User Reviews

The international ballroom dance competition scene was largely unfamiliar to me when I sat down to watch Gail Freedman's documentary Hot to Trot. There was no way to anticipate that, by the end of nearly 90 minutes, I'd find tears pooling in my eyes and realize I cared deeply about the people Freedman had so gently, carefully introduced to me. A lesson in a niche of a niche of the dance world offers a space to think about what it means to be human.

The film follows the twists, turns, dips and changing partnerships in the lives of same-sex ballroom dancers--like the charismatic, creatively ambitious Ernesto Palma, raised in poverty in Costa Rica, a former meth addict for whom dancing is emotional self-care; the Russian Nikolais Shpakov who blossoms as a performer as he grows more confident in his gay identity; and Emily Coles, battling diabetes as she strives to create beauty. "It's Fred and Fred and Ginger and Ginger," quips a judge at California's annual April Follies competition. But it's more than that: It's people you might know. The personal is political, as we used to say, and the intimacy--enhanced by Freedman's team of cinematographers and her editor--makes for compelling viewing.

This film was fantastic from the start. It is so much more about dance than implied but about tragedy and the rise from tragedy. The rise of real people and real stories to overcome the tragedies of real life as you don't expect.

Hot to Trot is a meaningful and mesmerizing story that follows 2 couples as they strive and compete in same-sex ballroom dance contests. The documentary is fascinating--you really care about the participants and their families. The direction is sensitive and the filming is beautiful. It opens a window to a little-seen corner of the world. Highly recommended!

Hot to Trot, a wonderfully engaging, visually seductive, and upbeat documentary, is ostensibly 'about' same-sex ballroom dancing. By following the lives of its four protagonists on—and, just as importantly, off—the dance floor for about four years, director Gail Freedman nudges the subtext into the foreground, thus bringing to mind the old feminist rallying cry, "the personal is political."  

More than anything, Hot to Trot is about empowerment. Therefore, it is a film not simply for the LGBTQI community, but for all of us, including those who do not self-identify as members of a historically marginalized community. Among other things, the film suggests that our identities are multi-faceted, that they don't just hinge on gender, race, religion, etc. Who hasn't struggled with, or known someone who's struggled with, a relationship, an illness, a parent who disapproves of our choices, and a myriad of other issues and obstacles—on view in Hot to Trot!  

For those among us who are uncomfortable with difference, Hot to Trot reminds us that ultimately—corny though it might sound—we're all human beings. A trenchant message for treacherous times.

The film has a great mix of fun and glitz from the incredible dancing with the main focus being it's human heart. So much heart and humanity! It's a perfectly woven blend of stunning dancing and the unfolding of human relationships. I am still thinking about the characters.

As a former dancer and filmmaker, watching Gail Freedman's Hot to Trot pretty much blew me away! I know that making a dance film is not easy; there is too much to get wrong – too trite, too technical, too esoteric, tutu cliché.

Hot to Trot gets it right.

Outstanding dance sequences are expertly edited and woven into a compelling narrative that captures the dedication, the passion and the courage of 6 main characters -- dancers who possess varying degrees of artistry, flaws and foibles -- whom you get to know, care about, and truly root for in this fascinating and little-known world of same-sex competitive ballroom dancing. It shocks, it delights, it disrupts the status quo – that's the point. But the pressures, the problems, the struggles and the joys of dance (and dancers) are the same, no matter what one's sexual proclivity, identity, nationality, politics, or background.

Hot to Trot is a dance film to be lauded, as is the dedication and commitment of its director/producer, Gail Freedman. Her five-year journey of casting, nurturing and lovingly crafting this project was a remarkable feat in itself. What evolved out of that journey is storytelling-in-motion at its best.

I first got a peek at Hot to Trot over four years ago when Gail Freedman's trailer began circulating on the web. I was hooked, and have been waiting impatiently ever since. The payoff was worth the wait.

What a glorious film that shines a brilliantly bright light on the little known world of same sex ballroom dancing and the wonderful people who fill that world with their energy, enthusiasm and passion.

I was fortunate to have had the chance to interview Freedman several years ago for a blog post about the film, which was then still in production. At the time, she said she wanted people to take away from "Hot to Trot" the idea that by "transforming yourself you can rock the world." She went on to say: "We're at a real inflection point as a society. It's a time of unprecedented change. I think this film can be part of that."

Fast forward to 2017, and the world needs this film more than ever to help keep the hope alive that positive change--change that will make us all better people--is still possible.

Borrowing the race horse analogy that the name "Hot To Trot" brings to mind, I'm betting on this film to help get us far down the track.

