Top 10 Exact Moments a Dance Scene Became Iconic

MsMojo

From iconic movie moments that defined dance scenes to unforgettable choreography that became cultural touchstones, we're diving into the most memorable dance sequences that changed cinema forever. Get ready for a journey through the most electrifying, groundbreaking, and jaw-dropping dance moments in film history!

Transcript

00:00Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the moments a movie dance

00:11went from great to unforgettable.

00:22Number 10.

00:23Box The Power – Do The Right Thing

00:32Spike Lee's incisive masterpiece plays its opening credits over a gorgeously shot dance

00:37sequence showcasing star Rosie Perez.

00:40Perez, who was a soul-trained dancer, is outfitted in various revealing outfits as she dances

00:45to public enemies' Fight The Power.

00:48Her energetic and suggestive hip-hop moves are hypnotic enough.

00:52One of these costume changes sees her dressed as a prizefighter who boxes with the camera.

01:02This takes the entire dance and the movie itself to a whole new level.

01:06It's not just cheeky, it's an announcement.

01:09Like Perez, this is the moment you realize this movie is going to confront its audience.

01:22Number 9.

01:23Dancing on the Railing – The Breakfast Club

01:31Teenagers thrown together at Saturday detention find common ground in their problems and in

01:35their music.

01:36Mid-movie, the five newfound friends dance with reckless abandon across the entire school

01:41library to a synth-tastic 80s rock track by Carla DeVito.

01:46The sequence is full of equally hilarious and cool moves that all feel like acts of

01:51adolescent rebellion.

01:52Who didn't dream of treating their high school like a jungle gym sometimes?

01:56Their individual dances all showcase who they are, but then they begin dancing precariously

02:01on a railing together as one.

02:03To be fair, it looks a little dangerous, but that's why it's punk rock.

02:13Number 8.

02:14Surrounded by Diamonds – Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

02:24Marilyn Monroe is inarguably one of the most iconic sex symbols in American movies.

02:29From her platinum blonde glow to her unmistakable voice, she's responsible for many of mid-century

02:34cinema's most indelible images.

02:36In Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, she pokes fun at her character's love of expensive jewels.

02:41Dressed in a shocking pink dress and surrounded by men circling her with diamond brooches,

02:56bracelets and rings, she grasps at the sparkling items like dangling meat.

03:00If you want to know just how much it impacted the culture, there are over 70 years of references

03:05to pour over.

03:13Number 7.

03:14Time Warp – The Rocky Horror Picture Show

03:27Brad and Janet's car breaks down in the middle of a dark forest, happening upon a

03:31castle that's straight out of a gothic nightmare.

03:33They're greeted by the servants Riff Raff and Magenta.

03:36Thus begins the trippy Time Warp number.

03:39These two are weird enough, but then the first chorus hits.

03:42They throw open the doors to reveal they aren't alone.

03:56An entire motley crew of odd and vaguely threatening conventioneers has converged on the place

04:02for a good old-fashioned dance party.

04:04For the first time, we really get a full view of the absolute weirdness this movie has in

04:08store for us.

04:20Number 6.

04:21Splits Down the Stairs – Stormy Weather

04:30Famed dancers Fayard and Harold Nicholas had a long career in entertainment, from vaudeville

04:36to Hollywood.

04:37The culmination of their work may be this incredible sequence from 1943's Stormy Weather.

04:42Full of the fanciest, fiercest footwork you'll ever see, the brothers tear through the jump-and-jive

04:48number at a 10 the whole time.

04:50But the craziest part is the climax.

04:52The brothers literally leap down a staircase, one over another, and land in a split each

04:57time.

05:07The fact that they're still standing, let alone dancing after that, is wild.

05:12Song and dance legend Fred Astaire even called it the best dance number ever seen on screen.

05:18And he would know.

05:29Number 5.

05:30The Batusi – Pulp Fiction

05:41In the middle of Quentin Tarantino's legendary crime movie, John Travolta and Uma Thurman

05:46take a dance break at a 50s-inspired restaurant.

