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Timeline

The Fits (2016) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2016 · 72 min · English
JustWatch #22,850 4
Directed by
Anna Rose Holmer
Starring
Royalty Hightower

A young woman named Toni seeks connection and purpose in Cincinnati, joining a local dance team and leaving behind her boxing training. As she embraces the camaraderie of the group, a series of unexplained fainting spells begin to affect the dancers, transforming into a shared experience that feels like a rite of passage. Toni must then examine her sense of self and find a way to reconcile her desire for control with the unpredictable nature of growing up.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (14)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like The Fits
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch The Fits (2016)

Where can you watch The Fits? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Philo, Fawesome and Kanopy: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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14 events in order · contains spoilers

The Fits Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of The Fits (2016) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Toni spots the dance team during boxing practice

    During practice at the Lincoln Community Center boxing gym, Toni watches the girls' dance routine through the doors. She is fascinated by their moves and the sense of freedom they display. Her brother Jermaine notices and nudges her toward trying out for the team.

    Where
    Lincoln Community Center gym
  2. Toni decides to try out for the team

    Motivated by what she saw, Toni heads to the tryouts with a mix of nerves and excitement. She observes the team's training, unsure at first, but her interest grows. Jermaine encourages her to give it a shot.

    Where
    Lincoln Community Center gym
  3. Legs and Karisma teach the clap back call

    During the tryouts, Legs and Karisma introduce the group's signature clap back call. The girls attempt the routine but struggle to synchronize. Toni quietly observes and begins to imagine fitting in.

    Where
    Practice space at Lincoln Community Center
  4. Toni practices solo and befriends Beezy and Maia

    Back in the empty gym, Toni keeps practicing the routine and steadily improves. She befriends Beezy and Maia, two other hopefuls who share the goal of joining the team. The three of them begin forming a bond as they train together.

    Where
    Empty gym, Lincoln Community Center
  5. Legs collapses during practice

    During a practice session, Legs suddenly collapses and suffers a seizure. Medics are called and she is hospitalized, shaking the team. Karisma briefly steps in to take over the practice.

    Where
    Practice room, Lincoln Community Center
  6. Karisma faints and Jermaine's warning

    As Karisma continues, she experiences a fainting spell of her own, further unsettling the group. Toni's brother Jermaine warns her not to imitate Karisma, reminding her to stay grounded. The seizures begin to cast a shadow over the team's rehearsals.

    Where
    Gym / practice area
  7. Toni intensifies practice and shows progress

    Toni throws herself into the routine, practicing with extra vigor and gradually mastering the choreography. Her drive signals progress, even as the team grapples with fear and uncertainty. The looming uncertainty shapes her focus.

    Where
    Gym
  8. Practice canceled; uniforms tried on

    The next day, practice is canceled, and Toni and Beezy explore the empty building. They try on their new uniforms and discuss the sense of danger surrounding the fits. They joke about a boyfriend disease as they talk.

    Where
    Empty building / dance space
  9. Water concerns and new warnings

    Officials reveal they found nothing wrong with the water, but rumors persist. The supervisor tells the girls to drink only from the gym's water cooler. More episodes occur despite precautions.

    Where
    Boxing gym / water cooler area
  10. News and group reflections on the fits

    A TV newscaster reports on the fits as city and county health departments investigate. Toni, Beezy, and Maia listen in as others describe what each episode felt like.

    Where
    Broadcast / gym
  11. Maia seeks to understand the fits

    Maia expresses a wish to understand how the fits feel since the episodes seem inevitable. The group discusses their experiences and sensations, building shared fear and curiosity. Toni feels the weight of what is happening.

    Where
    Gym / practice hall
  12. Maia has an episode; tensions rise with Beezy

    Maia has an episode during practice, underscoring how the fits are spreading. Toni argues with Beezy, insisting Maia did not want the episode to happen.

    Where
    Gym
  13. Beezy meets with a doctor; Toni watches

    Beezy is called in to meet with the doctor, and Toni watches through the window as Beezy begins to seize. The medical visit offers no clear answers, leaving the group anxious but hopeful.

    Where
    Clinic near gym
  14. Toni levitates and the montage of performances

    Toni skips practice and goes to stand in the empty pool, then begins to float in the air. The team watches in shock as she flails her arms with her eyes closed. The sequence cuts to a montage of Toni and the dance team performing on stairs, in the gym, the boxing ring, and the empty pool.

    Where
    Empty pool and surrounding spaces

Last updated: October 09, 2025 at 16:25

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Timeline questions answered

The Fits Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of The Fits (2016): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why does Toni quit boxing to join the dance team?

Toni is drawn to the dance team after watching the girls practice through the gym door. She sees freedom and effortless rhythm in their movements, which contrasts with the rigid structure of her boxing training. Her brother Jermaine notices her fascination and encourages her to try out, suggesting she's ready for something new.

Foreshadowing: Toni was already watching the dancers through the door before she decided to try out, showing her attraction to dance was immediate.

  • toni
  • boxing
  • dance team
  • joining
  • choice
Q2

What causes the fainting fits in the movie?

The film never explains what causes the fits. Officials investigate the water supply and rule it out, but no medical explanation is provided. The fits begin with Legs collapsing during practice and spread to other dancers, including Karisma, Beezy, and Maia.

  • fits
  • seizures
  • fainting
  • cause
  • mystery
Q3

Why do more dancers start having fits after Legs collapses?

