Alive and Kicking follows a select group of swing dancers who actively participate in competition around the world. This documentary provides a snap shot of what it's like to be a competitive dancer and why the dance brings joy to so many people around the world. There are great moments in the film that let the viewer experience laughter, joy, and even sadness and empathy for the difficulties some of the dancers have been through. Overall, though, the experience as a whole is energetic and will make even a non-dancer understand why so many people love swing dancing.A small criticism is that film's beginning and ending feel a bit abrupt, but once you jump into the stories, dance footage, and music; the viewer is swept up into a world where the most important experience is to have fun.

Now THIS was just a whole lot of fun. So much, in fact, that I have already watched this movie four times in less than 24 hours!!!"Alive and Kicking" is the story about the Lindy Hop, Big Band music, and just having a ton of fun! If you do not know what the Lindy Hop is, I suggest you look it up. What started in the lat 20s in Harlem, NYC. It was prominent through the 40s, and then it suddenly died. Different reasons are explained for its then demise. I sure am glad people are trying to "kick" it back!This story follows several story lines of both individual and couple dancers. They LIVE to dance. They dance because of the feeling it gives them. Having grown up around "Big Band" music, I can understand why they wanted to dance. You just cannot listen to this music without it having a huge AFFECT on your mind, body, and even your soul. The dancing is nothing short of phenomenal. I could watch people dance like this for days on end and never be bored. The movie takes you through many competitions, and it is the Lindy Hop international competition where the dancing completely blew me away. Where today's kids think if you stand on dance floor and grind yourself against one another you are dancing (actually that's called frottage), this movie demonstrates the pure joy it is to connect with someone on the dance floor.Very nice and very refreshing, "Alive and Kicking" gets 10 HUGE kicks from me. Unrated, but contains a little salty language and brief nudity, this is for the dancer in ALL our souls!