Playlist: Let’s Have The Time Of Our Lives

We’re officially into the second quarter of 2015, so it seems like a good time to check in on those New Year’s resolutions and general life goals. How are you feeling? Are you making your dreams come true? Are you keeping it together? My answers are: Pretty good, pretty fine; I mean, kinda?; and Well, I did put pants on today. (Ok, fine, they were jorts.)

We could all use a little inspiration, a little mid-mid-year pick me up. Nothing makes me feel like all I need is hard work, determination and a little pop music to achieve my goals, find love and obliterate racist poverty structures like DANCE MOVIES. Sometimes a change of attitude — or costume — can really turn things around.

centerstage unravel

To help you harness your inner leotard-rocking badass, here’s a playlist of glorious tracks from some of the most iconic dance movies of all time, including Footloose, Hairspray (the new one, obvi) and both Dirty Dancing films . A couple of these films are not technically about dancing, but if you object to hearing the B*Witched version of “Mickey” (as featured in Bring It On‘s closing credits) I don’t know what to tell you.

So with just a tiny bit of ado, I hope you’re ready to break, sashay or tango your way into being the kickass rockstar diva champion we all know you are.

Here’s the aforementioned ado:

Bless you, Diego Luna.

Bless you, Diego Luna.

And a playlist!

Let’s Have The Time Of Our Lives

El Estuche – Aterciopelados (Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights)
The Way You Make Me Feel – Michael Jackson (Center Stage)
Yes – Merry Clayton (from Dirty Dancing)
Let’s Hear It For The Boy – Deniece Williams (Footloose)*
Can’t Fight The Moonlight – LeAnn Rimes (Coyote Ugly)
Run And Tell That – Elijah Kelley (Hairspray)
Take The Lead (Wanna Ride) – Bone Thugs-N-Harmony (Take The Lead)
Mickey – B*Witched (Bring It On)
‘Bout It – Yung Joc, 3LW (Step Up)
Shining Through (theme from Save The Last Dance) – Fredro Starr (Save The Last Dance)
Our Lawyer Made Us Change The Name Of This Song So We Wouldn’t Get Sued – Fall Out Boy (Stick It)
You Can’t Stop The Beat – Cast of Hairspray (Hairspray)
Bellas Finals – The Barden Bellas (Pitch Perfect)
Maniac (Flashdance Version) – Michael Sembello (Flashdance)
(I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life – Bill Medley, Jennifer Warnes (Dirty Dancing)

Want to suggest a playlist theme? Hit Stef up and someone on the team might make it for you.

Before you go! Autostraddle runs on the reader support of our AF+ Members. If this article meant something to you today — if it informed you or made you smile or feel seen, will you consider joining AF and supporting the people who make this queer media site possible?

Join AF+!
Related:

Adrian

Adrian is a writer, a Texan and a Presbyterian pastor. They write about bisexuality, gender, religion, politics, music and a whole lot of feelings at Autostraddle and wherever fine words are sold. They have a dog named after Alison Bechdel. Follow Adrian on Twitter @adrianwhitetx.

Adrian has written 153 articles for us.

4 Comments

  1. Center Stage is basically my favorite movie of all time. You don’t even understand. This is perfect.

  2. There’s videos of me being like 3 and pointing to the TV and yelling “JOHNY” so the picture of Dirty Dancing is what brought me here <3

  3. Who doesn’t do the Jennifer Beals dance as soon as Maniac comes on?? If you say no you’re fibbing

  4. This is so… *on point*.

    We just nostalgia-nighted Save the Last Dance on Saturday — mind still blown that the friend is Kerry Washington (the friend is Kerry Washington!).

Comments are closed.