Dirty Dancing, the 1987 film, was so successful that it grossed $214 million in box office receipts worldwide and generated two soundtracks, a TV series, an on-stage musical and a movie sequel, Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights.
The Dirty Dancing hit movie, starring Patrick Swayze, Jennifer Grey and several talented dancers, was filmed at the Mountain Lake Hotel, in Giles County, Virginia. The resort nestles into 2,600 acres of New River Valley wilderness in the Appalachian Mountains.
Dirty Dancing Weekends
Movie fans can experience Dirty Dancing Weekends at Mountain Lake Hotel. Packages include accommodations, breakfast, lunch and dinner buffets, dance lessons, Dirty Dancing trivia games and, of course, dancing.
On property tours, guests learn behind-the-scenes stories about the filming of Dirty Dancing. When the planned movie shoot at a North Carolina resort was cancelled, producers picked Virginia's Mountain Lake Hotel after seeing the resort's photo in an in-flight magazine.
Dirty Dancing was filmed quickly because it was autumn, and the leaves were turning color and falling. Crews had to spray green paint on the leaves of Mountain Lake Hotel's trees so they looked like summer foliage.
TV shows and DVDs
Two British television shows, based on Dirty Dancing, were also shot at the original Mountain Lake Resort film location. In the Dirty Dancing: The Time of Your Life reality show, 16 aspiring dancers go to the Virginia resort to train and compete for the grand prize, a contract with a dance talent agency. Also airing in Britain, is Seriously Dirty Dancing. In the documentary, U.K. host, Dawn Porter, goes to Virginia to find behind-the-scenes information about the Dirty Dancing movie.
Movie fans, outside Britain, can watch the Dirty Dancing: 20th Anniversary Edition DVD, with additional commentary, out-takes and deleted scenes.
Dirty Dancing musical
After successful openings in London, Germany and Australia, Dirty Dancing - The Classic Story On Stage premiered at the Royal Alexandra Theatre in Toronto on October 31, 2007.
The coming-of-age love story, between dancer Johnny Castle and Frances "Baby" Houseman, takes place during her family vacation at Kellerman's resort. Although Baby is a physician's daughter, who plans to join the Peace Corps, and Johnny is from the wrong side of the tracks, they fall in love. Dirty Dancing - The Classic Story On Stage tells the story of their summer romance with songs like Hungry Eyes, the Academy Award-winning (I've Had) The Time Of My Life and classics like Do You Love Me?
