by Stacy SwimI saw Baz Luhrmann’s ‘Strictly Ballroom’ several years after it came out in 1992. In college, I was taking a summer intro to dance course or something like that, and one of the movies he showed us was ‘Strictly Ballroom.’ I instantly and immediately fell in love with it. I loved its outrageous humor mixed with romance and heart, not to mention the dancing/choreography, soundtrack and direction. I am a sucker for a movie with dance! I had no idea who the director was or how to classify his style. All I knew was that there was something unique about it that touched my heart, and it is still a movie I watch to this day.Not too long after seeing ‘Strictly Ballroom,’ I saw the trailers for ‘William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet’ and knew I had to see this version in the theatres. His irreverent choices to place it in modern times with guns yet keep the Shakespearean language, MTV type jump cuts, contemporary music and using young actors Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes were, I’m sure, considered risky, but it paid off. I still remember sitting in the theatre and needing a moment after it was over to try to absorb what I had just seen. Afterwards, I relived my favorite moments from the movie: changing one of my favorite songs of all time, Prince’s ‘When Doves Cry,’ into a hymn, the simple wide shot of Leo DiCaprio in the desert falling to his knees and screaming Juliet’s name when he finds out Juliet is dead and the tracking shot of the neon crosses and candle lit church aisle leading Romeo to Juliet’s body. Even though I knew how it was going to end, that didn’t make it any easier. Baz, his crew and actors created this modern ‘Romeo and Juliet’ not only for a young audience but anyone who wanted to be entertained and moved.Baz’s epic film making was just getting started on his first two movies. He unleashed it full throttle in 2001 for ‘Moulin Rouge’ starring Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor. I don’t know if I even have words for this movi