Changes

'''Take the Lead''' (2006) is a movie, "inspired by the life of [[Pierre Dulaine]]", about a concerned citizen who uses ballroom dancing and etiquette as a form of [[character education]] for students in a violent inner city neighborhood. It also shows that the dance music of the early to mid 20th century has much in common with late 20th and early 21st century [[hip hop]].

'''Take the Lead''' (2006) is a movie, "inspired by the life of [[Pierre Dulaine]]", about a concerned citizen who uses ballroom dancing and etiquette as a form of [[character education]] for students in a violent inner city neighborhood. It also shows that the dance music of the early to mid 20th century has much in common with late 20th and early 21st century [[hip hop]].

The basic premise is that, those who have, are in a position to share with those who do not. This is underlined by the encouragement the instructor gives to white, wealthy Caitlin: "Do you like to dance?" "Yes." "Then you were made to dance." She passes on the same encouragement to a black, overweight boy (Monster).

The basic premise is that, those who have, are in a position to share with those who do not. This is underlined by the encouragement Dulaine gives to white, wealthy Caitlin: "Do you like to dance?" "Yes." "Then you were made to dance." She passes on the same encouragement to a black, overweight boy (Monster).

Another basic premise is that each person must take responsibility for their lives, rather than giving up, and that this is essential to education:

Another basic premise is that each person must take responsibility for their lives, rather than giving up, and that this is essential to education:

*"To do something, anything, is hard. It's much easier to blame your father, your mother, the environment, the government, lack of money, but even if you find a place to assign the blame, it doesn't make the problems go away."  

*"To do something, anything, is hard. It's much easier to blame your father, your mother, the environment, the government, lack of money, but even if you find a place to assign the blame, it doesn't make the problems go away."  

==Plot==

==Plot==

[[Antonio Banderas]], owner of an upscale dance school, encounters a troubled youth (Rock) one evening and decides to make the local high school principal on offer of help. Most of the movie is about the progress of this class and the general effect on student morale and deportment, but it also has three sub-plots. Rock is a juvenile delinquent who is friendly with a gang of thieves. A black girl has a mother who brings home men. A white girl (Caitlen) is nervous about her upcoming [[cotillion]]. Meanwhile the whole class has a chance to participate in a city-wide dance competition.

The owner of an upscale dance school, encounters a troubled youth (Rock) one evening and decides to make the local high school principal on offer of help. Most of the movie is about the progress of this class and the general effect on student morale and deportment, but it also has three sub-plots. Rock is a juvenile delinquent who is friendly with a gang of thieves. A black girl has a mother who brings home men. A white girl (Caitlen) is nervous about her upcoming [[cotillion]]. Meanwhile the whole class has a chance to participate in a city-wide dance competition.

The instructor defends the universality of love against the haste to "get down to the ill na-na".  

Dulaine defends the universality of love against the haste to "get down to the ill na-na".  

To overcome the objections of jaded students to what they see as the staid music of Ira and George Gershwin, he brings in a star pupil and demonstrates with her a sizzling hot [[tango]].  

To overcome the objections of jaded students to what they see as the staid music of Ira and George Gershwin, he brings in a star pupil and demonstrates with her a sizzling hot [[tango]].  

==Themes==

==Themes==

It's ugly to indulge in disdain and dismissive speech, regardless of one's social strata. The instructor labors to teach the young people to say, "You're welcome", rather than "Uh huh" as a way of showing their sincerity.

It's ugly to indulge in disdain and dismissive speech, regardless of one's social strata. Dulaine labors to teach the young people to say, "You're welcome", rather than "Uh huh" as a way of showing their sincerity.

==Evaluation==

==Evaluation==

Although the story is in the conservative mold of an educated, middle-class person giving of themselves to elevate the less fortunate, it contains one flaw: the teacher tells one pupil, "You need to dance for yourself, not for anybody else." This was in response to excessive pressure from the pupil's parent, which was backfiring and hurting the pupil's confidence. But the correct Christan answer would be about enjoying her God-given gift '''as well as''' giving joy to others by employing that talent for their benefit.

Although the story is in the conservative mold of an educated, middle-class person giving of themselves to elevate the less fortunate, it contains one flaw: Dulaine tells one pupil, "You need to dance for yourself, not for anybody else." This was in response to excessive pressure from the pupil's parent, which was backfiring and hurting the pupil's confidence. But the correct Christan answer would be about enjoying her God-given gift '''as well as''' giving joy to others by employing that talent for their benefit.

==Legacy==

==Legacy==