User reviews

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Undoubtedly one of the most beautiful and touching queer movies of the 2010s. The acting and dancing is absolutely top-notch. I honestly did not expect such a wonderful gem of a film.

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.

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.