There’s something so infectious a couple of dance sequence that, even in motion pictures and TV reveals by which they happen just about out of nowhere and, in idea, shouldn’t work, they nonetheless do generally. The truth is, a number of the most iconic and beloved numbers in popular culture historical past don’t even come from titles categorized as musicals. Step again in time and overview the next most cherished examples of the like.
Napoleon Has “Canned Warmth” (Napoleon Dynamite)
Whereas a lot of the dialogue is extraordinarily quotable and Jon Heder’s title character is a one-of-a-kind on the spot comedy icon, if you happen to ask me, the second that 2004’s Napoleon Dynamite gained audiences over is its centerpiece dance sequence. In a last-ditch effort to assist his finest buddy, Pedro (Efren Ramirez), win class president, the nerd busts out some completely ridiculous, but passionate, dance strikes in an impromptu routine set to Jamiroquai’s “Canned Warmth,” which earns a roaring spherical of applause from his classmates.
Nothing Fits Barney Like A Swimsuit (How I Met Your Mom)
Within the a hundredth episode of the beloved TV sitcom, How I Met Your Mom, Barney Stinson (Neil Patrick Harris) contemplates whether or not or not he ought to quit his fits perpetually with the intention to rating with a beautiful bartender who hates males in enterprise apparel. He then imagines an elaborate track and dance quantity professing his love for his wardrobe known as “Nothing Fits Me Like a Swimsuit,” that includes the remainder of the snappily dressed solid.
Tom’s Goals Are Coming True ((500) Days Of Summer time)
It’s moments like this that make 2009’s (500) Days of Summer time among the finest romantic-comedy motion pictures of its time. Tom Hansen (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is so excessive on cloud 9 after beginning up a romance with Zooey Deschanel’s title position that he imagines the native townspeople are becoming a member of him for a quick dance set to Corridor & Oates’ “You Make My Goals Come True” throughout his morning commute.
“The Title Recreation” (American Horror Story)
A number of the most unsettling moments from American Horror Story masterfully make the most of the ability of juxtaposition, like in probably the most dazzling moments from Season 2, subtitled Asylum. After receiving shock remedy, Sister Jude (Jessica Lange) hallucinates that she is performing a rendition of Shirley Ellis’ 1964 pop hit, “The Title Recreation,” together with her fellow sufferers at Briarcliff Manor.
Gutterballs (The Massive Lebowski)
Joel and Ethan Coen’s 1998 cult favourite comedy The Massive Lebowski is residence to 2 of probably the most iconic film dream sequences, with the second simply taking the cake as probably the most splendidly uproarious. Knocked out by Jackie Treehorn, The Dude (Jeff Bridges) imagines he and Maude Lebowski (Julianne Moore) are the celebrities of an grownup movie shot within the model of a Busby Berkeley dance quantity.
Joel Likes That “Previous Time Rock And Roll” (Dangerous Enterprise)
What’s the precise second that Tom Cruise grew to become a film star? I wish to assume that occurred in 1983’s Dangerous Enterprise when the long run Oscar nominee, as Chicago teen Joel, with the home to himself, celebrates his independence by dancing and lip-synching to Bob Seger’s “Previous Time Rock and Roll” in his underwear.
Tina Opens The Film (Do The Proper Factor)
Author and director Spike Lee prepares you for an unforgettable and subversive cinematic expertise with an unforgettable and subversive opening to 1989’s Do the Proper Factor. The opening credit play over Rosie Perez’s character, Tina, dancing solo to Public Enemy’s “Battle the Energy,” making for a definitely surprising and shifting method to begin a movie with loads to say about society.
Jim And Pam’s Marriage ceremony Get together Dances Down The Aisle (The Workplace)
Within the episode of the U.S. model of The Workplace when Jim (John Krasinski) and Pam (Jenna Fischer), the marriage celebration, as an alternative of the normal stroll down the aisle, dance to Chris Brown’s “Perpetually,” which was initially written as a Doublemint Gum industrial. Whereas this act goes towards the couple’s needs, it goes down in historical past as a memorably distinctive method to begin the ceremony.
Nathan And Kyoko Tear Up The Dance Ground (Ex Machina)
Alex Garland is a author and director who by no means fails to dazzle his viewers, both with thought-provoking sci-fi ideas, brutally trustworthy societal commentary, or epic dance sequences. All three of that are used to perfection in his 2015 technophobic basic, Ex Machina, when Oscar Isaac’s shady, eccentric tech billionaire, Nathan, and his companion, Kyoko (Sonoya Mizuno), shift the tone in a rousing approach by interrupting Caleb’s (Domhnall Gleeson) interrogation by getting busy to “Get Down Saturday Night time” by Oliver Cheatham.
