MBD Articles
MOST MEMORABLE DANCING SCENES
The Peanut Butter Jelly Time Dance
Since it sparked the debate , it had to make the list. Sure, that little silly dancing baby maybe came before it and caused a national stir, perhaps enough so to catapult it onto our list. But then the panel and I discussed it and found that the association with Ally McBeal was too hard to ignore and we had to defer to our new found friend. This innocent little Shockwave file found it's way to my computer and I have been intoxicated with it's catchy beat and unforgettable dancing banana since. What seems like a relatively simple dance is actually quite hard to duplicate. It is responsible for more dislocated hips than Twister night at Del Boca Vista Phase III.
The Full Monty
This movie accomplished what Showgirls and Striptease could not: It brought stripping to main stream America. Unfortunately it was about out of work guys doing it to make some extra cash. A classic none the less. The only bad part of this is that "You Can Leave Your Hat" has now become associated with this movie instead of Kim Basinger's performance in 9 ½ weeks, where it rightfully belongs. Since I run the site, I am hereby amending this vote and attaching a rider to #9 by way of song association to include Kim as an honorary member of this list.
The Kellerman's Blue Banana
"Nobody puts baby in a corner" Unfortunately , someone put her sister on stage. This originally started out as a discussion about the final dance scene in Dirty Dancing. ("Sorry for interruption folks. You see , I always do the last dance. This year someone told me not to. Well, I am going to do my dancing , my kind of way.")
You may not rememberer the Blue Banana dance, it was kind of a backdrop for a scene, but to me it was the show stealer. The uncomfortable mechanics, the forced choreography , the off-key singing, all contributed to one grand comedic performance.
Ricky's Dance
The fog machine is setting the mood , the doors to the gym rocket open, and in walks the coolest cat in town...Ricky, the fat kid from Better Off Dead. It's his big moment. He's got the exchange student by his side, the dance circle forms , he whips off his glasses and busts out the arm worm and several other high quality moves. The coup de gras, the dry land belly flop. Ricky , you rule.
Jim and the Chair
When Nadia the exchange student asks you to dance, you dance. Reputation be damned. Not one guy can blame Jim for grabbing that chair and abusing it. "Got Trig Boy, It's Your Birthday..."
The Prom from 90210
Sure, America was waiting to find out if Dylan and Brenda would finally seal the deal, but did you see David Silver dancing his little preppie heart out to land a shot with Kelly. And the way she was sitting in her throne. High comedy. I call it the "Two Armed Monkey Trying to Break The Stone Tablets Like a Karate Guy" Dance. He had that one move where the kept looping over it and over it, it was like a porn director got hold of the camera. (I'm not necessarily sure if this is actually correct recollection of 90210 history, but I think it is)
Elaine Benes
Needs no description. We all cringed, we all laughed. It became a part of us.
The Gopher
Noonan, Webb , Shmales , Czervik. "That Kangaroo stole my ball!" He didn't steal the movie but he was definitely part of the strongest ensemble cast ever. You can't kill the gopher, you can only hope to contain it. The little wiggle, the cough of smoke, and then Kenny Loggins pops on. It's all good.
Nick Rivers Meet Frank Drebbin
What does an American Surfer / Singer have in common with a Police Squad Detective? They can both cut a rug. Those Abram brothers found the best choreographers money could by. Then they ignored all their suggestions and decided to go with their instinct. The results? Dr Meinheimer gets a crotch full of Drebbin and Nick rivers ends up doing some pseudo Flamingo / Ballet type dance while escaping the Germans with the help of a guy named Latrine.
African Anteater Ritual
You're Donald the Lawn Boy. You just spent a cool grand securing the rights to the hottest piece of tail in school. Only problem is that you don't know how to dance. Using your quick wit, you turn to American Bandstand for help and lead the student body into the stupidest looking dance I have ever scene. Good times.
Farmer Ted
I wish we could have cryogenically frozen Anthony Michael Hall and made him play Farmer Ted forever. The hair , the braces. He's slick , he's smooth, he's got all the moves. He's got Samantha right where he wants her. Only problem, she left and you look like an ass. Long live King of the Dipshits.
Chippendales Gone Wrong
No show tries to dispel stereotypes more than Saturday Night Live. It did everything it could to help further the rights of obscenely fat men to become dancers. Chris Farley, going head to head with Patrick Swayze for that coveted Chippendales spot, whips off his shirt and lets it all hang out...the image is forever burned into my brain. We miss you Chris.
