Back to trending
High Strung Free Dance

High Strung Free Dance

Music · Romance · Drama · 2018

Zander Raines, a dazzling and tempestuous young choreographer, gives the break of a lifetime to two hopeful artists when he casts a stunning contemporary dancer, Barlow, and innovative pianist, Charlie, in New York’s most-anticipated new Broadway show: Free Dance. But the move throws off the show’s delicate creative balance when Charlie falls hard for Barlow, while Zander embraces her as his muse.

Movie details

High Strung Free Dance

“Dream big. Dance free.”

2018 Music · Romance · Drama 1h 43m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

7.3 / 10

Community rating

Zander Raines, a dazzling and tempestuous young choreographer, gives the break of a lifetime to two hopeful artists when he casts a stunning contemporary dancer, Barlow, and innovative pianist, Charlie, in New York’s most-anticipated new Broadway show: Free Dance. But the move throws off the show’s delicate creative balance when Charlie falls hard for Barlow, while Zander embraces her as his muse.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over High Strung Free Dance?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

Ruth & Boaz

Ruth & Boaz

Romance · 2025

A talented singer leaves the Atlanta music scene and starts over in small-town Tennessee, where she finds love and new purpose but can't escape the past.

I Still Believe

I Still Believe

Music · 2020

The true-life story of Christian music star Jeremy Camp and his journey of love and loss that looks to prove there is always hope.

High Strung

High Strung

Music · 2016

When a hip hop violinist busking in the New York subway encounters a classical dancer on scholarship at the Manhattan Conservatory of the Arts, sparks fly. With the help of a hip hop dance crew they must find a common ground while preparing for a competition that could change their lives forever.

Take the Lead

Take the Lead

Drama · 2006

A former professional dancer volunteers to teach dance in the New York public school system and, while his background first clashes with his students' tastes, together they create a completely new style of dance. Based on the story of ballroom dancer, Pierre Dulane.

The Secret: Dare to Dream

The Secret: Dare to Dream

Drama · 2020

A widow with three children hires a handyman to fix her house during a major storm. When not doing home repairs, he shares his philosophy of believing in the power of the universe to deliver what we want.

Star!

Star!

Drama · 1968

Gertrude Lawrence rises to stage stardom at the cost of happiness.

Dance with Me

Dance with Me

Drama · 1998

Young Cuban Rafael just buried his mother, and comes to Houston to meet his father John for the first time. The difficult part is that John doesn't know he is Rafael's father. John runs a dance studio, and everyone prepares for the World Open Dance championship in Las Vegas. It soon becomes clear Rafael is a very good dancer, and Ruby is the biggest hope for the studio at the championship.

Step Up 3D

Step Up 3D

Drama · 2010

A tight-knit group of New York City street dancers, including Luke and Natalie, team up with NYU freshman Moose, and find themselves pitted against the world's best hip-hop dancers in a high-stakes showdown that will change their lives forever.

Step Up Revolution

Step Up Revolution

Music · 2012

Emily arrives in Miami with aspirations to become a professional dancer. She sparks with Sean, the leader of a dance crew whose neighborhood is threatened by Emily's father's development plans.

Breakin'

Breakin'

Music · 1984

A struggling young dancer joins forces with two breakdancers and together they become a street sensation.

Where it lives

Watch in your region.

Cinema release signals and current streaming, rental, and purchase options for your region.

Streaming availability data supplied by JustWatch.

Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Michael Damian

Written by

Janeen Damian · Michael Damian

Thomas Doherty

Thomas Doherty

Zander

Harry Jarvis

Harry Jarvis

Charlie

Juliet Doherty

Juliet Doherty

Barlow

Jane Seymour

Jane Seymour

Oksana

Ace Bhatti

Ace Bhatti

Ravi

Kika Markham

Kika Markham

Rose

Nataly Santiago

Nataly Santiago

Paloma

Court is in session

Put High Strung Free Dance on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Sincerity is not manipulation.”

The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.

The prosecution The Cool Ironist

“The strings are showing.”

Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.