For the final installment of our “Dance on Film” series, I had the honor of viewing a short film called “Dancing Man,” which won the Best Local Film award at the Bloomington Indiana Film Festival, and was produced by Robert Steven Mack of the Indianapolis Ballet. Mack also stars in the film, and says he was influenced by musicals like An American in Paris and The Red Shoes, which made me extra excited to watch it. And I was not disappointed.
I can think of a handful of modern movies whose producers/writers/directors claim to have taken cues from Hollywood’s golden age. And while those films do contain references to them—“this character wears a dress just like Cyd Charisse’s!”— I personally think that many of those vehicles lack the spirit of the glorious classics of yesteryear.
Dancing Man has that spirit. Just like the old musicals I so often lose myself in, this movie succeeds in making the ordinary world we live in feel magical. But more than that—Mack's character, David, who wishes life could be an old musical, serves as a reminder that in many ways, it can be… if we choose to see it that way. Even the film itself seems to dance: during a scene in a park, before cutting to David and his girl, Gabrielle, the camera focuses on some rollerbladers jumping and spinning. Little moments like that are out there in the real world, too. We just have to look for them.
With that being said, in addition to the wonderful spirit of the picture, there are still quite a few treats for those who love spotting the references to old musicals, too. There’s the unmistakable throwback to An American in Paris that has David surrounded by ballet dancers, who spin and leap around him as he clutches a lilac. Throughout that sequence and the rest of the movie, the lilac is used as a motif, much like the rose in the climactic ballet in the 1951 film. Elsewhere, there’s a dance on an outdoor stage, similar to Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers’ bandstand number “Isn’t This a Lovely Day” in Top Hat, and of course, Mack donning Astaire’s classic top hat, white tie, and tails.
Another scene I especially love is when the ballet dancers are hurrying up and down a spiral staircase inside the theatre. The soft lighting creates a striking and haunting image, and really makes the viewer feel as though they are receiving exclusive access to a private and intimate moment in the lives of these dancers. I’ve said it before, but I love the old musicals that give us a glimpse of what happens backstage. Even those everyday moments behind the scenes make me want to drop everything and join a theatre company!
My favorite moment, though, is getting to hear David’s philosophy on old musicals. “I’m sure [Fred Astaire] could dance rings around anyone in the world today, but that wasn’t the point. [It was about] the elegance; the simplicity of it all. That was the theme with movies from back then… and life.”
“Well, it was made during the depression, so I don’t think life was simple,” Gabrielle says.
“No, not simple economically. But it… but… it doesn’t matter,” David finishes, struggling to explain.
But I know what he means. And, I think, so do countless other people who find joy in old musicals today, and long for that simplicity.
The influence of The Red Shoes is apparent throughout David’s story: much like Vicki in the 1948 film, David is torn between pursuing a romance, and his passion for dance. He says that in a old movie, the screenwriter is pulling the strings somewhere, making sure everything comes out right. “The main character always makes the right decision,” he says. Viewers are left to ponder at the end whether this is true for David. Did he make the right decision? And another question the film adds to this conversation is: Can life still be like an old musical, even if it doesn’t turn out like an old musical typically would?
I believe the fact that Mack has created this picture in pursuit of that movie-musical feeling answers that question. Life is filled with twists and turns; tragedies and triumphs. And throughout all of that, no matter the outcome, we can make our own bits of movie magic along the way. Dancing Man is a timely reminder of that, and an example in itself of the magic we happily discover.
As I’ve mentioned before, I am not a dancer. I’m sure I have no idea just how much work goes into this stunning art form. I couldn’t tell you the difference between a jeté and a glissade, let alone know whether they were executed correctly. But I do know that I felt transported into a different world for a while when watching this film. And although I don’t know where the inspiration behind the title “Dancing Man,” came from, it would not surprise me if Mack intended for us to conjure up the memory of Fred Astaire’s song-and-dance number, “I Wanna Be a Dancin’ Man,” from The Belle of New York.
I wanna be a dancin’ man… While I can…
Gonna leave my footsteps on the sands of time…
Robert Steven Mack and his creative team have done just that, and I look forward to seeing what those footprints in the sand will lead to next.
Dancing Man is available to view until April 7th, for a small fee. You can also visit the official website here.
*This film did not have subtitles, but I didn’t feel it was fair to Mack to put this in my “Silent Talkies” category. Dancing Man deserved to be showcased on its own, separate from my hard-of-hearing observations. I apologize for any misinterpretations of the plot or misquotes.