I enjoyed this simple story about the intimacy and vulnerability that is experienced between a group of dancers (or any group of artists, for that matter). The main character was a gentle and torn soul. The cast did not appear to be professional actors, but delivered genuine performances. I found the soundtrack to be gorgeous (loved the Perfume Genius track)and well chosen. The cinematography was be impressive, though there was some strange editing, at times. An overall nice, sweet, and enjoyable film. My only gripe, and it's a small one, was that most all of the cast seemed to be on the verge of tears. This seemed to be a bit one-dimensional, but the mood shifted in the latter part of the film.
16 Reviews
Beautiful and sinuous
nikatnyte5 December 2014
I was expecting a standard gay film and was quite surprised. This film is primarily about dance. The four performers are all superb dancers, and their dances are the main focus of the film, reflecting (to a degree) their relationships with one another and others in their lives (who are never seen). The main character is Chip, a somewhat naive 18-year-old Kansan, trying to cope in New York City without appearing too vulnerable. I did find it strange that these four dancers (and their choreographer) had very little personal or verbal interaction for most of the film; indeed, it wasn't until toward the end that they seemed to actually know one another. Chip's intimate relationship with the other male dancer is handled tenderly and realistically, but their story is secondary to the love and dedication all the characters have for their art.
When artistic gestures are worth more than words...
NoodleFromWithin15 September 2021
Warning: Spoilers
The opening scene sees a boy rehearsing all by himself, in front of a mirror, with a brooding and wounded look upon his face. That's how the first few minutes flow - in silence and accompanied only by the music, without any frame upheavals. Both dialogues and plot are quite skimpy during the whole story arc, but this didn't prevent the movie from being intense and well conceived. Chip is a young and talented boy who hides a soul in torment - he can't afford a flat, he needs to sleep in the rehearsal room, he's extremely shy at the beginning, he keeps his distance from the other team members (he'd rather use ventriloquism to communicate), he struggles to accept his sexuality, he can't choose between going back to his mother and staying in New York to pursue his dream. The entire story revolves around Chip and the other dancers rehearsing in this big room, while their relationships begin to develop. We have an interesting turning point with the sex scene between Chip and Theo, in the second half of the film - personally, I found it very sensual, by no means rude or vulgar: we can almost admire them dancing while they make love, accomplice the soundtrack in the background, always gentle and passionate. It's very peculiar - from the perspective of the viewers - to note how all the dancers acknowledge their skills and acquire more competence in what they do, while they also take different paths till the very end. The closing scene with the newborn couple is very cute and, with a certain logic, it comes full circle with the answers every viewer longed for: Chip doesn't go back to his mother, he choose love over fear, he choose ambition over ordinary, he choose to build his future and give his career a chance - he, genuinely, choose to stay. A movie that, with its simplicity, we can objectively define lovely!
A gay movie of grace, discipline and beauty
jm1070112 March 2014
Five Dances is the beautiful story of a naive but very gifted 18-year-old dancer named Chip. He came to New York from his troubled home in Kansas for a summer dance workshop and managed to stay on into the new year, when the story takes place.
The movie begins as he joins four older dancers (two each, male and female) rehearsing for an upcoming performance. He slowly gets past his social awkwardness and begins to develop relationships with the others - especially with Katie, who becomes like an older sister to him, and later with Theo.
His opening up is the key theme of the movie, which takes place almost entirely in the studio as the dancers rehearse. It has no other cast but the five dancers. (All of them are professional dancers, not actors, but they do both jobs brilliantly in this movie.)
The movie itself is like a dance, gracefully and deliberately paced and choreographed, the characters weaving in and out of each other's lives as they do in the dance they're rehearsing. Anyone who hates classical modern dance, or who hates slow character development with very little irrelevant action or drama, will not enjoy this movie.
However, it does not require any particular knowledge of or interest in dance. Indifference to dance should not be a handicap, but the viewer must be able to watch dancers without irritation.
And it definitely is a gay movie. It's a sort of coming-out story - really more an opening-out story, because Chip is coming out of his shell as a person even more than as a gay man. It's also a sexy and tender and gratifying love story.
Although it has those conventional gay-movie elements, the grace and discipline of dance permeate everything and make this an entirely original and unique - and unusually beautiful - gay movie. Alan Brown's earlier movie Private Romeo (also highly original) was my favorite gay movie for a long time, but Five Dances is even better.
The movie begins as he joins four older dancers (two each, male and female) rehearsing for an upcoming performance. He slowly gets past his social awkwardness and begins to develop relationships with the others - especially with Katie, who becomes like an older sister to him, and later with Theo.
His opening up is the key theme of the movie, which takes place almost entirely in the studio as the dancers rehearse. It has no other cast but the five dancers. (All of them are professional dancers, not actors, but they do both jobs brilliantly in this movie.)
