Movie Review:
Take the Lead

Director: Liz Friedlander
Production Company: New Line Cinema
Cast: Antonio Banderas, Alfre Woodard, Elijah Kelley, Dante Basco, Jenna Dewan
Rating: PG-13 for language, mild violence and suggestive situations

By Gregg Tubbs

(UMCom) — They say that for a director, casting is half the job. If that's the case, then Take the Lead director Liz Friedlander must have blessed the day that the graceful, charismatic Antonio Banderas signed on for this lively and inspiring film about a world-class ballroom dancer who volunteers to teach dance to troubled inner city kids. The kids not only learn how to dance, but they also learn lessons in self-control, discipline, dignity, and mutual respect they will need to compete on the dance floor. Take the Lead is a portrait of character building disguised as dance moves, and its lessons are the lessons of life.

Inspired by the same true story on which the popular documentary Mad Hot Ballroom was based, Take the Lead revolves around internationally acclaimed ballroom dancer and dance instructor Pierre Dulane, played with self-effacing charm by Antonio Banderas.

The kids not only learn how to dance, but they also learn lessons in self-control, discipline, dignity, and mutual respect they will need to compete on the dance floor. Copyright © 2006 New Line Cinema

In the film, after witnessing a student vandalizing a parked car, Dulane discovers the car belongs to the principal at the nearby high school. Disturbed, but also curious, he visits the principal the next day to report the crime and offer to volunteer at the school. Principal James (Alfre Woodard) suggests the usual volunteer opportunities—PTA or mentoring—but Dulane has a different idea. From his encounters with students that day, he is convinced that they could learn much from the art of dance. Although at first skeptical, Principal James consents to the plan, provided he will agree to start as the detention monitor. Teaching dance to the most troubled students at the school will be optional.

Dulane (Antonio Banderas) pairs Rock (Rob Brown) and Larhette (Yaya DaCosta) as waltz partners, saying that the waltz teaches trust. Copyright © 2006 New Line Cinema

From the moment he arrives in the dingy, basement detention hall, we are reminded of countless "square" teacher-helping-wayward-youth dramas, from Blackboard Jungle to Coach Carter. But Take the Lead literally gives the old story a new spin—as well as a twirl, sway and dip. The eclectic soundtrack of jazz standards, waltzes and hip-hop hybrids infuses the drama with a determined and seductive rhythm, while the MTV-influenced editing energizes the story without overpowering it.

The film effectively develops the students' personal stories, revealing that their troubles at school are symptomatic of bitter and broken homes. As he works with the kids, Dulane shows that his real gift is not simply getting these already cynical youths to care about dancing, but getting them to trust him and understand that he really cares about them. For many of them, this is a first. Until now, the adults in their lives have done nothing but let them down, instilling in them feelings of both mistrust and unworthiness. Time and again, Dulane proves that he not only cares about them, but that they can trust him not to let them down.

As he works with the kids, Dulane (Antonio Banderas) shows that his real gift is not simply getting these already cynical youths to care about dancing, but getting them to trust him. Copyright © 2006 New Line Cinema

Dulane teaches them that dance is a metaphor for life. Waltzes require trust, foxtrots depend on teamwork and tangos demand mutual respect and dignity. Those are the lessons of Take the Lead, but those lessons would never have hit home unless they believed their teacher cared. In the process, they learn to care for one another and to work out their troubles on the dance floor rather than through violence. The film only begins to wobble as Dulane's detention dancers take a stuffy ballroom dance contest by storm. Although believability is stretched, our affection for this big-hearted film never is.

During the most effective scene, one kid refers to the student dancers as nothing but a bunch of rejects. Dulane disagrees. "When I look about this room," he says with growing pride, "I see nothing but choices waiting to be made—not a reject in sight." In a way, this is an affirmation we all need to move forward and have hope. We need to know that someone cares about us, sees our potential—even when we don't—and is willing to reach out, perhaps even sacrifice, to help us. In his own way, Dulane was emulating Jesus, who came to earth to do just that. Maybe that's why one popular hymn refers to Jesus as "The Lord of the Dance." Waltz on out and check out Take the Lead.

Gregg Tubbs is a freelance writer living in Columbia, Md.

This review was developed by UMC.org, the official online ministry of The United Methodist Church.

Group Study Guide

Study Questions:

• Do you think that Dulane did the right thing by not turning in Rock when he caught him vandalizing the car?
• What was your first impression of Principal James? Did it change when she explained about the pictures of students on her office wall?
• What role did forgiveness play in the relationship between Rock and Larhette? What about trust?
• Do you believe doing things together, like dancing, can help people understand each other better? What other things can people do that might bring them closer together?
• Was there a character you empathized with? Was there one you didn't?
• Larhette talked about being in "her moment." Do you have a moment? Do you believe prayer or worship is like being in a "moment" like she described?
• Peer pressure weighed heavily on Rock. Have you ever felt pressured to follow the crowd, even when you knew it was wrong? How did you resolve the situation?
• Do you ever outgrow being influenced by peer pressure? Are adults influenced by their peers? Can faith help you overcome peer pressure?
• When Rock said to Dulane that some people just get what they want, Dulane replied, "Those are the people who show up who get it." What do you think he meant? What does it mean to "show up" for your life? How does God want us to show up?
• If you had a dance move, what would it be? What would it say about you? What would you call it?

Group Activities:

Lord of the Dance: Although some Christian groups frown on dancing, dance has a long history as an element of worship. As a group, discuss your views on dancing. Can we dance to please the Lord? David danced and played music as an act of praise. Together read 2 Samuel 6:1-17. To aid in your discussion, read the lyrics or sing the hymn, "The Lord of the Dance." It is well known and can be found in most hymnals. What does the song mean? Can the dance in the song be an effective metaphor for the creative power of God?

Make a Mix: Dulane and the students really began to connect when he opened up to some of their music and even allowed them to mix his songs and theirs, his dance steps and theirs. John and Charles Wesley did much the same thing in their day, taking popular songs and turning the melodies into hymns. Have your group divide into small teams and create their own mixes. Ask them to take the words of a hymn and fit them to a popular song, or take a popular song and adapt the words to a hymn tune. After they are finished, ask teams to perform their song for the whole group.

The Courage to Follow: When Dulane paired Rock and Larhette to waltz together, he said that waltzing teaches trust. He blindfolded Larhette and asked her to trust Rock to lead her. When she said letting him lead made her feel weak, Dulane replied, "It takes courage to follow." Try this with your group. Pair off and have each person take a turn being the leader and then the follower. The follower should be blindfolded (a necktie or scarf will work). Couples who know how to dance can try dancing, like Rock and Larhette, or simply walk around, with the leader going forward and the follower walking backwards. Discuss the experience afterwards. Did it take trust to be led blindfolded? Does it take courage to follow? Relate this to our experience of following Christ. Does it take courage to follow Christ? Can we all be leaders? Is following weak or can it be a sign of strength if you are following in the right path?

Resources
Official Take the Lead Web site
Official Mad Hot Ballroom Web site

Theatrical Trailer
QuickTime