Take the Lead

Though I like to dance—particularly swing—I don’t much care to watch people dance. And I really don’t care to watch films about people dancing. The one film I have always exempted from this bias, for some reason, is West Side Story. Go figure. I guess I’m a sucker for schmaltz.

Yet I found Take the Lead quite appealing. To start, I was hooked by the opening credit sequence, a montage of contrasting musical styles—and a comparison of preparations for dance: dressing, primping, agonizing, mirror-gazing. Two basic styles are juxtaposed—ballroom and hiphop. In spite of the differences between these styles, however, and in spite of the apparent ecomonic strata that separate the practitioners, this sequence demonstrates that people are still people, regardless of music preferences, place of residence, or upbringing. The one thing that brings unity to this sequence and to these characters—indeed, to this film—is love... love of music.

Take the Lead tells the story of a struggling (if classy) dance instructor who chances upon an inner-city school in need of some purpose. No one wants to deal with the kids in detention, and they have little interest in what the school has to offer. Are they troublemakers? Sure. Are they dead-enders? Well, couldn’t we all end up there, given the right scenario?

At first Pierre Dulaine doesn’t connect to the kids either—and they don’t connect to him. He doesn’t know their style, and they couldn’t care less for his. But he’s got the tougher row to hoe because he’s (nominally) in charge.

And here’s the first lesson of Take the Lead: if you’re a leader, lead. Take charge. Don’t let the followers set the tone. So Dulaine takes the lead. He finds ways of connecting with and motivating the kids. Of course, it’s terribly convenient that all of the kids in detention love music and love to dance—but in the context of this movie, it’s not a terrible stretch. Not all of these kids (nor the actors who portray them) are great natural dancers. So there’s plenty of room to grow—and grow they must, if they’re going to enter the city ballroom competition.

Naturally, this is where the second lesson comes in: when there’s a leader, someone has to follow—and there’s a lot of following in this movie. Some of it’s productive, and some of it’s not. One of the students, in particular, has a lot to learn about following the wrong people.

But this is the movie’s stickiest point, both internal to the story and external to it. How many of us really like to follow? Admit it. Americans in particular are so sheep-like, and still have the illusion of being in charge of everything. Freedom of choice, baby! Almost three decades ago, DEVO observed, “Freedom of choice / is what you’ve got. / Freedom from choice / is what you want.” What a paradox. And like most paradoxes, it rubs us wrong every chance it gets.

One of the central metaphors of the Christian faith is marriage. According to the Apostle Paul, Jesus Christ is the groom, and His Church is the bride. The point? Christ leads, the Church follows.

Wow. Talk about backward, right?

Well, maybe not. In Take the Lead, Dulaine makes the point to the kids that, in ballroom dancing, the man always leads and the woman always follows. Is that because the man is superior? Not at all. It’s simply about role playing: knowing what your role is, and being responsible to it. As Dulaine says, “Following takes just as much courage as leading.”

Maybe more.

And this is Take the Lead’s final lesson: trust. When leaders lead and followers follow, it’s only harmonious, joyful, and beautiful when trust blossoms between them—the product of patience, kindness, gentleness, reliability, self control. Ballroom dancing—heck, any dancing—can be a spiritual experience.

What a joy!

And it’s nice to see that the filmmakers are really behind that message. Wouldn’t it be nice if, at the end of all such movies, winning and losing became wholly irrelevant?