Check out our updated version of this list, where we look at the Top 20 Dance Scenes in 80s Movies: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/icdhfM5nrNm1dqc.html

Patrick Swayze in Dirty Dancing…what else needs to be said 😍🔥

If you wanna love dance numbers, how about we give the dancers the credit? Marine Jahan was Jennifer Beals's dance double in "Flashdance". And Jeffery Horneday was Kevin Bacon's dance double in "Footloose".

Kenny Loggins' Footloose never gets old!!!

I still think of the 80s as a magical time and I am so glad I was in my prime and able to enjoy every minute of it. We danced to, and sang, all of these songs and never got tired of them. Decades later, they still make my feet start dancing when I hear them.

White Nights is such a good movie. I am still amazed by how synchronized both Mikhail and Gregory were.

I adored Gregory Hines. His contribution to tap dancing is unparalleled. RIP Greg

"I thought this was a party. Let's dance!" No list would be complete without "Footloose", the quintessential 80's Dance Flick!

Dirty Dancing is one of the most iconic dance films to have ever existed. It’s true that dancing really helps improve our stamina and boost our mood as we feel the beat and rhythm altogether.

Me and my sister watched Xanadu as kids we had know idea what the movie was about but we lived for the dancing and singing. RIP Olivia Newton John❤

I had a strong feeling Dirty Dancing would be number 1! 👍 How could it not be?! 🤣

What makes the lift in Drity Dancing that much more special is that was the one and only time Jennifer Grey actually did the lift. She was too scared to do it before the finale. But in the moment she just let go and it became easily one of the most iconic dance moments of all time. And she refused to ever do it again, because she said it would never have the same impact. At least, that's what I've heard. I believe her, even with the incomparable Patrick working with me, I'd be too terrifed to do it again as well. That single moment is forever frozen in time and will be seen and appreciated for just how magical it was for generations.

Love that The Twist and Shout moment got an honorable mention. Love that scene from Ferris Bueller's Day Off.

As an 80s almost adult, this was a wonderful time capsule. So many of these we tried to do and replicate (and failed). But the memories live on. Thank you.

The dances of the past are so timeless

No dance can come close to "Dirty Dancing" . It was so spectacular...Jennifer and Patrick were sensational. Never get tired of seeing that dance.

Going waaaaay back, I loved James Cagney’s dancing in “Yankee Doodle Dandy”... His tap-dancing down the stairs, was phenomenal!! ❤️

I personally think Dirty Dancing is one of the best movies ever made, when it came out on vhs, I bought it and I probably have seen it hundreds if not thousands of times ❤️

Please remember that multiple dance doubles were used in the audition dance from Flash dance. The break dancing component was performed by a male b boy. The director even tried to get him to shave his mustache but he refused. (That's an 80s thing too, lots of moustaches) So maybe the award should go to the camera people and film editors who allowed us to believe that one female dancer did all of that. Dance doubles and gymnastics doubles were also used in Foot loose. Thanks for choosing the prom dance because most of that is real, although it was added post production by calling everyone back months later.

It makes me so sad that Girls Just Want To Have Fun never makes these lists. It's the best!

I'm mighty glad that I was an '80's child and had watched most of these movies. Gregory Hines, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Kevin Bacon, Jennifer Beals, John Travolta sure knows how to dance. And yes, Dirty Dancing will always be number one. Patrick Swayze is the best. RIP.

Cynthia Rhodes was one of the best dancers from 80s movies…. Stayin Alive, Flashdance and Dirty Dancing

One thing I really love about Alex’s audition in Flashdance is the reaction of the female judge. She is absolutely delighted by Alex’s performance and looks as if she’s been psychologically freed.

Both Mikhail and Gregory were fantastic in white Nights

You may laugh but it doesn't matter to me. I am a 90-yr-young lady who loves 60s and 70s R&R because I came into my own during those years and my son was lead singer and drummer in a band with friends (one was a preacher's son). They fronted for Kiss a couple of times in Charlotte, NC, and I transported equipment many times in my station wagon (remember those?). Kiss gifted the boys with many personal items (belt buckles, eg). As far as movie dances my #1 choice is also "Dirty Dancing" The Time of my Life - (the first movie). Later ones should never have been made - you can't improve a classic - there was no comparison. ...and the original was filmed in the state where I live.