05:49They whip out some of the great novelty dances of the era, doing the twist, the jerk, and

05:54this classic piece of choreography, which was invented for, of all things, the Batman

05:59TV series.

06:05Travolta does the Batusi at one point, where a dancer makes a moving V sign over their

06:09eyes.

06:10Thurman responds with her own version of the move.

06:13What makes it so great is that they are just so locked in here.

06:16Their dance is a defining cinematic moment.

06:19And if you break out the Batusi at a party, people know exactly what you're referencing.

06:31Number 4.

06:32Sliding In – Risky Business

06:45From the first beat, this one was an instant classic.

06:49Tom Cruise stars as a high school senior left alone in his well-to-do family's home, so

06:53he does what anyone would do.

06:55He strips down to his tighty-whities, pops his collar, and lip-syncs for his life to

07:00Bob Seger's old-time rock and roll in his empty living room.

07:07The opening moment, with a half-dressed Cruise sliding effortlessly into frame, immediately

07:12lets you know this is going to be really, really goofy.

07:15It's also totally relatable at the same time.

07:18That smooth entrance has been paid homage and parodied ever since.

07:30Number 3.

07:31Splashdance – Flashdance

07:43Critics didn't exactly love this 80s dance flick upon release, but its sexy, seductive,

07:48and flashy dance scenes made it a crowd-pleaser.

07:51This scene sees Alex doing a slinky and bracing number set to He's a Dream by Shandy Cinnamon.

07:57Structured largely in silhouette, French performer Marine Jahan stands in for the

08:02movie's real lead, Jennifer Beals.

08:04The greatest moment comes halfway through when Alex pulls a lever that unleashes a torrent

08:08of water onto her arched, dancerly body.

08:20She completes the number, soaking wet and in a very revealing leotard, as the patrons

08:25of the nightclub gaze at her.

08:33Number 2.

08:34The Streetlamp – Singin' in the Rain

08:36It's been called the best movie musical of all time.

08:47Look no further than the title number to see why.

08:49Gene Kelly stars as Don Lockwood, a silent film actor who's in love with an aspiring

08:54actress.

08:56He's so head over heels that not even the rain can stop him from singing about it.

09:07As Kelly dances through the city street set and studio-provided rainfalls all over him,

09:13he makes it look easy.

09:14At a pivotal moment, he jauntily hops on a streetlamp and continues crooning.

09:19The moment has been immortalized in posters, promotional materials, and even a Disney World

09:24ride.

09:32Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

09:36Pose!

09:37Pose!

09:38Pose!

09:39– Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion

09:40You know this is going to be crazy when they just stop mid-dance to Pose.

09:53The Shake Shack – Grease

09:55Danny and Sandy shake their stuff on a carnival ride.

10:03Defying Gravity – Royal Wedding

10:05Fred Astaire just starts dancing on the walls without warning.

10:15Pointing and Jumping – Save the Last Dance

10:19This section of Julia Stiles' audition number became a meme years after the movie came out.

10:35Black Swan – Natalie Portman's tortured ballet dancer transforms into the ballet's

10:41cursed black swan.

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11:11Number 1.

11:12The Lift – Dirty Dancing

11:21Sensitive bad boy dance instructor Johnny and sheltered but curious middle-class girl

11:25Baby don't immediately have their technique down.

11:28They attempt their climactic lift earlier in the film, but they just don't trust each

11:33other enough yet.

11:34In the movie's triumphant final number, set to the award-winning I've Had the Time

11:38of My Life, Jennifer Grey jumps joyously into Patrick Swayze's arms.

11:43And it's pure movie magic.

11:52If someone knows nothing else about the movie, they know about The Lift.

11:56But it's probably best if you don't try to recreate it yourself.

11:59Just ask Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling.

12:11Have you ever recreated one of these moments at home?

12:14Let us know in the comments.

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