From Down Under to High Above! Bindi Irwin and Derek Hough earned a perfect score and a standing ovation after nailing the “Dirty Dancing lift” famously featured in the 1987 classic on the Monday, Oct. 19, episode of Dancing With the Stars.
The dancing partners — performing their rendition of the rumba to the flick’s theme song “(I’ve Had) the Time of My Life” — seamlessly pulled off the finale scene of the beloved movie, perfectly executed in the ’80s by Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze. Thankfully, they got some invaluable advice — from Grey herself!
The two practiced — even channeling the movie by recreating the “lake lift” scene. Irwin, 17, shared a pic from their wild practice session with Grey (DWTS Season 11 champ) before the episode aired on Monday, and wrote: “Getting ready for tonight’s show on @dancingabc, I still can’t believe I’ve been given this opportunity. This lift gives you a little idea on what we have planned for tonight….”
In a moment of trust, Irwin ran up to Hough, 30, as he hoisted her high up above his head during their live dance. The crowd roared in response. “Your legs were on fire. Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous,” judge Julianne Hough said to the daughter of the late Steve Irwin. “You touched my heart.”
Bindi, meanwhile, looked misty eyed and overjoyed.
Grey, meanwhile, recently joked that she could no longer do the famous lift. In fact, she told the Guardian: “It happened, enjoy it, watch it over and over again but never ask me to do it again because I’m too f—king old.”
Watch the dynamic performance above!
