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Dirty Dancing Tickets With Amazing Grace {By: Matt Ryan}

by Matt Ryan

When this low budget film, with a cast of unknown actors and actresses, came out in 1987, it took a whole lot of critics and moviegoers by surprise and by storm. The amazing part is that it manages to surprise and delight audiences to this day. This film has brought in more than three hundred million dollars from all over the world, and set a record in home video sales as the first to sell more than a million copies. The soundtrack produced two multi-platinum albums and a huge number of singles.

The dancing in this movie is certainly “dirty” by most popular standards of 1963, when it takes place. Foxtrot it is not. Mambo to the max is more like it. If you were old enough to see the movie when it first appeared, watching it now is a “trip”, and a really good one! The main characters are Frances Houseman, known to family and friends as “Baby”, and Johnny Castle, a hunk of a dance instructor. Jennifer Grey is the perfect actress for the role of “Baby”, and Patrick Swayze emerges into stardom with his portrayal of Johnny Castle.

The Housemans are V.I.P. guests at Kellerman’s Resort in the Catskills, on a three-week family vacation. Dr. Houseman, the personal physician of the resort’s owner, his wife (not quite as staid as she first appears), 17 year old Baby and Lisa, her older and trying- to-be-superior sister all have some living and learning to do. Baby sets the stage by accidentally getting involved with the “No Guests Please” resort staff.

Watching Johnny and his partner, Penny, do their riveting (and deliciously dirty) Mambo number at a staff party, Baby is entranced. But when Penny falls prey to the owner’s son, and has an illegal and life-threatening abortion, Baby gets her father involved, and it appears to be curtains for her growing attraction to the irresistible Johnny.

Baby has done what she believes is the right thing, but it causes a painful rift between her Dad and her growing understanding of herself. She finds herself offering to stand in for Penny, mostly so Johnny won’t lose his “gig”. With some really intense lessons from the pro, they develop a pretty stunning routine of their own. Yes, Baby falls in love.

Meanwhile, Lisa is about to make a big mistake with Robbie, who is the unrepentant cause of Penny’s abortion. Johnny, too proud to defend himself, is about to get fired on other grounds, but Baby starts growing into Frances when she provides his alibi, at her own expense.

The “dirty dancing” that these two wonderfully believable young people supply is so entrancing because it is both sensual and sophisticated, yet still has a purity that defies any element of sleaze. It is just a joy to watch them together. The grand finale has the entire clientele of Kellerman’s on their feet and getting into the spirit in a big way. It’s a triumph of courage over self-doubt, and love over any darn thing that stands in its way!

Dirty Dancing is basically a simple, romantic love story, with just enough supporting characters and interwoven plot lines to keep it interesting. When the forces of stodginess and intolerance show up, they are ultimately and emphatically overwhelmed by the forces of love and fair play. The realistically choreographed dance scenes are a powerful force in themselves, but everything comes together for a rousing happy ending.

The movie translates well into the Broadway stage production also. The stage musical adaptation of Dirty Dancing has played to enthusiastic theatre goers in Germany, England, Canada and even Australia, and is still showing in London. If you move fast you can still see the touring production of the musical in Boston, but it is scheduled to close March 15th of this year. If you haven’t caught this show in a theatre or on stage, you ought to get the video – it’s too good to miss!

About the Author:
By Matt Ryan, sponsored by StubPass.com. StubPass sells Dirty Dancing Tickets, sports tickets, concert tickets, theater tickets, Musical Tickets and more to your favorite events around your area.


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