I Wanna Dance With Somebody

It is no secret, I like to dance. I can’t say I’m great at it, but I love to do it — especially when filled with copious amounts of alcohol and at the wedding of family (but I digress). What I also love is watching hot guys dance. Or rather guys get hotter to me when I see them dancing.

And as I was listening to the All Out 80s Spotify playlist this week, Time Of My Life came on and I suddenly remembered Romain Duris in The Heartbreaker shimmying his hips at Vanessa Paradis and I knew, I just had to list down my favourites.

This is by no means a comprehensive list, but it is my favourite dance sequences by hot guys in movies. A niche list, I thought… until I went on that YouTube blackhole and now 72 hours later, here I am.

Romain Duris (The Heartbreaker)

As part of my spiral, I find out that he was in town this past week for the French Film Festival and I want to kick myself for not knowing this sooner! I would have stalked him! But anyway, I did not and so I just have to comfort myself with this scene.

I wish it were longer, let’s be honest. I want behind the scenes. I want all camera angles. He does this so confidently and yet so low key. He’s not showing off. He’s just a dancer. The hips, the shirt, the hair. I died.

And though everyone loves the lift, I love the 8 counts of dancing he does from 1:45 of the video. The way he just saunters towards her? Heaven, yes.

Diego Luna (Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights)

I know that it’s film sacrilege to like this movie more than the original but it is possibly a hill I’ll die on. And it’s Diego Luna, what more can I say. I remember watching this movie as a senior in high school and lord knows I had not done any dancing of this sort at my prom or any “dance” I’d been to, so this stuff was a fantasy.

I remember being very jealous of Romola Garai and how lucky it was she got to to do all this “dirty” dancing with Diego. Look at him in his skinny tie and being the boy from the wrong side of the tracks. The shocked look on Jonathan Jackson’s parents and Roger Sterling’s face is priceless. I also prefer this to the final dance because that gets interrupted and just isn’t as exciting the next time around.

Channing Tatum et. al. (Magic Mike)

This list wouldn’t even exist if not for the brave men of Magic Mike. I should just post links to the movie because both movies are chocful of ‘dancing’ and well, I’m not going to complain.

This dance was what started it all though. I’ve seen Channing in Step Up and though also thoroughly entertaining, I have to admit, this one has to take the cake. The abs. The stripping, yes. But mostly, the fluidity of those hips. I don’t think he has a single bone in his body. I approve.

Ethan Stiefel & Sascha Radetsky (Center Stage)

Another of the can’t be ignored and super influential movies in my life (not that it influenced me to be a ballet dancer — I saw this movie 5 years too late to when I did take ballet classes). This made me just want to date a danseur. And though that’s still a dream that can be achieved (one day), until then I’ll have this movie.

They made ballet look so freaking manly. And the muscles on those legs when they’d jump and do extensions just makes me want to keep working on my thighs. I also love the use of If I was the One by Ruff Endz and that just brings me back to childhood Sundays listening to Sunday Slowdown.

That showdown between Sascha and Ethan at the end, trying to impress Jody? Now that’s a duel I could get behind. I could watch all the dance scenes in this movie on loop. And you know what? I have.

Zac Efron (High School Musical + everything he’s ever done)

Let’s be real. What list would this be if it didn’t contain Zac Efron dancing. He’s had too many to count. Seriously, he must have danced in every movie he’s been in.

He can do frat boy dancing, sweet body-swap dancing, new year’s even dancing, hanging from a trapeze (sort of dancing), retro dancing. Name it, he’s done. Though this wouldn’t be his flashiest one or most difficult one, it’s my favourite.

Dancing on a rooftop with sprinklers going off with his then real-life love, Vanessa Hudgens? Yes, please. I have had this literally on repeat at least 100x today alone. Can he have this dance with me? Any damn day.

I had like a couple of others listed but these would be my favorites. And I’m sure you have some too that I’ve definitely missed out on others (i.e. old school Richard Gere dancing in Shall We Dance or Chayanne (where is he now?!) in Dance With Me). Let me know!