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Dance with Me (film)
Encyclopedia
Dance with Me is a 1998 drama film on love and dance directed by Randa Haines
and starring Vanessa L. Williams
and Puerto Rican
singer
Chayanne
.
) comes from Santiago, Cuba to Houston, Texas
to work for a man named John Burnett (Kris Kristofferson
) as a handyman in Burnett's dance studio. It soon becomes clear to the audience that Burnett is the father Rafael had never known. While there he finds himself falling for a dancer and instructor Ruby Sinclair (Williams), who incidentally brought him to the studio. It turns out that the dancers in the studio are preparing for a dance competition in Las Vegas
and that Ruby would be taking part as well. Rafael gets close to Ruby and their attraction to each other grows, but she is not willing to commit herself to a relationship as she seems more interested in her dancing.
Meanwhile, Rafael's arrival and persona wins him the friendship of an older dancer Bea Johnson (Joan Plowright
) as well as the studio receptionist Lovejoy (Beth Grant
), but it also causes some discomfort to Burnett, who suddenly begins to withdraw into himself and takes less interest in the preparations for the competition, much to the chagrin of his own partner Patricia Black (Jane Krakowski
). While visiting Burnett at his home, Rafael notices and offers to repair his old and broken-down truck. He and Ruby go downtown to get the parts needed to repair the truck and are invited to an engagement party by a Cuban man whose daughter was getting engaged. While there, both of them discover more about each other as he tells her that his mother had died but that he never knew his father.
Later, Rafael invites Ruby to a dance party at a club in the city and they agree to go on the following Saturday night. Before leaving, Rafael helps Patricia get a dance lift move she had been practicing, explaining that his mother made him take a little ballet. The following Saturday, he and Ruby go to the party in which they perform, along with other dancers, the Latin Salsa dancing to a song by Albita Rodriguez
. After the party he takes Ruby home where he discovers that she has a 7-year-old son, Peter, who is "looked after" by Bea in Ruby's absence and who happens to be fathered by Ruby's former dance partner, Julian Marshall (Rick Valenzuela). While there he comes up to Ruby and they share a passionate kiss, but she eventually breaks it up.
Later on Rafael comes to Burnett's home to show him the refurbished truck, to the latter's delight. while there, Patricia comes to the house and has a discussion with John asking him to explain why he suddenly lost interest in their choreography preparations. John then tells her that she can dance with Rafael if she wants and both she and Rafael start their practice to the amazement of the other dancers at the studio. After the rehearsal, Rafael overhears John telling Lovejoy that Ruby would be in Las Vegas without them and also asking her to switch his name with Rafael's when Patricia's dance comes up. Sensing that she wants to reunite with Julian, Rafael goes to see Ruby who explains that she wanted Peter to see his father often and that she did not want to be in love. While at a fishing trip with Burnett, Rafael is shocked when Burnett tells him to go back to Cuba after the competition and that he did not have a son. Devastated by the double rejection, he decides to return to Cuba after his dance with Patricia.
At Las Vegas, Rafael meets Ruby and tells her that he was returning to Cuba after the competition. Burnett, who did not go, reflects on his cruel rejection of Rafael and decides to come to the dance to apologize to Rafael and persuade him not to go back to Cuba. Rafael dances with Patricia and while watching them, Ruby realized that she was in love with Rafael and felt a stab of jealousy seeing them together. Just as Rafael and Patricia leave the stage, Bea comes in with "I wanna do that too" and she and Rafael perform a very humorous dance to the amusement and delight of the crowd. After the dance Burnett meets and apologizes to Rafael, eventually convinces him to stay back and also commending his dancing.
The main dances begin and Ruby and her partner Julian are involved. Despite the slight tension between them, they win the competition, although Ruby almost all the time seems to keep her eyes on Rafael, who is in the audience and who is watching her. However he leaves and when Ruby looked around without seeing him, she breaks down in tears. Later at a dance party for all the contestants, Ruby is met by a man who wishes to promote her. However, to her relief, Rafael appears again and leads her to the dance floor for a final dance scene that has the rest of the dancers watching with admiration. The movie ends at the studio with the entire studio members and some new dancers dancing to the theme song "You Are My Home" by Chayanne and Williams themselves.