Olivia always in our hearts... Patrick you're unforgettable...

One little correction. In Xanadu they do not wear Rollerblades as they were not invented yet. They were wearing Rollerskates.

As someone who graduated from high school in 1982 and spent most of my teens and 20s in the 80's I love videos like this. One thing I always thought, even the very first time I saw Footloose was how a groups of teens who grew up in a town that didn't allow dancing were all able to spontaneously perform a choreographed dance sequence. LOL

Yes I could watch White Nights again and again two greatest dancers in their genres dancing together

My mom and brother were at the Xanadu filming and my mom said Olivia Newton-John was even prettier in person and sweet and kind to absolutely everyone. Class act.

A VERY noticeable omission is the floor-piano scene from 'Big' featuring Tom Hanks and Robert Loggia

Nothing tops Travolta's moves in SNF!! Ever!! 70s have the best music & best dance moves.

As a teen in the 80’s, I got them all. What a time for that age!

I don't give a rat's ass about what the critics say/ have said about Xanadu. I love that movie no matter what. Olivia look stunning in that picture.. it was magical, sublime and innocent. Olivia, you are in Xanadu now. Rest In Peace, my muse - I know you'll continue to inspire many of us.

I loved living my late teens and early twenties in the 80s. Dance clubs everywhere. Fun times! LOVED Footloose. Kevin Bacon fan here.

I was a 73' kid doing dance classes all through the 70's & 80's - seeing this was priceless! Very funny and pure GOLD thank you!

Oh my! I was enthralled with that scene in White Nights! I LOVED Gregory Hines and Baryshnikov! Staying Alive! Have seen it more than any other 80’s dance movie! You know what I wanna do?? STRUT!

I graduated from high school in 1984, and was very involved with music and performing. My friends and I lived and breathed these movies, wore leg warmers to school, sang the songs in our cars, and would dance at the drop of a hat. It truly was a golden age of movie music and dance.

Oh ,ich möchte mich nicht zwischen all den großartigen Tänzen und Musik entscheiden müssen.Es ist so wunderbar zu sehen wie all die lieben Menschen beim feiern und tanzen zu sehen sind!. Was für eine einzigartige Zeit...❤

I was today years old when I learned that Gregory Hines was not just a tap dancer but "a tap dancing legend"

The late 70’s & early 80’s influenced an entire generation of dancers! These movies were incredible & the introduction of MTV inspired a new idea. You could be a professional dancer on TV! Let’s not forget to pay respect to the Solid Gold dancers! ❤️👏👏👏

I danced to Footloose many times. I also danced with a few ladies to Dirty Dancing......thank you again for these incredible memories.

Dirty Dancing #1 now and forever. Patrick Swayze was sexy throughout the entire movie but his dancing...THE BEST. RIP Mr. Swayze.

Irene Cara made the list twice. Deservedly so. RIP

Aw, I just realized that was Chris Penn in Footloose. Loved that guy. RIP.

For me, the dance scenes from Flashdance could populate this list. 80's bliss.

I liked dance with "Flash Dance" and "Fame" was legendary. And of course Irene Kara. Its hard to explain how much i love her ♥

Honestly I'd have probably swapped out The Blues Brothers and the Ferris Bueller's Day Out dance scenes with a couple of the ones in the actual chart and rearrange the chart a bit too. In fact the sequence from the Blues Brothers with Ray Charles would probably be at the top of my own personal chart just because I love that music and the fun spontaneous vibe of the dancing. Not to mention the other amazing music and dance numbers in the film with Aretha Franklin, Cab Callaway, James Brown and The Blues Brothers Jake and Ellwood themselves. But it was great just to see all these great incredibly nostalgic dance sequences from my youth.

Love that scene from White Nights. Those two moved so well together. Both so talented. I loved watching Gregory Hines dance. Such great talents, both of them.

Dirty Dancing is my favorite of all time.

YES! Dirty Dancing for sure!!!

