Top 10 Most Emotional Dance Scenes in Movies

“All That Jazz” (1979)
Near the end of Bob Fosse’s semi-autobiographical musical drama, the dying choreographer-director Joe Gideon experiences a hallucination. He joins musical star Ben Vereen and two dancers to perform his dark, explosive, and surprisingly touching swan song. It’s as much a send-up of show business as it is a celebration of it. As Vereen and the dancers sing and strut across the stage, Gideon says a tongue-in-cheek farewell to everyone he knows, even if they can’t stand him. What starts out as a parody soon becomes surprisingly touching as Gideon says goodbye to his adoring fans, colleagues, exes, and the daughter he’s leaving behind. His talent is the only way he can actually relate to anyone in his life.

“Singin’ in the Rain” (1952)
No one could exude charm and grace like Gene Kelly. With his puppy dog eyes and graceful footwork, he made being a romantic lead look so easy. After searching all over town for Debbie Reynolds’ character, an actress who’s captured his heart, he knows he’s got to pull out the big guns if he wants to win her over. The two finally meet again on a soundstage, where he leads her in a dance in front of a beautiful sunset backdrop and an industrial fan. It’s a beautiful marriage of music, movement, and pure movie magic.

“The Sound of Music” (1965)
Maria and Captain Von Trapp have never been on the same page when it comes to his children. When they dance the Ländler together, they move as if they share a mind. In the all too brief scene, the two dance across the terrace in front of the Captain’s children and the envious Baroness. Despite the movie’s reputation as squeaky-clean and family-friendly, there’s a lot of subtext to chew on here. Watching the dance go from something friendly and innocent to something more intimate is kind of thrilling, especially when we see just how troubled Maria is by their obvious connection.

“Aftersun” (2022)
On the last night of their Turkish holiday together, Sophie and her depressed father share a carefree dance to the song “Under Pressure.” Their dance is a rare moment of joy for the father and becomes the emotional crux of the entire movie. Throughout the story, we’re shown snippets of the girl as an adult, searching for her father on a crowded dance floor while a strobe light obscures our view. We come to realize at this moment that it’s really her recalling their last times together. All that remains of their relationship exists in video recordings and a few fading memories.

“Black Swan” (2010)
After almost two hours of nail-biting tension and body horror, ballet dancer Nina makes her big debut in Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake.” Driven to the brink by her insecurities, even the smallest misstep spells disaster for her fragile psyche. It doesn’t help that she’s become totally unable to tell fantasy from reality. Director Darren Aronofsky and actress Natalie Portman make us feel every pang of anxiety as the character unravels before our eyes. In the devastating finale, as that pulsing score hits its final notes and Nina takes her big leap, it’s hard not to feel terrified for her.

“Dirty Dancing” (1987)
Once the upstanding doctor’s daughter Baby met the working class dance instructor from the wrong side of the tracks, it would have been more surprising if they didn’t fall in love. Their final dance together, to the soon-to-be-classic song, is a triumph of their trust in each other. When Baby jumps into that lift, you gotta have a little lump in your throat. It’s not just a difficult move to pull off, it’s a visual metaphor for Baby asserting her independence in a world that doesn’t take her seriously. Characters make peace with each other, all wrongs are made right, and the entire cast comes together in a euphoric group dance in a finale of gooey, 80s charm.

“Away We Go” (2009)
A couple expecting their first child go on a cross-country road trip to find the perfect home to start their new family. Along the way, they reconnect with old friends like Tom and Munch, who have been trying to have biological children for years. As Munch performs a dazed and lethargic pole dance at a club, her husband explains how she’s miscarried five times, offering the hesitant parents a much-needed perspective shift. Juxtaposed against Munch’s performance, this revelation packs an unexpected emotional wallop. Like most of the movie’s heartbreaks, it comes virtually out of nowhere and in an unexpected package.

“West Side Story” (1961)
It’s a throwdown on the dance floor as the Jets and Sharks meet at the gym. But in the midst of the high kicks and twirling, star-crossed lovers Tony and Maria see each other for the first time. All the world and conflict around them fade into a blurred and echoing unreality. The dance turns to a gentle ballet as we watch them fall instantly in love. Even though we know what’s coming, or maybe because we know what’s coming, it’s particularly sad to see them make their first connection. We know it can’t last.

“Billy Elliot” (2000)
The son of a working-class coal miner, 11-year-old Billy Elliot finds an unexpected passion and talent for ballet. From his shaky first lessons to dancing across town when his emotions get the better of him, Billy has learned that sometimes it’s the only way he can actually express himself. When his father finds out he’s still dancing despite being forbidden, Billy knows he can’t possibly explain in words. So, he launches into a triumphant dance in open defiance of his father. He flies, twirls, and pirouettes across the gym, free as a bird. It’s a desperate, dizzying, and euphoric performance that leaves his stoic father speechless.

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

For the First Time, a High School Outcast Feels Accepted by Her Peers… It Doesn’t Last

Sebastian & Mia Defy Gravity at the Griffith Observatory

After a Near-Disastrous Stumble, the Hopeful Dancer Nails Her Big Audition

The Crowd Gives Scott & Fran a Beat to Dance to When Their Performance Is Sabotaged

A Hard-Drinking Teacher Shares a Joyous Seaside Dance with Some Former Students

“The Red Shoes” (1948)
Starring in a ballet based on “The Red Shoes,” art begins to imitate life for ballerina Victoria Page. The stunning, 17-minute ballet sequence works on two levels, mirroring her offstage dilemma while also being the direct cause of that dilemma. She is faced with an impossible situation. She is being forced to choose between her career and the love of her life. In the end, she chooses neither. The audience is left to wonder if the real curse of the Red Shoes came to life or if Victoria simply couldn’t live without both of her great loves.