Track Listing:
1. Magalenha [Portuguese] (03:39)
Sérgio Mendes
2. Heaven's What I Feel
[Dance Mix] (05:09)
Gloria Estefan
3. You Are My Home (05:10)
Vanessa Williams
; Chayanne
4. Jibaro
[Dance With Me '98 Remix] (04:36)
Electra
5. Fiesta Pa' Los Rumberos (05:03)
Albita
6. Want You, Miss You, Love You (04:01)
Jon Secada
7. Jazz Machine (03:31)
Black Machine
8. Echa Pa' Lante (Spanish Cha-Cha Mix) (NOTE: This song is not to be confused with the original; it is a completely different song in theme from the original.) (03:53)
Thalía
9. Atrévete [No Puedes Conmigo] (04:11)
DLG
10. Eres Todo en Mí [You're My Everything] (05:13)
Ana Gabriel
11. Refugio de Amor [You Are My Home] (Salsa) (05:30)
Vanessa Williams
; Chayanne
12. Tres Deseos
[Three Wishes] [12 Remix] (05:00)
Gloria Estefan
13. Patria
(04:10)
Ruben Blades
Bonus Tracks:
14. Pantera en Libertad (03:26)
Monica Naranjo
15. Suavemente
[Tropical Spanglish Mix] (04:17)
Elvis Crespo
Randa Haines
Randa Haines is a film and television director and producer. She is perhaps most famous for directing the critically acclaimed feature film Children of a Lesser God , which starred William Hurt and Marlee Matlin, for which Matlin won the 1987 Academy Award as best actress...
and starring Vanessa L. Williams
Vanessa L. Williams
Vanessa Lynn Williams is an American pop-R&B recording artist, producer, dancer, model, actress and showgirl. In 1983, she became the first woman of African-American descent to be crowned Miss America, but a scandal generated by her having posed for nude photographs published in Penthouse magazine...
and Puerto Rican
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
singer
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
Chayanne
Chayanne
Elmer Figueroa Arce , best known under the stage name Chayanne, is a Puerto Rican Latin pop singer and actor. As a solo artist, Chayanne has released 21 solo-albums and sold over 20 million albums worldwide.-Early life:...
.
Plot
After burying his mother, Rafael Infante (ChayanneChayanne
Elmer Figueroa Arce , best known under the stage name Chayanne, is a Puerto Rican Latin pop singer and actor. As a solo artist, Chayanne has released 21 solo-albums and sold over 20 million albums worldwide.-Early life:...
) comes from Santiago, Cuba to Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
to work for a man named John Burnett (Kris Kristofferson
Kris Kristofferson
Kristoffer "Kris" Kristofferson is an American musician, actor, and writer. He is known for hits such as "Me and Bobby McGee", "For the Good Times", "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down", and "Help Me Make It Through the Night"...
) as a handyman in Burnett's dance studio. It soon becomes clear to the audience that Burnett is the father Rafael had never known. While there he finds himself falling for a dancer and instructor Ruby Sinclair (Williams), who incidentally brought him to the studio. It turns out that the dancers in the studio are preparing for a dance competition in Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
and that Ruby would be taking part as well. Rafael gets close to Ruby and their attraction to each other grows, but she is not willing to commit herself to a relationship as she seems more interested in her dancing.
Meanwhile, Rafael's arrival and persona wins him the friendship of an older dancer Bea Johnson (Joan Plowright
Joan Plowright
Joan Ann Plowright, Baroness Olivier, DBE , better known as Dame Joan Plowright, is an English actress, whose career has spanned over sixty years. Throughout her career she has won two Golden Globe Awards and a Tony Award and has been nominated for an Academy Award, an Emmy, and two BAFTA Awards...
) as well as the studio receptionist Lovejoy (Beth Grant
Beth Grant
Beth Grant is an American actress. She is known for often playing characters who are conservatives, religious zealots or sticklers for rules....