Thank you for including Olivia Newton-Join with Gene Kelly from "Xanadu". It was sweet that the film had made a profit & became "reputable" BEFORE Y2K was upon us. I cld always seen it's charm & sincerity 💜. I'm lucky enough to hv attended two stadium screenings in Los Angeles. It is impossible to describe being among a crowd of 4,000 mega fans - all dancing & singing for 90 minutes. Imagine everyone up on their feet talking back to "Xanadu" the way audiences behaved at "Rocky Horror..." screenings.There was nothing that this lovely, insanely talented humanitarian, this petit' woman has not left to our world that isn't as precious as "gold dust". Thanks for this silliness.

Top 3 (In my opinion): 1. The time of my life 2. Opening scene audition from a chorus line 3. Everyone gets footloose These were all great scenes, but I've had the time of my life choosing dirty dancing as number 1 for the 80s, no doubt. The audition scene in a chorus line was so good, it must've taken many weeks to get this right, there were so many people trying to pull these outstanding moves, nice job. And footloose was a great song I just couldn't ignore it, even though the audition from a flashdance was also a deserving scene, the party scene in footloose just felt so much better.

Bacon teaching Penn how to dance in Footloose. "Let's hear it for the boy(s)"!

Fame ❤…I used to rush home from school the nights it was on tv. 😊 Happy days.

Flash Dance is still my favorite.

I took dance lessons from his mom, Patsy, in the late 60's. He came to a couple of my classes. He was very shy, very polite, and kinda geeky! I didn't know him beyond that but it was devastating when he passed. RIP.

The funny thing about that scene from Fame is that the song had not been written yet when it was shot. The dancers actually danced on Donna Summer's Hot Stuff! And the songwriters had to write the song Fame based on the dancers' moves to make it work perfectly.

Dirty Dancing finale! Of course! ❤️

Grease 2 is a underrated gem ! ❤

In Flashdance Jennifer Beals didnt actually do that iconic dance. There was a body double (which you could clearly see). In fact there were several. Marine Jahan was Jennifer Beals' body double for the dancing scenes. Jahan was kept hidden from the press because the filmmakers did not want to ruin the illusion. Alex's leap through the air in the audition scene was done by gymnast Sharon Shapiro and the break-dancing was done by Richard “Crazy Legs” Colón (a dude).

Loved the dancing in Girls just want to have fun

Debbie Allen.. one of the best choreographers of all time!

I’m sooo nostalgic right now!!!! 🤩 sweet -80’s. A great episode from msmojo. ❤ Dirty Dancing……do I have to say anything more? Dirty Dancing!!!😍😍😍😍😍

John Travolta is always amazing, but the dance scenes in Staying Alive are incredible. He is so talented. BTW, Kevin Bacon did NOT do all his own dancing. Travolta did. And dang, thanks for reminding me of Barishnykov. Poetry in motion.

All That Jazz!

The dance from Risky Business always makes me laugh.😆😆😆😆😆😆😆 My favorite teen movie from the 80's.

Thank you for mentioning Grease 2,I love that film and all of the songs and dancing in it as well. I don't understand the hatred for it from so many people?? Grease was the 1950's and about cars,Grease 2 is the 1960's and about motorbikes...2 different eras!! And G2 has Adrian Zmed and Maxwell Caulfield in it. Cool Rider is my favourite song

When Fame hit my life, I wished I had a chance to get out of my life and could go to a vocal career through the School in NY. I became obsessed with the series. My family never got it but I did and still to love Fame! Thanks for this listing!

Xanadu is a GORGEOUS movie.

Dirty Dancing is my favorite too!!!

No one can ever beat Dirty Dancing that was the best the rest are good but Dirty Dancing definitely is number one

Of course my favorite was number one! Dirty dancing. Pure perfection

Oh sweet summer child... "roller blades" are over a decade away, those are roller skates...

Footloose 1984 is my favorite film ever the dance scene is so iconic for me

The Footloose prom (“Let’s Dance!”) remains pure Gen X iconic joy. 😊🎉

Awww this was so refreshingly nostalgic 😌☺️ I miss these movies 🥲

Terrific category and great choices! It's nice to have a topic that appeals to us ahem, older folks.

Yes...Seeing Footloose in the theatre in 1984. It was packed and such a great movie!

Ferris Buller’s Day Off, is my favorite dance scene hands down!

