On its face, Hot to Trot (HTT) is an engaging story paying homage to the beauty and grace of ballroom dance while following the journeys of same sex couples driven to compete at the pinnacle of their "sport". However, while the story itself is powerful and compelling, HTT's true impact is far greater than a story well told. For me, it is the interweaving of each individual's humanity with that of the viewer using the thread of the dance that raises the film to a different level. With keen insight, deep compassion and ultimate clarity, Director Gail Freedman quietly makes an imprint on both the heart and mind of the viewer that lasts long after the last credit is run. By presenting in both soft and sharp focus the elements of life that we all share irrespective of our sexual orientation - hopes, dreams and vulnerabilities - Ms. Freedman reminds us that we are all indeed connected and similar in more ways that we are not. That to me is art at its finest.I hope that others who have the power to promote and spread the word about this powerful work will see the critical importance of sharing this at this time

As a former dancer and filmmaker, watching Gail Freedman's Hot to Trot pretty much blew me away! I know that making a dance film is not easy; there is too much to get wrong – too trite, too technical, too esoteric, tutu cliché.Hot to Trot gets it right. Outstanding dance sequences are expertly edited and woven into a compelling narrative that captures the dedication, the passion and the courage of 6 main characters -- dancers who possess varying degrees of artistry, flaws and foibles -- whom you get to know, care about, and truly root for in this fascinating and little-known world of same-sex competitive ballroom dancing. It shocks, it delights, it disrupts the status quo – that's the point. But the pressures, the problems, the struggles and the joys of dance (and dancers) are the same, no matter what one's sexual proclivity, identity, nationality, politics, or background. Hot to Trot is a dance film to be lauded, as is the dedication and commitment of its director/producer, Gail Freedman. Her five-year journey of casting, nurturing and lovingly crafting this project was a remarkable feat in itself. What evolved out of that journey is storytelling-in-motion at its best.

Hot to Trot, a wonderfully engaging, visually seductive, and upbeat documentary, is ostensibly 'about' same-sex ballroom dancing. By following the lives of its four protagonists on—and, just as importantly, off—the dance floor for about four years, director Gail Freedman nudges the subtext into the foreground, thus bringing to mind the old feminist rallying cry, "the personal is political."  More than anything, Hot to Trot is about empowerment. Therefore, it is a film not simply for the LGBTQI community, but for all of us, including those who do not self-identify as members of a historically marginalized community. Among other things, the film suggests that our identities are multi-faceted, that they don't just hinge on gender, race, religion, etc. Who hasn't struggled with, or known someone who's struggled with, a relationship, an illness, a parent who disapproves of our choices, and a myriad of other issues and obstacles—on view in Hot to Trot!  For those among us who are uncomfortable with difference, Hot to Trot reminds us that ultimately—corny though it might sound—we're all human beings. A trenchant message for treacherous times.

Some documentaries are so surprising, and so much fun, that even if you know little or nothing about the subject-- even if you don't care about the subject-- you can't help but be seduced. Such is "Hot to Trot," a documentary about same-sex ballroom dancing that was an official selection at a film festival in San Francisco in June. In the words of a fellow interviewed in the film, it's a world of Freds with Freds and Gingers with Gingers. Who leads? Good question.Director Gail Freedman focuses on one female pair and one male pair, though it adds up to more than four people because, of course, life intervenes. Now and then, the time comes to change partners. One Fred becomes ill, is replaced by another. A Ginger can't manage both her demanding job and the demanding world of competitive dance, so her partner's girlfriend foxtrots in. We meet dancers' families, from a mother who helps sew her daughter's glittering costumes to a father who struggles to accept a homosexual son who is not just out of the closet but on stage with another Fred. We meet their domestic partners, too, all of them supportive, but not all lifelong. That, too, is life, and this movie embraces all of it.But two things dominate the movie. First, the dancing. In rehearsal halls and at competitions, we see the dedication and precision and sheer time devoted to dancing, and finally we see the dazzling result at the 2014 Gay Games, held in, and warmly welcomed by, the people of Cleveland, Ohio. It's an international event (the 2018 games will be in Paris), and the competition is strong. The French Canadians were fearfully good. Uh-oh.Second, the disappearance of stereotypes. Not only did I see the dancers as dancers (rather than gay dancers), I also saw the global scope of people involved. The American competitors were born, variously, in the U.S., New Zealand, Costa Rica, Russia, and Hungary.So do the Americans, the Freds or the Gingers, win any of the competitions-- waltz, swing, foxtrot, tango, rumba, jive, paso doble...? See for yourself, and enjoy.