Jenny Bater-Sinclair - Company Director
Feb 8, 20217 min
Updated: Aug 8, 2022
Not sure which dance movie to pick to watch? There's so many dance films on Netflix, how do you choose the best one? Our list of the best 25 dance films on Netflix in order of IMDb rating below will help you choose.
Want to get straight to what's number 1? That's 2020 film: Yeh Ballet: Picked out by an eccentric ballet master, two gifted but underprivileged teens face bigotry and disappointment as they pursue their dreams as dancers.
Before we give you the full list, let's get a little background: the very first dance movie shown to an audience was Swan LakeBallet in 1895. Over a century later hundreds of dance movies have been made. Netflix currently (at time of writing) have a selection of more than 30 dance movies to choose from in the UK and even more in other locations worldwide.
We are a street dance company and of course love a street dance movie, take a look at our 'Top five street dance movies' with the following in the top 5 spots:
Note: Please check suitability / age rating of each movie before watching any with under 18's. This post may contain affiliate links. That means we may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you if you purchase through one of the links. Thank you for your support.
It's not just street dance movies we love, we can resonate with most dance movies and are excited to share this list of the top 25 dance films (according to IMDb ratings) with you, here it is:
IMDb rating: 5.0 / 10
Released: 2014
Other Categories: Action, Comedy, Crime
A group of amateur dancers take part in a competition to win a personal battle.
Summary and image from IMBd*
IMDb rating: 5.3 / 10
Released: 2011
Other Categories: Comedy, Drama, Music
Add to ‘My List’ on Netflix / Buy or Rent on Amazon Prime / DVD
Recently coming out of juvenile detention, dancer Maria Ramirez finds a dance crew where she can enjoy her passion.
Summary from IMBd*
IMDb rating: 5.4 /10
Released: 2015
Other Categories: Biography, Drama, Music
Based on a story of a dance group; how they became famous, their downfall.
Summary and image from IMBd*
Trying to get the college dean's backing for Harvard, Jamilah has to teach girls at a sorority to step dance.
Summary and image from IMBd*
IMDb rating: 5.5 /10
Released: 2017
Other Categories: Music
Add to ‘My List’ on Netflix / Buy or Rent on Amazon Prime / DVD
Raps is a hip hop dancer from a poor neighbourhood who believes money is everything. He gets a lucky break and becomes a professional entertainer
Summary from IMBd*
Selim a doctor in search of a patient to finish his thesis meets a beautiful young girl, dance become their main focus and by coincidence they find themselves attending competitions under the guidance of Sengül Dance School.
Summary and image from IMBd*
IMDb rating: 5.9 / 10
Released: 2018
Other Categories: Drama, Music, Romance
Amalie works hard to fit in to a world where having it all is all that matters - looks, money and dancing skills. Then she meets street dancer Michael, who is different from any other person she has met.
Summary and image from IMBd*
IMDb rating: 5.9 / 10
Released: 1998
Other Categories: Drama, Music, Romance
Add to ‘My List’ on Netflix / Buy or Rent on Amazon Prime / DVD
Rafael comes to Houston from Cuba to work at John Burnett's dance studio. He meets Ruby Sinclair instructor there. Chemistry?
Summary from IMBd*
IMDb rating: 6 / 10
Released: 2014
Other Categories: Drama, Music, Romance
Add to ‘My List’ on Netflix / Buy or Rent on Amazon Prime / DVD
Characters from the previous Step Up's come together in Las Vegas, dancing for a victory that could define them.
Summary from IMBd*
A girl whose happy to be able to spend a vacation with her day and Lupe, Mercedes, Juanma and Alvaro arrives at the same hotel by surprise, and brings the school drama with them.
Summary and image from IMBd*
When Quinn Ackerman's gets into college of her dreams, she forms a group of dancers to take on the top squad in school.
Summary and image from IMBd*
IMDb rating: 6.1 / 10
Released: 2012
Other Categories: Drama, Comedy
Add to ‘My List’ on Netflix / Buy or Rent on Amazon Prime / DVD
A male stripper teaches a younger performer how to party, and make easy money, starting Channing Tatum.
Summary from IMBd*
IMDb rating: 6.1 / 10
Released: 2020
Other Categories: Comedy, Music, Drama
Attempting to bring traditional Bhangra to the world, a dancer prepares for an international competition against a rival with dreams of her own.
Summary and image from IMBd*
Recent divorcee Faith goes into a dance contest to save her dance studio, she meets Jimmy Hope and rediscovers her faith.