Mikhail Baryshnikov has always been my favorite dancer! I have seen him in television specials and movies, however, I never had the privilege of watching him in person. That would have been amazing! ❤️❤️

Dirty Dancing is number one!!!❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Great number 1 pick. I still think Breakin should have actually been on the list. Either one of the battles, the broom scene or the final audition. It's such an important film when I think of my 80's upbringing. I still adore Breakin so much. RIP Ozone.

Those picks are indeed THE iconic films of the ‘80s bc I was around to watch them. That was my decade. I would have placed Mikhail Baryshnikov & Gregory Hines much higher on the list since the two of them are masters and, as you did w the other films, the dances that occur thruout White Knights are astonishing to see, but that’s a personal preference. Otherwise, I loved everything I saw, including the honorable mentions. For Grease 2, I might have chosen Cool Rider or Reproduction; they don’t involve bowling balls but one shows Michelle Pfeiffer in a way to get men (& women possibly?) hot and bothered and the other one is simply hysterically funny. And no matter how cool One turns out to be in A Chorus Line, I personally don’t believe that anything tops that first scene w everybody trying out: I Hope I Get It. I saw it on Broadway and (I may forever be booted out of B’way musical conversations for this) but this may well be the one time I thought the scene was better on screen. They could bring in more ppl, make it look even more haphazard, and yet somehow put together a genius sequence that is remembered for the rest of one’s lifetime. 🥰🥰🥰

We all of us already know that is NOT Jennifer Beals performing in the big audition scene, yes?? Was actually done by 3 people…Marine Jahan for floor work, Crazy Legs for break-dancing and gymnast Sharon Shapiro for the leap. My apologies if this has already been posted…but let’s give credit where it’s due…… EDIT: Also 5 people supported Kevin Bacon as doubles/coaches in FOOTLOSE…and I’m sure there were many many other talented “shadow dancers/gymnasts” who supported the dancing stars of the other movies listed here. Bless them all!!

"White Nights" superb dancing by two mesmerising movers. I still watch this scene. Thrilling.

Gorgeous Patrick Swayze in DIRTY DANCING!!!

I watch a lot of 80's movie Nothing but great memories.

Great selections but you definitely missed a HUGE 80s movie that centered around dancing in Baltimore back in the 1960s - "Hairspray." - The Madison, Shake A Tail Feather, Pony Time, The Bird, The Bug - Definitely deserved at least an honorable mention over one of my all time favorite artists in Olivia Newton-John ... But I definitely agree with #1

Dirty Dancing was my favourite, Flashdance and so many more

We didn't have roller blades in the '80s. We only had roller skates.

I love all of these. Grease 2 is fabulous!!! We have made it a cult film with friends and family. Maxwell Caulfied steals the show on his motorcycle.

I count myself one of the lucky ones to have been a teenager in the 80's. So much fun and great memories!

Footloose was one of my favorites, but I liked Xanadu as well.

I saw all of them. Learned all the moves and still in shape today at 57. Music & Dance keeps you young. So many have passed though. Miss Patrick Swayze. May they RIP.

There are unquestionably, absolutely great dance numbers in these movies, but the 80s the greatest era for dance films??? Somebody needs to spend some time watching 1930s through 1950s musicals. Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, the Nicholas Brothers, Gene Kelly. So many incredible Broadway to film musicals in the late 1940s and 1950s. The early 1960s too had some amazing dance films, West Side Story anybody?

I love Ducky’s lip-sync dance number in the shop in “Pretty in Pink.” Always delights me. Then, of course, there’s “A Chorus Line,” all of it.

The first four years of the 1980s were great years to be in high school! I saw every one of these movies in the theater…some a bunch of times. I must’ve gone to see Xanadu 8-10 times. I saw Footloose multiple times in the theater, too. The soundtracks were all phenomenal.

101% No. 1 for me everytime of my life from Dirty Dancing...... I Iove ❤ Patrick Swayze's dance moves.... Perfection to the fullest ❤❤❤

Thank you so much for including Xanadu in this top 10 even though I know it was on the lower end I just love that movie musical because it's just a showcase of Electric Light Orchestra's talent and Jeff Lynne's talent. Ladies had somebody amazing dance moving musicals you could almost put a two-parter 10 top 10 best of 1980 through 1984 and then top 10 best 1985 through 1989.