Top 10 Exact Moments We Found Out a Child Actor Could Dance

Jaden’s first feature film was “The Pursuit of Happyness,” in 2006, alongside his father, Will Smith. He continued to dabble in acting and eventually turned his sights to music. However, besides being a great actor and singer, it turns out he can throw some epic moves too— and no, we don’t just mean those awesome karate stunts, which he mostly did himself. No, we’re talking about his dance skills in the arcade. We’re pretty sure the looks on our faces were no different than his when he watches Meiying dance. If that isn’t enough, he also strutted his stuff on “Ellen” while promoting the movie.

These days, Carpenter’s music can get anyone on their feet faster than three shots of “Espresso.” However, she was flexing her dance skills long before her music career took off. Fans of “Girl Meets World” might recall one spooky episode where Riley and Maya are haunted by a previous resident of the house who calls herself the Bay Window Ghost. She insists that she can’t move on until they learn to love the Bay Window as much as she once did. Perhaps Maya isn’t too happy about being forced to cut a rug, but it’s definitely a thrill for us. Carpenter and Riley actress Rowan Blanchard are so good! Talk about having some “hot feet!”

Many of us first met LiLo in the 1998 remake of “The Parent Trap.” She shot to stardom in the early 00s with roles in “Freaky Friday,” “Mean Girls,” and “Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen,” where she played Mary/Lola, a teenager dreaming of Broadway fame. After her family moves out of the city, she starts at a new school and sets her sights on landing the lead role in their musical, “Eliza Rocks.” When her big moment comes, she totally nails it. How many of us dreamed our school would put on this show after watching Lohan’s performance? At the very least, we watched that scene over and over, trying to perfect her moves.

Did you know that Batman could dance? As a kid, Bale attended ballet classes before getting his big break in “Empire of the Sun” when he was 13. However, he hadn’t hung up his dancing shoes quite yet. In 1992, he played newsboy Jack Kelly in the Disney cult classic “Newsies.” Now, anyone who has seen the film knows that this young ensemble’s choreography goes far beyond a few box steps and jazz hands. While we can’t know if Bale kept up with his Pliés and Rond de Jambes, he definitely didn’t let his sense of rhythm and nimble feet slide either. If you thought that was impressive, just watch him go in “Swing Kids”!

If you grew up watching “The Mickey Mouse Club” or followed the Canadian dancing kids scene in the 90s, you may have known that this actor has some serious moves. However, it would still be a while until the rest of us were clued in. In 2016, he starred alongside Emma Stone in the movie musical “La La Land,” which celebrates the genre’s golden era. Now, we're not saying he's the next Gene Kelly or Fred Astaire. However, we’re pretty sure that he would fit right in starring alongside those two Hollywood icons in their heyday. If Broadway ever calls, we truly hope he answers!

Today, you probably know Coco Jones as a Grammy-winning artist. But like several of our favorite contemporary singers, she got her start on the Disney Channel. She first wowed many of us with her triple-threat talents as Roxie in the 2012 hit movie “Let It Shine.” “What I Said” is so much better than any song on the network has a right to be! Plus, her performance wouldn’t look out of place in a music video— you know, the kind that sparks a global dance trend? If you ask us, this wasn’t just the moment we discovered she could dance; it was also the moment we knew she was going to make it big.

NPH first gained fame as the titular child prodigy doctor in “Doogie Howser, M.D.,” but today, he’s probably best known for playing the suit-wearing, high-five-loving Barney Stinson in “How I Met Your Mother.” For the show’s 100th episode, he went all out with an ode to his beloved suits. Before all that, though, he had already racked up a ton of stage credits. However, it was this moment that really showcased his dance skills to the masses. He continued to flex his moves almost anytime he hosted an award show. There’s also his Tony-winning performance in “Hedwig and the Angry Inch,” where he took things up a notch by dancing in heels we’re not even sure we could stand in!

Did you know that when this Spider-Man hits the dance floor, he always sticks the rhythm? We got our first glimpse of his talents when he competed against his “Spider-Man” costar, Zendaya, on “Lip Sync Battle.” Actually, if you happened to catch the West End run of “Billy Elliot” between 2008 and 2010, you may have first caught his moves then! Anyway, Holland started his second performance with a suave take on Gene Kelly’s “Singin’ in the Rain” before transitioning into Rihanna’s “Umbrella.” Not only are his moves on fire, but he throws in some jaw-dropping stunts, too— as “the rain pours,” no less! Even Zendaya is floored! Werk it Spider-Man!

Shirley Temple was Hollywood’s darling during the Great Depression era. Her sweet-as-candy demeanor could put a smile on anyone’s face. Most audiences first learned she could also shake a leg when she performed the Stair Dance alongside tap dance extraordinaire Bill “Bojangles” Robinson in the 1935 flick “The Little Colonel.” This was Robinson’s signature routine, and apparently, he knew that teaching it to his young co-star would be challenging. So, instead, he broke it down more simply for her and adjusted his own steps so that it looked like she was mirroring his. Despite the years between them, this turned out to be one of the defining dance partnerships of its time.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Daniel Radcliffe, “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying”
Looks like Someone Was Hit with a Dancing Feet Charm!

Christina Applegate, “Sweet Charity”
The “Married… with Children” Actress Showed Off Her Sweet Moves in the 2005 “Sweet Charity” Broadway Revival

Raven-Symoné, “That’s So Raven” (2003-07)
It Almost Feels like This Episode Was Crafted to Let Her Triple Threat Talents Shine

Jodie Sweetin, “Full House” (1987-95)
Fun Fact: The Actress’ Actual Dance Teacher Choreographed This Routine & Those Are Her Actual Dance Class Buddies Too!

Jenna Ortega, “Wednesday” (2022-)
She Also Came Up with the Moves, so She Can Basically Add ‘Choreographer’ to Her Résumé, Right?

Many of us first met Garland as Dorothy Gale in “The Wizard of Oz.” Yet, we’d argue that it was in her final film with MGM, “Summer Stock,” that we first got to see her full range. Starring with Gene Kelly, Garland plays Jane, who begrudgingly allows her sister’s theater group to use her farm for rehearsals. Jane must have caught the performance bug since she appears in two of the movie’s most memorable numbers. In “Portland Fancy,” she and Kelly’s Joe start as dance floor rivals. However, they soon realize how amazing they are when they move in harmony. There’s also another musical scene where Garland’s moves will definitely make you “Get Happy.”

Which child actor’s moves surprised you the most? Let us know in the comments.