The Forbidden Dance

Nisa, Laura Harring, is a native princess from a northern Brazilian tribe who travels to Los Angeles to stop an American corporation from destroying her rainforest home. Accompanying her is the tribal shaman, Joa, Sid Haig, who uses black magic to bypass the corporation’s guards and confront its chairman, leading to his arrest.

Alone in Los Angeles, Nisa finds work in a Beverly Hills mansion with the help of a woman named Carmen, Ángela Moya. She becomes a servant for a strict couple whose son, Jason, Jeff James, lives to dance. After secretly watching Nisa dance in her room, Jason takes her to a club. There, she is rejected by his friends, and Jason is scolded by his parents for dating someone from the staff.

Nisa leaves and takes a job at Xtasy, a seedy nightclub and brothel, working as a dance partner for male customers. When Jason’s friends visit the club and try to dance with her, Nisa refuses. One of them becomes aggressive, and she defends herself. Later, the group tells Jason’s girlfriend, Ashley, Barbra Brighton, who accuses Nisa of being a sleaze. Jason distances himself from his friends and Ashley, then goes to Xtasy to rescue Nisa. A bouncer assaults him and attempts to force himself on Nisa, but Joa arrives and uses magic to incapacitate the attacker, clearing the venue.

Joa returns to the tribe, while Nisa and Jason, now in love, prepare for a televised dance contest, hoping to use the platform to raise awareness about the destruction of the rainforest.

They win the contest, but the corporation’s enforcer, Benjamin Maxwell, kidnaps Nisa. Jason rescues her but injures his ankle, threatening their chance to perform on the show. Just in time, Joa reappears backstage and magically heals Jason. The performance goes ahead, the audience embraces them, Nisa’s father joins them on stage, a boycott is launched against the corporation, and everyone celebrates with the Lambada.

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 15:06