Summary and image from IMBd*
IMDb rating: 6.3 / 10
Released: 2020
Other Categories: Comedy, Drama, Family
Failing to find success on Broadway, April goes to her hometown and is recruited to train a misfit group of dancers for a big competition.
Summary and image from IMBd*
When a dancer is provoked his evil employer, naturally he will be out to prove his mettle.
Summary and image from IMBd*
IMDb rating: 6.4 / 10
Released: 2010
Other Categories: Drama, Music, Musical
Add to ‘My List’ on Netflix / Buy or Rent on Amazon Prime / DVD
A small-town girl travels to Los Angeles and ends up finding her place in a neo-burlesque club run by a former dancer. Featuring Cher and Christina Aguilera
Summary from IMBd*
IMDb rating: 6.4 / 10
Released: 2012
Other Categories: Drama, Music, Romance
Add to ‘My List’ on Netflix / Buy or Rent on Amazon Prime / DVD
Emily goes to Miami with aspirations of becoming a professional dancer. She clicks with Sean, the leader of a dance crew whose neighbourhood is threatened by Emily's father's housing plans.
IMDb rating: 6.5 / 10
Released: 2006
Other Categories: Drama, Music, Crime
Add to ‘My List’ on Netflix / Buy or Rent on Amazon Prime / DVD
Tyler Gage gets the opportunity of a lifetime after vandalising a performing arts school, getting him the chance to earn a scholarship and dance with an up and coming dancer.
Summary from IMBd*
IMDb rating: 6.7 / 10
Released: 2000
Other Categories: Drama, Music, Romance
Add to ‘My List’ on Netflix / Buy or Rent on Amazon Prime / DVD
12 teenagers from different backgrounds enrol at the American Ballet Academy in New York to make it as ballet dancers and each one deals with the problems getting ahead in the world of dance.
Summary from IMBd*
The rise, fall, and then rise again of this Hong Kong street dance crew.
Summary and image from IMBd*
IMDb rating: 6.8 / 10
Released: 2016
Other Categories: Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Add to ‘My List’ on Netflix / Buy or Rent on Amazon Prime / DVD
An orphan girl dreams of becoming a ballerina and flees her home for Paris, where she passes for someone else at the Grand Opera house.
Summary from IMBd*
The Debbie Allen Dance Academy and their award-winning version of The Nutcracker. Looking behind the scenes.
Summary and image from IMBd*
A young street gang in Mexico spends their time attending parties. After a mix-up with a cartel, their leader is forced to migrate to the U.S
Summary and image from IMBd*
Picked out by an eccentric ballet master, two gifted but underprivileged teens face bigotry and disappointment as they pursue their dreams as dancers.
Summary and image from IMBd*
There you have it, our list of the best 25 dance films on Netflix based on IMDb ratings (at time of writing), and what a mixture there is, from street dance styles to ballet, and from all over the world. I recently watched 'Yeh Ballet' and it's a great movie, do check it out!
Yeh Ballet (no. 1)
Step Up (no.7)
Center Stage (no.6)
Ballerina (no.4)
Notice how ballet movies take up 4 of the top 10 spots, displaying how this classical style continues to be very popular.
Honey 2 (no.24)
ABCD 2 (no.23)
Turkish Dance School (no.20)
Step up 5 All In (no.17)
Bhangra Paa Le (no.13)
Feel The Beat (no.11)
Work It (no.15)
Bhangra Paa Lee (no.13)
Feel The Beat (no.11)
Dance Dreams Hot Chocolate Nutcracker (no.3)
Yeh Ballet (no.1)
The 5 mentioned dance movies were all new in 2020.
There's a stack of classic dance movies on Amazon, but here's my 3 personal favourites: You Got Served, A Chorus Line and The Greatest Showman
1. You Got Served
2. A Chorus Line
3. The Greatest Showman
Thank you for reading, we hope you managed to find something to watch in our list of dance films on Netflix. Grab the popcorn, pop your feet up, bop your head along and submerge yourself in a dance flick.
Jen - Director
P.S.You might also like to watch some of our top 10 famous street dancers perform here.
*References:
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11247064/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2461132/?ref_=fn_al_tt_3
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1657283/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5267472/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2336014/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7533878/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6854672/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120576/?ref_=fn_al_tt_2
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2626350/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11162974/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10276470/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1915581/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9766280/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8310924/?ref_=fn_al_tt_9
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10714856/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3679000/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2321163/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1126591/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1800741/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0462590/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0210616/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3003996/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2261287/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8741182/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4323594/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10230436/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
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