History WesternAnimation / CatsDontDance

* ScoldedByAStranger: Has a variation where the scolding stranger is unconsciously doing this to the person who messed up, though it wasn't entirely his fault. Near the end, Danny suffers a HeroicBSoD after accidentally causing all the animals to lose their jobs as actors (for context, he was framed by the movie's villain for causing a catastrophic flood) and decides to head on back home to Kokomo, Indiana. The Bus Driver then speaks ill of the animals, which makes Danny even more upset when he sees a band of homeless animals on the streets, his little penguin friend Pudge included.

* HurricaneOfPuns: All animal related.

* WhamShot: Max's first appearance. From the moment Darla screams for him, the [[MoodWhiplash mood of the scene shifts]] from zany to deadly serious, as he manages to somehow silently break his way into the studio and slowly walk up to the Noah's Ark set. After fixing Darla's wardrobe, he crushes Danny with just one hand, uses his thumb to rocket him into the ground, then walks back to the ImpactSilhouette he made upon entering and teleports away.

* WhatTheHellHero: A rather poignant one. When Darla [[KickTheDog makes it known to the other animals]] she was the one Danny turned to for help, Sawyer says "''She was your angel''?" She isn't even mad so much as quietly devastated that Danny's naiveté and trusting nature , however well-meaning, was what lead to [[NiceJobBreakingItHero the collective animals losing their jobs]].

* DarkReprise: "Big And Loud", Darla's big number expressing her stardom, soon returns in VillainSong flavor.

* DialogueReversal: When Danny is confronted by Max and Darla, he's asked the question "How does the kitty-cat go?" and he responds with "Meow?". When confronting Max, Danny makes sure the roles are reversed.

''(Sawyer becomes stunned, then saddened as she leaves.)''

-->'''Darla:''' Max, invite that cat... to teaaaaaa! ''(iris out on a huge disturbing grin)''

-->'''L.B. Mammoth:''' You animals will never... ''(goes underwater)''

-->'''Danny:''' How does the kittycat go?\\

-->'''Sawyer''' ''(shocked)'': ''She's'' your little angel?\\

''(Sawyer walks away)''

-->Now the people they were so bad\\

[''cherubic smile and cute pose while anguished silhouettes sink in the background'']

-->'''Bus driver:''' ''(talking to Danny about the animals)'' What a bunch of noodle-heads! Well, I'm not calling ''you'' a noodle-head.\\

* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome: While yes, there ''is'' a huge amount of FantasticRacism involved at the studio, Danny is dismissed after breaking script, upstaging the lead actress when cast as an extra, and ruined a very expensive and complicated scene, all on his first day. That ''would'' get you fired in real life.

* CheshireCatGrin: Darla, at the very end of "Big and Loud (Part 2)", gives a blink-and-you'll-miss-it smile that's somewhere between this, SlasherSmile and PsychoticSmirk. And when she's scheming:
-->'''Darla:''' Max, invite that cat...to teaaaaaa... [''iris out on huge, [[SlasherSmile disturbing]] grin'']
* TheChessmaster: Darla sets up a very good BatmanGambit against Danny and the other animals despite there being no way she's any older than 10. [[spoiler:At least she ''looks'' that young. Keep an eye out for the cigarettes she's using to stunt her growth. See also [[NoCelebritiesWereHarmed No Celebrities Were Harmed]], below.]]
* ClimacticMusic: "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now"

* DisneyAcidSequence:
** ''See'' DarkReprise ''above''.
** "Animal Jam".

* TheDragon: Darla Dimple's butler, Max, is her right-hand man.

* EarnYourHappyEnding: Danny and company [[HappyEnding do get their big break]], though they have to go through a lot to get it. (Danny personally has to go through ''hell'').
* EnergeticAndSoftSpokenDuo: a villainous example. ThePrimaDonna Darla Dimple does most of the talking, since maintaining her facade as "lover of children and animals" requires being the {{keet}} under scrutiny. Max is Darla's MightyGlacier manservant, who rarely says more than, "Yes, Miss Dimple." Together, everyone at Mammoth Studios walks on eggshells around this AlphaBitch and her bone-crunching enforcer.

* AccidentalMisnaming: "[[WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck Donald]]? [[WesternAnimation/TheFlintstones Dino]]?"
* AccidentalPublicConfession: Darla's very loud statement about [[spoiler:causing the soundstage's flooding]]. She doesn't notice a microphone is hanging right above her until it's too late.

* AmbiguouslyGay: King Kong. Don't get him started.
* AnachronismStew: The film mostly stays on par with what was going on in 1939, but still, it does have inconsistencies.

* AngelFaceDemonFace: Darla could turn this off and on at will, going from adorable moppet to demon child.
* AngryCollarGrab: Near the end of the film, Darla Dimple grabs Danny by the collar as she [[VillainousBreakdown rants to him that she should've drowned him and his friends when she flooded the stage]], [[AccidentalPublicConfession inadvertently revealing her true self to the audience]].

* ArmorPiercingQuestion: When the other animals tell Danny how much Hollywood sucks for them, Danny counters with "Then why are you still here?" (see Rousing Speech).

* BarefootCartoonAnimal: Most of the animal characters.

* BattleButler: Darla's butler, Max.

** Max gets one in his last scene with Danny. See DialogueReversal.

* BatmanGambit: Danny pulls off a rather impressive one with the final dance number. NiceGuy that he is, he sets it up so that, if Darla had gracefully sat back and let the song play, they'd prove their performing chops and she'd come off smelling like a rose, her reputation further enforced. ''But'' by this point, he's fully aware of the likelihood of that happening and has obviously coached his friends to just run with whatever cheating she pulls off. He even takes a very brief moment to shove it in her face after her first couple attempts fail. Though even he is shocked to find out Darla was [[spoiler:responsible for the flood.]]