“I am Simply Ken” (Barbie)
There had been a dance sequence earlier in 2023’s Barbie when Margot Robbie’s title hero hosts a celebration, however that was nothing out of the strange, even for a film going down in an alternate dimension the place dolls are sentient. The movie abruptly incorporates an elaborate, conventional Hollywood dance sequence when Ryan Gosling’s Ken expresses his frustration with feeling undervalued by Barbie within the Academy Award-nominated observe, “I am Simply Ken.”
Jenna Thrills Her Colleagues (13 Going On 30)
Probably the most iconic scenes from the hit fantasy rom-com, 13 Going On 30, sees Jennifer Garner’s Jenna (an ’80s teen trapped within the physique of her future, grownup self) attempt to liven issues up at her firm celebration by getting everybody to recreate the dance from Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.”
Rue’s Relapse (Euphoria)
After giving in to her addictive urges, Zendaya’s Rue imagines that she is in a music video for the actor’s haunting single, “All For Us,” which illustrates the difficult relationship she has together with her household on account of her habits. The sequence culminates in her being carried outdoors of her home by a sea of dancers in matching outfits, who additionally function her choir, at night time, earlier than a marching band joins in. It marks an invigorating, but in addition tragic, finish to the primary season of the provocative coming-of-age drama, Euphoria.
The Deetzes Do The Calypso (Beetlejuice)
One of many all-time best and funniest musical moments from a horror film comes from 1988’s Beetlejuice. Hoping to scare the Deetzes (Jeffrey Jones and Catherine O’Hara) and their feast company out of the home, the lingering spirits of Barbara (Geena Davis) and Adam Maitland (Alec Baldwin) use bodily possession to control them into dancing and singing to Harry Belafonte’s “Day-O (The Banana Boat Track).” A lot to their shock, they benefit from the expertise.
Wally, Charley, And Rhonda Channel Bowie (Faculty Spirits)
Faculty Spirits is a TV present instructed from the angle of ghosts who’ve handed away on a midwestern highschool campus, the place they wrestle to deal with the parameters of their afterlife. Wally (Milo Manheim), who was a star athlete within the Nineteen Eighties, lets off steam by placing on a vinyl copy of David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance” and main his fellow ghostly buddies in a splendidly choreographed groove by means of nearly your complete college.
Jamal And Latika Are Victorious (Slumdog Millionaire)
Director Danny Boyle’s Greatest Image Oscar winner, 2008’s Slumdog Millionaire, ends with an upbeat dance quantity set to the Academy Award-winning authentic track, “Jai Ho” and led by Dev Patel and Freida Pinto as Jamal and Latika. It might need been shocking to some audiences to see this manufacturing abruptly embrace such a sequence, however it honors a longstanding custom in Indian cinema.
The Youngsters Rock The Library (The Breakfast Membership)
Many have argued that 1985’s The Breakfast Membership is the best highschool film ever made, regardless of by no means going down throughout college, however a Saturday detention shared by 5 teenagers who every characterize a special rung of the teenager social hierarchy. The unlikely buddies try to interrupt up the monotony with an impromptu dance to “We Are Not Alone” by Karla Devito.
“Tequila!” (Pee-wee’s Massive Journey)
One purpose 1985’s Pee-wee’s Massive Journey stays a cherished basic is how Paul Reubens’ eponymous man-child wins over the hearts of practically everybody he meets. As an example, he earns the respect of a bar filled with bikers along with his signature dance to The Champs’ rendition of the saxy tune, “Tequila.”
Don Goals Of Bert Cooper Dancing (Mad Males)
AMC’s Mad Males had its justifiable share of off-kilter moments, none extra perplexing than when Don Draper (Jon Hamm) abruptly has a imaginative and prescient of the just lately handed promoting veteran Bertram “Bert” Cooper (Robert Morse) singing and dancing a efficiency of “The Greatest Issues in Life Are Free.”
Andy Lets The Sunshine In (The 40-Yr-Previous Virgin)
Judd Apatow’s heartfelt, raunchy comedy, 2005’s The 40-Yr-Previous Virgin, ends with Steve Carell’s Andy lastly dropping his “innocence” and expressing his aid by means of track. The track particularly is The fifth Dimension’s “Aquarius / Let the Sunshine In,” which transitions right into a dance in a wide-open subject that the remainder of the solid joins him for.
“Come On, Little Sister, Let’s Dance” (The Life Of Chuck)
There aren’t many Stephen King motion pictures with scenes that go away you feeling invigorated and hopeful, however that’s the common response to the centerpiece dance sequence in 2025’s The Lifetime of Chuck, from author and director Mike Flanagan. Tom Hiddleston’s title character crosses paths with drumming road performer, Taylor (Taylor Gordon), and spontaneously lets the music drive him, even inviting a random younger girl named Janice (performed by Annalise Basso) to affix him, giving a crowd of bystanders the present of their lives.
