It was the classic story of good girl meets misunderstood bad boy that had us all wishing our families were part of the resort-going crowd. The love story! The throwback costumes! The dancing! The soundtrack! Together they transported audiences from the late 1980s back to summer in the early ’60s where we watched a sheltered Baby have her eyes opened to love and some of the bigger truths of the world.
Baby is the apple of her father’s eye. She’s heading to college in the fall. And once she’s finished with that she’ll join the Peace Corps, marry someone just like her dad, and go on to save the world. But she winds up taking a summer detour on the way to accomplishing that super impressive to-do list. And while she’s on this journey of personal discovery, we are treated to some fantastic dancing, surprisingly subversive sub-plots, and a happy ending with one of the most memorable quotes in modern movie history.
In addition to the great story and choreography, Dirty Dancing had an incredibly popular soundtrack. The combined popularity of the movie and the soundtrack brought about a revival of ’60s oldies favorites. Tons of kids became obsessed with the same music their parents had loved a generation before. The album was so successful it sold more than 11 million copies and stayed at the top of the Billboard charts for over 4 months!
So how much do you really remember about this beloved bit of American pop culture? Do you remember the first song Baby and Johnny danced to? Do you remember the creative place they worked on their balance? Do you remember why they needed to rehearse a dance in the first place? Who did Baby have to step in for? And where was their big show? Do you remember the actors who played in the starring roles? Which one also starred in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off? How about which one also contributed a song to the soundtrack?
If you’re a child of the ’80s, you can answer these questions just as easily as you can name every member of the Brat Pack.
Whether you’ve seen the movie one time or 100, you can’t help but love the final scene. Johnny comes back into the picture like a leather-clad knight in shining armor to make things right with Baby and her family and for himself. And, of course, there’s that legendary line that even people who haven’t seen the movie can quote!
So if you’re feeling nostalgic for this staple of your childhood, or even if you just watched the movie for the first time last week, kick off your Keds, put on your dancing shoes, and have “the time of your life†with this delightful Dirty Dancing quiz!
Who does Dr. Houseman think is responsible for Penny's pregnancy?
Robbie
Johnny
When Dr. Houseman comes to treat Penny after her botched abortion, he asks who is responsible for Penny, and Johnny says he is - not meaning that he got her pregnant though!
