A passionate tale of love and liberation set amidst the ultraconservative confines of modern Georgian society, AND THEN WE DANCED follows Merab, a devoted dancer who has been training for years with his partner Mary for a spot in the National Georgian Ensemble.

His world is suddenly turned upside down when the charismatic and carefree Irakli—gifted with perfect form and equipped with a rebellious streak—arrives and becomes both his strongest rival and desire. In this conservative setting Merab finds himself having to break free and risk it all as Irakli throws him off balance, sparking both an intense rivalry and romantic desire that may cause him to risk his future in dance as well as his relationships with Mary and his family.

SNAPSHOT REVIEW

This is a very slow moving movie, and in the end there’s not much to it. Although it’s touted as a relationship that develops between two male dancers, it’s more a friendship of exploration, and the focus is more on the overall theme of dance. The principle characters are introduced early on, with Merab and Mary, both dance partners and significant others in life. For all intensive purposes Merab is leading the straight life, yet he’s known to visit the local “alternative” bar, and hang with some not so favourable street workers.

While Irakli is also introduced early on in the movie, it’s not until well after the midway point that a chance encounter has him and Merab dabbling with each others parts. Irakli lives in another town a few hours away, and has a girlfriend as well. As is typical in these “exploration” type films, there’s never a happy ending…pun intended. Mary catches the boys having fun one evening, and realizes the reason her boyfriend doesn’t want to move beyond first base. Then, after a few encounters, Irakli returns home and decides to marry and start a family. Merab’s brother discovers his brother’s tendencies, and stands up for him by fighting others, but gently tells his brother he’s best to leave town as he’ll never be accepted the way he is. A better life awaits him elsewhere, and off he goes, alone and confused. Story ends.

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About the Author

Bryen Dunn is a freelance journalist with a focus on travel, lifestyle, entertainment and hospitality. He has an extensive portfolio of celebrity interviews with musicians, actors and other public personalities. He enjoys discovering delicious eats, tasting spirited treats, and being mesmerized by musical beats.