Antonio Banderas stars as a real life New York dance instructor who takes it upon himself to instruct a bunch of inner city children in ballroom dancing, for purposes of teaching them trust, self-esteem and self-discipline. Banderas plays the lead role with understated elegance, and a couple of the kids are truly cute. Otherwise, this doesn't begin to hold a candle to MAD HOT BALLROOM, which was a documentary on the same person and program. LEAD is too long, too padded, and quickly comes to resemble SISTER ACT 2 and the Sidney Poitier flicks, A PIECE OF THE ACTION and TO SIR, WITH LOVE. You can predict every thing everyone will do and say, right down to the KARATE KID-style climax. Great music and dancing, though. In fact, the movie could have used more dancing and less chatter.