Dirty Dancing

Back in those days when we were still staying in grimy Bedok, the Sista and I would always make a trip down to our local video store to rent our perennial favourites during the school holidays. Pretty Woman and Dirty Dancing were two of them.

Oh, how we loved them! The fairy tale love story, pretty female leads (Julia Roberts in that brown polka dot dress? Classy) and hunky male leads…..it really appealed to our inner Venuses. We probably watched each movie at least 20 times, rewinding the tape and putting it on again immediately after the movie had ended. We fancied ourselves to be the lovely heroines, feisty and full of passion for the things we believed in and in some ways, we did fulfill what we had thought ourselves to be when we were younger and more idealistic.

I especially loved Dirty Dancing because of its gritty, 1960s feel and the dancing. Smooth, flowing and sexy moves that made me wish I had not two left feet and an awkward gait.

Till this day, 20 years after the movie has been made, I still adore the movie and its eclectic soundtrack comprising of sappy love ballads (Eric Carmen’s “Hungry Eyes”), retro ’60s ditties and the winner of the Best Original Song at the following Oscars – Jennifer Warnes and Bill Medley’s “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life”. Check out the Youtube video of the scene when the song played. The sleek dance moves, the way the group of dancers moved so amazingly in sync, the intimacy…it just sends a tingle down my spine.

And check out, also, this British couple who re-enacted the dance at their wedding and made it to the news. It’s so cute!

Those were the days when we could savour the delicious bubblegum delight of a summer movie. Sweet!