Monday Movie Time - Dance Academy: A wholesome triumph of teen dance drama (Review)

Hello Internet! 😀😀😀

I hope you are having a lovely life wherever you are in the world right now 💖💖💖.

For this blog post I wanted to write a review of a movie I saw over the weekend - Dance Academy. I was a HUGE fan of the TV series when I was younger and I remember hijacking the television from the rest of my family whenever it was on ABC.

So without further ado, here's what I thought of Dance Academy:
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Source: https://teaser-trailer.com/movie/dance-academy/

Dance Academy is a wholesome teen dance triumph that combines the nostalgia of the television series with the raw struggle of transitioning to adulthood.

It is a sequel to the popular, award winning ABC series that finished back in December 2013 after 3 seasons and 65 episodes. Avid fans like myself were excited to see where Tara and the gang had ended up after ending their adventures at the National Academy of Dance.

Struggling protagonist Tara Webster (Xenia Goodwin) is unsuccessfully trying to be a writer after her crippling back injury halted her professional dance career, but she takes one last chance to dance again.

Keeping in line with teen dance film clichés, Tara’s last ditch effort to achieve her dance dreams takes her to the bright lights of New York City.

Tara Webster swaps Sydney shores for the Big Apple as she tries to make her dance dreams come true one last time.
Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2016/12/22/first-pics-of-dance-academy-spinoff-movie-unveiled/

She meets up with more of the original gang who are dealing with their own real world problems; including a low-key celebrity meltdown, the heartbreaking return of a deadly health condition and the self-esteem crushing grind of the competitive entertainment circuit.

Although the main narrative is centred around Tara, it is really interesting to see how everyone else is adapting to life in the real world and potentially struggling with the changes just as much as Tara is.

Ultimately, everyone makes some pretty drastic life-changing decisions that ask the question what do you do when your dreams don’t work out the first time?

I thoroughly enjoyed Tara’s journey of self-discovery and cathartic healing in this film, as I felt it was necessary for her to gain closure after the trauma of what happened in her company audition.

Goodwin once again nails Tara’s endearing vulnerability, excellently keeping up with the fact that she is in almost every scene and having to be more than a little emotional in the majority of them.

Around her, the returning cast once again nailed the unique style of each of their characters and how they have grown since their days at the Academy.

Lovable jokester Ben Tickle (Thomas Lacey) provides some clever comedic one liners whilst also being heartbreakingly optimistic in the face of extreme adversity. Whilst I wasn’t a huge fan of him in the TV series, his film arc made me love and respect him more.

Competitive queen Abigail Armstrong (Dena Kaplan) is as radiant as ever as she battles the politics of The National Ballet whilst being a supportive life coach for Tara. Whilst she didn’t have as much screen time as I would have liked, she was amazingly savage anytime she showed up.

Original cast members like Abigail Armstrong return to help Tara achieve her goal of dancing again whilst dealing with their own struggles.
Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2016/12/22/first-pics-of-dance-academy-spinoff-movie-unveiled/

Rebel turned D-list celebrity Kat Karamakov (Alicia Banit) and easy-going dance teacher Christian Reed (Jordan Rodrigues) were thankfully more self-assured than in the TV series, and their maturity provided a series of both tear-jerking and sweet moments with Tara.

Director Jeffrey Walker has done a phenomenal job in maintaining that familiar relatable and charming atmosphere from the TV show whilst increasing the stakes with the move to New York and some dynamic special effects sequences.

It does have a darker, more mature tone than the TV series, which reflects the growth in the characters and their audiences who have grown up watching the show and are now starting to face these kinds of dilemmas in their own lives.

The take home messages of re-imagination and reinvention are not lost on audiences, as writer Samantha Strauss doesn’t sugarcoat how difficult the transition from adolescence to adulthood can be through her well-rounded and moving script.

All of our favourite dancers are all grown up as they try to navigate adult life whilst sticking together as friends.
Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2016/12/22/first-pics-of-dance-academy-spinoff-movie-unveiled/

But some of the most enjoyable moments of this film for me are the compelling dance sequences. The imaginative choreography heightened the emotional significance of pivotal moments and never failed to give me chills and goosebumps.

When Dance Academy ended 4 years ago, I genuinely believed there was more of this story to tell. This film is a wonderful continuation of the series that offers plenty of heart for passionate fans and newcomers alike.

The combination of relatable characters, brilliant dance numbers and a heartwarming narrative makes Dance Academy a powerful standout in the teen dance drama genre.
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I hope y'all enjoyed that review, please share and recommend to friends if you did.

Question of the Day: What was your favourite childhood TV show? Let me know in the comments below or you can contact/follow me on Instagram (@miss_memphis98) 😎

Thanks for reading,

Love and pointe shoes, Emily xx 💟