Take the Lead
Encyclopedia
Take the Lead is a movie starring Antonio Banderas
, Rob Brown
, Alfre Woodard
, Dante Basco
, Marcus T. Paulk
, Jenna Dewan
, Lauren Collins
and also features former America's Next Top Model
contestant, Yaya DaCosta. The film was released in mainstream cinema on April 7, 2006. Although based in New York City
, the film was filmed in Toronto
, and used stock footage of various New York City locations. The movie is based on the life of Pierre Dulaine
, a well-known ballroom dancer and a dance instructor, known for 'Dancing Classrooms'.
), the film's underdog protagonist, arrives at a school dance with a water-damaged ticket and is denied entrance by Mr. Temple (John Ortiz
) and Principal James (Alfre Woodard
). Rock leaves and encounters some thugs, who lead him to vandalize Principal James' car. Pierre Dulaine
(Antonio Banderas
), a classical dance instructor, catches Rock in the act, but Rock runs away before Pierre can question him further.
The next morning at the school, Pierre waits to see the principal as Mr. Temple discusses the detention program with Principal James. As he waits, he repeatedly opens doors for women and even stand as they walk by. A student, Eddie (Marcus T. Paulk
) ridicules him for it, but Pierre stands his ground, and Eddie is seen opening a door for a girl when Pierre is called in to the principal's office.
Pierre explains to the principal that he was a witness to the vandalism
on her car, and eventually offers to take over Mr. Temple's detention shift, to which Principal James agrees, although she is sure that he will not last more than a day. She even wagers five dollars that he will not last. Pierre is led to the basement where the students who have earned detention for the remainder of the year, including Rock, are kept. His first class is disastrous due to the uncooperative personalities of the students, all of whom scoff at his efforts to teach them classical dance.
They ridicule his choice of music, and when he tries to pair them together, various relationships between the students are revealed, including a love triangle, two cousins, and the fact that LaRhette and Rock hate each other.
The next morning Pierre returns, much to the surprise of Principal James who later explains that Rock’s brother was involved with a gang war, and one of the casualties was a brother of LaRhette (Yaya DaCosta), who had refused to dance with Rock the day before. Later in detention, Rock has forged a doctor’s note excusing him from dancing. At Pierre's dance studio, Caitlin (Lauren Collins
) is a student who is under pressure to learn to dance because her cotillion
is fast approaching. Though she loves to dance, she is clumsy and feels like a failure, envying Morgan her graceful sensuality and saying to Pierre that, "She's like sex on hardwood." This gives Pierre an idea on how to reach out to the detention kids.
Pierre invites Morgan (Katya Virshilas
), a highly trained but haughty student, to his detention session for a demonstration of the tango, which inspires the detention students to be more willing to learn. Caitlin decides to join the detention students for dance class and practices with Monster, another student struggling to learn. Though the other students accuse her of wanting to "tell her upperclass friends that she's slumming," at first, they gradually learn to accept her after she admits that she feels better with them than with Morgan and her group.
Rock, who still refuses to dance, makes it clear to Pierre that he attends detention not to dance, but to be able to graduate. Pierre tries to reach out to him but Rock storms away. Later he is fired from his job for being late. He goes home and confronts his parents, who have been unable to provide him food since Rock's brother's death. His drunken father kicks him out of the house and he finds a new albeit dangerous job with some street thugs. LaRhette, daughter of a prostitute who has been impregnated numerous times, cares for her younger siblings while her mother works the streets. One night, LaRhette runs out of the apartment and to the school after one of her mother's clients attempts to rape her. She practices her dancing in the basement, and runs into Rock. They fight and are caught by security. Principal James wants to suspend LaRhette and Rock, but instead agrees to give them extra detention hours with Pierre at 7:30 AM each day. Pierre tells the class about a dance competition which he wishes them to enter, and this is further inspiration for the detention students to learn.
The detention basement is flooded, so Pierre takes the detention students to his dance studio to practice. They are confronted by Morgan and some of Pierre's other students. The detention students are further disenchanted by the skills of Pierre's students as well as the $200 entrance fee for the contest. However, Pierre manages to inspire them again and promises to provide funds for the detention students to enter.
