Upcoming Dance Movies in 2009

Here is a teaser for a number of dance films coming out this year:

Dance Flick
Release date: Feb. 9, 2009 (wide release)
I'm not sure this counts as a 'dance' movie. It's a parody of dance movies from the Wayans brothers. In the same way they parodied scary movies in Scary Movie, this film takes a shot at dance movies like Save the Last Dance and You Got Served. Even though it's a parody though, I expect that it will feature some nice dancing between laughs. (View Trailer)



Mao's Last Dancer
Release date: Sometime in 2009
Cast: Kyle McLachlan, Joan Chen / Director: Bruce Beresford
Based on the book, this story depicts Li Cunxin who, at the age of 11, was selected by Madame Mao's cultural delegates to be taken to Beijing to study ballet. In 1979, during a cultural exchange to Texas, he falls in love and later defects. He goes on to perform in the US and Australia. It's a rags-to-riches story that's based on actual events.




Fame
Release date: Sept. 25, 2009
Cast: Debbie Allen, Charles S. Dutton, Kelsey Grammer, Megan Mullally, Bebe Neuwirth, Thomas Dekker / Director: Kevin Tancharoen
A remake of the classic, this film follows the lives of students and teachers of the prestigious High School for the Performing Arts in NY. With Debbie Allen on board, you know the dancing will be worth watching. There are mixed expectations for this film but I think the mix of an older, more established cast with the young student hopefuls could be fascinating. No poster is available yet, and when one is I'm pretty sure it will feature Thomas Dekker (of Heroes and Sarah Connor fame) but until then, here is the fabulous Debbie Allen.

Every Little Step
Release date: Sometime in 2009
Cast: Bob Avian, Michael Bennett, Charlottee d'Amboise, Ramon Flowers, Jessica Lee Goldyn, Marvin Hamlisch / Director: Adam Del Deo, James Stern
This documentary follows real-life dancers struggling through auditions for "A Chorus Line" revival - giving us the performance numbers we know and love and a peek behind the curtain. Nice!


Nutcracker: The Untold Story
Release date: December 2009
Cast: John Turturro, Nathan Lane, Elle Fanning / Director: Andrei Konchalovsky
The classic story of a 9 year old girl who is given a wooden nutcracker doll which comes to life and takes her on a magical adventure. Based on the Nutcracker and the Mouse King by E.T.A. Hoffmann, I'm not sure where the "untold story" comes in unless it's the fact that Tim Rice contributed lyrics to some new songs using Tchaikovsky's scores. The classical ballet, The Nutcracker, is usually performed close to the holidays, and this movie looks like it's following suit.

Nine
Release date: 9/9/2009 (get it?)
Cast: Daniel Day-Lewis, Marion Cottilard, Penelope Cruz, Kate Hudson, Nicole Kidman, Sophia Loren / Director: Rob Marshall (Chicago)
Based on the Broadway musical and inspired by Fellini's "8 1/2", this film follows a famous film director as he directs his latest film while balancing the women in his life: his wife, his mistress, his leading lady and muse, his confidante and costume designer, his mother and a journalist. With Rob Marshall helming the film, this is the year's biggest musical.