The movie itself is like a dance, gracefully and deliberately paced and choreographed, the characters weaving in and out of each other's lives as they do in the dance they're rehearsing. Anyone who hates classical modern dance, or who hates slow character development with very little irrelevant action or drama, will not enjoy this movie.
However, it does not require any particular knowledge of or interest in dance. Indifference to dance should not be a handicap, but the viewer must be able to watch dancers without irritation.
And it definitely is a gay movie. It's a sort of coming-out story - really more an opening-out story, because Chip is coming out of his shell as a person even more than as a gay man. It's also a sexy and tender and gratifying love story.
Although it has those conventional gay-movie elements, the grace and discipline of dance permeate everything and make this an entirely original and unique - and unusually beautiful - gay movie. Alan Brown's earlier movie Private Romeo (also highly original) was my favorite gay movie for a long time, but Five Dances is even better.
See it for the dancing.
Red-12512 November 2013
Five Dances (2013) was written and directed by Alan Brown. This is a movie you see for the dancing, not the plot. Ryan Steele plays Chip Daniel, an extraordinarily gifted dancer, who has just arrived in NYC from Kansas.
He's ready for the professional demands of dancing, but nothing else is working out for him. He has no money, no place to live, and no friends. His mother calls him endlessly demanding that he return, and telling him, "I know what you're doing there."
Returning to Kansas is out of the question. However, Chip is going to need help to survive in New York so that he can do what he does better than anyone else--dance.
Chip's encounters with the company choreographer and with the other dancers make up the plot. However, in a sense, the plot gets in the way of the dance sequences. My suggestion--don't worry about the plot; see this film for the dancing.
We saw this movie at the Little Theatre as part of Image Out--the Rochester LGBT Film Festival. It probably works better on a large screen, but it's worth seeking out and watching on video if that's the only available option.
He's ready for the professional demands of dancing, but nothing else is working out for him. He has no money, no place to live, and no friends. His mother calls him endlessly demanding that he return, and telling him, "I know what you're doing there."
Returning to Kansas is out of the question. However, Chip is going to need help to survive in New York so that he can do what he does better than anyone else--dance.
Chip's encounters with the company choreographer and with the other dancers make up the plot. However, in a sense, the plot gets in the way of the dance sequences. My suggestion--don't worry about the plot; see this film for the dancing.
We saw this movie at the Little Theatre as part of Image Out--the Rochester LGBT Film Festival. It probably works better on a large screen, but it's worth seeking out and watching on video if that's the only available option.
Good dance movie
hiozufacik31 July 2022
It is a more a dance movie than an lgbt story. I liked that the film centered on dance and the rest of the relations was floating in the background such as life.
But i am also feeling a little bit disappointed that the story didn't flourish enough around the dances. Choreography is great and I would like to see it serve the film better. Especially through to the end of the movie, the scenes were warm.
But i am also feeling a little bit disappointed that the story didn't flourish enough around the dances. Choreography is great and I would like to see it serve the film better. Especially through to the end of the movie, the scenes were warm.
Film Zen.
paulcreeden27 April 2015
Warning: Spoilers
I am not a dancer. I do not go to ballet. I approached this film as a film because I was intrigued by the concept of combining quiet dance scenes with a plot and characters. In fact, I did not know there was a gay theme before watching. I am glad I did not.
Ryan Steele (Chip) has done an impressive job as the central character. He has managed to convey the purity of a frightened adolescent while not seeming stupid. He infuses his character with the confused depth of a child whose single parent clings and psychologically abuses. If he has managed to do this with technique, I am impressed even more. My guess is that he drew this from within.
Reed Luplau (Theo) manages to play the seducer without the jaded harshness of a beautiful gay dancer who has already been involved with other gay men. He plays a likable character with implied issues of his own. The formation of his relationship with Chip rings true. It is not cheaply melodramatic.
Katie, Cynthia and Anthony are excellent as supporting characters. Well acted in each case. Each has some degree of individual relationship to Chip and Theo. Good writing. They could have been flat characters just there as background.
The staging, lighting and music were excellent. The simplicity stunning and quite moving at times. This doesn't happen for me often with uneven production values of some indie films. All said, I was pleasantly surprised by this film, and then deeply affected by it.
Ryan Steele (Chip) has done an impressive job as the central character. He has managed to convey the purity of a frightened adolescent while not seeming stupid. He infuses his character with the confused depth of a child whose single parent clings and psychologically abuses. If he has managed to do this with technique, I am impressed even more. My guess is that he drew this from within.
Reed Luplau (Theo) manages to play the seducer without the jaded harshness of a beautiful gay dancer who has already been involved with other gay men. He plays a likable character with implied issues of his own. The formation of his relationship with Chip rings true. It is not cheaply melodramatic.
