Dirty Dancing Reveal: The Most Famous Dance Scene of All Time Wasn't Rehearsed

Jennifer Grey says Dirty Dancing's famous scene was done without any practice.

By Madelyn Abry Oct 14, 2015 7:50 PMTags
Jennifer Grey, Patrick Swayze, Dirty Dancing, Movie FeudsREX USA

Have you practiced the Dirty Dancing lift for your eventual wedding day? Oh, just us then?

The last scene of the cult classic 1987 flick is definitely the most memorable and has been replicated more times than we can count (seriously, our calculator is broken). But now we're learning something brand new: Jennifer Grey told The Guardian that the dance, including the lift, wasn't even rehearsed.

"God, no! I only did it on the day I shot it," Grey said. "Never rehearsed it, never done it since. I don't know how all these people who re-enact it have the guts to throw themselves into the arms of anyone other than Patrick Swayze. It's insane!"

That is seriously adorable. And so spot on—we would only trust Patrick Swayze, too. (Although to be fair, one of the best reenactments happens in 2011's Crazy, Stupid Love between Emma Stone and a shirtless Ryan Gosling.)

Grey also told the pub that she enjoys reminiscing about the roles of her youth, saying "I'm so thrilled with any reference to anything I ever did that gave anyone an ounce of pleasure."

We're going to take that as a go-ahead to keep obsessing over Dirty Dancing. And maybe even to keep practicing that lift. 

For more hot moves, check out Paula Deen's latest Dancing With the Stars antics: