If the dog days of summer are making you lethargic and reluctant to hit the dance floor, Fred Astaire Dance Studios recommends recovering by spending an evening curled up on the sofa watching some movies with great dance choreography.

Fred Astaire Dance Studios helps foster a love of ballroom dancing among its students at studios worldwide. The dance franchisor offers private, group, and online dance lessons where people of all ages and stages can learn to cha-cha, waltz, and swing. Dance is a low-impact workout that can burn calories, improve flexibility, and ease joint pain. Dance lessons are a great indoor exercise option during hot summer weather. Our air-conditioned studios can provide a welcome relief from the hot and humid temperatures outdoors.

Learning to dance is transformative, and once you start your lessons, it will be second nature to search for ways to incorporate your newfound love of dance into your daily routine. Don’t be surprised if you notice a spring in your step while you’re doing your chores or find your hips shaking while cooking dinner.

While summertime means long days at the beach or picnics at the lake during the daylight hours, an abundance of mosquitos and evening thunderstorms prompt many people to head inside and blast the air conditioning after the sun goes down. After you practice your dance moves, Fred Astaire Dance Studios recommends spending your summer nights munching on a bowl of popcorn and watching a good movie to help recharge you for your next day out in the sun. Fuel your new dancing hobby by tuning into a movie that celebrates dance.

To help get you started, Fred Astaire Dance Studios compiled a list of the top five dance movies to stream on the television in your living room.

• Dirty Dancing. “Nobody puts Baby in a corner.” This 1987 romantic drama filmed in North Carolina stars a young woman named Baby who spends her summer vacationing with her family at a mountain resort. During her stay, Baby falls in love with the resort’s dance instructor, who teaches her to dance.

• Black Swan. This psychological thriller tells the tale of a ballet dancer who wins the coveted lead role in a production of Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake.”

• Step Up. This 2006 dance movie stars Channing Tatum as a streetwise, disadvantaged youth who reluctantly agrees to participate in a dance competition to try and win a scholarship to a prestigious performing arts school.

• Chicago. The movie version of the longtime Broadway favorite stars Richard Gere, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Renée Zellweger. This iconic clip features an alluring performance of the tango, dubbed “Cell Block Tango.”

• Happy Feet. If you need a kid-friendly option, this animated tale about dancing penguins is a winner. “Happy Feet” is a musical comedy about a penguin who is unable to sing but is an avid tap dancer.

In between dance films, put contacting your local Fred Astaire Dance Studios location on your to-do list. If you are hesitant to schedule your first lesson, our locations offer an introductory package for new customers.