Hot to Trot – film screening

A deep-dive look inside the fascinating but little-known world of same-sex competitive ballroom dance, HOT TO TROT follows a

small international cast of four men and women, on and off the dance floor, over a four-year period. An immersive character study—and an idiosyncratic attack on bigotry—this powerful and celebratory story unfurls with the rhythms and energy of dramatic cinema.

Away from their graceful turns on the dance floor, the characters’ backstories frame their struggles. The film chronicles charismatic Ernesto, a former meth addict from Costa Rica who strives for success and love; Emily, a lifelong type 1 diabetic, who has to wear an insulin pump 24/7 to manage her disease; Nikolai, a dazzling dance champ who came out only a few years ago and longs for his Russian family’s acceptance; and Kieren, who grew up in a conservative New Zealand military environment and wrestles with how to balance career and commitment to dance.

The film follows these dancers over several years, as their relationships develop and deepen, and the spectacle of the Gay Games, the pinnacle of same-sex competitive ballroom dance, approaches.