Strictly Ballroom

Belonging is defined as the affiliation of an individual to groups at which self and social identity is formed. The consequences of not belonging may lead to isolation from distinctive groups and will result in individuals feeling left out and alienated. The ideas and perceptions of belonging vary amongst different type of individuals and groups. This may depend on social, historical and cultural aspects which may influence ones perception of belonging. Baz Luhrmann’s film ‘Strictly ballroom’ and Shaun Tan’s picture book, ‘The Arrival’, both explore the aspects of belonging.

Baz Luhrmann’s film, ‘Strictly Ballroom’ revolves around a young character, Scott, who is trying to find his ‘inner-self’ through a series of acts which leads to repercussions of alienation. Scott is placed in a situation where he feels that he has a strong sense of belonging through making new dance moves in Ballroom dancing with another individual, Fran, however this ultimately causes him to become a non-conformist of the ‘ballroom community’. By belonging to one thing, he is now considered as an ‘outsider’ to the other. This is revealed when his mother is shown in a ‘mockumentary’ scene, expressing her concerns over her son’s change, “Did I do something wrong, did I fail him as a mother?”. At first, her break down causes the audience to feel sympathetic. However Baz Luhrman purposely portrays her as an uncontrolled mother, with her face ‘caked-up’ with her ridiculous make-up, though ironically she is a make-up professional. This causes the audience to be not sympathetic of her problems, especially when it’s something minor, in this case, making new dancing steps in ballroom dancing. This is a fine example of the pressure of conformity that individuals may experience if the group is majority.

Fran slowly finds her true identity as she builds a relationship that gives her that sense of unity and acceptance. Fran is first depicted as a rejected individual who desperately attempts to