Mountain Lake’s rugged stone façade and red roof is instantly recognisable to movie fans, and even if you’re not Dirty Dancing’s No.1 fan, it’s hard not to be captivated by nostalgia and the hotel’s secluded location.Ī four-hour drive from Washington DC, Mountain Lake Lodge is set within a nature preserve and bird sanctuary in Jefferson Forest. ‘Baby’s Cabin’ at Mountain Lake Lodge “Squeezes every drop out of its big screen moment”Īlthough Dirty Dancing was set at the fictional Kellerman’s mountain retreat in upstate New York, much of the on-location shooting actually took place at Mountain Lake Lodge in the state of Virginia, with some scenes at the staff quarters filmed in North Carolina. However, the movie wouldn’t have been the same without the stunning location. It won an Oscar for the song ‘(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life’, while audiences fell in love with the characters’ forbidden love story, toe-tapping music, and electrifying dance routines, including the famous ‘lift’. No one could have predicted the cultural impact of the film, which almost wasn’t made and was generally panned by critics. When dance teacher Penny (Cynthia Rhodes) falls ill after a botched abortion, Baby agrees to take her place in an upcoming competition, and has training sessions with snake-hipped bad-boy Johnny Castle (Patrick Swayze).Īs she is swept off her feet (literally) by Johnny, Baby must balance her free-spirited desire with both her family and society’s conservative expectations. Thirty-five years on, Dirty Dancing is seen as much more than a guilty pleasure – although it is set in 1963, it is a quintessential 1980s movie, and fills audiences with feel-good vibes from start to finish.ĭirector Emile Ardolino’s film tells the story of teenager Frances ‘Baby’ Houseman (Jennifer Grey) who, tired of the genteel pursuits at Kellerman’s Resort summer camp, falls in with the rowdy below-stairs staff. Fathom Events has scheduled showings across the nation for August 14 and 17.During the summer of 1987, one of the most beloved films in history quick-stepped its way into cinemas.
A natural phenomenon fills and empties the water cyclically every year.ĭirty Dancing will be back in theaters to mark the 35th anniversary of its release. A resort official said the lake slowly dried up since the 1980s. The lake in Virginia at Mountain Lodge – where Swayze and Grey shot the scene – doesn’t always contain water. He still has a drawing showing the shooting locations of the fictional resort.īut there is a caveat for fans who want to recreate the lift at Lake Lure.
However, according to David Chapman – the production designer of Dirty Dancing – that scene was filmed at the location in Virginia. It’s the scene where Johnny lifts Baby into the air – while in water – to prepare for their dance performance. One of the most popular parts of the festival comes when people attempt to recreate the iconic “lake lift” scene from the movie. “Because people are now showing it to their children and their grandchildren. “I’m blown away by how strong the legacy of this movie is,” Yelton said. The bridge – at the end of those steps – is gone. One is visible the by boat that was used in one scene, but the steps where Baby (Jennifer Grey) practiced her dance steps is on private property and is out of public view. There are two sets of rock stairs in that general area. “People would take pieces of Johnny’s cabin or a rock from the rock wall. “Over the years people would just come and see what was left,” Michelle Yelton, co-founder of the town’s annual Dirty Dancing Festival, said. However, there are only a few rocks remaining. It served as the fictional quarters for the movie’s resort staff. Most of the filming in Lake Lure happened at a closed boys’ camp. The other was at Mountain Lake Lodge in Virginia. Western North Carolina was one of two locations used to create the “Kellerman’s Resort” for the movie set in the Catskills during the summer of 1963. (WSPA) – It’s been 35 years since moviegoers started having the time of their lives.ĭirty Dancing debuted in movie theaters on August 21, 1987, and much of the film was shot in Lake Lure.
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