Mad Hot Ballroom takes us into the lives of 11 year olds from 3 schools in New York as they learn ballroom dancing and prepare for a major competition. The cameras follow the children from lesson to lesson, as they master the foxtrot or swing, and then they take us inside their homes. It's a culturally diverse world and the children are surprisingly mature. We're swept up with the action and the heightened emotions as the competition heats up.
Filmmakers, Marilyn Agrelo and Amy Sewell have clearly spent a lot of time getting to know their young dancers and their camera is never condescending. It's heartening to see these children battle with the dance steps and at the same time build up their own sense of self worth. The energetic footage of the competitions and lessons are remarkable, although occasionally tedious - spending too much time showing us every dance. But Mad Hot Ballroom's real strength lies behind the dancing drama. The children's candid observations about life - which are intelligent and innocent - prove that kids should be seen and heard.
