entertainment

A definitive ranking of the 12 greatest dance movies of all time.

Imma let you finish, but these were the 12 best dance movies of ALL TIME.

For no reason other than the fact that dance movies are unequivocally awesome, we have ranked the 12 best of them, of all time. For everyone to argue over.

Because you haven’t fully utilised your weekend if you have not spent a least some time in the endless, black hole that is YouTube watching dance videos.

RELATED: He was told he was too fat to dance. Now the world is throwing him a dance party.

There’s a few controversial additions and some risky oversights but let this list take you back to a better dance-y time and inspire you to embrace this much overlooked film genre.

12. Take the Lead

It’s the classic dance movie plot line: caring teacher saves underprivileged kids though the power of dance.

11. Footloose

Kevin Bacon saves an entire town from oppression with the power of dance. Dance is powerful, guys.

10. Black Swan

This movie is equal parts disturbing and amazing, while also shattering whatever childhood dreams you had of being a ballerina.

9. Flashdance

A gritty steel-worker with a secret penchant for dance. You just don’t see that plot line enough these days.

8. Strictly Ballroom

This will take you back to a time when Paul Mercurio was in his prime and Ballroom Dancing seemed cool.

7. The Full Monty

Laid off steel mill workers form a striptease troop to pay the bills, thus proving that not every stripper has to be a ridiculously tanned and toned specimen to impress.

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6. Magic Mike

But it sure doesn’t hurt when they are. And yes Magic Mike counts as a dance movie. Stripping is just dancing with less clothes okay? OKAY? You can’t fight the thrusting. It’s hypnotic.

5. Honey

You can’t go past vintage Jessica Alba teaching some sassy, young kids how to dance. The bonus cameo from Missy Elliot makes Honey a noughties masterpiece.

4. Save the Last Dance

It’s like Romeo and Juliet but with more dancing and less death. Fun fact: Julia Styles got chosen for the part after her drunken, table-top dance moves in 10 Things I Hate About You.

3. Centre Stage

Try and get this Jamiroquai song out of your head after this clip.

2. Step Up

The Step Up franchise introduced the world to Channing Tatum and for that we are eternally grateful. No less impressive are the sequels, including the remarkable pre-credit sequence in Step Up 2 The Streets.

1. Dirty Dancing

It’s the movie that features arguably the single most important dance move in history: The Lift. You can’t beat it. GOOSEBUMPS. EVERY. TIME. [Ed note: I just want to put in a plug here for  Dirty Dancing 2: Havana Nights. Boy from the wrong side of the tracks meets rich girl. They go in a dance competition. Fall in love. So, ok, it’s the same plot as the original. But it is set in pre-revolutionary Cuba. Do yourself a favour – Amy.]

Have we missed your favourite dance movie?