So I, like every other little girl who was a dancer, know about “Time of my Life” from Dirty Dancing. Heck, we grew up on it. The 1980s was the era that reushered in and helped to blossom contemporary dancing today as we know it.
And today, we lost someone who will forever be embedded in our feet, hearts and memories: Mr. Patrick Swayze.
I remember my little cousin Nicole and I (also a ballerina & jazz dancer) making up our own moves to “Time of my Life” and I also remember that I heard one of my favourite Oldies of all time in Dirty Dancing, “Stay” by Frankie Vallie & the Four Seasons.
Patrick Swayze has died after a nearly two-year battle with pancreatic cancer. Swayze’s publicist Annett Wolf says the 57-year-old “Dirty Dancing” actor died Monday with family at his side. He came forward about his illness last spring, but continued working as he underwent treatments.
I feel like a piece of my childhood just died.
I remember seeing Patrick back in 2006 when I was living in England for a semester. He was in Guys & Dolls alongside Adam Cooper. I went to see it with my friend Sarah, who guest blogs here from the UK on classical crossover music, btw. Funny the things we remember. I was so excited to see the show too, not only because Adam, who was the original Swan from Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake was in it, but because “Johnny” was in it too. Two of my favourite male dancers who made lasting impressions on me.
Sadness. My best wishes go out to Patrick’s family.
RIP, Johnny.
Copyright © 2009 Sasha H. Muradali. All Rights Reserved.