Katie, Cynthia and Anthony are excellent as supporting characters. Well acted in each case. Each has some degree of individual relationship to Chip and Theo. Good writing. They could have been flat characters just there as background.
The staging, lighting and music were excellent. The simplicity stunning and quite moving at times. This doesn't happen for me often with uneven production values of some indie films. All said, I was pleasantly surprised by this film, and then deeply affected by it.
Wonderful male modern dancers....with romance!!
ohlabtechguy8 January 2020
Acting is a bit weak, but OMG......the two male dancers have wonderful modern dance technique and the choreographer's style showcased them in a masculine, yet pretty, lyrical style. The ending duet is compelling to watch and demonstrates the type of artistry that is possible when commercial TV is not influencing the overall choreography. Dance doesn't have to be all about splash and flash going a million miles an hour in order to be captivating and tastefully done. These two dudes have mastered the demands of the choreography and the beauty of their physical lines should be compelling to watch for anyone who appreciates the beautiful line of a dancer's body.
Wonderfully intimate portrait of the dance life.
johnm-3813221 January 2017
I danced for 10 years when I was much younger so this movie was a huge treat. Brought back memories. Loved all the modern dance choreography that was shown throughout. It was quirky and inventive...and used much ballet line. It was very effective in showing a small dance company with only 4 dancers....two females and two gay males. This made it much more intimate. Chip was the best dancer of the group. He showed much strength, attack and good line. Theo was good too as well as quite cute. As a gay male dancer myself, I especially loved the choreography between the two males. I got a little teary eyed watching the end where the two male dancers were clowning around dancing in front of the studio mirror. They were having fun and bonding in a way that only dancers can.
Beautifully Crafted Film
smooth_op_858 June 2020
A shy 18 year old moves from Kansas to The Big Apple and starts learning five dances hence the title. Every piece of the film's dances will be seared into your brain by the end of the film, but it is how it gets there that is the best part
Katie, Theo, Anthony, Cynthia and Chip are the main cast and most of this movie takes place in the dance studio. It's pretty much life for these dancers.
Always in the back of his mind is his Mom, his mother wants him to return to Kansas and she suspects Chip's doing a lot more than dancing in NYC
It is indeed a slow burn, but worth it. There's lots of silence in the film and some of it is filled with music. All the cast I feel help it shine but one subplot in the film must have had more time but may have been cut.
If you like an artsy slow burn that has good pay off, I would venture this as a good flick. I like how it does have LGBT themes but it is about opening up and being who you're supposed to be
Katie, Theo, Anthony, Cynthia and Chip are the main cast and most of this movie takes place in the dance studio. It's pretty much life for these dancers.
Always in the back of his mind is his Mom, his mother wants him to return to Kansas and she suspects Chip's doing a lot more than dancing in NYC
It is indeed a slow burn, but worth it. There's lots of silence in the film and some of it is filled with music. All the cast I feel help it shine but one subplot in the film must have had more time but may have been cut.
If you like an artsy slow burn that has good pay off, I would venture this as a good flick. I like how it does have LGBT themes but it is about opening up and being who you're supposed to be
It's not your typical European gay movie
lexxtoronto2 July 2015
Warning: Spoilers
I'm sorry I had to give this movie 4/10. It started off very nice, with some background story of the main character told in a subtle way, some development, but as soon as I saw the scene where they get intimate for the first time, I knew it wasn't worth watching it. The first contact is very important, there should be a whole story of both characters leading to the intimate interaction - glances, sighs, movements, gestures etc. The whole story leading to that moment can be a lot more intriguing, beautiful and spectacular than the moment itself.
Here it had no proper character development, one sided approach, all of a sudden one of them starts groping another one and after being groped he consents to being kissed! What!? This is very vulgar. It's like you give a female co-worker a pat on her butt-cheeks and then she doesn't resist kissing you.
No matter how the movie evolves after that, the movie is lost to a more or less sober and mature viewer.
If you want to know how to develop a character, how to build characters, the plot, the scene i.e. everything that leads to the first contact you should watch Jongens, Stadt Land Fluss, Freir Fall etc. Watch how it happens in Stadt Land Fluss from 51:00 to 55:00, how nicely it is done, it takes 4 minutes from the aha moment to the actual interaction, how nicely the actors played, how the scene is set up, it's just so wonderful.
Here it had no proper character development, one sided approach, all of a sudden one of them starts groping another one and after being groped he consents to being kissed! What!? This is very vulgar. It's like you give a female co-worker a pat on her butt-cheeks and then she doesn't resist kissing you.
No matter how the movie evolves after that, the movie is lost to a more or less sober and mature viewer.
If you want to know how to develop a character, how to build characters, the plot, the scene i.e. everything that leads to the first contact you should watch Jongens, Stadt Land Fluss, Freir Fall etc. Watch how it happens in Stadt Land Fluss from 51:00 to 55:00, how nicely it is done, it takes 4 minutes from the aha moment to the actual interaction, how nicely the actors played, how the scene is set up, it's just so wonderful.