Caitlin is unable to enter in the competition, as her cotillion is the same night, to Monster's disappointment. The two still practice together, and their relationship deepends. LaRhette and Rock will compete in waltz, and Ramos and Danjou learn to share Sasha during practice. Mr. Temple complains about the supposed waste of resources on the dance program. He brings Pierre to a meeting with the parents' association, but Pierre convinces them to keep the dance program going after demonstrating how ballroom teaches the students "teamwork, respect, and dignity." On the night of the contest, Rock has to work. He is told that he must shoot anyone who approaches the theft operation. He shoots the sprinkler system instead, setting off the alarm and causing the thugs to run away. At the cotillion, Caitlin makes her grand entrance down the staircase and dances with Monster, surprising her mother. After they dance they make their way to the dance competition.
LaRhette is disappointed that Rock has not arrived at the competition, where a $5000 prize is at stake. Sasha, Danjou, and Ramos perform an impressive three-person tango but are disqualified for it because it is a partner dance. Surprisingly, Morgan calls it a tie and gives Sasha her trophy. Principal James, thrilled with the success of the program, insists on making the program permanent and expanding it to more schools. Rock arrives at the last minute to dance the waltz with LaRhette, whom he kisses at the end of the waltz. The movie ends with Pierre's students dancing to hip hop music as the credits roll.
n box office
. Overall, it has grossed over $30 million in the United States
box office, even though many critics gave it poor reviews, citing bad acting and a formulaic plot. Lewis Segal of the Los Angeles Times
panned it as "old uninspired Hollywood hustle" while Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly
, ranking it "D+", called the student actors "one-note cartoons" and described the combination of dance styles as "naked desperation to fuse demographics" on the part of the producers.
Antonio Banderas
José Antonio Domínguez Banderas , better known as Antonio Banderas, is a Spanish film actor, film director, film producer and singer...
, Rob Brown
Rob Brown (actor)
Rob Brown is an American actor. He is known for his roles in the films Finding Forrester , Coach Carter , Take the Lead , The Express , and currently stars in the HBO series Treme.-Personal life:...
, Alfre Woodard
Alfre Woodard
Alfre Ette Woodard is an American film, stage, and television actress. She has been nominated once for an Academy Award and Grammy Awards, 17 times for Emmy Awards , and has also won a Golden Globe and three Screen Actors Guild Awards.She is known for her role in films such as Cross Creek, Miss...
, Dante Basco
Dante Basco
Danté Basco is an American actor, voice actor, poet, and dancer. He is best known for playing Rufio in the 1991 live-action Peter Pan film Hook...
, Marcus T. Paulk
Marcus T. Paulk
Marcus Paulk is an American actor, rapper and dancer best known for his role as Myles Mitchell in the UPN sitcom Moesha, which aired from 1996 through 2001....
, Jenna Dewan
Jenna Dewan
Jenna Lee Dewan-Tatum , better known by her birth name Jenna Dewan, is an American actress, dancer, and former model.-Early life:...
, Lauren Collins
Lauren Collins
Lauren Felice Collins is a Canadian actress that is perhaps best known for portraying Paige Michalchuk on Degrassi: The Next Generation.-Life and career:...
and also features former America's Next Top Model
America's Next Top Model
America's Next Top Model is a reality television show in which a number of women compete for the title of America's Next Top Model and a chance to start their career in the modeling industry....
contestant, Yaya DaCosta. The film was released in mainstream cinema on April 7, 2006. Although based in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, the film was filmed in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, and used stock footage of various New York City locations. The movie is based on the life of Pierre Dulaine
Pierre Dulaine
Pierre Dulaine is a well-known ballroom dancer and dance instructor. He invented the Dulaine method of teaching dance. He also developed Dancing Classrooms, a social development program for 5th grade children that uses ballroom dancing as a vehicle to change the lives of the children and their...
, a well-known ballroom dancer and a dance instructor, known for 'Dancing Classrooms'.
Plot
Rock (Rob BrownRob Brown (actor)
Rob Brown is an American actor. He is known for his roles in the films Finding Forrester , Coach Carter , Take the Lead , The Express , and currently stars in the HBO series Treme.-Personal life:...
), the film's underdog protagonist, arrives at a school dance with a water-damaged ticket and is denied entrance by Mr. Temple (John Ortiz
John Ortiz
John Ortiz is an American actor and Artistic Director/Co-Founder of LAByrinth Theater Company.-Career:In 1993, John made his film debut as Al Pacino’s young cousin ‘Guajiro’ in Carlito’s Way. He went on to appear in over 30 films including El Cantante, Take the Lead, Before Night Falls, Amistad,...
