Hot to Trot

In Gail Freedman’s open-hearted ballroom dance documentary, the intrigue lies more in the drama behind the scenes than in the actual competition. She begins in 2012 as her subjects are preparing for the 2014 Gay Games. The two couples profiled eschew mainstream competitions that specify male (lead) and female (follower) dance partners. As judge Benjamin Soencksen puts it, "It’s Fred and Fred and Ginger and Ginger." San Francisco contestants Kieren Jameson and Emily Coles are partners in dance rather than life. Kieren, a New Zealand-born tech worker with a history of depression, credits dance for keeping her alive. It’s how she met her wife, BW. Emily, who has type-1 diabetes, also met her girlfriend, Uzbekistan-born Katerina, through dance. Ernesto Palma, a former meth user of Costa Rican descent, says that "it makes me feel better about myself." His partner, dance instructor Robbie Tristan, hails from Hungary. After a fall, Robbie finds out that he has a brain tumor, and returns to his native country for more affordable healthcare. Ernesto finds a new partner in Nikolai Shpakov, a more introverted Russian dancer new to same-sex competition. On their way to the games, Ernesto and Nikolai find romance and explore parenthood, but it doesn’t slow either of them down. In the end, one couple wins their competition and the other breaks up for reasons that have nothing to do with it. By taking the time to get to know her subjects and their families, Freedman’s film is more about gay lives in America than about a specific athletic pursuit, and it’s all the stronger for it. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (K. Fennessy)