A pleasant surprise
maxxschremms22 December 2019
Moderately Enjoyable (if you can Appreciate the Beauty in it's Simplicity)...
SBlues14 November 2013
Ballet is typically a boring event to watch when viewed far away (as an audience member in a huge arts theater) but seeing it up close in a rehearsal studio setting; makes FIVE DANCES worth watching; especially because of the beautifully fit male bodies in action.
FIVE DANCES is simple and slow with a few awkward moments but eventually you get used to it and just go along for the ride; curious to see what happens next. This film is also a subtle treat for gay men.
There's no real plot or story to follow because this is one of those films that uses a few appealing elements to pull in especially gay viewers. Gay and straight viewers love cute guys with hot tight fit bodies. Seeing them move around in ballet style dance moves is forgettable but those few hot moments of intimacy between the two male leads towards the end makes this type of film moderately enjoyable and a little touching.
FIVE DANCES is simple and slow with a few awkward moments but eventually you get used to it and just go along for the ride; curious to see what happens next. This film is also a subtle treat for gay men.
There's no real plot or story to follow because this is one of those films that uses a few appealing elements to pull in especially gay viewers. Gay and straight viewers love cute guys with hot tight fit bodies. Seeing them move around in ballet style dance moves is forgettable but those few hot moments of intimacy between the two male leads towards the end makes this type of film moderately enjoyable and a little touching.
I could watch the dancing forever
DoINeedT030 June 2014
Being a dancer myself, I loved the fact that the film was centred around that theme, without needing to build a deep plot line. It told a story within itself. At times, it conveyed the characters' emotions possibly more than words could, it just fit, especially the piece nearer the end between Chip and Theo. I found it beautiful and emotional.
I also really empathised for Cynthia when she's crying in her bathroom and we can hear her husband's voice in the background.
I'm not sure what Chip's mum added to the storyline, perhaps it could have been replaced with more of a story line between the two men.
The music was evocative at times, some I didn't like completely, I liked it when we just heard the dancers' breath and even when it was silent.
Overall, it was a really enjoyable film, really emotional and it was brilliant when Chip started to connect with everyone else.
I also really empathised for Cynthia when she's crying in her bathroom and we can hear her husband's voice in the background.
I'm not sure what Chip's mum added to the storyline, perhaps it could have been replaced with more of a story line between the two men.
The music was evocative at times, some I didn't like completely, I liked it when we just heard the dancers' breath and even when it was silent.
Overall, it was a really enjoyable film, really emotional and it was brilliant when Chip started to connect with everyone else.
beautiful
Kirpianuscus31 December 2016
Warning: Spoilers
a film about dance. or about a young man who has only the dance as the only gift. about friendship. and about self definition . about duty. and choices. about a new life. and about the pressure of the past. "Five Dances" is one of films who respires out of script or performance. because each is just a tool for a noble idea. it is a simple story told with admirable science to explore each detail. a film about vocation. about fears and protection. and about love. and this does it not easy to be defined. because, maybe, it could be a sort of porcelain doll. beautiful. but fragile. and this does Five Dances special. because it is not a lesson or a pledge. it is only a story about facts who transform. the rest remains silence.
Stellar gem of a film
billy_dana5 December 2015
Warning: Spoilers
I've watched this film four times since I found it last spring, and I'm consistently impressed by the level of story-telling in this movie. The writer, director and actors have conspired to bring a very subtle, moving story of a young man finding himself and his voice.
Sure, this is a beautiful dance film. Outstanding dance. But what really moves me in this story is the evolution of the lead character - from frightened, painfully shy and timid to confident, hopeful and engaged with his small community.
My measure of a brilliant film is the lack of "gaps" - i.e., places where the story drags or gets bogged down. This film has no gaps. Equally important to me is an ending that works for the story - not necessarily a happy ending (although this film definitely has that) but an ending that makes sense for the story as it has been told. There should be a sense of rightness to an ending - and this film nails that.
The film is almost a Japanese silk screen of a story - spare, clean, beautiful, simple, subtle.
Sure, this is a beautiful dance film. Outstanding dance. But what really moves me in this story is the evolution of the lead character - from frightened, painfully shy and timid to confident, hopeful and engaged with his small community.
My measure of a brilliant film is the lack of "gaps" - i.e., places where the story drags or gets bogged down. This film has no gaps. Equally important to me is an ending that works for the story - not necessarily a happy ending (although this film definitely has that) but an ending that makes sense for the story as it has been told. There should be a sense of rightness to an ending - and this film nails that.
The film is almost a Japanese silk screen of a story - spare, clean, beautiful, simple, subtle.
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