When Eleanor Bergstein wrote Dirty Dancing, she wanted to capture a fond time in her life filled with holidays in the Catskills, mambo competitions, and a growing social consciousness. What she and small studio Vestron Pictures didn’t expect was for the movie, released in 1987 with little expectations, to become a phenomenon. But 35 years on, it’s clear that the nostalgic 1960s setting, the mix of humor and serious commentary, the tremendous soundtrack, and the undeniable chemistry between leads Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze made it an irresistible package. In The Story of Dirty Dancing, we look back on the film’s origins, stars, music, and best moments, capped off with a trivia quiz worthy of a competition on Kellerman’s west porch!
The Story of DIRTY DANCING • The moves, the music, the emotion — how the romantic film with a message continues to thrill audiences 35 years on
THE TIME OF OUR LIVES • Little was expected of a small-budget film that mashed together racy moves, a love story, and socially conscious themes. But nobody has put Baby in a corner since its 1987 debut, a testament to the enduring pop-culture power of Dirty Dancing.
LOVE IS STRANGE • Summers in the Catskills with a hot instructor and lots of dirty dancing: Screenwriter Eleanor Bergstein had such fond memories of her teen years that she knew they would make a great movie. She just had to convince everyone else.
HUNGRY EYES • When someone asks you to carry the watermelon or do the Lift, you know exactly what they mean and can picture exactly what they’re talking about. We look back on the scenes, locations, and images that are seared into our minds, and hearts, forever.
DO YOU LOVE ME • Could there be a better pair to play Johnny and Baby than Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey? Hard to believe other names were in the mix, but the casting chemistry on display required a bit of experimenting and a lot of shaking things up.
BE MY BABY • The success of the Dirty Dancing soundtrack brought new life to many ’60s classics while turning its then-contemporary ballads into mellow gold. Platinum many times over, the album even spawned an Oscar-, Grammy-, and Golden Globe-winning theme song in “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life.”
THESE ARMS OF MINE • The reach of the dance movie was long in the ’80s, with ballet, breaking, and hip-hop getting big-screen attention.
SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL • The legacy of Dirty Dancing lives on in stage musicals, reality TV, drama series, sequels, tributes, holiday packages, and loving recreations of the Lift.
The Ultimate DIRTY DANCING QUIZ • Test your knowledge of Dirty Dancing and its 35 years of mambo magic.
Dirty Dancing: 35th Anniversary
PHOTO CREDITS
“NOBODY PUTS BABY IN A CORNER.”