), but it also causes some discomfort to Burnett, who suddenly begins to withdraw into himself and takes less interest in the preparations for the competition, much to the chagrin of his own partner Patricia Black (Jane Krakowski
Jane Krakowski
Jane Krakowski is an American actress and singer. She is most well known for her performance of Elaine Vassal on Ally McBeal, for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award, and for her current role as Jenna Maroney on the NBC sitcom 30 Rock, for which she has been nominated for three Emmy...
). While visiting Burnett at his home, Rafael notices and offers to repair his old and broken-down truck. He and Ruby go downtown to get the parts needed to repair the truck and are invited to an engagement party by a Cuban man whose daughter was getting engaged. While there, both of them discover more about each other as he tells her that his mother had died but that he never knew his father.
Later, Rafael invites Ruby to a dance party at a club in the city and they agree to go on the following Saturday night. Before leaving, Rafael helps Patricia get a dance lift move she had been practicing, explaining that his mother made him take a little ballet. The following Saturday, he and Ruby go to the party in which they perform, along with other dancers, the Latin Salsa dancing to a song by Albita Rodriguez
Albita Rodríguez
Albita Rodríguez , known in her music career simply as Albita, is a Grammy-winning Cuban-American singer, producer and composer.Albita was born in Havana, Cuba...
. After the party he takes Ruby home where he discovers that she has a 7-year-old son, Peter, who is "looked after" by Bea in Ruby's absence and who happens to be fathered by Ruby's former dance partner, Julian Marshall (Rick Valenzuela). While there he comes up to Ruby and they share a passionate kiss, but she eventually breaks it up.
Later on Rafael comes to Burnett's home to show him the refurbished truck, to the latter's delight. while there, Patricia comes to the house and has a discussion with John asking him to explain why he suddenly lost interest in their choreography preparations. John then tells her that she can dance with Rafael if she wants and both she and Rafael start their practice to the amazement of the other dancers at the studio. After the rehearsal, Rafael overhears John telling Lovejoy that Ruby would be in Las Vegas without them and also asking her to switch his name with Rafael's when Patricia's dance comes up. Sensing that she wants to reunite with Julian, Rafael goes to see Ruby who explains that she wanted Peter to see his father often and that she did not want to be in love. While at a fishing trip with Burnett, Rafael is shocked when Burnett tells him to go back to Cuba after the competition and that he did not have a son. Devastated by the double rejection, he decides to return to Cuba after his dance with Patricia.
At Las Vegas, Rafael meets Ruby and tells her that he was returning to Cuba after the competition. Burnett, who did not go, reflects on his cruel rejection of Rafael and decides to come to the dance to apologize to Rafael and persuade him not to go back to Cuba. Rafael dances with Patricia and while watching them, Ruby realized that she was in love with Rafael and felt a stab of jealousy seeing them together. Just as Rafael and Patricia leave the stage, Bea comes in with "I wanna do that too" and she and Rafael perform a very humorous dance to the amusement and delight of the crowd. After the dance Burnett meets and apologizes to Rafael, eventually convinces him to stay back and also commending his dancing.
The main dances begin and Ruby and her partner Julian are involved. Despite the slight tension between them, they win the competition, although Ruby almost all the time seems to keep her eyes on Rafael, who is in the audience and who is watching her. However he leaves and when Ruby looked around without seeing him, she breaks down in tears. Later at a dance party for all the contestants, Ruby is met by a man who wishes to promote her. However, to her relief, Rafael appears again and leads her to the dance floor for a final dance scene that has the rest of the dancers watching with admiration. The movie ends at the studio with the entire studio members and some new dancers dancing to the theme song "You Are My Home" by Chayanne and Williams themselves.
