DANCE FREAK: Spiraling its way into cult status
Written by Steph Cannon 05.05.2026
An unfortunate and irrefutable fact of life is that we all experience bad days from time to time. The ebbs and flows of our daily existence mean that there are going to be highs, and there are going to be lows; and sometimes, those lows can be really significant. But what if, on one of the worst days of your life, everything just kept spiraling?
Dance Freak, the ambitious, experimental project by Robby Rackleff and Alan Resnick, follows one man’s descent into dismay and terror as he fights to prove his innocence against insurmountable odds.
Obie (Rackleff) is having one of those aforementioned bad days, exacerbated by his girlfriend, Dorty (Megan Koester) breaking up with him. Dorty is running for office, and has an impressive supporter following, and while she never states it, we get a sense that she feels like Obie is holding her back.
Obie, to be fair, does give off a woebegotten vibe. It’s not entirely his fault, though, as he seems to continually run into scenarios that cast him as a victim. When he suddenly encounters a gyrating, dancing, freakish stranger who looks exactly like him, a series of events unfold that leaves Obie fighting to prove that he and this anomaly are not the same. To say any more about the plot would be doing Dance Freak a disservice, as it’s best experienced knowing as little as possible.
Shot in grainy black and white, Dance Freak is just as dreamy and surreal as it is erratic and jarring. There’s a notable Lynchian feel to the entire film, but it isn’t heavy handed. However, this is such a unique project that there isn’t an absolute comparison to any other movie - only subtle, loving nods to various styles.
What’s more impressive is how Rackleff and Resnick brought this to life. Funded completely on Indiegogo on a shoestring budget of around $50k, this film has garnered an ardent fanbase who’ve helped create a significant buzz during the entire process.
Rackleff is an earnest visionary whose presence is felt in every shot - from creation, to acting, and even in the cinematography. He and Resnick throw themselves entirely into this with unapologetic eccentricity, embracing the avante-garde nature and continually amping it up.
There’s something admirable and thrilling when you come across a project that is so lovingly curated that you know it’s sure to become a cult favorite, particularly amongst those who love quirky horror comedies. Time will tell how Dance Freak cements itself into indie film fan culture, but it’s certain to garner conversation and attention as it works its way through U.S. screenings, and beyond.
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EXCLUSIVE REVIEW
EXCLUSIVE REVIEW