One Last Dance

I'm sure a lot of dancers saw this and hated it, but this movie is not going to relate to young dancers today. It's a movie for the dancers of the "old school". 20 years ago, when we were coming up through the ranks, it was a lot different than it is now. It's about what it was to be a dancer with a dedication and discipline beyond what people think it means today. And how is can obsess and destroy and how sometimes one can overcome the "demons" for the pure love of dancing.

The story is about the reunion of 3 dancers who are asked to perform a particular work that, for varying reasons, ended their careers.

Lisa Neimi wrote and directed this movie...she is the only director yet who actually knows how to direct a dance film. You are FINALLY able to see the dancing, not just weird fast cuts to keep heads reeling and people's short attention spans. The writing is very good and captures what dancers go through. George de la Pena is still a wonderful dancer and Patrick Swayze is really incredible.

Sorry to all the nay sayers who can't appreciate this movie. I loved it. I thought it was brilliantly filmed and acted...and although some of the dialog may come across as trite, you would have had to live the life of years ago to get it. I'm talking about a time when a person was so dedicated, so disciplined that they would do anything, overcome anything to make their dreams happen and sometimes almost destroying themselves in the process.

It is a film who I love. Against confuse and pathetic story. But it is just a film deserving be loved.

First for the trio Lisa Niemi, George de la Pena and Patrick Swayze.

Second - for dance, choreographies and music.

Three - for the face of Patrick Swayze in light, like a bronze statue.

Not the last for the forced but seductive end.

It is a pure beautiful film.

Deserving, in high measure, be loved.

After viewing most the film One Last Dance, many psychological comparisons were evident. Not only did this movie portray beautiful dancing and a deep message, there were connections that were closely related psychological processes. The correlations included the ego, characters experiencing self doubt, mid life crisis', and injury.

A specific dance sequence in this film that contained all the psychological aspects was in the beginning of the film. When the main character is dancing in the dark dance studio room and he is haunted by various images of experiences he went through. He first starts out moving gracefully to the music running through all the moves in his mind as a dead tree branch lies across the floor. This to me represents the trio's choreographer who passed away before the show was ever performed. The room s also especially dark which expresses to me the emotion being portrayed as morbid because of the death. Sheets are also shown blowing in the wind which suggests being the presence of a spirit or ghost haunting him as he recalls the strict demeanor and suffering the dancers went through under his direction. A final example I recall from the film is when he falls during this scene. To me that represented when the women I the trio fell, and also implied to difficulty and previous failure of the project.

After seeing most of this movie, it was really amazing to me the numerous psychological associations it contained. Not only was it a beautiful dance story, there was deeper underlying meaning to it. This film wasn't just a typical dance movie that was uplifting and jovial, but instead demonstrated real life struggles and perseverance.

Patrick Swayze can be compared to the likes of Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly--he can dance AND act! Many of us who are Patrick,Lisa, and George's "chronological" peers love them for their unbelievable dance ability; but we may hate them for being in such great shape!

How refreshing to see a movie about dance that showed splendid dancing-and lots of it. I'm so tired of movies that just "touch" on dance and delve into the sob-story, high hormonal problems of teen dancers. One of the things I appreciated about this movie was that it was sensual but not sexual. Really, everything is NOT about sex.

My ONLY gripe is some of the language-I'd like to show this movie to some young people who are just starting to dance, because of the focus on FEELING the dance.

I'll wager that many young dancers that show up on unnamed TV shows couldn't keep up with Patrick, Lisa, and George AND do it with the grace and style that the three of them exhibited. Give us more please!

When the successful artistic director Alex McGrath (Matthew Walker) dies, his New York dance company invites three veteran dancers, Travis MacPhearson (Patrick Swaize), Chrissa Lindh (Lisa Niemi) and Max Delano (George De La Pena), to exhibit a never performed dance piece called "Without a Word" as a last homage in a benefit show. Along the troubled trio reunion, secrets are disclosed, deep wounds are healed, culminating with their last dance together.

"One Last Dance" is certainly a very personal work of Patrick Swaize and mostly of his wife Lisa Niemi, who are producers, writer, director and lead actor and actress. The choreography is very beautiful, with a great music score including two Brazilian songs. Lisa Niemi and Patrick Swaize show that they are in good shape as dancers. Unfortunately, the screenplay is weak, with a sort of soap-opera drama and Lisa Niemi performs a confused character, never clear of her feelings and intentions. If she had a serious situation with Alex, why does she need to dance again? Travis returned for Chrissa, and Max because he is completely broken. Further, the tearful character Chrissa Lindh is boring in some moments with her insecurity. But the dances make this movie a worthwhile entertainment for those who like this art. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "A Última Dança" ("The Last Dance")