Where Was Save The Last Dance Filmed? Locations You Didn’t Know!

With romantic movies like Save The Last Dance, it becomes essential to shoot them at fantastic locations. Any kind of compromise in them affects the movie’s impact on the viewers. Considering the same thing, the filmmakers of Save The Last Dance paid much attention to the filming locations. So, let’s check where was Save The Last Dance filmed!

Save The Last Dance (2001) is a teen drama that pictures the happening life of Sara, who wants to become a ballet dancer. But her passion for dance gets subdued after she loses her mother. Left with no other option, Sara moves to her dad’s house and enrolls in a new school. There, she meets Chenille and falls in love with him. But Chenille has some dark secrets that Sara is not aware of. What’s going to happen with their relationship?

Save The Last Dance was entirely shot in the United States Of America. The names of specific locations in the movie were Lemont High School, Chicago Academy of the Arts, Chicago River, Downtown, CTA Rail System, Raby High School, and many more. 

In order to satisfy your cravings to find where was Save The Last Dance filmed, I have brought to you the following locations!

Where Was Save The Last Dance Filmed? Mesmerizing Locations To Spend Time With Your Love!

After the release of Save The Last Dance, the movie received favorable reviews from critics. As a result, it made a profit of $131.7 million against the budget of $13 million. And the reasons behind the success were the filming location and the backbreaking efforts of the cast members. 

In case you cannot hold on to your excitement for the filming locations. Here’s a detailed answer for where was Save The Last Dance filmed!

Lemont High School, Lemont, Illinois 

The new school where Sara enrolls after moving in with her father was shot at Lemont High School. Yes, most of the outdoor and indoor scenes of the fictional school were shot here. 

Demonstrating excellence, Lemont High School is a public school that imparts quality education to the students in Lemont village. 

Chicago Academy Of The Arts, West Town, Chicago

The dance academy where Sara would learn ballet before her mother’s demise was shot in the Chicago Academy Of The Arts. Surprisingly, all the scenes were shot within a few days.  

Chicago Academy Of The Arts is an ideal destination for artists where they can learn performing and visual arts. Guess what! This academy offers job opportunities to its students. So, learn the best skills and get recruited easily!

Chicago River, Chicago 

The opening emotional scenes of Save The Last Dance were shot on the shore of the Chicago River. In order to avoid the presence of an unnecessary crowd, the makers shot the scene when there were fewer people nearby. 

Also known as the system of rivers, the Chicago River flows up to 156 miles, covering the main areas in Chicago. To the present date, the Chicago River is considered important because it played a crucial role in boosting meatpacking industries. 

Downtown, Chicago 

Downtown contributed to shooting a few outdoor scenes of Save The Last Dance. Well, Downtown is not very popular among production companies, but the makers of the movie found it perfect. 

If you are ready to witness a busy district, visit Downtown! This district remains busy throughout the year because of its boat cruise, Willis Tower Skydeck, Lakefront Trial, and many exciting outdoor activities. 

CTA Rail System, Illinois

Although it has not been revealed which scene was shot at CTA Rail System, this location has been confirmed by the makers. But we’ll try to get back to you with more information about this filming location.

CTA is the main operating body of Chicago’s bus and rail system. And it has a branch named CTA Rail System that offers all the information about trains, their timings, and much more. If you wish to know anything, approach the CTA Rail System.

Raby High School, Chicago 

Only the lunchroom scene was shot on the premises of Raby High School. And luckily, the makers got permission without paying multiple visits to the management of the school. 

Raby High School is a public school for students in grades 9-12. Besides academic lessons, the school offers various interactive programs from time to time. In addition, many skill-based programs are also hosted by the school for its students.  

Interesting Facts About Where Was Save The Last Dance Filmed 

You will be taken aback after knowing that Julia Stiles felt like a real party going on while shooting the party sequences. That’s not it, she was in perfect health before the shooting. But after the shooting ended, blood from blisters, bunions, and feet was witnessed by the production unit. 

For filming the movie beautifully, a few locations were modified a bit. For this, there was a separate design team. 

The Plot Of Save The Last Dance

The story of Save The Last Dance follows Sara Johnson, who is a promising 17-year-old Ballet dancer who hopes to get admitted to Julliard School. After the tragic death of her mother in an accident Sara gets wracked up with guilt and gives up dancing and ballet. Soon she moves to the south side with his estranged father. As time passes she finds a connection to dance with hi ho and meets a guy named Derek who promises to help Sara Develo with her dancing skills. Derek convinces Sara to follow her dreams as they begin their romantic relationship.

Watch the movie to find out if Sara was able to fulfil her dreams and crack the dancing audition.

Final Words 

I guess you have sufficient information about where was Save The Last Dance filmed. Now, when you have read about all the locations, make sure you note them down somewhere. Otherwise, you may forget them easily. 

Don’t forget to come to our website again to learn about enthralling locations. If you are up with the idea of noting down some more locations, check the filming locations of Moonlight In Vermont and Saddle The Wind!