Cast
- Vanessa L. WilliamsVanessa L. WilliamsVanessa Lynn Williams is an American pop-R&B recording artist, producer, dancer, model, actress and showgirl. In 1983, she became the first woman of African-American descent to be crowned Miss America, but a scandal generated by her having posed for nude photographs published in Penthouse magazine...
as Ruby Sinclair - ChayanneChayanneElmer Figueroa Arce , best known under the stage name Chayanne, is a Puerto Rican Latin pop singer and actor. As a solo artist, Chayanne has released 21 solo-albums and sold over 20 million albums worldwide.-Early life:...
as Rafael Infante - Kris KristoffersonKris KristoffersonKristoffer "Kris" Kristofferson is an American musician, actor, and writer. He is known for hits such as "Me and Bobby McGee", "For the Good Times", "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down", and "Help Me Make It Through the Night"...
as John Burnett - Joan PlowrightJoan PlowrightJoan Ann Plowright, Baroness Olivier, DBE , better known as Dame Joan Plowright, is an English actress, whose career has spanned over sixty years. Throughout her career she has won two Golden Globe Awards and a Tony Award and has been nominated for an Academy Award, an Emmy, and two BAFTA Awards...
as Bea Johnson - Jane KrakowskiJane KrakowskiJane Krakowski is an American actress and singer. She is most well known for her performance of Elaine Vassal on Ally McBeal, for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award, and for her current role as Jenna Maroney on the NBC sitcom 30 Rock, for which she has been nominated for three Emmy...
as Patricia Black - Beth GrantBeth GrantBeth Grant is an American actress. She is known for often playing characters who are conservatives, religious zealots or sticklers for rules....
as Lovejoy - Harry GroenerHarry GroenerHarry Groener is a German-born American actor and dancer, perhaps best known for playing Mayor Wilkins in Buffy the Vampire Slayer .-Early life:...
as Michael
Film soundtrack
For the article for the soundtrack, see Dance with Me: Music from the Motion PictureDance with Me: Music from the Motion Picture
- Chart performance :-See also:*List of number-one Billboard Top Latin Albums from the 1990s*List of number-one Billboard Tropical Albums from the 1990s...
Track Listing:
1. Magalenha [Portuguese] (03:39)
Sérgio Mendes
Sergio Mendes
Sérgio Santos Mendes is a Brazilian musician. He has released over thirty-five albums, and plays bossa nova heavily crossed with jazz and funk....
2. Heaven's What I Feel
Heaven's What I Feel
"Heaven's What I Feel" is a song by Gloria Estefan, released as the first single from her eighth studio album gloria!.-Song history:The song is a ballad with a dance background. It was first offered to Celine Dion to be recorded, but she turned it down...
[Dance Mix] (05:09)
Gloria Estefan
Gloria Estefan
Gloria María Milagrosa Fajardo García de Estefan; known professionally as Gloria Estefan is a Cuban-born American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known as the "Queen Of Latin Pop", she is in the top 100 best selling music artists with over 100 million albums sold worldwide, 31.5 million of those...
3. You Are My Home (05:10)
Vanessa Williams
Vanessa L. Williams
Vanessa Lynn Williams is an American pop-R&B recording artist, producer, dancer, model, actress and showgirl. In 1983, she became the first woman of African-American descent to be crowned Miss America, but a scandal generated by her having posed for nude photographs published in Penthouse magazine...
; Chayanne
Chayanne
Elmer Figueroa Arce , best known under the stage name Chayanne, is a Puerto Rican Latin pop singer and actor. As a solo artist, Chayanne has released 21 solo-albums and sold over 20 million albums worldwide.-Early life:...
4. Jibaro
Jíbaro
Jíbaro is a term from the Taíno words "jiba" and "ro", that means forest people, commonly used in Puerto Rico to refer to mountain-dwelling peasants, but in modern times it has gained a broader cultural meaning.-History:...
[Dance With Me '98 Remix] (04:36)
Electra
Electra
In Greek mythology, Electra was an Argive princess and daughter of King Agamemnon and Queen Clytemnestra. She and her brother Orestes plotted revenge against their mother Clytemnestra and stepfather Aegisthus for the murder of their father Agamemnon...