) and Principal James (Alfre Woodard
Alfre Woodard
Alfre Ette Woodard is an American film, stage, and television actress. She has been nominated once for an Academy Award and Grammy Awards, 17 times for Emmy Awards , and has also won a Golden Globe and three Screen Actors Guild Awards.She is known for her role in films such as Cross Creek, Miss...
). Rock leaves and encounters some thugs, who lead him to vandalize Principal James' car. Pierre Dulaine
Pierre Dulaine
Pierre Dulaine is a well-known ballroom dancer and dance instructor. He invented the Dulaine method of teaching dance. He also developed Dancing Classrooms, a social development program for 5th grade children that uses ballroom dancing as a vehicle to change the lives of the children and their...
(Antonio Banderas
Antonio Banderas
José Antonio Domínguez Banderas , better known as Antonio Banderas, is a Spanish film actor, film director, film producer and singer...
), a classical dance instructor, catches Rock in the act, but Rock runs away before Pierre can question him further.
The next morning at the school, Pierre waits to see the principal as Mr. Temple discusses the detention program with Principal James. As he waits, he repeatedly opens doors for women and even stand as they walk by. A student, Eddie (Marcus T. Paulk
Marcus T. Paulk
Marcus Paulk is an American actor, rapper and dancer best known for his role as Myles Mitchell in the UPN sitcom Moesha, which aired from 1996 through 2001....
) ridicules him for it, but Pierre stands his ground, and Eddie is seen opening a door for a girl when Pierre is called in to the principal's office.
Pierre explains to the principal that he was a witness to the vandalism
Vandalism
Vandalism is the behaviour attributed originally to the Vandals, by the Romans, in respect of culture: ruthless destruction or spoiling of anything beautiful or venerable...
on her car, and eventually offers to take over Mr. Temple's detention shift, to which Principal James agrees, although she is sure that he will not last more than a day. She even wagers five dollars that he will not last. Pierre is led to the basement where the students who have earned detention for the remainder of the year, including Rock, are kept. His first class is disastrous due to the uncooperative personalities of the students, all of whom scoff at his efforts to teach them classical dance.
They ridicule his choice of music, and when he tries to pair them together, various relationships between the students are revealed, including a love triangle, two cousins, and the fact that LaRhette and Rock hate each other.
The next morning Pierre returns, much to the surprise of Principal James who later explains that Rock’s brother was involved with a gang war, and one of the casualties was a brother of LaRhette (Yaya DaCosta), who had refused to dance with Rock the day before. Later in detention, Rock has forged a doctor’s note excusing him from dancing. At Pierre's dance studio, Caitlin (Lauren Collins
Lauren Collins
Lauren Felice Collins is a Canadian actress that is perhaps best known for portraying Paige Michalchuk on Degrassi: The Next Generation.-Life and career:...
) is a student who is under pressure to learn to dance because her cotillion
Cotillion
In American usage, a cotillion is a formal ball and social gathering, often the venue for presenting débutantes during the débutante season – usually May through December. Cotillions are also used as classes to teach social etiquette, respect and common morals for the younger ages with the...
is fast approaching. Though she loves to dance, she is clumsy and feels like a failure, envying Morgan her graceful sensuality and saying to Pierre that, "She's like sex on hardwood." This gives Pierre an idea on how to reach out to the detention kids.
Pierre invites Morgan (Katya Virshilas
Katya Virshilas
Katya Virshilas is a Lithuanian-Canadian dancer and actress.-Life and career:Virshilas was born in Lithuania to a Jewish family. She subsequently moved to Israel at age six, and to Vancouver, Canada at thirteen....
), a highly trained but haughty student, to his detention session for a demonstration of the tango, which inspires the detention students to be more willing to learn. Caitlin decides to join the detention students for dance class and practices with Monster, another student struggling to learn. Though the other students accuse her of wanting to "tell her upperclass friends that she's slumming," at first, they gradually learn to accept her after she admits that she feels better with them than with Morgan and her group.
Rock, who still refuses to dance, makes it clear to Pierre that he attends detention not to dance, but to be able to graduate. Pierre tries to reach out to him but Rock storms away. Later he is fired from his job for being late. He goes home and confronts his parents, who have been unable to provide him food since Rock's brother's death. His drunken father kicks him out of the house and he finds a new albeit dangerous job with some street thugs. LaRhette, daughter of a prostitute who has been impregnated numerous times, cares for her younger siblings while her mother works the streets. One night, LaRhette runs out of the apartment and to the school after one of her mother's clients attempts to rape her. She practices her dancing in the basement, and runs into Rock. They fight and are caught by security. Principal James wants to suspend LaRhette and Rock, but instead agrees to give them extra detention hours with Pierre at 7:30 AM each day. Pierre tells the class about a dance competition which he wishes them to enter, and this is further inspiration for the detention students to learn.
