There is almost nothing else that can influence people in the same way that movies do. This unique form of storytelling has a big impact on us, especially if the production and execution of the movie are good. A good movie can stay in our minds for years and never fail to impress us, regardless of how often we watch it. Of course, a really important thing in movies is the message that they convey, but the presentation counts as well. With the start of the fusion between the dance and film industries, dance scenes in movies became very remarkable and were, until this day, an inspirational source for many. Here is a selection of iconic dance scenes in movies.

1) Grease
There are many impressive dance and singing scenes in Grease, which was released in 1978 in the USA. The main roles of this movie, which was produced in musical style, were played by Olivia Newton-John, who played “Sandie,” and John Travolta, who portrayed “Danny”. At the end of the movie, there is a dance competition in which the main characters participate. The students Cha Cha and Danny perform an unforgettable dance choreography to the song “Born to Hand Jive” which eventually brings them the win of the competition.

2) Dirty Dancing
Dirty Dancing belongs probably to the most famous movies, especially dance movies, in cinematic history. With Jennifer Grey as Frances Houseman, aka “Baby” and Patrick Swayze as Johnny Castle, the movie’s main actors were perfectly cast. The movie was a huge success in cinemas and is still one of the classics nowadays. Especially one dance scene is what made the movie famous. The talk is of the performance that Grey and Swayze portrayed on the Oscar-winning soundtrack “Time of My Life.” The peak of their performance is at the end of the song, when Swayze lifts Grey up and carries her over his head, so it looks like she is levitating in the air.

3) Pulp Fiction
Another movie that is known as a classic in film history is Pulp Fiction. The acting performances of Uma Thurman, John Travolta, and Samuel L. Jackson make this movie something really special. The cultural masterpiece from Qunetin Tarantino won multiple awards and gained fame all over the world. Especially memorable is the dance scene from Uma Thuman’s “Mia Wallace” and John Travolta’s “Vincent Vega” where they participate in a twist contest and take the trophy home.

4) Footloose
One of the most famous dance movies is probably the one about a boy who made a whole small town dance. With Kevin Bacon in the main role, “Footloose” tells the story of a boy who moves with his mother from the big city life of Chicago to a small town called Bomont. This town lives under the rules of the Reverend, who prohibited dancing for personal reasons. The dance enthusiast Ren tries with all measures to bring the dancing back. One very popular dance scene is the one in the warehouse where Kevin Bacon as Ren expresses his frustration in the form of dance moves in the form of dancing to “Never”. He attracts the attention of the Reverend’s daughter, Ariel, who is rebelling against her father. Her longing for freedom lets her find herself right in front of a train where she is about to get hit, but in the last moment, Ren takes action and saves her.
The most common dance styles that are used in the movie are Lindy Hop and Rock n’ Roll.

Sources:
https://www.buzzfeed.com/alliehayes/iconic-dance-scenes-in-movies-and-tv-shows
https://www.yardbarker.com/entertainment/articles/all_the_right_moves_21_of_the_best_dance_scenes_in_film/s1__39242543#slide_20
https://grease.fandom.com/wiki/Born_to_Hand_Jive
https://www.fitforfun.de/workout/starworkout/dirty-dancing-heldenworkout-mit-patrick-swayze-180632.html#:~:text=Patrick%20Swayze%20(%E2%80%A0%202009)%20performte,an%20deren%20Ende%20Baby%20auf
https://www.openculture.com/2020/12/the-power-of-pulp-fictions-dance-scene.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdscrlKRNXQ#:~:text=In%20this%20scene%20from%20Footloose,forcing%20Ren%20to%20take%20action.