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I saw the movie Mad Hot Ballroom yesterday. If you can, do see the movie. It features school children of NYC who enter ballroom dancing competition. ...My friend said it made her want to return to the classroom! In Dallas, it is playing at the theater which shows "off the beaten path" movies. Some reviews follow: http://www.citypages.com/movies/detail.asp?MID=6923 Mad Hot Ballroom Rated: PG , Released: 2005 See Also: ğMovie Times Every year, kids from 60 schools throughout New York City enter a ballroom dance competition. Yes, you heard right: Hundreds of fifth graders, led by teachers from American Ballroom Theater, learn how to fox-trot, merengue, tango, rhumba, and even swing, with considerable grace and panache. This documentary is a bit like Spellbound or Small Wonders, films in which kids from all walks of life experience important lessons and acquire new skills--while adults learn a thing or two as well. Director Marilyn Agrelo focuses on three teams representing diverse parts of the city: P.S. 115, hailing from the primarily Dominican neighborhood of Washington Heights; P.S. 150 from Tribeca, just blocks from the World Trade Center site; and P.S. 112 of Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, an area that used to be Italian, but is now Asian as well. At first, the kids are challenged by the idea of having to touch one another, but many embrace the spirit of the dance and urge each other on with a considerable will to win. Agrelo interviews many of the children and their teachers, providing a glimpse into the lives they lead outside the schools and their reasons for dancing. P.S. 115's Wilson is a quiet leader who displays an innate talent. Tara of P.S. 150 is Broadway-bound, while her classmate Emma displays a world-weary sensibility beyond her years. The foosball-playing Michael, Ronnie, and Donato from P.S. 112 gain a few lessons about love through the experience--and have the time of their lives. We end up cheering for all the teams as they navigate the busy weeks of preparation and competition. At a time when school arts programs are suffering dramatic cuts, Mad Hot Ballroom provides a compelling argument for keeping them firmly in place. Not only do the children get to dance, but they also learn how to work together and appreciate one another in a way that no other classroom experience could possibly provide. (Caroline Palmer) Other reviews: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/mad_hot_ballroom/ Mary Ludwick, Librarian K-5 Elementary Owen Elementary, The Colony, Texas (near Dallas) ludwickm@lisd.net (school address) ludwick@swbell.net (home address) -------------------------------------------------------------------- All LM_NET postings are protected by copyright law. To change your LM_NET status, e-mail to: listserv@listserv.syr.edu In the message write EITHER: 1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL 3) SET LM_NET MAIL 4) SET LM_NET DIGEST * Allow for confirmation. LM_NET Help & Information: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/ Archive: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/archive/ EL-Announce with LM_NET Select: http://elann.biglist.com/sub/ LM_NET Supporters: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/ven.html --------------------------------------------------------------------