“Strictly Ballroom” is an Australian-made spoof of the ballroom dance arena, and it’s a lot of fun. Scott Hastings (Paul Mercurio) is the son of a champion ballroom dancer, and she has raised him with the same ambitions. He wants to win the championship, but along the way, he started experimenting with steps of his own that weren’t strictly ballroom, and he demonstrated them at a lower-level meet, throwing the judges into a tizzy, nearly giving his mother a nervous breakdown, and causing everyone to wonder about the future of the sport. Liz, his partner (Gia Carides) refuses to dance with him any longer, so now he’s hunting for someone new.
Meanwhile, shy and mousy Fran (Tara Morice), one of the students at the Hastings’ dance school, approaches him with an idea. She wants to learn to dance his way and go with him to the championship. He’s not too keen on the idea –she’s a beginner, after all. But as he auditions other partners and realizes they all stink, he decides to give Fran a try.
His mother arranges for him to work with one of the most talented female dancers in the area, and he’s really tempted. He wants to win. But his feelings for Fran have gone beyond just partnership, and they’ve worked out a wonderful routine, helped by Fran’s father and grandmother, an authentic Paso Doble that will please the audience immensely. Scott has to choose –take the risk, or take the safe road.
I really enjoyed watching Fran’s father teach Scott the Paso—that was the highlight of the film for me. All the drama, all the passion, all the rhythm of the dance – it’s always been one of my favorite of the ballroom dances. This was a good way for me to get a dancing fix while waiting for the next season of “Dancing with the Stars” to get going.
This movie has some language and some brief sexuality, although mild. It was rated PG.
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