Groups Of Dancers Face Off And Startle The Audience With Passionate 'Dirty Dancing' Performance

Mar 25, 2021 by apost team

The ’80s has become particularly famous for having a series of movie hits that affected the way people danced. First, there was “Footloose” with Kevin Bacon’s incredible moves. Then John Travolta stole the show with his disco dance moves in “Staying Alive.” He influenced pop culture again with “Hairspray” later in 2007. The dance moves of the ’80s are still popular today, favorites among the old and young alike.

One group of dancers from the Bodscheller dance school in Hildesheim, Germany, is proof that these films continue to influence dancers today. In 2016, Bodscheller crew choreographed a stunning performance, referencing the movie “Dirty Dancing,” where male and female dancers stunned the audience at an Oktoberfest event. Their sizzling routine made nods to various elements of the classic film and seemed to greatly impress the audience.

Little did they know that a simple dance would likely become one of the most memorable moments of their careers. In the hall of Oktoberfest, many people were sitting at their tables and chatting lightly while they were waiting for the entertainment to begin. A few people were sipping on their beers and other drinks, without the slightest clue as to what they were about to be treated to — a nostalgic and fun dancing display.

Soon several pairs of young women and men entered the room to a happy and upbeat song. They skipped along to the rhythm as they entered the room. Once the audience noticed the dancers, they began to clap along to the music, encouraging the dancers as they moved to the center of the room. 

The couples got into position by facing their dance partners. The audience was confused at first, likely believing it was a simple high school performance. The dancers seemed hesitant, waiting for the music to begin. As they glanced at each other furtively, the music finally started.

The upbeat jams changed to a classic of the ’80s, the first notes of the famous “Dirty Dancing song (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life” began to play. The iconic song encouraged the young dancers who quickly changed from what seemed like nervous high schoolers into confident ballroom dancers. Several members of the audience took out their phones to record the event.

Yet they got another surprise when all the men picked up their dancing partners to mirror the classic dance moves from the movie. The audience gasped and applauded, shocked at their strength and agility. The iconic lift scene was nailed by the young performers and everyone in the audience started cheering.

Since Tanzschule Bodscheller uploaded the video in 2017, it has received nearly 2 million views and more than 100 comments.

“I thought the dancing was excellent,” one user commented. “Jenifer Grey (sic!) (an actor from the film) would be proud to watch this.”

For those that have no clue what any of these commenters are talking about, “Dirty Dancing” is a popular Rom-Drom from the late 1980s that has become a cultural touchstone in the U.S. The story (spoilers incoming!) revolves around Bunny, a privileged teenage girl, as she vacations at a fancy resort in the Catskill Mountains in New York State.

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It’s there that Bunny meets Johnny, the resort’s handsome and charming dance instructor. Bunny and Johnny casually take up dancing together, and the two begin to fall in love as beautiful people do in movies. But as a drama, the film’s got to have some conflict, which arrives when Johnny’s official dance partner, with whom he planned on performing at the resort’s dance competition, drops out because she has to get an abortion. Baby, who has learned a few moves from Johnny, steps in. A few other things happen in the interim — like Johnny being fired from the resort — but the film’s most iconic moment is its finale. Johnny unexpectedly shows up at the resort’s talent show after his dismissal, and he and Baby dance to “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life,” making for a romantic and happy ending. Given the scene’s passionate context, it’s no wonder that Ada and Mateusz chose to reenact it.

While some critics like Roger Ebert panned the film, others have sung its praises as a fresh take on dance and romance.

“The dancing here brings out the sensual dreaminess of the songs,” Pauline Kael wrote in her 1987 review for the New Yorker. “Dirty Dancing”—what a great title!—is such a bubbleheaded, retro vision of growing up in the sixties (or any other time) that you go out of the theatre giggling happily.””

Kael touches on one of the film’s key elements — the music. 

"(I've Had) The Time of My Life" won the Academy Award for Best Original Song, a Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals and a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song.

Frank Previte, the relatively unknown lead singer of the East Coast rock band Franke and the Knockouts, co-wrote the song for the “Dirty Dancing” soundtrack back in the late ‘80s. In a 2020 interview with American Songwriter, Previte opened up about the song’s genesis. The songwriter explains that “Dirty Dancing’s” music supervisor, Jimmy Ienner, called him “out of the blue,” gave him a short description of the film and asked him to write a 7-minute-long song for the movie. At first, Previte was reluctant, but one day he had an epiphany while driving down the Garden State Parkway. And the rest, as they say, is history.

“When I met Patrick at the Oscars,” Previte told American Songwriter, “he told me ‘you have no idea what this song did for this movie … We listened to 149 songs and hated them … We all felt the ending wasn’t happening and the movie was going to bomb. Then your cassette with you and Rachele Cappelli singing “Time of My Life” came in. We filmed to that and at the end of the day we all looked at each other and said, “wow, what just happened? This ending is awesome! Let’s go make this movie!’’ It changed everything for them for the better.”

The song also reached the number one spot on the Adult Contemporary and the Billboard Hot 100 charts. And today, as the below video shows, fans from around the world keep the legendary track’s legacy alive by recreating the famous scene associated with the song.

Did you also find the performance entertaining and fun? Did you enjoy this dancing too? Let us know what you think — and don’t hesitate to pass this on to your friends, family members and fellow “Dirty Dancing” fans!