Five Dances

By: Robert O'Neill
In-House Review - May 21 2013

Though his overbearing, emotionally fraught mother demands that he return home to Kansas, Chip, a talented and completely adorable young dancer (played by "Newsies" breakout star Ryan Steele - making his feature film debut), has come to New York determined to live out his dreams. The problem: he has nowhere to live.

on the floor of his rehearsal space, Chip is throwing his body, heart and soul into a new dance production that is set to open a prestigious NYC ballet festival. Chip isn't the most naturally social member of the group. Though he has a great deal of warmth and longs for new friends, he's shy and seems to be bottling up a few secrets from a sheltered upbringing.

As he bonds with the four other members of his troupe - particularly Katie (Catherine Miller), who takes him in and lets him crash on her couch until he can work out a new arrangement; and Theo (Reed Luplau), a cute, openly gay fellow dancer who develops an almost immediate crush during their intimate and thrillingly sensual rehearsals - Chip begins to open up and start seeing possibilities for a new, much happier life in the big city.

With the aid of internationally renowned choreographer Jonah Baeker, writer/director Alan Brown has crafted an elegant, incredibly moving "coming out" romance that is sure to please fans of his previous feature (the beloved Shakespeare adaptation Private Romeo) while bringing in some new ones as well. Five Dances aims to entrance and succeeds with high-flying, pirouetting colors.

By: gbelly

By: gayforplay

This is a beautiful film, with a beautiful cast, and beautiful modern dance performances, beautifully shot. The quality of the dancing itself would be enough to recommend it; but at the heart of the film is the human drama of how, in the process of rehearsing a brand new performance piece, a small troupe of 5 dancers -- mostly strangers -- comes together, creating not only a work of art, but also a rich array of new personal connections. Each of the 5 performers is superlative, but the guy who plays our main protagonist is truly stellar. Newcomer Ryan Steele demands attention as Chip, an 18-year-old who is fairly new to this New York City dance scene, and to adulthood in general. He portrays an appealing mix of personal vulnerability and artistic assurance. We will be looking forward to seeing more of Mr. Steele in the future. But do check him out now, in this wonderful film.

By: Amos Lassen

Eighteen year old Chip has come to New York City from the Midwest. He wants to build a life and career for himself and he should have no problem since he is very, very talented. The film will open is selected theaters in the spring with a DVD and a Video on Demand to follow. Stunningly beautiful, the film is directed by Alan Brown who has collaborated with choreographer Jonah Bokaer to bring us the story of Chip.
"Chip (the feature film debut of Broadway star Ryan Steele of Disney's "Newsies" and upcoming Roald Dahl's 'Matilda the Musical" ), an extraordinarily-talented 18-year-old who joins a small downtown modern dance company. In his first weeks of rehearsal, Chip is initiated into the rites of passage of a New York dancer's life, where discipline and endless hard work, camaraderie and competitiveness, the fear of not being good enough, and the joy of getting it just right, inform every minute of every day. Brown and his long-time cinematographer Derek McKane capture the exhilaration and emotional turmoil of a dance company, and all of Chip's poignant firsts with the result being the director's most dynamic film to date. "Five Dances" was the official Opening Night film of the 2013 Dance on Camera Film Festival at the Lincoln Center, New York where both screenings were promptly sold-out and played to enthusiastic audiences".