The detention basement is flooded, so Pierre takes the detention students to his dance studio to practice. They are confronted by Morgan and some of Pierre's other students. The detention students are further disenchanted by the skills of Pierre's students as well as the $200 entrance fee for the contest. However, Pierre manages to inspire them again and promises to provide funds for the detention students to enter.
Caitlin is unable to enter in the competition, as her cotillion is the same night, to Monster's disappointment. The two still practice together, and their relationship deepends. LaRhette and Rock will compete in waltz, and Ramos and Danjou learn to share Sasha during practice. Mr. Temple complains about the supposed waste of resources on the dance program. He brings Pierre to a meeting with the parents' association, but Pierre convinces them to keep the dance program going after demonstrating how ballroom teaches the students "teamwork, respect, and dignity." On the night of the contest, Rock has to work. He is told that he must shoot anyone who approaches the theft operation. He shoots the sprinkler system instead, setting off the alarm and causing the thugs to run away. At the cotillion, Caitlin makes her grand entrance down the staircase and dances with Monster, surprising her mother. After they dance they make their way to the dance competition.
LaRhette is disappointed that Rock has not arrived at the competition, where a $5000 prize is at stake. Sasha, Danjou, and Ramos perform an impressive three-person tango but are disqualified for it because it is a partner dance. Surprisingly, Morgan calls it a tie and gives Sasha her trophy. Principal James, thrilled with the success of the program, insists on making the program permanent and expanding it to more schools. Rock arrives at the last minute to dance the waltz with LaRhette, whom he kisses at the end of the waltz. The movie ends with Pierre's students dancing to hip hop music as the credits roll.
Cast
- Antonio BanderasAntonio BanderasJosé Antonio Domínguez Banderas , better known as Antonio Banderas, is a Spanish film actor, film director, film producer and singer...
- Pierre DulainePierre DulainePierre Dulaine is a well-known ballroom dancer and dance instructor. He invented the Dulaine method of teaching dance. He also developed Dancing Classrooms, a social development program for 5th grade children that uses ballroom dancing as a vehicle to change the lives of the children and their... - Rob BrownRob Brown (actor)Rob Brown is an American actor. He is known for his roles in the films Finding Forrester , Coach Carter , Take the Lead , The Express , and currently stars in the HBO series Treme.-Personal life:...
- Rock: The brother of a teenager who died because of drugs, he has a longstanding feud with LaRhettee, who's brother was allegedly the drug dealer. He lives in a poor neighborhood and supports his family. His father has been drunk since Rock's brother died and is violent. Rock wants nothing more than to own his own, "clean" place one day and to be nothing like his father. Despite this loathing, he still feels a duty towards his family and slips money through the door even when his father kicks him out. - Yaya DaCosta - LaRhettee: Sassy and aggressive, she's shown to be both fierce and nurturing. Since her mother works as a prostitute, she takes care of her younger siblings, cooking for them and helping her younger brother with his homework. Despite knowing her mother's profession, she is fiercely protective of her and refuses to let anyone blacken her name.
- Alfre WoodardAlfre WoodardAlfre Ette Woodard is an American film, stage, and television actress. She has been nominated once for an Academy Award and Grammy Awards, 17 times for Emmy Awards , and has also won a Golden Globe and three Screen Actors Guild Awards.She is known for her role in films such as Cross Creek, Miss...
- Principal Augustine James: No-nonsense and jaded, this woman is tough, hardened, and supremely dedicated to doing whatever she can to keep her school as safe as possible. She's shown to be an amazing and effective principal, balancing situations and knowing the name of almost every student, as well as their histories. She thinks of Pierre as an idealistic dreamer at first, but grows to respect him and his class. - John OrtizJohn OrtizJohn Ortiz is an American actor and Artistic Director/Co-Founder of LAByrinth Theater Company.-Career:In 1993, John made his film debut as Al Pacino’s young cousin ‘Guajiro’ in Carlito’s Way. He went on to appear in over 30 films including El Cantante, Take the Lead, Before Night Falls, Amistad,...
