High Strung 2016

Ruby, a gifted classical ballet dancer, earns a scholarship to the Manhattan Conservatory of the Arts, where she steps into a world that blends precision with risk. She quicky forms a close friendship with her roommate Jasmine, affectionately nicknamed Jazzy, and catches the eye of a violinist, Kyle Endeca. With no formal training in contemporary dance, Ruby faces the tough rhythm of modern technique and feels the weight of competing against the class’s standout dancer, April. The balance between tradition and experimentation becomes a recurring tension as she searches for her own voice on stage.

In the city’s constant motion, Ruby meets a moody British violinist named Johnnie, who earns money by busking in the subway. A spontaneous street scene unfolds when two groups of hip-hop dancers stage a crowded dance-off, drawing police attention. In the ensuing chaos, Ruby is bumped and falls, and Johnnie isn’t able to protect his own belongings—his violin and the money he earned vanish. As Ruby helps him chase down the missing instrument, she discovers that Johnnie is living illegally in the United States, a circumstance that prevents him from reporting the incident. This realization adds a layer of urgency to their growing bond.

The next day, Ruby takes the initiative by renting a loaner violin from the conservatory and proposing a bold idea: Johnnie could enter a competition where a dancer partners with a string musician, with the prize offering a scholarship, a potential student visa, and a substantial cash award. Johnnie, wary of accepting charity, initially rebuffs the plan and remains cautious about stepping into a formal competition.

Their lives intertwine further at a gala where Kyle invites Ruby to attend and Jazzy begins a new relationship. With rent looming, Johnnie takes a job as a waiter alongside the Switch Steps, a hip-hop group living in his building, to keep afloat. The moment of shared vulnerability arrives when Johnnie apologizes for his earlier coldness, and Ruby and Johnnie share a dance that signals the start of something deeper. Jealousy flares as Kyle taunts Johnnie for being a street performer, prompting a competitive spark between the two musicians. The Switch Steps support Johnnie by dancing for the crowd, only to be chased away by security.

A new chapter unfolds as Johnnie visits Ruby at the Conservatory and their romance deepens. The idea of competing together gains momentum, and Johnnie agrees to join Ruby in the competition. Ruby learns from Kyle that he and April plan to enter as a team as well, adding another layer of strategic pressure to the upcoming challenge.

Back at school, the pressure intensifies. Ruby struggles with the contemporary dance classes, while Jazzy’s late-night partying strains their friendship and risks expulsion. After a heated argument, they reaffirm their bond and Jazzy begins to straighten out her habits. The Switch Steps become essential rehearsal partners, helping Ruby and Johnnie fuse their distinct styles into a cohesive performance.

On the day of the competition, a twist of fate nearly sidelines them again: a store informs Ruby that Johnnie’s violin has found its way back to him, but Johnnie himself is taken in by immigration authorities over his status. He makes a deal with the police to help locate a fraudulent immigration attorney he had previously paid, a detour that nearly makes him late to the performance. Ruby retrieves Johnnie’s violin and hands it back to him just in time, enabling him to perform. Their act blends classical ballet with hip-hop in a piece that challenges traditional expectations, inviting jurors to weigh technique against innovation. The judges respond with mixed feelings as the performance unfolds, but in the end, Ruby, Johnnie, and the Switch Steps are declared the winners, signaling a triumphant convergence of discipline, street energy, and shared conviction.