Five Dances

Five Dances is a compelling narrative about dance, passion, and a young man's odyssey to find his identity. This 2013 movie, characterized by wonderful choreography, a poignant story, and heartwarming performances, particularly from Ryan Steele, Reed Luplau, and Catherine Miller, transcends traditional cinematic norms to explore the dynamics of personal growth and evokes the art of dance in its rawest form.

The movie is set against the aesthetically pleasing landscape of New York City, the world's vibrant dance capital. The city's dynamic dance scenes laid an excellent background for the unrolling drama of passion and relationships in the dance world. Throughout its narrative, the movie explores the subculture of contemporary dance through its characters, their experiences, and the ways they maneuver through personal and professional dynamics.

The plot orbits around Chip, played by Reed Steele, a highly gifted but inexperienced last-year ballet student from Kansas who has newly relocated to New York. Chip is profoundly talented and eager to impress, yet coming to the city and being all alone takes its toll on his mental health. The film delicately articulates Chip's loneliness and confusion, while also tracing his journey of self-discovery.

In NYC, Chip joins a small downtown company to rehearse for an upcoming performance. The company brings four other dancers into play, creating a compelling quartet. The rehearsal space - a small, intimate, sunlit dance studio - introduces Chip to three dance professionals, including Reed Luplau’s troubled Theo. Catherine Miller’s Cynthia, and two other dancers. As they convene to learn and rehearse the titular 'five dances,' their personal stories interweave with their professional lives, forming the emotional crux of the movie.

Ryan Steele delivers a captivating performance as Chip, whose raw talent and emotional complexity anchors the narrative. His ardent portrayal of a young dancer, grappling against personal distress and professional tension while exploring his sexual identity, is a pivotal performance in the film. Each inflection, gesture, and expression Steele brings to the character is both deeply affecting and impressively authentic.

Reed Luplau plays the anguished and struggling dancer Theo, whose relationship with Chip introduces an exploration of sexuality and intricate, often heart-wrenching, romantic dynamics. He’s flawed and complex, but his character endears to the audience, providing a strong contributor to the emotional backdrop of the film.

Catherine Miller’s Cynthia provides maturity and a touch of reality to the group, serving as an emotional anchor amongst the youthful dancers. Her sterling performance beautifully captures the struggles and triumphs of an experienced dancer.

The rhythmic dialogues and expressive movements are complemented spectacularly by cinematographer Derek McKane’s close-ups and widescreens. The intimacy of the setting is captured eloquently by the soft natural light that illuminates the characters whilst they practice.

Director Alan Brown employs dance sequences to narrate the parts of the story where words fall short. These scenes are both raw and nuanced, unearthing emotions and relationships the characters themselves often find unexplorable. The dance sequences also lay bare the essence of the contemporary dance art form—intense, dramatic, emotional, and physical.

Five Dances serves more than a movie; it is an immersive experience of dance, human connections, and the path to self-discovery. The beautiful cinematography, supported by compelling performances, draws the viewer deep into the world of contemporary dance, enabling them to experience the highs and lows of this vibrant world along with its characters. A feast for the senses, Five Dances is a rare gem of a film that celebrates the physicality of the dance, the complexity of relationships, the beauty of the human form, and the struggle of self-discovery. A must-watch for all, dance enthusiast or not.