On the 30th anniversary of the release of the movie Dirty Dancing, people are remembering the legacy of Patrick Swayze. Though most people know Swayze for his role in the beloved tale of Johnny and Baby, some don’t realize that he was a dancer first, actor second, which is why this video is still stunning viewers.
The video of Swayze dancing with his wife, Lisa Nieme, is still going viral, even though the dance actually took place in 1994. The couple awed members of the audience at the World Music Awards as they moved to “All The Man That I Need”, a salute to honoree Whitney Houston.
It is in this touching video that we see Swayze’s incredible background in dance. It turns out the heart throb began dancing as a child, under the instruction of his mother, Patsy Swayze, a dancer and choreographer herself.
He met his wife when they were both teenagers–and both taking dance lessons from his mother. He went on to formal dance training in New York in the early 70s. Lisa and Patrick were high school sweethearts and remained married for 34 years!
Patrick and Lisa at the 1989 Academy Awards
In 2007, Swayze was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. First reports were that the actor was responding very well to his medical treatments, and Swayze went on to appear on a broadcast called Stand Up To Cancer, in support of finding a cure for the affliction through raising donations and awareness.
In late 2009, the actor and dancer, who had captured the hearts of people everywhere, passed away with his family at his side.
Despite losing his battle with cancer, Patrick Swayze will never lose the admiration of millions of people who watched him dance, both at the World Music Awards and in his hit movie, Dirty Dancing.
