High Strung

Ruby, a ballet dancer studying at a Manhattan conservatory, and Johnnie, a British violinist who busks in the subway to get by, come from very different worlds. Their paths cross during a hip-hop battle, and the encounter sets off a connection between classical training and street performance. When Johnnie's immigration status puts his stay in the country at risk, a competition at Ruby's school offers a possible way out, and the two assemble a routine that blends ballet, hip-hop and live violin.

Michael Damian directed High Strung, which he wrote with Janeen Damian; the pair also produced it. It arrived in 2016, between Flicka: Country Pride and High Strung Free Dance in his directing filmography. Keenan Kampa plays Ruby and Nicholas Galitzine plays Johnnie, with Sonoya Mizuno, Jane Seymour, Richard Southgate and Paul Freeman among the credited cast of thirty. The film was made in the United States and Romania.

On IMDb, the film holds 6.3 out of 10 from around 11,000 votes, while TMDB users rate it 7 out of 10 from roughly 941 votes. A critics' rating of 6.6 out of 10 from eight reviews places it close to the audience scores. It earned about 2 million dollars worldwide.