My last post sparked conversation with fellow NYC blogger Lame Adventures who mentioned wanting to live in NYC after falling in love with the movie West Side Story as a child. Coincidence! I just thought about wanting to post that dance at the gym scene last year after having to rent the movie when missing the screenings in the city for the 50th anniversary. I couldn’t find a decent clip though.
I like the beginning dance scene where Maria spins around in her white dress and transports magically to the gym where the whites and Puerto Ricans are dancing. This dancing is bad ass. I love Leonard Bernstein’s orchestration because it captures the feel of sexy adolescence.
Yes, I remember sexy adolescence. What perky bunnies we were. We had parties all the time when I was growing up in the city and sometimes boys from rival groups would intrude on the neighborhood turf and there’d be a ruckus — good times, good times… Overall, the kids I grew up with were good kids from good families. You know, shit just happens sometimes living in the city.
In this scene, that blonde girl kicks ass dancing — in fact it looks like she could kick some serious ass ass. I just think the whole damn thing is sexy. I like the way her friends check her out and stop dancing to watch her dance, and when they all slow down and dance close together, yeah.
I could only find a 10 minute video which is long — so just drag over to the 1:57 minute point and you’ll see what I’m saying:
1800ukillme 
This is badass AND sexy. The beginning of dirty dancing. I just love the women with those dresses and everybody spinning around and snapping their fingers and all of it. Way cool and makes me long for the days when I did some badass dancing myself. :).
I’m glad you agree! That part where they slow down does remind me of Dirty Dancing — never thought of that. Hey look Brigitte — I think we could probably still tear up that dance floor!
I AGREE. We still got dem moves, babe.
As much as I love music, I’ve never been a fan of musicals. The only ones that didn’t put me to sleep were Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Billy Elliot, and The Lion King. Oh, and I love Stomp, but that probably doesn’t count. 🙂
Will you still let me onto your site after this admission?
Of course Carrie! You just made me laugh — out loud of course. I love your sense of humor!
Phew!
Oh lawd — again — lawling!
I’m with Carrie here, but we tolerate different musicals. My grandparents had a player piano and I would pedal for hours singing “The Sound of Music” at the top of my then healthy lungs. I saw “Joseph” at the theatre…that always makes musicals more bearable for me. I ADORE “West Side Story.” Thanks for reminding me!
(I hope you still let me come over from time to time too!)
Bisous,
Dawn
Oh, how could I forget The Sound of Music? I like that one, too.
😉
Hehehe — I’d be insulted if you didn’t stop by Dawn! I loved your last post by the way — I think you’re inspiring me perhaps to write something along those lines, hmmm…
Yay!!! 🙂
I’m a dance lover. I could watch people dance all day. I took dance for many years. In fact, here’s a little factoid for you… Vanessa Williams was in my dance classes. She went to my high school and was my friend. That’s right, I’m just a name dropper. Now that I’m 50, like you said earlier, I’m gonna say whatever I damn well please! Haha!
I digress. West Side Story is sexy and the music is cool. I’d love to see it on the big screen. Great post, Sandee. Sorry for my sidebar. Tee hee.
Get out! You knew VW?! Wowwww… I’ve always felt an affinity for her because she’s my age. I remember that scandal back when — and those pictures…poor thing.
I’m so pissed at myself for missing the screening because I’m in that area all the time where the movie was showing.
I’ll bet you have some mean dance moves too! You don’t lose that.
While we are talking about our loathing of musicals and notable exceptions watch Cyd Charisse make a man of Gene Kelly:
No, you can’t beat Gene Kelly — well maybe Fred Astaire — love it!
Fun post! I watched the entire clip. You found one with such excellent quality! As I mentioned earlier, WSS was the first film my parents ever took me to see — and I was wearing my brand new red PF Flyers. After the screening, I was so high, I became a dancing fool myself — and threw out my 3-year-old neck. Consider that one of my early Lame Adventures. Thanks for the shout out!
I love this memory of your with your PF Flyers! Hahaha! — it would be a good post — an early ‘Lame Adventure’! And thank you for the inspiration!
You’re welcome! … I’ve long since graduated to Jack Purcell badminton shoes but my dance floor moves remain as cloddish as ever.
I have to admit that I too am not a fan of musicals–either film or theater. I was not badass when I was a teenager, I missed out on that. I was a late bloomer that way. 🙂
Hell I wasn’t a bad ass either — as I mentioned in one of my posts — I was merely filler for the in-crowd — had no idea what I as doing there…no idea… 😦
I actually have never seen this musical. I have no idea how I’ve made it this far in life without seeing it (even the bf has!) but I really should fix that soon so I can better relate to the sexy adolescence phase in this movie… Cause the lord knows I bloomed WAY late :p
It’s tragic but really good and entertaining. In some ways it pushed the envelope I think — one character has a brother who’s a transvestite and a mother who’s a junkie. I think it’s important in the annals of American theatre — the original was on Broadway.
Oh I like this video and the girls are my alter egos.. I was a scraggly, shy kid and to pop out in some cool dance moves would have taken an act of God.. I think a bit of bad ass lives in us all!
Oh that’s funny to suddenly pop out with some of these dance moves! Hahaha! Yeah what a great thing to be an actor and get to be a badass in every other film you’re in — that would be the coolest!
Glad to have you back blogging, Sandee. It seems like I saw WSS a million times as a kid, but I now realize that was just on the 4 o’clock movie. They probably showed it over 3 days, it’s so effing long. I tried to watch it with my kids a few years back and I was shocked at how long the opening sequence was. This is why I think I never saw it unedited. They must have hacked away at it for the 4 o’clock movie.
I didn’t even remember the dance scene you posted. In my mind, it’s a strong memory, so iconic.
I actually just started tearing up at the very last few seconds when everyone around Tony and Maria go fuzzy. What a sap!
Thanks for the great posts since you got back! twinkly
Aw, the romantic you are… The end part is especially sad with these too — very tear jerking. Thanks for welcoming me back — glad you’re still reading!
Great clip! But what is Gomez Addams doing there?
Hahaha! I’m glad you mention him — I thought he did a great job as the enthusiastic goof-ball teacher in charge — he played it really well. It was real because he reminded me of some of the teachers we had in school.
The junior high I went to had a gym like that, and there were gangs like that, too…ahhh, memories! xoM
Oooo fun! I’m especially interested in hearing about back in the day, the 1930s-1960s, in schools like that. My friend who’s 86, a Jewish guy, went to an interracial school in the south bronx that was on the rough side, like this.
We’ll talk! xoxoM
I have a limited tolerance for musicals, which is funny considering how much I love music. But I love West Side Story. (And your post just inspired a song for today’s post.) I also really like Fame, because at least they had an excuse to be bursting into song and dance every 10 minutes.
I just think the characters are so cool in this movie — kind of hip. Fame I liked too but I think since I hated the eighties I’m not always eager to watch it. Thinking of that period makes my stomach clench up. I do love that Sing the Body Electric song they sing based on that Walt Whitman poem — it was a perfect choice to represent life.
I saw this in high school drama class and loved it! Ah, the memories.
I’m glad you can appreciate it. I could watch this movie every year!
Being so deeply in love with the different cultural aspects of your country! I guess that’s what makes you American. 🙂
I think so too — every once in a while I see myself from that angle and realize how American I am.
Love the movie, love the music, love the dancing, love the white dress. Awesome!
I’m just sorry I missed this on the big screen when they had the 50th anniversary screenings here.
oooooooooooh that would have been fantastic. I must be amazing on the big screen