectionWork It (2020)
Starring: Sabrina Carpenter, Jordan Fischer, Liza Koshy and Drew Ray Tanner.
What's it about: In Work It, Carpenter plays an ambitious (if slightly accident-prone) high school senior who decides the only thing standing between her and her dream college is an impressive extracurricular. Naturally, she sets her sights on becoming a dancer. Cue the formation of a delightfully chaotic misfit crew, a high-stakes competition and plenty of underdog energy.
Pacific Title and Art StudioDirty Dancing (1987)
Starring: Jennifer Grey, Patrick Swayze, Cynthia Rhodes and Kelly Bishop.
What's it about: Watching Dirty Dancing truly gave us the "time of our lives", especially as we watched Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey's iconic lift scene in the lake. How many of you have tried that at least once in your lifetime? Our hands are well and truly raised. As well as the dance scenes, we loved the age-old plot of Frances being smitten with her summer resort's rebellious dance instructor, much to the dismay of her family.
© 2010 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All rights reserved.Black Swan (2010)
Starring: Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Winona Ryder and Sebastian Stan.
What's it about: Dance movies don't all need to be energetic, smiley faces and funky moves to catchy tunes. Sometimes, they are dark, serious... nightmarish. Take for example, Black Swan, in which Natalie Portman plays professional ballet dancer Nina whose life is turned upside down following pressure from an overbearing but handsome direction, competition from Mila Kunis and an intense mother living her dreams through her daughter.
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