Mad Hot Ballroom (PG, 2005)

MAD HOT BALLROOM follows participants in American Ballroom Theater's (ABrT) Dancing Classrooms at three public schools in New York City: Tribeca's P.S. 150, Washington Heights' P.S. 115, and Bensonhurst, Brooklyn's P.S. 112.

At first, it might seem strange to see such young people working so seriously on ballroom dancing. But within minutes, Marilyn Agrelo's documentary convinces viewers that this is exactly the right activity for these dedicated, enchanting fifth graders. As they work with their teachers and each other to learn the difficult steps and postures for the rumba, tango, swing, merengue, and fox trot, they also reveal much about themselves, as thoughtful, dynamic young people. As they dance, they are exposed to various cultural traditions, and begin to learn traditional gender roles (the boys are instructed, "Take care of your partner").

More than anything else, the movie impresses by the respect it affords its subjects. Whether the dancers perform for the camera (which some of them certainly do), explain their interest (Michael Vaccaro says, "It's like a sport that hasn't been invented yet!"), confess concerns (philosophically inclined Cyrus Hernstadt says, "Dance is like a tiny grain of sand if you consider the entire country"), or express themselves in complicated dance moves (the swing dancers are moving fast), they all give of themselves, for the enthusiastic adults they want to please (teachers like Yomaira Reynoso and Victoria Malvagno, as well as parents), and especially, each other.