Cornered

Even if you're never seen Dirty Dancing, you know this line:

JOHNNY: "Nobody puts Baby in a corner."

His declaration conjures up the image of a naughty child being put in the corner to think about what she's done. But watching the scene play out, you see that's not quite the case.

First, the corner seat isn't that bad. Baby's facing the stage, no one's in her way, and nobody's behind her either. If we wanted to watch Kellerman's talent show, well, we'd be crazy for wanting to suffer through that assortment of talentless weirdoes. But if we really did, Baby's seat would be one of the best seats in the house.

The problem, Johnny realizes, is that Baby doesn't belong in the corner. She belongs on the stage. Her mom and dad have blocked her in on the far side of the table, as if she might bolt for the stage at any moment.

Johnny sees Baby's potential, so he takes her from the corner and puts her on stage where she can be in the spotlight.