Top 7 Dance Movie Breakout Stars
Do you love dance movies?
Ok, we’ll ask it again.
DO YOU LOVE DANCE MOVIES?
That’s better.
So do we.
And we have some excellent news.
Ok, so you know Josh Peck? Yes the selfsame Josh Peck who has THE BEST VINE ACCOUNT EVER? Josh is starring as a breakdancing coach in a film called BATTLE OF THE YEAR (In Theatres Sept. 20th! Soon!) and it’s a little something we like to call A DANCE MOVIE! Soooo many stars broke out with dance movies, and given that Josh makes us laugh til we puke almost daily with his 6 second videos, we’re quite confident he’ll be on this list next year. In the meantime, who are the top 7 breakout dance stars of all time? Take a look. A few might surprise you…
1. Channing Tatum
Breakout Movie: “Step-Up”
Channing had mostly worked as a model (and, legendarily, a stripper) before he became every girl’s fantasy-boyfriend as a dancer from the wrong side of the tracks.
Star-Making Moment: When Channing pops his collar on the dance-floor with future wife, Jenna Dewan-Tatum, going from shy, sullen guy to superstar in one move.
Other Awesome Stuff He’s Done: Um. GI Joe, 21 Jumpstreet, Magic Mike, White House Down. Basically every movie he’s done since Step Up has been solid if not great.
2. Jennifer Beals
Breakout Movie: “Flashdance”
Like Channing, Jennifer had mostly done modeling before being cast as a steelworker who danced by night.
Star-Making Moment: While removing her bra beneath that now iconic one-shouldered sweatshirt, Jennifer became a star.
Other Awesome Stuff: The L-Word was excellent. But nothing she’s ever done compares to Flashdance.
3. Patrick Swayze
Breakout Movie: “Dirty Dancing”
Swayze had only done bit-parts in movies like “The Outsiders” before he became the ultimate break-out star in the ultimate dance movie.
Star-Making Moment: There are, truthfully, about 25 moments. When he does the “come here” motion with his index finger, when he and Baby writhe around on the studio floor dancing, when he teaches her the lift in the water, when they dance and balance on that dumb overturned tree, when they dance together in his bungalow with that series of cuts when Baby can’t stop laughing. Should we go on?
Other Awesome Stuff: Uh, ever heard of a little otherworldy rom com called Ghost? Yeah, that was pretty awesome.
4. Kevin Bacon
Breakout Movie: “Footloose”
Kevin was best known for a small part in the movie “Diner” before starring in this iconic movie about a Chicago kid who moves to a town that outlaws dancing. Outlaws dancing? WHO WOULD DO SUCH A THING?
Star-Making Moment: His dramatic solo dance in the warehouse Insider info: Kevin actually used five – FIVE! – dancing-doubles for that scene. WATCH THE WAREHOUSE SCENE HERE.
Other Awesome Stuff He’s Done: Kevin’s been in so many movies there’s literally a game where you can connect him to every actor on earth. 6 Degrees Of Kevin Bacon. Google it. Try it. It works every time.
5. Jamie Bell
Breakout Movie: “Billy Elliot”
Jamie Bell was an unknown 10-year-old when he was cast as the ballet-obsessed son of two English coal miners.
Star-Making Moment: Right in the opening credits: Jamie bouncing and dancing in slow-motion is the total embodiment of everything we love about dance.
Other Awesome Stuff He’s Done: He starred in Steven Spielberg’s “Tintin,” but Billy Elliot remains his best work to date.
6. Gregory Hines
Breakout Movie: “White Nights”
This now quaint 80s movies with Gregory Hines (arguably the best tap dancer ever to live) along with Mikhail Baryshnikov (arguably the best ballet dancer ever to live, who also played Carrie’s love interest Aleksandr in the final season of Sex and the City) was a dance movie of a different color. The stars were classically trained, and the dancing blew everyone away when it premiered in 1985.
Star-Making Moment: Gregory and Mikhail do an amazing two man dance routine mostly captured in one, single, unbelievable take. CHECK OUT THE AMAZING SCENE FROM WHITE NIGHTS HERE. //www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImzkWZkaIIM
Other Awesome Stuff He’s Done: He guest starred in Will and Grace and was HILARIOUS. He also had a TV show of his own for a bit, and has been in a bajillion little parts in movies and TV.
7. Julianne Hough
Breakout Movie: FOOTLOSE REMAKE
She was pretty amazeballs on Dancing with the Stars but she suddenly became an “It” girl before our very eyes in the remake of Footloose. Julianne recently said Sayonara to her romance with Ryan Seacrest, and is now a boma fide movie star.
Star-Making Moment: Her gorgeous “girl next door” beauty was powerful enough to completely dominate the trailer.
Other Awesome Stuff She’s Done: Like we said, Ryan Seacrest. JOKES! Julianne was in Rock of Ages with a little actor we like to call TOM CRUISE, Safe Haven with Josh Duhamel, and we’re REALLY excited to see what she does with the new Diablo Cody (Juno) movie, PARADISE which comes out in October 2013.
