Film Analysis: Dirty Dancing

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Dirty Dancing “No one puts baby in a corner” and “no one will ever put the movie Dirty Dancing in a corner as long as it exists.” Dirty Dancing is one of my favorite movies. It has a great cast, awesome classic music, and fantastic choreography. Released in 1987, this romance film stars one of my favorite actors, Patrick Swayze. The story is a coming of age drama that documents a teenage girl’s coming of age through a relationship with a dance instructor whom she encounters during her family’s summer vacation. Baby is a teenage girl who learns about love, adult responsibility, and how to dance in this romantic drama. In 1963 a 17 year-old, Baby Houseman, spends the summer with her family in the Catskills at a resort. Baby doesn’t get along with her older sister Lisa, and she’s bored by most of the older guest at the resort. However, one night she hears what sounds like a party going on in the employee’s dormitory, only to discover most of the hotel staff enjoying the sort of close dancing that would get you kicked out of the senior prom. That is where Baby is first struck by Johnny Castle (Patrick Swayze) a dancer at the resort, and falls head over heels in love. Soon Baby finds herself volunteering to take Johnny’s dance partners spot during one of the shows because she got pregnant after a fling with one of the waiters. When Johnny starts to teach Baby to dance a romance begins to develop. Johnny and Baby’s relationship is eventually revealed after Johnny is accused of stealing a wallet from one of the resort guests and is unable to provide a verifiable alibi. To save Johnny from being fired and jeopardizing her relationship with her father, Baby says there is no way Johnny could be responsible. She was with him in his cabin al... ... middle of paper ... ...gs; “Hungry Eyes”, “She’s Like the Wind”, and “I’ve had The Time of My Life”. I also love this movie because it takes place during one of my favorite eras. The 1950’s to the early 1960’s has always been a favorite era I would have liked to experience. From their clothes, hairstyles, and music to their cars, bad boy stereo-types, and carefree lifestyles, which I think this movie portrayed very well. Another reason I like this movie so much is because of the dancing, Dirty Dancing is the most erotic form of partner dancing. There’s nothing more exciting than taking someone in your arms and dancing cheek to cheek or hip to hip or shoulder to shoulder. Touching each other and communicating with each other is what dancing has always been. So if you like love stories, great music, dirty dancing, and Patrick Swayze than I guarantee this movie will be the time of your life.

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