Gotta Dancers, Audience Have the Time of their Lives

When I originally learned that Gotta Dance would be premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival, I immediately put it at the top of the list of screenings I wanted to attend. The story of the NETSationals, the NBA’s first senior citizen dance team, not only seemed entertaining but inspirational as well. However, when surveying other 20-somethings in attempts to find a date to the movie, I was surprised to find that many completely rejected the concept of this film, speculating that it would simply exploit the older sect of our population, and who wants to be a part of that?

Luckily, the naysayers were wrong.

Granted, a documentary about senior citizens learning hip-hop dance moves could go either way, and as the viewer can see immediately as the film begins, watching these folks drop down low, shake their shoulders, and smack their butts is indeed hilarious. But the overarching theme of the movie is apparent from the first minute: These people are having the time of their lives.

As the film continues, director Dori Berinstein introduces us to each of the members of the dance team (12 women and one man) and allows their stories to unfold. And by the time they took the stage Saturday night to perform about 30 seconds of choreography, I felt like each dancer had reached celebrity levels in my eyes. Just as the 20,000 Nets fans do when they view the NETSationals’ half-time show, the theater crowd also uncontrollably took to its feet.

During the talk-back following the performance, we were constantly reminded that this film does not serve as exploitation at all. The dancers all echoed each other’s sentiments about this experience, allowing them to regain self-confidence and lose any shame associated with their age, which they wear proudly on their jerseys. Berinstein added that she set out to create a film that celebrates aging. Based on the uncontrollable bursts of applause during the screening (which occurred no less than every 10 minutes throughout the 95-minute film), she has succeeded.