OK dance school escapism
My review was written in November 1988 after watching the movie on Vidmark video cassette.
This pleasant teen dancing film was shot in 1o986 prior to the influential release of "Dirty Dancing" and harks back to "Fame" for inspiration. It bears the moniker "Body Beat" for U. S. release and originally was titled "Dance Academy" in Europe.
Tony Dean Fields portrays David Bronson, a/k/a Moon, a wise guy sent to shake up Julie Newmar's classical ballet dance academy tiwh some modern jazz technique. Pic limns the professional struggles and romantic entanglements of the students, mainly proletarian hero Steve La Chance, sexy flashdancer Galyn Gorg and talented singer Paula Nichols.
Similar to "Staying Alive", helmer Ted Mather climaxes the feature with an overdone, glitzy production number on stage for a big talent showcase, but otherwise the choreography of Dennon and Saymber Rawles is naturalistic. Attractive young cast makes a good impression, particularly Nichols (who doesn't dance, but sings and plays keyboards), La Chance and Gorg.
Plot is weak asw are the songs, mainly by brothers Guido and Mauricio De Angelis, known for their Italian film soundtracks and backers of this Italian/U. S. co-production. Production values in both L. A. and Rome are fine.
This pleasant teen dancing film was shot in 1o986 prior to the influential release of "Dirty Dancing" and harks back to "Fame" for inspiration. It bears the moniker "Body Beat" for U. S. release and originally was titled "Dance Academy" in Europe.
Tony Dean Fields portrays David Bronson, a/k/a Moon, a wise guy sent to shake up Julie Newmar's classical ballet dance academy tiwh some modern jazz technique. Pic limns the professional struggles and romantic entanglements of the students, mainly proletarian hero Steve La Chance, sexy flashdancer Galyn Gorg and talented singer Paula Nichols.
Similar to "Staying Alive", helmer Ted Mather climaxes the feature with an overdone, glitzy production number on stage for a big talent showcase, but otherwise the choreography of Dennon and Saymber Rawles is naturalistic. Attractive young cast makes a good impression, particularly Nichols (who doesn't dance, but sings and plays keyboards), La Chance and Gorg.
Plot is weak asw are the songs, mainly by brothers Guido and Mauricio De Angelis, known for their Italian film soundtracks and backers of this Italian/U. S. co-production. Production values in both L. A. and Rome are fine.
- lor_
- Mar 27, 2023