Warning: This post contains major spoilers for Magic Mike’s Last Dance
Like its predecessors, Magic Mike’s Last Dance wouldn’t be anything without its dancing (and stripping), though there are some that are superior to others. Directed by Steven Soderbergh from a screenplay by Reid Carolin, Magic Mike’s Last Dance sees the return of Channing Tatum’s Mike Lane, who is now a retired stripper-turned-bartender hired to direct a stage show for Salma Hayek’s Maxandra.
Magic Mike’s Last Dance has a few dance sequences, and Ginuwine's “Pony” is used at one point as well, a song that has become a staple of the Magic Mike franchise. Most of the dances aren’t very long, but the ones that are certainly delivered with fantastic choreography and sensuality. The film builds up to its grand finale, in which a group of men, led by Channing Tatum’s Mike, take to the stage to dance and strip for their audience — both in and out of the film. In addition to a dance audition scene, there are six major dance sequences in the film, with Tatum taking center stage for two of the six.
6 Dance Audition Montage
Mike Lane’s got the moves, and he’s looking for other dancers who have the same and are eager to learn. The dance montage in Magic Mike’s Last Dance showcases the talent of the men who join Mike and Maxandra’s show, and there is a lot of excellent choreography here. However, because it’s an audition montage, only brief glimpses of what the dancers can actually do are shown. The audition montage is one of the most fun sequences in the Magic Mike sequel, however. It’s a group of dancers showing off their talent in an easygoing environment.
5 Magic Mike’s Last Dance’s Final Group Performance
Magic Mike’s final dance sequence is largely a group dance, with the occasional — and very brief — solo moments that highlight certain dancers. This includes one involving two men and scarves, as well as another with three men who bring up a few women from the audience to join them onstage. As a whole, the group performance is succinct and well-choreographed. However, it doesn’t rank as high because it’s not as memorable as some of the other dance sequences in Magic Mike’s Last Dance. It even includes the guys dancing to “Pony,” but the focus isn’t really on the group by this point and so it doesn’t have the same effect.
4 Champagne Life Dance Sequence
The dance sequence set to “Champagne Life” by Ne-Yo is the rare solo act of the film’s final group number. Whereas the group of male dancers moved as one, and could be compared to boy bands but with slightly more sex appeal, the “Champagne Life” dance sequence employs just one of the men. The dancer is smooth, flexible, and more than capable of doing a few flips and tricks on stage. This dance sequence is ranked higher than the overall group performance in Magic Mike’s Last Dance because it’s more of a standout, and leaves a bigger impression. It felt like a true performance, and not just a part of a static dance sequence.
3 Group Bus Dance & Swan Lake
This dance sequence is at once great to watch and comedic. After discovering Edna, who works for the city council, could make or break the show’s stage debut, Tatum's Mike and Hayek's Maxandra researched what might bring her joy. The result was a public transportation takeover and Mike’s group of dancers moving in sync. They’re like a well-oiled machine. The performance not only convinced Edna to approve the changes to Maxandra’s theater, but it even implemented Swan Lake. This sequence is memorable, funny, and staged well. The synchronization with which the dancers move is wonderful, especially in such a tight space. It takes audiences by surprise — in a good way.
2 Mike’s Ballet-Inspired Rain Dance
This is coming in second because it’s a fantastic, stunning dance, but it still doesn’t come close to the number one choice. Still, Mike’s ballet-inspired, interpretive rain dance is a beautifully-rendered sequence. Professional ballet dancer Kylie Shea joins Channing Tatum for this number, a last-minute addition to the Magic Mike stage show after Maxandra seemingly gives up on it. The choreography — by Alison Faulk, who choreographed all three Magic Mike films — stands out because of the setting. The stage is darkly lit, with only a few lights illuminating the dancers, and the floor is covered in water, allowing Tatum and Shea to slide, bend, and gracefully and passionately perform.
It’s intimate and moving in a way none of the other dances are. Set to “Open Up” by Gallant, the talent and execution of the dance sequence blurs the line between the audience and the performers, as they get up close and personal with the sexy number, almost forgetting that it’s a stage show. This ballet-inspired performance is also Magic Mike’s Last Dance’s final full dance sequence, bringing all the emotion and sensuality of Mike and Maxandra’s love story to the forefront. Crucially, this dance is Mike’s way of showing Maxandra his affections, and it highlights their journey and moments together through an intricate, meaningful display of passion and heart.
1 Mike Gives Maxandra A Lap Dance
This is hands-down the best dance sequence in Magic Mike’s Last Dance. It has everything that made the franchise so popular: Intimacy, sensuality, great choreography, a fantastic song, and a focus on female pleasure. Soderbergh also does an excellent job directing this particular sequence. The camera’s focus is on Mike and Maxandra the whole time as they move about the room, but the angles shift to make the dance sequence more alluring and to heighten the sultriness that is present throughout. It’s one of two dances featuring Channing Tatum in the spotlight, and the actor truly delivers in every way. He certainly dances in a way that cements this is Mike’s last go.
What’s more, the lap dance in Magic Mike’s Last Dance is a reminder of what makes the franchise so good. The lap dance is not only sensual and well-choreographed, but visually creative, making good use of the Miami mansion’s space, decor, and construction. Just when one moment seems to last too long — be it on a chair, a piano, a dining room table — the focus shifts to Mike and Maxandra in another location, and in a different position. There was clearly a lot of care and effort put into this particular dance sequence. It sets the stage for the rest of the film, and no other dance lives up to it.