College Papers

Interpretation of Dance in Dirty Dancing

Dance plays a huge role in the movie as dance moves and music are used to set the tempo of a scene as well as express the division between classes and the personality of certain characters. From the moment that Baby’s (Francis) family arrives at the resort, dance is used to divide the separation of classes as well as the guests from the workers, which includes the dance instructors.

One of the first scenes with Penny teaching the guest's dance steps, the music, as well as movements, places guests in a different world that when it comes to dance and life movements are clumsy and out of sync. The scenes of guests dancing at the main house are dignified, upper class, orderly, and well to do, depicting their status as wealthy guests, whereas staff is seen by the dancing, they prefer in their own quarters to be rough, sexual, vulgar, low class, wild, and uneducated.

By paying close attention to both the music as well as the dance and movements you can easily see the plot of the movie as well as the character's own personality. The music alone sets various moods that are felt as the characters move from beginning to end growing, responding to adversity, and transforming their character into a new individual with different ideas and attitudes.

The dance moves of Baby with the son of the resort owner depicted a young girl that was clumsy on her feet and sheltered from life, by her parents. Her movements were not close to the one she was dancing with but aloof looking away toward other dancers in the room. In steps, Penny and Johnny, both dance instructors that heighten the mood with their own kind of dance that sparks Baby’s interest, not only in the dance moves that are wild carefree and out of her normal routine of life but also her interest in romance. The dance between Johnny and Penny placed them in a class of wild and dangerous, however, as soon as the owner makes them end the dance, their class as the staff was noted immediately in the mood of the dance and music.

Dance is used throughout the movie to engage the audience and draw attention to specific scenes such as the Mamba dance between Johnny and Penny drew Baby’s attention. The movie actually has more than one arc that builds from the beginning scenes of the arrival to the resort to Baby’s discovering of the worker's dance moves in their quarters, with the dance between the instructors as the spark of interest.

Another arc is seen when Baby’s wants to help Johnny and Penny along with her desire to learn to dance in the same manner. She begins learning the dance and it builds to the climax of dancing at the hotel as a replacement for Penny with Johnny.

Baby’s relationship with her father is another important arc as in the beginning, she is daddy’s little girl that he trusted more than life itself. He trusted her so much that he would give her what she wanted without questions, thus placing her in a spot where she lost his trust and had to regain not only the trust but also the admiration of her father.  

Baby’s father forbidding her to see any of the staff again begins another arc that ends with Baby defying her father and visiting Johnny, with the music slow and sad as she enters the room to robust, exciting, and alluring until they fall into one another’s arms in dance. The movie has ups and downs thus building more than one arc that takes audiences through highs, lows, desire, love, and disappointment.

Even without dance, a very important scene is at the beginning as Baby leaves her cabin and tells her family she is going to visit the main house. The music is slow as Baby strolls slowly to her destination. The depiction of a young girl heading off to new adventures, cautious, slow-moving, and even a bit frightened but also daring is felt with the music as well as the movements of Baby as she strolls toward the main house and happens to help a staff member carrying a watermelon.

This scene above all others helps build Baby’s character as a sheltered, curious young girl. Until now, she was daddy’s little girl that held no secrets; however, this one scene depicts a young girl heading off on her adventures to womanhood and leaving childhood behind.

Outside on the steps away from prying eyes, Baby is practicing dance moves to fill in for Penny at the hotel as Johnny’s partner. She is no longer a young little girl but is blooming into womanhood. Her clothing has changed from dull and childlike to more revealing as she dances up and down the stairs. When a step is wrong, she stomps and kicks but keeps going on with determination to ensure every movement is perfect. Learning the steps as well as the alluring movements are seen as she drapes over the railing.

The dance steps are awkward at first with a few outbursts when not done in perfect form, but are better by the end of the scene. The transition from a young child into becoming a woman can be seen as her dance moves become determined and in sync.

The last dance at the end of the summer for the resort is the climax with all issues resolved among various characters. Johnny comes back to ensure the tradition of the season was met and he would perform the last dance but with a new partner, Baby, by his side. The last dance performed to Time of My Life showed a beautiful woman that transformed from her cocoon into a graceful elegant butterfly dancing the mamba while guests and her father watched in amazement of the woman that she had become.

Once Baby does the lift, her transformation is complete. She has shown complete trust and love in her partner while growing and maturing into a woman. Johnny, on the other hand, learned through Baby that life can change and everyone from all classes can enjoy living life. Guests and staff alike flood the floor without any division thus starting a new chapter at the resort.

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