A tango away from big trouble

If anyone were to say that ballroom dancing would get problem pupils from impoverished homes off the streets, they'd do so at the risk of laughter or, at least, gentle derision.

But those doing the ridiculing might reconsider after seeing Marilyn Agrelo's documentary film made among the sink areas of New York City.

To watch these kids, who previously lacked confidence and were regarded as almost unteachable, take up the challenge of finding themselves a partner and then painstakingly learning the merengue, foxtrot, rumba and tango is both a moving and an entertaining experience.

The effort transforms the kids - you feel they will never be quite the same again. This, at any rate, is what Agrelo clearly believes and she's made one of the most optimistic films I've seen for ages.

Her optimism remains untarnished by any false sentiment and the film's only flaw is that it shows us too little of the kids' lives out of school. What we do see of them, however, should charm and hearten any cynic.

Mad Hot Ballroom
Cert: certU