8 Best Dance Movies of All Time

By Vlad Zakh · February 11, 2026

Few art forms translate as directly to the screen as dance. Black Swan has a ballet dancer’s pursuit of perfection triggering a breakdown, Billy Elliot has a miner’s son defying his family to dance, and Dirty Dancing has a teenager falling for a dance instructor in the Catskills. Pina, Flashdance, Saturday Night Fever, West Side Story and Singin’ in the Rain round out the eight.

Black Swan (2010)

TMDB ★ 7.9

A dedicated ballerina's grip on reality unravels as she competes for the lead in Swan Lake.

Directed by Darren Aronofsky · 1h 48m · Rated R

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Pina (2011)

TMDB ★ 7.7

A visual tribute captures the revolutionary choreography of dance pioneer Pina Bausch.

Directed by Wim Wenders · 1h 46m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Stream: Philo, AMC+ Amazon Channel, AMC+ Roku Premium Channel, Sundance Now · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Billy Elliot (2000)

IMDb ★ 7.7 RT 85% Metacritic 74

A miner's son secretly trains as a ballet dancer against his family's wishes.

Directed by Stephen Daldry · 1h 51m · Rated R

Nominated for 3 Oscars55 wins & 71 nominations

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Dirty Dancing (1987)

TMDB ★ 7.0

A teenage girl at a summer resort falls for the resident dance instructor from the wrong side of the tracks.

Directed by Emile Ardolino · 1h 40m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Stream: YouTube TV, Sling TV Orange and Blue · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, FlixFling · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Flashdance (1983)

IMDb ★ 6.2 RT 37% Metacritic 39

A welder by day and dancer by night auditions for the ballet company of her dreams.

Directed by Adrian Lyne · 1h 35m · Rated R

Won 1 Oscar14 wins & 17 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: MGM Plus · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Saturday Night Fever (1977)

IMDb ★ 6.8 RT 82% Metacritic 77

A Brooklyn hardware clerk lives for his weekend reign as the local disco floor's best dancer.

Directed by John Badham · 1h 58m · Rated R

Nominated for 1 Oscar6 wins & 14 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

West Side Story (1961)

IMDb ★ 7.6 RT 92% Metacritic 86

Romeo and Juliet retold through rival New York street gangs and a doomed cross-gang romance.

Directed by Jerome Robbins & Robert Wise · 2h 33m · Rated NR

Won 10 Oscars31 wins & 11 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: YouTube TV · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Singin' in the Rain (1952)

IMDb ★ 8.3 RT 100% Metacritic 99

Silent film stars scramble to adapt as their industry goes through the chaotic transition to talkies.

Directed by Stanley Donen & Gene Kelly · 1h 43m · Rated G

Nominated for 2 Oscars11 wins & 11 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix. He started the site because most recommendation pages felt like noise. Here, lists are sorted by who's in the film, where it's from and what mood you're in tonight.

8 Best Dance Movies of All Time

Black Swan (2010)

Pina (2011)

Billy Elliot (2000)

Dirty Dancing (1987)

Flashdance (1983)

Saturday Night Fever (1977)

West Side Story (1961)

Singin' in the Rain (1952)

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