There is simply nothing like watching a movie for the first time and immediately becoming enraptured by its characters, soundtrack, and script. “That was the spring of 2012 when I thought I would never find a movie as great as Dirty Dancing,” and to this day I still haven’t. I watched Dirty Dancing for the first time at a sleepover at my friend’s house and I was hesitant as to whether I would like it based on the title, but my hesitations left the minute I saw Baby and Johnny interact. Since that night this enchanting, fun, and alluring movie has been my favorite and my love for it has drawn me to watch the movie more times than I can count, to see the stage version twice, and to visit various places where it was filmed.
Why I love it you might ask? Glad you asked because I could talk about this movie for hours, I mean I even wrote a research paper on it.
I love:
The dancing.
This word is in the title and it is the majority of the movie, so it goes without (much) explanation that this is one of the reasons I love it. Kenny Ortega knew what he was doing when he choreographed energetic ensemble numbers to ones that were intense and quiet and made you feel like no one else connected on a level like that before. And that final lift. Need I say more?
How I can relate to the characters.
You know that scene where Baby dances with Johnny for the first time? Yeah, she is so awkward and confused and then when they finish dancing she does her own little dance and it’s almost cringeworthy. But, despite that, I love it. I love that the creators made her young and innocent, it just feels real.
Or that moment when Max is talking to Tito and he says “It feels like it's all slipping away.” He is so keenly aware that everything he has known is changing and being morphed into something else. It’s the truth of that struggle between being comfortable with tradition and being open to the inevitable: change.
It’s feeling like Johnny when he realizes that he found someone who made him a better version of himself; in a way, it was like he found a role model. It’s something special when you know that you’ve found “Somebody who's taught me that there are people willing to stand up for other people no matter what it costs them.” Those are the kind of people I want to be around and the kind of person I want to be.
The unforgettable quotes.
“Nobody puts Baby in a corner.”
“I carried a watermelon.”
“Me? I'm scared of everything. I'm scared of what I saw, I'm scared of what I did, of who I am, and most of all I'm scared of walking out of this room and never feeling the rest of my whole life the way I feel when I'm with you.”
“Look, spaghetti arms. This is my dance space. This is your dance space. I don't go into yours, you don't go into mine. You gotta hold the frame.”
Ah, they never get old.
The way Baby never changes.
She grows older and matures, but she is still the same intelligent, compassionate person she always wanted to be. She comes to the understanding that there is more than the bubble she grew up in, but that she still values her family and her old life. She matures into a young woman who is just as passionate and driven as ever.
The music.
Every time I turn my soundtrack on in the car and drive I am just enamored with the music from that 1987 film. The music spans from the 50s to the 80s but is perfect together as it is full of energy, passion, and feeling. I am sitting here writing and smiling while listening to “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life,” it’s a classic.
Patrick Swayze, because he is downright dreamy.
His character is strong and subdued, yet vulnerable and honest; he is the quintessential older man crush.
His all black outfits and dancing skills with his semi-mysterious demeanor keep you captivated every single time you sit in front of the screen. And he sings, it's the full dream package. It’s no surprise that Baby falls for him.
So here's to you Dirty Dancing, Happy 30th Anniversary!
