High Strung (2016 film)

High Strung (also known as Free Dance) is a 2016 American drama film directed by Michael Damian and written by Janeen Damian and Michael Damian. The film stars Keenan Kampa, Nicholas Galitzine, Jane Seymour, Sonoya Mizuno, Richard Southgate and Paul Freeman. The film was released on April 8, 2016, by Paladin.

Plot
Ruby is a classical ballet dancer who gets a scholarship to a Manhattan Conservatory of the Arts. She meets an edgy, moody young violinist named Johnnie who performs in the New York City Subway. He gets distracted while helping her, and his violin and the rent money he has earned busking was stolen. She tries to help him with a loaner violin from the Conservatory, but he tells her he doesn't want charity and seems to be accusing her of being a rich, entitled snob because she attends the Conservatory. She learns he is illegally living in the USA, which is why he didn't report the theft to the police or ask them for help. She also learns that there is a competition where a dancer performs with a string musician, and the winner gets a scholarship, which could qualify Johnnie for a student visa. Ruby's scholarship is on the line because she is failing a mandatory contemporary dance class so she and Johnnie must find a way to save Ruby’s scholarship and keep Johnnie from being deported. Johnnie had paid an immigration attorney to help him get a green card but the attorney turns out to be a fraud. The situation is made more complicated by the rivalry of some other students entering the competition, one of which has a particular jealousy of Johnnie's talent. With the help of a hip hop dance crew they must find a common ground while preparing for a competition that could change their lives forever.

Cast

 * Keenan Kampa as Ruby
 * Nicholas Galitzine as Johnnie Blackwell
 * Jane Seymour as Oksana
 * Sonoya Mizuno as Jazzy
 * Richard Southgate as Kyle
 * Paul Freeman as Kramrovsky
 * Maia Morgenstern as Markova
 * Ian Eastwood as Rik
 * Anabel Kutay as April
 * Marcus Emanuel Mitchell as Hayward Jones III
 * Comfort Fedoke as PopTart
 * Simon A. Mendoza as Ollie
 * Miranda Wilson as Mary
 * Dave Scott as Macki
 * Andrew Pleavin as Slater
 * Tomi May as Detective Mullen
 * David Lipper as Sam
 * Nigel Barber as Mr. Peterson

Release
The film premiered at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival on February 6, 2016. The film was released on April 8, 2016, by Paladin.