5. Fiesta Pa' Los Rumberos (05:03)
Albita
6. Want You, Miss You, Love You (04:01)
Jon Secada
Jon Secada
Jon Secada is a Cuban-American singer and songwriter. Secada was born in Havana, Cuba, and raised in Hialeah, Florida. He has won two Grammy Awards and sold 20 million albums since his English-language debut album in 1992. His music fuses funk, soul, pop and Latin percussion...
7. Jazz Machine (03:31)
Black Machine
8. Echa Pa' Lante (Spanish Cha-Cha Mix) (NOTE: This song is not to be confused with the original; it is a completely different song in theme from the original.) (03:53)
Thalía
Thalía
Ariadna Thalía Sodi Miranda , known simply by the mononym Thalía , is a Mexican singer and actress. She has sold over 40 million albums worldwide...
9. Atrévete [No Puedes Conmigo] (04:11)
DLG
10. Eres Todo en Mí [You're My Everything] (05:13)
Ana Gabriel
Ana Gabriel
Ana Gabriel is a Mexican singer and composer.Ana Gabriel was born as María Guadalupe Araujo Yong, in Santiago de Comanito, Sinaloa, Mexico. She first sang on the stage at age six, singing "Regalo A Dios" by José Alfredo Jiménez. She moved to Tijuana, Baja California and studied accounting...
11. Refugio de Amor [You Are My Home] (Salsa) (05:30)
Vanessa Williams
Vanessa L. Williams
Vanessa Lynn Williams is an American pop-R&B recording artist, producer, dancer, model, actress and showgirl. In 1983, she became the first woman of African-American descent to be crowned Miss America, but a scandal generated by her having posed for nude photographs published in Penthouse magazine...
; Chayanne
Chayanne
Elmer Figueroa Arce , best known under the stage name Chayanne, is a Puerto Rican Latin pop singer and actor. As a solo artist, Chayanne has released 21 solo-albums and sold over 20 million albums worldwide.-Early life:...
12. Tres Deseos
Tres Deseos
"Tres Deseos" is a song by Gloria Estefan, released as a promotional single from her second Spanish album, Abriendo Puertas.-Song history:...
[Three Wishes] [12 Remix] (05:00)
Gloria Estefan
Gloria Estefan
Gloria María Milagrosa Fajardo García de Estefan; known professionally as Gloria Estefan is a Cuban-born American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known as the "Queen Of Latin Pop", she is in the top 100 best selling music artists with over 100 million albums sold worldwide, 31.5 million of those...
13. Patria
Patria
Patria may refer to:* Homeland * Patria, a cycle of theatrical works by composer R. Murray Schafer* Patria AMV * Patria , of Finland...
(04:10)
Ruben Blades
Rubén Blades
Rubén Blades Bellido de Luna is a Panamanian salsa singer, songwriter, lawyer, actor, Latin jazz musician, and politician, performing musically most often in the Afro-Cuban and Latin jazz genres...
Bonus Tracks:
14. Pantera en Libertad (03:26)
Monica Naranjo
Monica Naranjo
Mónica Naranjo Carrasco is a Spanish singer born in Figueras, a village in Spain to Andalusian parents. She has sold over 8 million albums worldwide.- Biography :...
15. Suavemente
Suavemente (song)
"Suavemente" is a song recorded and composed by Puerto Rican-American Elvis Crespo on his first solo album, Suavemente, which followed his departure from Grupo Manía. Released as the lead single, Suavemente reached #1 on the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks on May 16, 1998 and remained atop the chart...
[Tropical Spanglish Mix] (04:17)
Elvis Crespo
Elvis Crespo
Elvis Crespo , is a Puerto Rican-American Grammy and Latin Grammy Award-winning Merengue singer.-Early years:Crespo was born in New York City and was named "Elvis" after Elvis Presley...
Awards
Nomination- Satellite AwardsSatellite AwardsThe Satellite Awards are an annual award given by the International Press Academy. The awards were originally known as the Golden Satellite Awards.- Film :*Best Actor – Drama*Best Actor – Musical or Comedy*Best Actress – Drama...
: Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy or Musical- Joan Plowright