Free Write Blog

Browsing YouTube, I came across a clip of one of my all time favorite movies. This movie is Dirty Dancing. I understand this could put a label of being a sap on my part, but this movie is amazing for many reasons.

Being a girl, I know what it is like to make the transition from being Daddy's little girl, to being an independent woman who is ready to face this world. In Dirty Dancing, we see Baby (Jennifer Grey) make this transition, by falling for dance instructor Johnny Castle (Patrick Swayze). The two meet at a faculty dance party which is forbidden to visitors. Baby is then exposed to the new way of dancing in the 60's. After sharing a dance with Johnny, and watching him dance with his partner, Penny, she is mesmerized to learn more about the dancing couple. After discovering Penny's surprise pregnancy, she agrees to do a dance competition with Johnny in Penny's place in order for Penny to have an abortion. After complications and Baby's father having to help Penny with her failed abortion, Baby has a night with Johnny that sparks their relationship.
The rest of the movie details their ongoing secrecy of their relationship. Knowing its wrong because staff is not allowed to get involved with visitors, the two must hide their dance lessons and alone time from everyone. However, Baby finally admits to her father about their relationship in order to provide an alibi for Johnny. However, this actually gets him fired, and he must leave before the final show of summer, where he usually does a dance number. We see Baby's devastation, but she attends the end show anyways.

At the show, Johnny emerges and delivers the famous line, "No body puts Baby in a corner." They then perform their dance together, in front of everyone, which is what my video clip is of. This dance is one of the most memorable dance scenes of all dance movies because it requires grace and its one of passion. They dance to "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes. Of course no one can forget the famous ending, where Johnny lifts Baby above his head, and she is gracefully outstretched in midair. Afterwards, she finally gets her father's approval for Johnny.

This movie is historical, with the recent 20th anniversary DVD release, and Swayze's recent diagnose of cancer, no one can forget this movie. Whether you've seen it or not, everyone can recall it by name. But for those who haven't seen it, you are truly missing a classic love story movie.