More Than Just a Dance Mad Hot Ballroom

Curriculum 550 Digital Media Literacy

June 28, 2018

More Than Just a Dance Mad Hot Ballroom

Mad Hot Ballroom is a Documentary that premiered in 2005. The Documentary chronicles the lives of several New York City schoolchildren as they get ready for a dancing competition sponsored by the nonprofit group American Ballroom Theater. As the finals of the competition near, the students -- ranging in age from 10 to 11 and coming from both poor and affluent neighborhoods -- make their transformation from reticent novices to confident contestants versed in the Latin styles of foxtrot, merengue and rumba. 

The contributors to Rethinking Popular Culture and Media demonstrate, that we can promote alternative representations of teachers that frame educational issues in different and more complex ways. In her chapter, “More Than Just Dance Lessons,” Terry Burant analyzes how the documentary Mad Hot Ballroom raises a number of important questions about teaching that challenges the familiar teacher-as-savior story line, such as “How can we change the face of teaching to reflect a more diverse nation?” Too often educators focus on critiquing children’s popular cultural texts as somehow separate from that of adults when in reality, television and film cross over between audiences and share familiar images and story lines. Educators can and should use Media Literacy as an invitation to improve our own digital citizenship, to use technologies to resist and rewrite representations of teachers as saviors and burnouts, as well as any other number of stereotypes, in popular culture and in mainstream media.

The film also raises questions about gender, sexuality, and the complexities and tyranny of competition, although not necessarily in explicit ways. The traditional gender roles inherent in ballroom dance (for example: boys lead, girls follow) aren't disrupted or challenged. In between dances, the film weaves precious glimpses of the children's lives and opinions into the mix, and many of these vignettes illustrate the pervasive heterosexual orientation in dance lessons, school, and life in general. Although the heartbreak of competition is vividly expressed in the children's tears and in their heartfelt debriefings afterwards, there is an unquestioning acceptance of competition as a cultural form throughout the film. But the structure of the competition itself, with a grand parade of all the dancers and prizes for everyone, the supportive refrains of all of the instructors, and even the names of the levels in which all the teams are either bronze-, silver-, or gold-level winners, help to mitigate the potentially nastier effects of competition.

The film raises serious and important questions about the demographics of teaching and the persistent need for more teachers of color in our schools in the United States. Ms. Burant believes that this film will be a useful tool for stimulating discussions about questions such as: “Can white teachers teach all children? If so, what do they need to know, or be able to do, to do this well? How can we change the face of teaching to reflect a more diverse nation? Sadly many non-minority teachers do not understand that for many of these Latino students and their family keeping their culture alive is a very important aspect of their lives. Many parents have to leave their countries in many cases in search of a better life. They have to leave everything and start from ZERO in order for them to have better live for them and for their children. 

Mad Hot Ballroom perfectly brings to life the action and color of New York City streets—from flower vendors to overflowing buckets of mussels and shrimp. And the children themselves take center stage, delivering insights on life as only fifth graders can. The film also demonstrate that having high expectations and having a growth mindset presented how despite these children educational, social and health issues, the dance program changed their lives. The dance program gave the students something to look forward to whether they’re any good or not. Being able to accomplish something in life certainly gives them and their family great joy!!. Culturally speaking the joy of knowing that after accomplishing a task/goal successfully, they will not only get a huge trophy, but will get a praise from adults. “Mad Hot Ballroom,” perfectly present how the music and the rhythm could change someone’s life for the better. The film also highlights caring teachers inspiring students not to give up on their dreams. All cultures create forms of visual arts, turn sounds into music as well as movements into dance. All of the arts are a part of our culture yet our educational systems include drawing, instrumental music and singing – but dance is often left out. I wish we schools would bring back dance class, not just at the high school level, they should start teaching them since elementary school. Students get to express their emotions thru music. Music is culture, is represents who we are. Music is our identity. I love to see how this documentary, gives aspiring young dancers an engaging intro to ballroom dance.