Will Exhibits How They Dance In Gelderland (A Knight’s Story)
A Knight’s Story might happen in 14th-century Europe, however it boasts many trendy sensibilities in all the pieces from its dialogue to its soundtrack. As an example, in a scene when William Thatcher (Heath Ledger) is compelled to give you a dance to impress the royalty, he receives some assist from his “cunning girl,” Jocelyn (Shannon Sossamon), and shortly your complete dance ground is rocking out to what we hear as David Bowie’s “Golden Years.”
Raj’s Romantic Fantasy (The Massive Bang Idea)
In a single episode of The Massive Bang Idea, Raj (Kunal Nayyar) finds himself drawn to Bernadette (Melissa Rauch), main him to have a number of daydreams about her, together with one harking back to an Indian Cinema dance sequence.
Donkey’s Swamp Dance Get together (Shrek)
On the finish of the Oscar-winning, acclaimed youngsters film, Shrek, Smash Mouth’s cowl of The Monkees’ “I am a Believer” performs throughout Shrek (Mike Myers) and Fiona’s (Cameron Diaz) nuptials earlier than Eddie Murphy’s Donkey takes over the vocals, main the marriage company in a breathless celebration of the occasion.
Terry And Holt “Push It” (Brooklyn 9-9)
In among the finest episodes of Brooklyn 9-9, Amy Santiago (Melissa Fumero) goes into labor within the police station throughout a city-wide blackout. In a hilarious effort to maintain her calm and distracted, Lieutenant Terry Jeffords (Terry Crews) and Captain Holt (Andre Braugher) strive dancing to Salt-N-Pepa’s “Push It.”
Dance Of The Lifeless (The X-Recordsdata)
In a Season 7 episode of The X-Recordsdata known as “Hollywood A.D.,” Mulder (David Duchovny) and Scully (Gillian Anderson) examine a homicide on a film set, the place, on the finish of the episode, corpses resting beneath are reanimated and bask in a passionate ballroom dance with each other.
Harry’s Dream (third Rock From The Solar)
In an important and bewilderingly surreal episode of third Rock from the Solar, the Solomons expertise their first-ever desires. This proves to be a startling expertise for the extra-terrestrial guests, aside from Harry (French Stewart), who imagines he’s in an upbeat, city Broadway manufacturing.
Ed Livens Issues Up At The Psychological Hospital (Good Burger)
In Good Burger, Ed (Kel Mitchell), Dexter (Kenan Thompson), and Otis (Abe Vigoda) are wrongfully dedicated to a psychological hospital, the place Ed responds to the request of a affected person performed by George Clinton himself to alter to the music to one thing funkier, and tunes it to Funkadelic’s “(Not Simply) Knee Deep.” He then leads a lot of the different sufferers in an impressively choreographed dance routine, which Dexter makes use of as a chance to knock out the guards and escape.
The Siblings Are Alone Now (The Umbrella Academy)
Netflix’s sequence adaptation of the hit comedian ebook The Umbrella Academy has a intelligent approach of introducing its superpowered predominant characters early on within the premiere episode. The adoptive siblings are seen grooving to Tiffany’s cowl of “I Assume We’re Alone Now,” every in a special location and boasting a special model of dance.
Backstreet’s Again In Heaven (This Is The Finish)
Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg’s 2014 apocalyptic meta comedy That is the Finish ends with a lot of the predominant characters (actors portraying uproarious variations of themselves) assembly up within the afterlife, the place they have a good time their ascent into Heaven with the Backstreet Boys, who additionally seem as themselves to carry out “Everyone (Backstreet’s Again).”
Neighborhood Season 3 begins with Jeff (Joel McHale) daydreaming a couple of dance quantity, that includes your complete solid of characters, with a hopeful outlook on the following 12 months at Greendale.
David’s Three-Method Dance Battle (Legion)
Within the Season 2 opener of FX’s unconventional Marvel Comics adaptation, Legion, one among David’s (Dan Stevens) reminiscences of the previous 12 months reveals him at a membership the place the mutant engages in an intense dance battle with Lenny (Aubrey Plaza) and Oliver (Jemaine Clement).
Lucifer Is Alright (Lucifer)
The sequence finale of Lucifer opens with the Satan Incarnate (performed by Tom Ellis) main an upbeat ensemble dance sequence set to Kenny Loggins’ “I am Alright,” which begins at a bar earlier than transitioning to the police station, the place Lucifer and Detective Dan (Kevin Alejandro) reenact an iconic second from Soiled Dancing.