Celebs Attempt to Pull Off ‘Dirty Dancing’ Moves on Fox’s Event Series

The Real Dirty Dancing
The ‘The Real Dirty Dancing’ celebrity competitors (Photo Courtesy of Fox)

Stephen “tWitch” Boss hosts Fox’s upcoming event series The Real Dirty Dancing, a dance competition show that finds celebrities attempting to recreate Dirty Dancing‘s dance sequences. Eight celebrities will show off their dancing skills as they slip into the roles of Baby (played by Jennifer Grey) and Johnny (played by Patrick Swayze), and then try their best to pull off dance numbers from the 1987 film.

The dance competition takes place at Mountain Lake Lodge in Virginia, the location that subbed in for the film’s fictional Kellerman’s Lodge. The eight competitors – Brie Bella, Corbin Bleu, Tyler Cameron, Cat Cora, Howie Dorough, Antonio Gates, Anjelah Johnson-Reyes and Loni Love – will pair up with the goal of being named The Real Dirty Dancing champions.

The Real Dirty Dancing will premiere on Tuesday, February 1, 2022 at 9pm ET/PT. The four-episode event series will finish up on February 22nd.

Fox shared the following description of the series along with brief biographies of the competitors:

The stars will partner up and learn iconic dance routines from the Jennifer Grey-and Patrick Swayze-led movie and recreate classic scenes — including the legendary lift that cemented the film’s spot in cinematic history. Throughout the event special, Dirty Dancing’s memorable music and unforgettable fashion will transport viewers right back to that magical summer in 1963. The competition will also feature special guest judges who will help decide which celebrity couples will make it through and which couple will be “put in a corner.”

  • Brie Bella is an entrepreneur, philanthropist, executive producer, New York Times best-selling author, motivational speaker, and WWE Hall of Fame Inductee. Bella debuted on SmackDown in 2008, became Divas Champion in 2011 and was named Diva of the Year in 2013. Bella and her twin sister, Nikki, were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2020.
  • Corbin Bleu is an accomplished actor, singer/songwriter, dancer, voiceover/recording artist, host/television personality, and producer. Bleu is perhaps best known for his role as “Chad Danforth” in the Emmy Award-winning High School Musical franchise. Bleu recently starred in TV movies Love, For Real and A Christmas Dance Reunion. Broadway credits include the Tony Award-nominated revival of Kiss Me Kate, Godspell, In the Heights, and the Tony Award-nominated production of Irving Berlin’s Holiday Inn, which garnered Bleu the Chita Rivera Award for Outstanding Male Dancer in a Broadway Show.
  • Tyler Cameron is a TV personality, actor, author, model and philanthropist. With a passion for building and home renovation, Cameron hosted the show Barkitecture. He was also the runner-up on Season 15 of The Bachelorette. Additionally, he is a co-founder and ambassador for the charity organization ABC Food Tours, which focuses on enriching the lives of kids in underserved communities.
  • Cat Cora is a world-renowned chef, author, restaurateur, television host, philanthropist, and proud mother of six. The Jackson, MS, native, who trained at the Culinary Institute of America and went on to cook at two 3-star Michelin restaurants in France, was crowned the first female Iron Chef, and also was the first female inducted into the Culinary Hall of Fame.
  • Howie Dorough is a member of the Backstreet Boys, one of the most successful groups in music history, with countless #1s, record-setting tours, and worldwide sales in excess of 130 million. A multiple-award-winning and Grammy-nominated performer, Dorough’s work with BSB has gone Gold and Platinum in 46 countries, making them one of pop’s most influential acts and the best-selling boy band in history.
  • Antonio Gates, Future NFL Hall of Fame Tight End, emerged as one of the NFL’s most extraordinary success stories in his 16-year NFL Career. After being signed by the San Diego Chargers as an undrafted Free agent Antonio would go on to be named to eight Pro Bowls and was a five-time All-Pro selection. Gates also holds the NFL record for most touchdowns as a tight end in NFL History. After retirement, Antonio continues to work with the Chargers organization.
  • Anjelah Johnson-Reyes is a comedian, singer, actor and social media sensation. Johnson-Reyes became an internet sensation and pioneer in viral YouTube videos when her notorious “Nail Salon” bit from a local comedy show was posted and received more than 100 million views! Shortly thereafter, she was added to the cast of the original MADtv, on which she trademarked her legendary character, “Bon Qui Qui.” Her first book, Who Do I Think I Am?: Stories of Chola Wishes and Caviar Dreams, will be published in March of 2022.
  • Loni Love is an NAACP Award-winning comedian and an Emmy Award-winning host of The Real, as well as a recurring guest deejay on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Additionally, Love has guest-hosted on “Daily Pop” and has been a correspondent for Entertainment Tonight and E!. Love also has appeared in movies, including Mother’s Day; Paul Blart Mall Cop 2 opposite Kevin James; Soul Plane with Kevin Hart; and the Bad Ass franchise with Danny Glover and Danny Trejo.