Film review: Ballroom Dancer, starring Slavik Kryklyvyy and Anna Melnikova

(NC)

Dance documentaries tend to be upbeat things, even if you can sense the strain behind the smiles.

This is more of a ballroom downer, focusing on two international stars of Latin dance, Slavik Kryklyvyy and Anna Melnikova, partners in ballroom and bedroom who are falling out of step.

She seems like fun, he's a sulky narcissist – just look at the way he brushes his hair.

You feel for him, all the same, as a one-time great trying to relight the fire in competitions from Blackpool to Hong Kong, and a late scene of attempted rapprochement is unexpectedly poignant.

The discipline and dedication required are awesome – it's murder on the dancefloor – though perhaps they'd be spared a little stress by not having to wear such terrible clothes.