Back in 2000, I have to admit I had a hard time getting into Mandy Moore's music — until I heard "I Wanna Be With You" in the commercials for the movie Center Stage. I did a total 180 and I had that song on repeat throughout the summer, as well as the rest of the dance flick's amazing soundtrack. For Center Stage's 15th anniversary, it's time to rank the songs on soundtrack, because Mandy Moore's hit song isn't the only track worth celebrating.
Because what's good dancing without great music to accompany it? The songs are definitely a sampling of the year 2000 (remember Moore and Jamiroquai?) as well as some classics (Michael Jackson!) and some newcomers (Ruff Endz, Thunderbugsm, and P.Y.T). All of them together make a groovy playlist so you can act own your own Center Stage in your living room (not that I've done that) or they can just serve as a reminder of the amazing dancers from the American Ballet Academy that the movie follows. Besides, the shot of Jody Sawyer (Amanda Schull) and Cooper Nielson () riding his motorcycle over a bridge to Moore's "I Wanna Be With You" still melts my heart, even 15 years later.
9. "Cosmic Girl" By Jamiroquai
This is the track that opens the film and plays underneath the dialogue — meaning that the movie is kind of book-ended by Jamiroquai songs. Kinda cool, eh? This one is a bit more understated than "Canned Heat," and thus lower down in the list.
8. "Friends Forever" By Thunderbugs
Nope, this isn't the version by Saved By The Bell 's Zack Attack. This song, by a British girl group, is a pop delight released in 1999.
7. "If I Was the One" - Ruff Endz
Charlie and Jody dance to this tune during the final performance. It's a slow jam about heartbreak and it kind of reminds me of Daniel Bendingfield's "If Your Not The One," which came out a few years later.
6. "Come Baby Come" By Elvis Crespo & Gizelle D'Cole
This salsa song accompanied the club scene where the dancers let loose on the dance floor and get a little tipsy. Perfect for shakin' it during a night on the town.
5. "We're Dancing" By PYT
This song closes out the movie as everyone applauds for everyone's favorite ballet dancer, Jody. It's such a 90s-sounding jam with a mixture of drum machines, shimmers, and piano.
4. "Higher Ground" By The Red Hot Chilli Peppers
This rockin' song accompanies the scene where Jody and Cooper dance-flirt at a downtown NYC dance studio, right before they hook up. The track is edgy, it's rock, and it's exactly the opposite of ballet.
3. "Canned Heat" By Jamiroquai
This song closes out the finale ballet in style as Jody Sawyer does a Donna Martin and chooses herself (in the ballet; afterwards, she chooses cute Charlie over Cooper). "Dance, nothing left for me to do but dance / Off these bad times I'm going through just dance," the lyrics say. Truth.
2. "The Way You Make Me Feel" By Michael Jackson
Sure this is an oldie, but a goody. I looked at this song way differently after I saw the movie and it suddenly became one of my favorites.
1. "I Wanna Be With You" By Mandy Moore
As the unofficial theme song of the movie, this one is naturally ranked first. It's quintessential Moore. Plus, it's played over the scene where Cooper takes Jody on his motorcycle. The soundtrack also includes an EDM remix known as the "Soul Solution Remix," if that's your jam.
While the rest of the songs are great, too, these songs are what I consider to be the best on the Center Stage soundtrack. Man, this list makes me want to watch the movie again.
