MAD HOT BALLROOM — *** — Documentary feature about the New York public school system's ballroom-dancing program; in English, with subtitles for some foreign dialects; rated PG (mild vulgarity).
The sight of youngsters performing choreographed dance routines with as much (or maybe more) style, grace and class most adults could muster is enough to make "Mad Hot Ballroom" worthwhile.
But the filmmakers aren't content with that.
The movie looks at the American Ballroom Theater's (ABrT) Dancing Classrooms program, an instructional program that teaches ballroom dance to thousands of New York City public-school students. At times, the point of it all starts to get away from director Marilyn Agrelo and producer Amy Sewell, who may be trying to tell a few too many stories. But the kids' enthusiasm for dancing continually buoys the material, one of several reasons the documentary was a hit at this year's Slamdance Film Festival.
Participation in the 10-week program is required for New York's fifth-graders, who are taught by instructors from the ABrT. Agrelo concentrates on students from three elementary schools — P.S. 150 in Tribeca, P.S. 115 in Washington Heights and P.S. 112 in Bensonhurst.
The three schools represent a cross-section of New York City. The Tribeca students are mostly middle-class, while the Washington Heights kids come from lower-income, immigrant families (mostly from the Dominican Republic). And the dance styles they're learning are equally as varied — including the tango, merengue and swing.
All three are hoping their respective dance teams — comprising six "couples" — will get to the championship, also known as the Rainbow Team Matches.
Along with the kids, the real star here is director of photography Claudia Raschke, whose sweeping camera movements often match the dancing. She also sets her camera at the children's level, which allows us to see their expressions. (P.S. 115's little charmer, Wilson Castillo, has a winning smile.)
What Agrelo also shows are the respective teachers' passion and love for their students, especially when P.S. 150's Allison Sheniak is overcome with emotion as she tries to decide which of her students will be in the competition.
"Mad Hot Ballroom" is rated PG for some mildly suggestive dance moves. Running time: 105 minutes.
E-mail: jeff@desnews.com