As the great Vanessa Hudgens once said in the 2008 hit single “Sneakernight,” “Basically, what we're gonna do is dance.” Netflix is certainly home to the world of dance, with everything from Tiny Pretty Things to Dance Monsters readily available. And it’s turning the world of dance competitions on its head with Dance 100, a new series that transforms the choreographers into the contestants and the dancers into the judges. Whether you’re in the mood to watch CGI monsters jamming to fresh beats, ballet dancers solving murder mysteries or drag queens dealing with dance moms, there’s a dance show just waiting for you to hit play. Basically, what we’re gonna do is read this list! 

Dance 100

Netflix’s newest dance venture features a bit of a twist on the traditional dance competition. Eight choreographers are tasked with creating intricate numbers for various members of the elite crew known as Dance 100. Each round, the number of dancers on stage increases, until the finalists find themselves choreographing for 100 dancers at once. Those dancers get to judge their choreographers and determine their fate, eventually awarding one of them with a $100,000 prize. The show is hosted by Peloton instructor and influencer Ally Love, and features contestants who have worked with Beyonce, Nicki Minaj and Jennifer Lopez. Their dance skills are not in question, but choreographing for 100 dancers — who are also their judges — is no small feat. The stress is real, but so is that sweet, sweet cash. 

Dance 100

6 Episodes   TV-MA   2023

My List

Watch

Dance Monsters

James Cameron’s avatars ain’t got nothing on Dance Monsters: A Dance Competition. The reality series takes the general concept explored by Sexy Beasts and The Masked Dancer and brings it to a whole new futuristic level. Instead of costumes, this show has its contestants dress up in motion capture suits. Each dancer is given their own CGI monster who dances for them in front of judges Ne-Yo, Lele Pons and Ashley Banjo, hoping to impress them enough to stay in the competition. The best monster dancer wins $250,000, and while it may look like easy cash to win, there’s more to CGI dancing than you might think. A move that looks good on a person doesn’t necessarily translate to a fuzzy monster with paws and a cuddly belly, and a mocap suit and green screen don’t exactly create the most inspiring environment. Winning Dance Monsters requires both skill and imagination, and watching it is unlike anything else on TV. 

Dance Monsters

8 Episodes   TV-PG   2022

My List

Watch

Explore

Tiny Pretty Things

Get a dose of dance with a side of murder mystery in Tiny Pretty Things, the juicy ballet drama that premiered in 2020. It’s based on the book of the same name by Sona Charaipotra and Dhonielle Clayton, and follows Neveah (Kylie Jefferson), a young dancer from Inglewood who suddenly receives a late admission offer to a prestigious ballet school in Chicago. When she gets there, she learns that she was admitted only because another high-profile dancer fell off of a roof — or perhaps was pushed off the roof. The school rules are strict but constantly broken, and Neveah finds herself in the middle of love triangles, feuds and deep, dark secrets that threaten to distract from the already highly intense world of ballet. Teachers expect perfection, both in terms of technique and body, and the pressure is constant. Somehow, there’s still time for both romantic tension and incredible choreography, and sometimes both at the same time. 

Tiny Pretty Things

10 Episodes   TV-MA   2020

My List

Watch

Baby Ballroom

Baby Ballroom is like Toddlers in Tiaras mixed with The Great British Baking Show, with a dash of Dance Moms. It’s a fascinating look into the world of junior competitive ballroom dancing, complete with spray tans, feuds and dramatic falls. Small English children are made up, coupled up and left to argue about whether they’re second or third in the country when it comes to trophies. Skilled moves mask a high-pressure environment where the few dancing boys get their pick of the many girls, eager parents judge 12-year-olds by their bronzer and the sudden appearance of a rival couple could ruin everything. Need a dancing partner for your tween daughter? Take out an ad on Facebook and perhaps a nice Romanian boy will move in with you! Watching this show is like peeking into another world where only the most serious waltzers can survive. 

Baby Ballroom

TV-MA   2017

Remind Me

Dancing Queen

Alyssa Edwards may best be known for her appearances on RuPaul’s Drag Race and her national tours, but the drag queen, whose real name is Justin Dwayne Lee Johnson, also runs a highly respected dance studio in Mesquite, Texas. The 2018 docuseries Dancing Queen, which is produced by RuPaul, follows Justin as he works to take his studio to the next level by creating a traveling team that can dance on a national stage. The series shows Justin encouraging his students while dealing with the high expectations of their parents — and it’s clear that Justin takes everything he does extremely seriously. Alyssa, on the other hand, has a lot to say about the decisions Justin makes, so the best part of the whole show is the fact that Alyssa provides talking head commentary throughout. Roasting her alter ego keeps things light and fun, even when the stakes for Justin and his dancers feel impossibly high. 

Dancing Queen

8 Episodes   TV-14   2018

My List

Watch

We Speak Dance

Take a trip around the world with trained dancer and former UN ambassador Vandana Hart, whose five-episode Netflix series launched an international movement. Vandana travels to different parts of the world in search of unique dance communities. On her journey, she embeds herself in those communities, learning what dance means to them. She studies an Afrobeat legend in Lagos, and explores how government, religion and gender affect dance in Vietnam. She fails at professional pole dancing, and learns how cultures came together to create traditional dance in Bali. It’s a nuanced look at how dance can be more than just a hobby. Vandana herself finds joy in all of it, lighting up whenever she gets to watch someone show off their moves, and it’s not hard to share in that feeling as you watch.

We Speak Dance

5 Episodes   TV-MA   2018

My List

Watch

Move

In this 2020 Netflix docuseries, Jonathan “Jon Boogz” Smith and Charles “Lil Buck” Riley explore the world of contemporary dance and the power of movement. The duo is on a mission to prove that street dance is just as artistic and valid as ballet: Lil Buck is an expert in jookin, a street dance style that originated in Riley’s hometown, Memphis, Tennessee; Miami-born Boogz is skilled in popping, which originated in Fresno, California. The dance world can be elitist, but the streets have their own measures of excellence — while tights are required for ballet class, they aren’t kindly accepted among Miami gangs. The series also highlights other contemporary dance artists as they work to bring their unique visions to life. “I dance because I have no choice,” one says. “I just have to dance.” 

Move

5 Episodes   TV-MA   2020

My List

Watch

Savage Rhythm

Savage Rhythm is set in Colombia and follows two dancers from different worlds as their interests collide — a classic trope improved by hot people and even hotter moves. The scripted drama follows Antonia (Paulina Dávila), a wealthy student at a prestigious dance school who’s vying for the lead in a production of Romeo and Juliet. When she comes up against a harsh new choreographer who’s looking for something a little grittier than her elite education, she seeks help from Karina (Greeicy Rendón), a steel mill worker and street dancer from a popular dance troupe. Antonia pays Karina to help her take her dancing to another level that will impress the new choreographer, and their lives become entwined in unexpected ways. While that story is juicy, the real draw here is the dancing. It’s moody and gorgeous, making great use of what the kids refer to as “bisexual lighting.” You don’t have to speak Spanish to understand what's being said in those scenes. You just gotta speak dance. 

Savage Rhythm

8 Episodes   TV-MA   2022

My List

Watch

Your Reality Obsessions Are Here on TudumWhether you’re into dating drama, food competitions, or selling… wherever, Tudum has the stories and stars you can’t get enough of.