Top 10 Hardest Movie Dance Routines

Chicago (2002)

This performance oozes a dark and mysterious charisma that pulls the audience in from the first beat. Catherine Zeta-Jones is a master of her craft, commanding the number with a mix of cheeky gravitas and barely righteous indignation as she recalls Velmas supposed crimes. The high tone she sets is followed wonderfully by her fellow cell block girls, who attack the number in a crescendo of killer moves worthy of their bloody rap sheets. As the name suggests, the choreography blends tango with Bob Fosses brand of theatrical jazz, creating a sensual yet ferocious explanation for why He had it coming.

The Band Wagon (1953)

To this day, the elite pairing of Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse remains unmatched. The Girl Hunt sequence in The Band Wagon is testimony to their dynamic chemistry. The number doesnt just showcase their obviously grand skills but also highlights their storytelling ability as an action scene plays out entirely through dance. Charisse, with her million-dollar legs, is flow incarnate. Who can forget that incredible slide as she falls to Astaires knees? Meanwhile, his sense of rhythm needs no introduction. As ballet meets ballroom and tap with finely choreographed fight scenes, a noir unfolds before our eyes. Weve hardly seen anything like this since.

Royal Wedding (1951)

Who doesnt feel like theyre defying gravity when theyve fallen in love? Fred Astaire adds a literal dimension to this heart-fluttering feeling in this scene. What we see is an ever-so-graceful Astaire dancing on the ceiling without so much as a drop of sweat on his brow. What we dont see is the complex mechanism that went into making the set rotate while he created a seamless illusion. Gravity becomes Freds plaything as he turns the space into a dreamscape. He conveys levity through his expressions as his movements make no show of his herculean effort. A fantasy is created, and we get to revel in it.

West Side Story (1961)

Tucker Smiths Ice leads this intelligent and demanding number with extraordinary lyricality as he advises the Jets to keep their calm in a tumultuous situation. In thematic cohesion, the dancers alternate between intense bursts of energy and tempered control. Those tame moments make it painfully obvious that theyre dying to break free as flickers of unadulterated power peek through. The balance is so delicate and the tension so palpable that you cant help but hold your breath. The film is full of such excellent sequences. Theres ballet on the New York streets in Prologue. Similarly, the jazzy magic of Dance at the Gym is incomparable. Steven Spielbergs remake has a lovely America routine that more than lives up to the original. However, Jerome Robbins Cool is pure genius.

Black Swan (2010)

Its been over a decade since this film came out, but Natalie Portmans performance as Odette and Odile in the grand finale still sends chills down our spines. As Nina descends further and further into madness, her dance transcends human limits. This version of Swan Lake on steroids is haunting and a physical manifestation of Ninas inner turmoil, as opposed to her purity in the prologue. Ironically, its culmination is destructive and liberating at the same time, and Portman does a fantastic job of portraying that contrast. Her dance doubles, Sarah Lane and Kimberly Prosa, also deserve huge props for the technical perfection they brought to the stage. As if the original ballet wasnt hard enough, this darker routine is an even greater challenge.

Center Stage (2000)

This piece gets exceedingly delightful with every watch. It opens with a bog standard corps de ballet scene before making its subversive intentions clear with the screech of a motorcycle. As Cooper Nielson, Ethan Stiefel serves up exceptional technique and shares flirtatious magnetism with Amanda Schull as Jody Sawyer. The choreography also keeps things interesting. Mixing contemporary and jazz into its classical base, each scene brings a new flavor, including smoldering intimacy, and a soulful pas de trois. Everything culminates in a scorcher of a finale, letting Jody cut loose in a physical and emotional sense. The joyous release looks effortless, which just tells you how hard it must have been. Add in the technical skills and sheer versatility required to pull this off, and youve got a singular piece of work.

Singin' in the Rain (1952)

The world of dance hasnt been the same since Gene Kelly dropped this. Watching him abandon his blues to embrace the downpour heals something in us. Theres such effervescence in his nimble steps that you almost forget about his drenched socks. Jokes aside, Gene Kelly makes tap dance look like hes walking on cloud nine, not wet pavements. His routine has been imitated and referenced by many, but nothing beats the original. His only competition is himself because we almost put Moses Supposes on this list instead of Singin' in the Rain! Kelly and Leslie Carons final ballet scene from An American in Paris was a contender, too. However, the monumental cultural impact of this number is simply undeniable.

Step Up 2: The Streets (2008)

A dark and slippery alleyway is not the ideal stage, but these are street dancers were talking about. This is where theyre in their element, and the torrential rain adds just the right amount of dramatic effect. In this final dance-off, every step is so carefully choreographed that the water looks like a paid actor. In fact, the raindrops ricocheting off of the dancers make their moves appear even more impactful. Some of the best breakdancing, popping, and locking in the film happens in this scene, and it is an absolute treat to witness. Luckily for us, theres more where that came from as Moose does it again in Step Up 3D. Still, the OG wins, hands down.

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954)

If theres anything lacking in todays dating scene, its exuberant courtship like this - later problematic story beats notwithstanding. The celebrated barn raising dance sequence is one of the best routines from storied choreographer Michael Kidd. The fusion of hoedown with ballet and acrobatics, complete with romantic lifts, gives the number an infectious energy like no other. The use of a wooden log for some of the riskiest gymnastics is brilliant, to say the least, and the execution is smooth as butter. Most of the actors were professional ballet dancers but never slipped out of their on-screen personas as rugged and inexperienced country dudes. Kidd paid particular attention to this detail when choreographing the routine. The result is breathtaking but also believable.

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

This Tap Duet Shows the Reel and Real-Life Chemistry of Brothers Gregory and Maurice Hines

Mikhail Baryshnikov Puts on a Majestic Display

This Number Is a Lesson in Perfect Timing

Its a Stunning, Impressionistic Sequence That Remains Memorable

Only This Dance Can Make Traffic Look Fun

Stormy Weather (1943)

The Nicholas Brothers breathed life into Cab Calloways magnificent composition with this generation-defining routine. Theres no doubt that Fayard and Harold Nicholas were gods among men when it came to tap dancing. However, this sequence defies all expectations, setting the bar so high that it remains unsurpassable. The impeccable use of space makes the dance feel larger than life, much like their elastic split jumps, which leave our jaws hanging on the floor. The sheer originality of the number is unparalleled even today and will be studied for decades to come.

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