- Mr. Temple: A teacher who cares about academics and academics only, he believes that the school should focus more on students who actually deserve help than to spend extra time with the delinquents. Despite proclaiming the Pierre's dance classes are taking up time that the delinquent students should be spending studying, he was the one who refused to supervise detention the day that Pierre was hired. He later gathers a petition and attempts to have Pierre's classes terminated, but is overruled when Pierre proves the value of his classes. - Laura BenantiLaura BenantiLaura Benanti is an American actress of television, film and Broadway theatre noted for her award winning performance as Louise in the 2008 production of Gypsy.-Early years:...
- Tina - Jasika NicoleJasika NicoleJasika Nicole is an American actress and illustrator from Birmingham, Alabama. She is most famous for portraying the character of Astrid Farnsworth in the TV series Fringe....
- Egypt - Dante BascoDante BascoDanté Basco is an American actor, voice actor, poet, and dancer. He is best known for playing Rufio in the 1991 live-action Peter Pan film Hook...
- Ramos: Proud, cocky, and an obvious leader, he is openly flirtatious and a good dancer. He obviously wants Sasha, which leads to him constantly goading Danjou and making sexual comments to Sasha. - Elijah KelleyElijah KelleyElijah Kelley is an American actor, singer, and dancer. Kelley has appeared in the films Take the Lead and 28 Days , and co-starred in the musical film re-adaptation of Hairspray , in which he portrayed the character Seaweed J...
- Danjou: A quieter, less cocky young man, he has trouble dancing and is less aggressive than Ramos. He holds all his frustration inside, which finally explodes after Ramos makes one comment too many, which leads to a fistfight between the two. - Jenna DewanJenna DewanJenna Lee Dewan-Tatum , better known by her birth name Jenna Dewan, is an American actress, dancer, and former model.-Early life:...
- Sasha: Sasha is pretty and a talented dancer who's caught in a love triangle with Danjou and Ramos. She repeatedly stands up for Danjou when Ramos mocks his lack of dancing skills and is obviously frustrated by the immature sniping between the two. - Brandon D. Andrews - Monster: A large, overweight boy with a heart as soft as a teddy bear, Monster is self-conscious but sweet. He becomes a very close friend to Caitlyn and doesn't hesitate to separate Ramos and Danjou after they start fighting.
- Lauren CollinsLauren CollinsLauren Felice Collins is a Canadian actress that is perhaps best known for portraying Paige Michalchuk on Degrassi: The Next Generation.-Life and career:...
- Caitlin: Awkward and clumsy, she nevertheless loves to dance, though she feels out of place with Morgan and the other "better" dancers. She feels pressured by her mother and father, as well as their expectations of her. - Marcus T. PaulkMarcus T. PaulkMarcus Paulk is an American actor, rapper and dancer best known for his role as Myles Mitchell in the UPN sitcom Moesha, which aired from 1996 through 2001....
- Eddie: A childish young man who is allegedly a thief, like with the new stereo system in detention. He can D.J. and when the competition was over he snuck over to the stereo and turned on rap music, which everyone danced to. He danced with Egypt in the competition. - Katya VirshilasKatya VirshilasKatya Virshilas is a Lithuanian-Canadian dancer and actress.-Life and career:Virshilas was born in Lithuania to a Jewish family. She subsequently moved to Israel at age six, and to Vancouver, Canada at thirteen....
- Morgan: An extremely talented dancer who moves both gracefully and sensually, she is arrogant and rude to the delinquent kids, whom she dismisses as "nobodies with no talent." - Jonathan Malen - Kurd: A self-proclaimed "player," he is at first disappointed with Pierre's choice to pair him with Big Girl, but gradually falls in love with her.
- Shawand McKenzie - Big Girl: Monster's cousin, she is at first openly disgusted by Kurd's blatant sexual behavior, going so far as to wear gloves when she is forced to dance with him.
Box office and reaction
In its opening weekend, the film grossed a total of $12.8 million, ranking a strong third in the North AmericaNorth America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n box office
Box office
A box office is a place where tickets are sold to the public for admission to an event. Patrons may perform the transaction at a countertop, through an unblocked hole through a wall or window, or at a wicket....
. Overall, it has grossed over $30 million in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
box office, even though many critics gave it poor reviews, citing bad acting and a formulaic plot. Lewis Segal of the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
panned it as "old uninspired Hollywood hustle" while Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
, ranking it "D+", called the student actors "one-note cartoons" and described the combination of dance styles as "naked desperation to fuse demographics" on the part of the producers.