Take a spin with 'Mad Hot Ballroom'

What's cuter than a little kid?

The 2002 documentary "Spellbound" gave us the answer: a kid trying to spell "logorrhea." But what's cuter than a pint-sized human dictionary? Now we know: a room full of 9-year-olds trying to tango.

Paramount Classics 'Mad Hot Ballroom' 3 out of 5 stars The verdict: New York kids learn to dance in a documentary that might remind you of 'Spellbound.' Director: Marilyn Agrelo Starring: Rodney Lopez, Victoria Malvagno, Yomaira Reynoso, Allison Sheniak, Alex Tchassov Run time: 105 minutes Release date: May 13, 2005 Rating: PG for some thematic elements. See showtimes On the web Official movie site View the trailer    Trailers require Quicktime Rate "Mad Hot Ballroom"   Go see it   Make it a matinee   Wait to rent   Don't bother Voter Limit: Once per Hour View Poll Results

"Mad Hot Ballroom" is well aware of its subjects' endearing power. It's the most sure-fire crowd-pleaser in some time, guaranteed to elicit appreciative giggles in any child-loving viewer. It's not the movie "Spellbound" was, but few are going to hold that against it.

The documentary chronicles a program in which New York's public-school children are taught a handful of dance styles, then engaged in a series of competitions. Privileged TriBeCa youths face off against working-class Brooklynites whose mothers have their cell phones programmed with the "Rocky" theme. Up in Harlem, a determined dance coach sees the first-place trophy as her birthright and motivates her students accordingly.

Director Marilyn Agrelo takes some time to familiarize us with these divergent communities, following children as they walk home from school or sit around living rooms talking about their lives. The focus is too wide to get well-acquainted with individuals — unlike "Spellbound," where we came to root for or against competitors based on their personalities — but it provides a snapshot of urban childhood in the 21st century's opening moments.

The meat of the film, naturally, is the contest. But Agrelo isn't able to depict this competition with the suspense that made "Spellbound" a nail-biter: Here, all the teams take the floor at once, and it's obvious from the start which team will win. (At any rate, the camera won't turn from the teams we're following to show us whether their rival dancers are any good.)

When we enter the finals, though, the film gets beyond the cute factor. We see kids dancing with more style and grace than pre-teens should be able to muster; they enjoy what they're doing so much that, for a few moments, winning seems beside the point. That's something you don't see in a spelling bee, no matter how good the movie is.