There is one major problem: she cannot dance.
If Best of the Best had you hooked with its high-energy dance routines, competitive drama and hilarious friendship moments, there are plenty of similar films to watch next.
The Netflix comedy follows childhood friends Maya and Anjali as they join UCLA’s competitive Bollywood-fusion dance team.
It soon turns into a high-stakes battle for a championship, putting their friendship and ambitions to the test.
Directed by Lena Khan and co-written by Hasan Minhaj and Prashanth Venkataramanujam, the film stars Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Priyanka Kedia, Ankur Rathee, Chaneil Kular, Hasan Minhaj and Janina Gavankar.
If you loved the mix of dance, comedy, competition and memorable characters, these films should be next on your watchlist.
Work It
If the combination of comedy, competition and an inexperienced dance team appealed to you, Work It is an obvious choice.
Directed by Laura Terruso and written by Alison Peck, the 2020 Netflix film centres on Quinn Ackerman, played by Sabrina Carpenter.
After her chances of getting into her dream college are tied to her performance in a dance competition, Quinn decides to create her own team.
There is one major problem: she cannot dance.
Quinn recruits a group of misfits and turns to former dancer Jake Taylor, played by Jordan Fisher, for help.
The resulting journey mixes dance routines with friendship, confidence and plenty of comedy.
The cast also includes Liza Koshy, Keiynan Lonsdale and Michelle Buteau.
Step Up
Step Up offers a more dramatic take on competitive dance while retaining the romance and high-energy choreography that made the franchise popular.
The 2006 film, directed by Anne Fletcher, stars Channing Tatum as Tyler Gage, a rebellious street dancer living in Baltimore.
After getting into trouble, Tyler has to complete community service at a performing arts school.
There, he meets Nora Clark (Jenna Dewan), a classically trained dancer preparing for an important showcase. Their very different dance backgrounds initially create tension, but the pair eventually begin working together.
As their partnership develops, so does their relationship, giving Step Up a blend of dance, romance and personal ambition.
Mario, Drew Sidora and Rachel Griffiths also feature in the cast.
Bring It On
Bring It On is a hugely entertaining choice if you’re looking for another story built around a team preparing for a major competition.
Peyton Reed’s 2000 teen comedy follows Torrance Shipman (Kirsten Dunst) after she becomes captain of the Toros cheerleading squad in San Diego.
Her focus is on preparing the team for the national championships.
However, Torrance soon discovers that the squad’s routines were stolen from the East Compton Clovers, a rival team led by Isis, played by Gabrielle Union.
That revelation forces Torrance to confront the team’s history while attempting to develop original routines before the competition.
Alongside its comedy, the film explores rivalry, teamwork and the pressure to succeed.
Eliza Dushku and Jesse Bradford also star.
Fame
Alan Parker’s Fame takes the performing arts setting in a more serious direction, following young performers as they pursue their ambitions.
The 1980 musical drama is set at New York City’s High School of Performing Arts, where students study disciplines including music, dance and drama.
Rather than focusing on a single competition, the film follows several students as they navigate the demands of their education and their hopes of building careers in the arts.
Among its central characters are Coco Hernandez (Irene Cara), and Leroy Johnson (Gene Anthony Ray).
The film explores the sacrifices and challenges that come with pursuing creative ambitions, including relationships, academic pressure and the fear of failure.
Its ensemble cast also includes Lee Curreri, Laura Dean, Antonia Franceschi and Boyd Gaines.
High School Musical
High School Musical brings together performance, friendship and teenage identity in a much lighter setting.
The 2006 Disney musical follows Troy Bolton, played by Zac Efron, the captain of his school’s basketball team, and Gabriella Montez, played by Vanessa Hudgens, an academically gifted student.
After unexpectedly discovering a shared interest in singing, the pair audition for their school’s musical. Their decision puts them at odds with the expectations of their respective social groups.
The story is driven by Troy and Gabriella’s attempts to pursue something outside the roles their classmates expect them to play.
That makes the film particularly appealing if you enjoyed Best of the Best for its themes of friendship, self-expression and finding confidence through performance.
Ashley Tisdale, Lucas Grabeel, Alyson Reed and Corbin Bleu also star.
Pitch Perfect
If it was the competitive performance element of Best of the Best that kept you watching, Pitch Perfect offers a different kind of battle.
Directed by Jason Moore, the 2012 musical comedy follows Beca Mitchell (Anna Kendrick), who starts college and reluctantly joins the Barden Bellas, an all-female a cappella group.
The group is determined to recover from a disastrous previous performance and compete for the national championship. Their biggest rivals include the Treblemakers, an all-male group from the same college.
Loosely based on Mickey Rapkin’s 2008 non-fiction book Pitch Perfect: The Quest for Collegiate a Cappella Glory, the film combines musical performances with comedy and an ensemble-driven story about friendship and competition.
Skylar Astin, Rebel Wilson, Adam DeVine, Anna Camp and Brittany Snow round out the main cast.
ABCD: Any Body Can Dance
If you’re looking for a film that puts dance at the centre of the story, ABCD: Any Body Can Dance is one movie to add to your watchlist.
Directed by Remo D’Souza, the film follows Vishnu, a talented choreographer who leaves his dance academy after falling out with its owner. He later encounters a group of dancers with raw ability but little direction.
Seeing their potential, Vishnu decides to train them for a major dance competition. The film follows their journey as they attempt to overcome personal and professional obstacles while developing into a team.
Prabhu Deva leads the cast alongside Ganesh Acharya, Kay Kay Menon, Lauren Gottlieb, Punit Pathak and Dharmesh Yelande.
With its focus on choreography, teamwork and dancers pushing themselves to compete at the highest level, ABCD should appeal particularly strongly to anyone who enjoyed the dance sequences and competitive atmosphere of Best of the Best.
Best of the Best works because it combines the spectacle of competitive dance with comedy, friendship and characters navigating their own ambitions.
These seven films approach those ingredients in different ways, from cheerleading and a cappella competitions to performing arts schools and Indian dance crews.
Whether it is the choreography, ensemble dynamics or competitive stakes that drew you to Best of the Best, each offers a different way to get your next dance-film fix.
