Dirty Dancing finale tops poll of greatest film dance scenes

Eighties blockbuster beats Grease and Singin in the Rain in survey

Dirty Dancing’s showstopping finale has been voted the most iconic movie dance scene of all time, according to a survey.

The blockbuster, which came out in 1987 and cemented the late Patrick Swayze as one of the biggest stars of the decade, beat Grease and Singin’ in the Rain to top spot.

Saturday Night Fever came in fourth place, and Kevin Bacon vehicle Footloose placed fifth.

Also appearing in the top 10 were Flashdance, West Side Story and Step Up, according to the poll of 1,000 adults.

And movies with famous dance scenes like Pulp Fiction and The Breakfast Club were also listed.

The study also uncovered the dance styles British adults most wished they could master, with 22 per cent of 18-24-year-olds interested in being ballroom experts.

More than half of those over 55 would also love to become proficient in ballroom, emulating the success of those seen on screen in Strictly Come Dancing.

However, the dance style most under-25s wanted to learn was hip-hop, a love shared by just seven per cent of the older generation.

Thirty-five to 44-year-olds were most likely to learn to salsa, while 45-54 year olds were the biggest tango fans in the country.

The research was conducted by Dance Direct, whose spokesperson said: “Movies like The Greatest Showman have put dancing in films right back on the map.

“La La Land was another recent smash that featured lots of dancing, which is great for getting people young and old inspired about dancing.

“But interestingly enough, the most recent film to really make a lasting impact on audiences was Step Up, which was released in 2006.”

The best films with dance scenes – according to Britons

1. Dirty Dancing (1987)
2. Grease (1978)
3. Singin' In the Rain (1952)
4. Saturday Night Fever (1978)
5. Footloose (1984)
6. Flashdance (1983)
7. Pulp Fiction (1994)
8. West Side Story (1961)
9. Step Up (2006)
10. The Breakfast Club (1985)

SWNS