On its face, Hot to Trot (HTT) is an engaging story paying homage to the beauty and grace of ballroom dance while following the journeys of same sex couples driven to compete at the pinnacle of their "sport". However, while the story itself is powerful and compelling, HTT's true impact is far greater than a story well told. For me, it is the interweaving of each individual's humanity with that of the viewer using the thread of the dance that raises the film to a different level.

With keen insight, deep compassion and ultimate clarity, Director Gail Freedman quietly makes an imprint on both the heart and mind of the viewer that lasts long after the last credit is run. By presenting in both soft and sharp focus the elements of life that we all share irrespective of our sexual orientation - hopes, dreams and vulnerabilities - Ms. Freedman reminds us that we are all indeed connected and similar in more ways that we are not. That to me is art at its finest.

I hope that others who have the power to promote and spread the word about this powerful work will see the critical importance of sharing this at this time

Some documentaries are so surprising, and so much fun, that even if you know little or nothing about the subject-- even if you don't care about the subject-- you can't help but be seduced. Such is "Hot to Trot," a documentary about same-sex ballroom dancing that was an official selection at a film festival in San Francisco in June. In the words of a fellow interviewed in the film, it's a world of Freds with Freds and Gingers with Gingers. Who leads? Good question.

Director Gail Freedman focuses on one female pair and one male pair, though it adds up to more than four people because, of course, life intervenes. Now and then, the time comes to change partners. One Fred becomes ill, is replaced by another. A Ginger can't manage both her demanding job and the demanding world of competitive dance, so her partner's girlfriend foxtrots in. We meet dancers' families, from a mother who helps sew her daughter's glittering costumes to a father who struggles to accept a homosexual son who is not just out of the closet but on stage with another Fred. We meet their domestic partners, too, all of them supportive, but not all lifelong. That, too, is life, and this movie embraces all of it.

But two things dominate the movie.

First, the dancing. In rehearsal halls and at competitions, we see the dedication and precision and sheer time devoted to dancing, and finally we see the dazzling result at the 2014 Gay Games, held in, and warmly welcomed by, the people of Cleveland, Ohio. It's an international event (the 2018 games will be in Paris), and the competition is strong. The French Canadians were fearfully good. Uh-oh.

Second, the disappearance of stereotypes. Not only did I see the dancers as dancers (rather than gay dancers), I also saw the global scope of people involved. The American competitors were born, variously, in the U.S., New Zealand, Costa Rica, Russia, and Hungary.

So do the Americans, the Freds or the Gingers, win any of the competitions-- waltz, swing, foxtrot, tango, rumba, jive, paso doble...? See for yourself, and enjoy.

I was lucky enough to preview this film in London as part of a European launch of the film in 2017, As a same sex dancer myself it really touched a chord with the determination, passion and dedication that we all put in to our competitive journeys. This true to life portrayal of four professional same sex dancers preparing for their biggest world championship title over a four year period is both touching, inspiring and promises to make you laugh, cheer and cry - A truly remarkable documentary on what it takes to be a successful Dancesport athlete!

Besides the excellent filming quality, I was moved to tears after watching the whole piece screened in the theatre. The director Gail followed the dancers for four years. It's these stories and the way how they were documented that have shown these real human beings who danced and lived their lives in a way that the rest of us can be inspired. It's a film about dancing and gay lesbian but it resonates me with the hopes, challenges and vulnerabilities that any of us can have. That is indeed empowering. I personally know these dancers for years but I felt I have discovered their beauty much more deeply this time. It took me a while to get out of it after the screening. That is a sign of a successful film. Highly recommended!

I love dance movies and Hot To Trot hits the sweet spot! A brilliant film, beautifully shot, with a compelling narrative and glorious dancing- I can watch this movie over and over; And I have!

I highly recommend this documentary. Ballroom dancing is such a gendered and usually very heterosexual art form. So, as a queer person, finding this documentary was amazing. I found myself smiling and crying throughout. I appreciated the commitment of following these particular pairs of dancers for a period of four years to really tell their stories over a significant period of time. The production quality is also very good. Beautiful shots, nice editing. The importance of having same sex ballroom dancing in existence can not be overstated. Cinematography and direction all very well done. Add to your list of must-sees!

If you're looking for a film that will take you on a journey to a very different place than you've probably ever been before, go see Hot to Trot. It's about same sex ballroom dancing. but really, it's about so much more. The athleticism. beauty and competitiveness of the dancing gives you a look at that world which is dramatic and engaging. But what really makes this film sing, or should I say dance, is following the couples, seeing their struggles, accomplishments, failures and poise as they compete with themselves and others. As you begin watching you're drawn to all of them and their stories. You cheer them on and you shed tears for their losses in life and in dance. I sent several friends and family to see the film and they all loved it and highly recommended it to others. Beautifully shot, expertly edited and artistically constructed and directed, Hot to Trot is a wonderful documentary.