The Real Dirty Dancing
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The Real Dirty Dancing
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that The Real Dirty Dancing is a reality competition show in which celebrities recreate dance scenes from the 1987 movie Dirty Dancing. As in the original movie, there's a lot of bumping and grinding dance moves, but nothing that's explicit. There's a lot of discussion of how men and women can act and dance in a "sexy" way, own their sensuality, and be "hot." It's framed as self-empowerment rather than dance being used to attract a partner, but parents who are uncomfortable with these topics being explicitly modeled and discussed will want to skip this one. There's some language like "ass" and "hell" not used in a hostile way. The original movie is discussed and shown at length, so kids may be inspired to watch Dirty Dancing if they've never seen it before. If parents are OK with the suggestive themes, the show does model positive themes of trying something new and building self-confidence.
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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 and Dance
- TV rating: TV-14
- Last updated: February 4, 2023
Our Editors Recommend
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So You Think You Can Dance
Dance version of Idol struts its stuff.
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Dancing with the Stars
High-kicking series has cross-generational appeal.
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American Idol
Long-running music competition is consistently entertaining.
For kids who love dance
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