The fits appear to spread through the group as a mysterious collective experience. After Legs is hospitalized, Karisma faints, then other girls begin experiencing episodes. The film presents this as a phenomenon that moves through the dance team, with each new fit adding to the group's fear and fascination.

Foreshadowing: Legs' collapse happens first, and the fits then target the team captains one by one.

  • fits spread
  • dancers
  • legls
  • karisma
  • group
Q4

What do the tests reveal about the water?

Health officials test the water at the community center and rule it out as the cause of the fits. Despite this, rumors and concerns persist among the dancers and their families. The supervisor tells the girls to only drink from the gym's water cooler, but the fits continue regardless.

  • water
  • health department
  • investigation
  • tested
Q5

Why does Maia say she wants to experience a fit?

Maia tells the group that she wants to know how the fits feel because they seem inevitable. She expresses curiosity rather than fear, viewing the episodes as something the group is being drawn into together. This desire contrasts with the fear shown by other dancers.

Foreshadowing: Maia asks Toni and Beezy about the fits before she experiences one herself during practice.

  • maia
  • fit
  • wants to experience
  • curiosity
Q6

What happens when Toni floats at the end of the film?

Toni goes to the empty pool area, stands in the shallow water, and begins to levitate. She floats upward with her eyes closed while the team watches. The scene shifts to a montage of the dance team performing, then returns to Toni floating before she falls back down, opens her eyes, and smiles.

  • toni
  • float
  • levitate
  • pool
  • ending
Q7

Why does Toni argue with Beezy after Maia has a fit?

Toni accuses Beezy of implying that Maia wanted the fit to happen. The argument suggests tension between the girls about whether the fits are voluntary or involuntary. Toni defends Maia, insisting she did not want the episode to occur.

  • toni
  • beezy
  • maia
  • argument
  • accusation
Q8

What does Toni's levitation represent?

Toni's floatation appears to be her version of the fits, but transformed into something transcendent. While other girls experience frightening seizures, Toni's episode is peaceful and leads to a smile. The film presents this as her finally finding a way to join the collective experience on her own terms, reconciling her desire for control with letting go.

  • toni
  • floatation
  • meaning
  • transcendence
  • acceptance
Q9

What do the fits symbolize in the film?

The fits work as a metaphor for adolescent change and the pressure to conform to a group. The mysterious nature of the episodes, spreading through the dance team without medical explanation, mirrors the way peer pressure and growing up affect young people unpredictably. Toni's struggle to fit in while maintaining her individuality ties directly to this theme.

Foreshadowing: The film explicitly uses the fits as a shared experience that changes each girl.

  • fits
  • metaphor
  • adolescence
  • growth
  • peer pressure
Q10

Why does Jermaine warn Toni not to imitate Karisma?

After Karisma faints, Jermaine warns Toni not to imitate her, calling Karisma the wildest of the group. This shows Jermaine's protectiveness as Toni's older brother, but it also hints at the uncertainty around whether the fits are voluntary. Toni has been practicing harder than anyone and hasn't had a fit yet.

  • jermaine
  • karisma
  • warning
  • protectiveness

Movie threads

More Movies Like The Fits, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes The Fits tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Mysterious coming-of-age movies like The Fits

Young protagonists navigating strange, symbolic events that mark their transition into a new world. Discover movies like The Fits that explore adolescence through a mysterious lens. These films feature young protagonists undergoing symbolic, sometimes surreal, rites of passage that test their identity and sense of belonging. If you enjoyed the dreamlike initiation in The Fits, you'll find similar stories of transformative youth here.

  • mysterious
  • dreamlike
  • yearning
  • contemplative
  • atmospheric
  • anxious
  • Tone: contemplative, mysterious, bittersweet
  • Pacing: slow, observational
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative follows a young individual, often on the cusp of a major life change, who encounters a bizarre or collective phenomenon within a group setting. This event—be it a physical ailment, a shared vision, or a strange ritual—acts as a catalyst, forcing the protagonist to question their individuality and ultimately choose between isolation or integration into the communal experience.

Why they belong together: These movies are grouped by their shared focus on the surreal aspects of growing up. They blend realistic settings with elements of psychological mystery, using symbolic events to externalize the internal anxieties and desires of adolescence, culminating in an ambiguous but transformative acceptance of change.

Atmospheric slow burn character studies like The Fits

Quiet, observational films where mood and internal change are the main events. If you liked the quiet, observational style of The Fits, explore these other atmospheric slow burn character studies. These similar movies prioritize mood and internal character growth over fast-paced plots, offering a contemplative and immersive viewing experience focused on subtle emotional journeys.

  • atmospheric
  • contemplative
  • quiet
  • yearning
  • dreamlike
  • observational
  • Tone: quiet, contemplative, hopeful
  • Pacing: slow, deliberate
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Stories in this thread unfold with a patient, almost documentary-like observation of a central character. The conflict is often internal—a struggle with identity, belonging, or a quiet personal crisis. The narrative structure is loose, built around small moments and sensory details that accumulate to create a profound sense of a character's transformation by the end.

Why they belong together: They are united by a shared emphasis on atmosphere and internal character development. The slow pacing and focus on quiet moments create a specific, immersive vibe that feels authentic and psychologically rich, appealing to viewers who enjoy films that unfold like a thoughtful portrait.

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Every angle

The Fits (2016) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

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