Five Dances

A shy 18 year old moves from Kansas to The Big Apple and starts learning five dances hence the title. Every piece of the film's dances will be seared into your brain by the end of the film, but it is how it gets there that is the best part

Katie, Theo, Anthony, Cynthia and Chip are the main cast and most of this movie takes place in the dance studio. It's pretty much life for these dancers.

Always in the back of his mind is his Mom, his mother wants him to return to Kansas and she suspects Chip's doing a lot more than dancing in NYC

It is indeed a slow burn, but worth it. There's lots of silence in the film and some of it is filled with music. All the cast I feel help it shine but one subplot in the film must have had more time but may have been cut.

If you like an artsy slow burn that has good pay off, I would venture this as a good flick. I like how it does have LGBT themes but it is about opening up and being who you're supposed to be

Acting is a bit weak, but OMG......the two male dancers have wonderful modern dance technique and the choreographer's style showcased them in a masculine, yet pretty, lyrical style. The ending duet is compelling to watch and demonstrates the type of artistry that is possible when commercial TV is not influencing the overall choreography. Dance doesn't have to be all about splash and flash going a million miles an hour in order to be captivating and tastefully done. These two dudes have mastered the demands of the choreography and the beauty of their physical lines should be compelling to watch for anyone who appreciates the beautiful line of a dancer's body.

Five Dances (2013) was written and directed by Alan Brown. This is a movie you see for the dancing, not the plot. Ryan Steele plays Chip Daniel, an extraordinarily gifted dancer, who has just arrived in NYC from Kansas.

He's ready for the professional demands of dancing, but nothing else is working out for him. He has no money, no place to live, and no friends. His mother calls him endlessly demanding that he return, and telling him, "I know what you're doing there."

Returning to Kansas is out of the question. However, Chip is going to need help to survive in New York so that he can do what he does better than anyone else--dance.

Chip's encounters with the company choreographer and with the other dancers make up the plot. However, in a sense, the plot gets in the way of the dance sequences. My suggestion--don't worry about the plot; see this film for the dancing.

We saw this movie at the Little Theatre as part of Image Out--the Rochester LGBT Film Festival. It probably works better on a large screen, but it's worth seeking out and watching on video if that's the only available option.

I enjoyed this simple story about the intimacy and vulnerability that is experienced between a group of dancers (or any group of artists, for that matter). The main character was a gentle and torn soul. The cast did not appear to be professional actors, but delivered genuine performances. I found the soundtrack to be gorgeous (loved the Perfume Genius track)and well chosen. The cinematography was be impressive, though there was some strange editing, at times. An overall nice, sweet, and enjoyable film. My only gripe, and it's a small one, was that most all of the cast seemed to be on the verge of tears. This seemed to be a bit one-dimensional, but the mood shifted in the latter part of the film.

Undoubtedly one of the most beautiful and touching queer movies of the 2010s. The acting and dancing is absolutely top-notch. I honestly did not expect such a wonderful gem of a film.