1987’s low budÂget sleepÂer hit, Dirty DancÂing, proÂpelled its leads, JenÂnifer Grey and the late Patrick Swayze, to instant starÂdom.
Swayze latÂer mused to the AmerÂiÂcan Film InstiÂtute about the film’s remarkÂable stayÂing powÂer:
It’s got so much heart, to me. It’s not about the senÂsuÂalÂiÂty; it’s realÂly about peoÂple tryÂing to find themÂselves, this young dance instrucÂtor feelÂing like he’s nothÂing but a prodÂuct, and this young girl tryÂing to find out who she is in a sociÂety of restricÂtions when she has such an amazÂing take on things. On a cerÂtain levÂel, it’s realÂly about the fabÂuÂlous, funky litÂtle JewÂish girl getÂting the guy because [of] what she’s got in her heart.
NearÂly 35 years after the origÂiÂnal release, anothÂer giftÂed male dancer, BrookÂlyn-based phoÂtogÂraÂphÂer Quinn WharÂton, is tapÂping into that heart… and Grey has been replaced by a lamp.
WharÂton once told BalÂlet Hub that his favorite part of dancÂing proÂfesÂsionÂalÂly with the San FranÂcisÂco BalÂlet and HubÂbard Street Dance ChicaÂgo was the access it gave him to the great names in dance — William Forsythe, Mats Ek, ChristoÂpher WheelÂdon, Wayne McGreÂgor, and othÂers whose proxÂimÂiÂty made for “a remarkÂable eduÂcaÂtion.”
The first few months of the panÂdemÂic forced him to dance solo, recreÂatÂing memÂoÂrable film moments in response to a friend’s chalÂlenge:
I was hesÂiÂtant at first but thought I would give it a try to see what I might be able to learn from it. Turns out it was way more fun than I thought and the result was funÂnier than I could have imagÂined.
We agree that his Quinn-tessenÂtial Dance Scenes series is very funÂny, as well as beauÂtiÂfulÂly exeÂcutÂed in the twin areÂnas of camÂera work and dance. His self-imposed paraÂmeÂters — no outÂside help, no green screen, no filmÂing outÂside of the apartÂment, and no speÂcial purÂchasÂes of props or cosÂtumes, conÂtribute to the humor.
His hardÂworkÂing, disÂemÂbodÂied, comÂparÂaÂtiveÂly well-covÂered haunchÂes elicÂit laughs when seen next to the much skimpiÂer origÂiÂnal cosÂtume of FlashÂdance’s “ManiÂac” scene, above. 18-year-old star JenÂnifer Beals had three dance douÂbles — Marine Jahan, gymÂnast Sharon Shapiro, and legÂendary B‑Boy Richard ColĂłn, aka Crazy Legs of Rock Steady crew. None of them appeared in the origÂiÂnal credÂits because, as Jahan told EnterÂtainÂment Tonight, the proÂducÂers “didÂn’t want to break the magÂic.”
In othÂer words, a lot of steamy 80s-era fanÂtasies cenÂtered on Beals are now known to be a case — posÂsiÂbly three casÂes — of misÂtakÂen idenÂtiÂty.
WharÂton’s quarÂanÂtine project affordÂed him a chance to come at John TraÂvolÂta from two angles, thanks to the disÂco clasÂsic SatÂurÂday Night Fever and Pulp FicÂtion’s twist sequence, a surÂprisÂingÂly popÂuÂlar fan request. Though Travolta’s dance trainÂing was limÂitÂed to childÂhood tap lessons with Gene Kelly’s brothÂer, Fred, WharÂton praisÂes his “seriÂous range.”
WharÂton cites the inspiÂraÂtion for one of his lessÂer known recreÂations, direcÂtor Baz Lurhman’s first feaÂture, StrictÂly BallÂroom, as a reaÂson he began dancÂing:
My dad loves this movie and as a kid I can’t count the numÂber of times that I watched it. It’s so much, loud, brash, exuÂberÂant …It also allowed me to bring back my favorite partÂner.
Quinn-tessenÂtial Dance Scenes is on hiaÂtus so WharÂton can conÂcenÂtrate on his work as a dance phoÂtogÂraÂphÂer. Watch a playlist of all eight episodes here.
See more of his dance phoÂtogÂraÂphy on his InstaÂgram page.
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
One of the GreatÂest Dances Sequences Ever CapÂtured on Film Gets Restored in ColÂor by AI: Watch the ClasÂsic Scene from Stormy WeathÂer
The PowÂer of Pulp Fiction’s Dance Scene, Explained by ChoreÂoÂgÂraÂphers and Even John TraÂvolÂta HimÂself
The IconÂic Dance Scene from HelÂlzaÂpopÂpin’ PreÂsentÂed in LivÂing ColÂor with ArtiÂfiÂcial IntelÂliÂgence (1941)
Ayun HalÂlÂiÂday is an author, illusÂtraÂtor, theÂater makÂer and Chief PriÂmaÂtolÂoÂgist of the East VilÂlage Inky zine, who can occaÂsionÂalÂly be spotÂted wanÂderÂing around New York City in a bear suit, in charÂacÂter as L’Ourse. FolÂlow her @AyunHalliday.