Mad Hot Ballroom

Another in a succession of recent documentaries about children (including Spellbound, Boys of Baraka, Born into Brothels, and Être et Avoir),
Mad Hot Ballroom follows grade five children learning ballroom dancing in New York area schools. They learn merengue, rumba, swing, foxtrot, and tango - these kids can swing their hips better than I can.

Although it doesn't have much in the way of narrative drive, the documentary retains its flow through rhythm and music. Also, unlike most of the documentaries I've seen about kids, Mad Hot Ballroom portrays these children as intelligent (and very articulate) more so than cute. It also explores the gender politics of 11-year-olds, although dividing the interviewees according to gender only seems to heighten the strict gender roles they're learning on the dance floor.

The documentary puts a very positive spin on inner-city education; although allusions are made to bad home situations, we don't see much of the children outside of school with their families (unlike Boys of Baraka or Spellbound, which allow for more character development). It (perhaps overly idealistically) champions the positive influence dancing has on children's self esteem and character: they're learning to be "ladies and gentlemen." It also, however, in a very compelling scene, acknowledges the importance of learning to lose.