‘Dirty Dancing’ Celebrates 25th Anniversary

Dirty Dancing is celebrating 25 years and it seems that the movie that lit up the screen so long ago is still just as popular today, with fans continually singing songs and fawning over how fantastic Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey looked back then.

Despite all of the popularity Dirty Dancing has received, it could have been significantly different if Swayze had a bigger fear of being sentenced to spend the rest of his career doing dancing movies, reports WebProNews.

Thankfully, Swayze agreed to the role of Johnny Castle, leaving Billy Zane and Val Kilmer out in the cold to simply watch the movie that inspired many to copy his moves and wish they could dance with someone like Baby (played by Grey).

Thanks to both the chemistry between Swayze and Grey (who didn’t always get along), as well as the ability of the many dancers who brought the film to life to keep going during production, the movie is still a success generations later. Conan O’Brien even recently started a campaign to put the movie back in theaters, resulting in $500,000 for the studio, who released the film in a select 54 theaters.

With Dirty Dancing celebrating its 25th anniversary, moviegoers will spend two days in western North Carolina celebrating the film, according to The Asheville Citizen-Times. The third annual Dirty Dancing Festival was underway on Friday at Lake Lure, the backdrop for the iconic film. The festival is being held at the Old Riverside Pavilion and includes a Friday night lakeside screening.

There will also be a concert from 1960s soul and beach music bands, complete with dance lessons, arts and crafts, and a beer and wine garden.

Unfortunately Patrick Swayze is no longer around to celebrate the Dirty Dancing 25th anniversary, as he passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2009.