Common Sense Media Review
By Ashley Moulton
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Dance competition recreates movie scenes, mature dancing.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 12+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Real Dirty Dancing
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In THE REAL DIRTY DANCING, B-list celebrities return to the same summer resort where the 1987 movie was filmed to win the title of best "Baby" and "Johnny." Hosted by dancer/choreographer Stephen "tWitch" Boss, celebrities like Iron Chef Cat Cora, Backstreet Boy Howie Dorough, former NFL player Antonio Gates, and High School Musical star Corbin Bleu recreate scenes from the iconic movie. The celebrities are paired into four teams of partners and compete over four episodes. Teams have 24 hours to choreograph and rehearse a dance number using one of the songs from the movie. Their fellow contestants vote on the best performances and determine who advances in the competition. The final two couples get to perform the famous dance and lift from the climatic "I've Had the Time of My Life" scene. Winners receive bragging rights for being best able to emulate the "Baby" and "Johnny" characters.
Is It Any Good?
This dance competition show is like a highly specific Dancing with the Stars, where all of the performances are Dirty Dancing themed. The B-list celebrity contestants on The Real Dirty Dancing have varying levels of dance experience, so the performances are sometimes more personality-driven than skill-driven. That said, the show is surprisingly entertaining, at least for adults who have watched the original movie and who recognize the celebrity contestants. Teens will likely find the whole show less relevant without that personal connection, but theater- and dance-loving teens may still enjoy it.The Real Dirty Dancing is surprisingly heartwarming for a show that is ultimately about convincingly performing suggestive dance moves. Contestants are putting themselves outside of their comfort zones, and it's hard not to root for them. For teens mature enough to handle the theme of exploring sensuality and sexuality through dance, it could be fun to watch alongside their nostalgic grown-ups.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what the suggestive dance moves in The Real Dirty Dancing mean to their family. Is it bad to dance suggestively? Or is it a way to express yourself and explore a different part of yourself? Is it appropriate only at a certain age? Only with certain people? Never?
Many of the contestants on the show have never officially learned to dance before. What emotions do they feel as they try and learn something new? What's a time you tried something new, and how did it make you feel?
If you could spend time pretending to be in a movie, which one would it be and why? What character would you like to be?
TV Details
- Premiere date : February 1, 2022
- Cast : Cat Cora , Corbin Bleu , Anjelah Johnson-Reyes , Stephen "tWitch" Boss
- Network : Fox
- Genre : Reality TV
- Topics : Arts
- TV rating :
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate