Hope Dances

This lovely film follows a girl through a challenging time in her life. It is a statement about dedication, commitment, loyalty and character. I especially enjoyed the relationships between the girls in ballet class and between Hope and her two very different parents. They all delivered stellar performances. Everyone in the family will get something out of this touching story. A real gem!

Hope Dances is a sweet family movie that celebrates the unabashed dreams of youth and the audacity to pursue them.

Young Hope wants one day to become a professional ballet dancer. On the way to that goal, she hopes to play the lead role in the yearly production of the Nutcracker. But Hope faces obstacles. Her father would rather she pour her physical energies into baseball, at which she also excels. Her mother Is adamant about Hope's prospects in ballet, pushing her to work harder and take her studies more seriously. The film also deals with friendship, jealousy, classroom rivalry and inspiration in the form of a real-life role model.

Almost incidentally, Hope Dances also celebrates the natural beauty of Santa Cruz, from the quaint streets to the boardwalk, from the coastal cliffs to the forest. The cinematography is wonderful; some of the studio scenes are almost magical.

The energetic cast is excellent. The young actors acquit themselves especially well. If you're looking for positive, uplifting family entertainment that is also a visual treat, Hope Dances fills the bill.

I first watched Hope Dances with my 8 year old daughter, and then again with her 13 year old sister. They both loved it. This movie was a very pleasant surprise. It is beautifully filmed, with many gorgeous shots of coastal California woven into the story.

The story is about a young girl working to fulfill her dreams, and the conflict arises as her parents pull her in different directions, tragedy strikes someone dear to her, and she faces rejection along her path.

I really appreciated how the movie avoids stereotyping the characters. There is no bullying mean girl, oafish buddy, or evil adult authority figure. When things get difficult for Hope, she learns to seek advice and comfort from a range of trusted advisers including her parents, grandmother, teachers, a mentor, and friends. She needs different kinds of help at different times and wisely seeks a broad base of support to get her through. Characters are shown taking time and making compromises to work through disagreements.

The value of hard work is strongly emphasized here. Hope does not possess magical hidden talent (a tired trope in many movies meant to inspire), but puts in the work to distinguish herself from the many other talented girls she encounters. I would highly recommend this movie for children of any age, but especially for girls from 8-14.

With daughters ages 7 and 10, finding movies that are appropriate and enjoyable for both of them is difficult to say the least. Hope Dances was an enjoyable and entertaining movie that our whole family enjoyed. The plot was engaging and the story moved along at a satisfying pace. We loved the actors and felt that the relationships between the characters were authentic and engaging. I too liked that there is no bullying or malicious adult figures in the story line. It was a movie that encourages self confidence and perseverance. I would highly recommend this film for girls 7-14 or thereabouts. Hope learns that despite challenging times in life, one can succeed and thrive when focused and passionate.

Initially I bought this movie because I have a daughter who is interested in dancing and hoped it would inspire her to continue with her new passion. It served its purpose and more. We love the movie and my daughter has watched it four times now...haha. Really good story and really good performances! A good coming of age film for all ages, even us older adult kids.