<P> Director Ardolino was adamant that they choose dancers who could also act, as he did not want to use the "stand - in" method that had been used with Flashdance (1983). For the female lead of Frances "Baby" Houseman, Bergstein chose the 26 - year - old Jennifer Grey, daughter of the Oscar - winning actor and dancer Joel Grey (e.g., of the film Cabaret (1972), who, like her father, was a trained dancer . They then sought a male lead, initially considering 20 - year - old Billy Zane, who had the visual look desired (originally the Johnny character was to be Italian and have a dark exotic look), but initial dancing tests when he was partnered with Grey did not meet expectations . The next choice was 34 - year - old Patrick Swayze, who had been noticed for his roles in Grandview, U.S.A. (1984) and Red Dawn (1984). He was a seasoned dancer, with experience from the Joffrey Ballet . The producers were thrilled with him, but his agent was opposed to the idea . However, Swayze read the script, liked the multi-level character of Johnny, and took the part anyway, and Johnny was changed from being Italian to Irish . Grey was initially not happy about the choice, as she and Swayze had difficulty getting along on Red Dawn, but when they did their dancing screen test, the chemistry between them was obvious . Bergstein described it as "breathtaking". </P> <P> Other casting choices were Broadway actor Jerry Orbach as Dr. Jake Houseman, Baby's father; and Jane Brucker as Lisa Houseman, her older sister . Bergstein also attempted to cast her friend, sex therapist Dr. Ruth Westheimer, to play Mrs. Schumacher, and Joel Grey as her husband . However, Westheimer backed out when she learned the role involved being a thief . The role went instead to 79 - year - old Paula Trueman, and Joel Grey was not cast . Another role went to Bergstein's friend, New York radio personality "Cousin Brucie". She initially wanted him to portray the social director but then later asked him to play the part of the magician . The role of the social director went to the then unknown Wayne Knight (of later Seinfeld and 3rd Rock from the Sun fame). The part of Baby's mother was originally given to Lynne Lipton, who is briefly visible in the beginning, when the Houseman family first pulls into Kellerman's (she is in the front seat for a few seconds; her blonde hair is the only indication), but she became ill during the first week of shooting and was replaced by actress Kelly Bishop, who had already been cast to play Vivian Pressman, the highly sexed resort guest . Bishop moved into the role of Mrs. Houseman, and the film's assistant choreographer Miranda Garrison took on the role of Vivian . </P> <P> Principal photography for Dirty Dancing took place in Lake Lure, North Carolina, and Mountain Lake, Virginia . Scenes in Lake Lure were filmed at the old Boys Camp, which is now a private, residential community known as Firefly Cove . These scenes included the interior dancing scenes, Baby carrying the watermelon and practicing on the signature stairs, Johnny's cabin, the staff cabins, the golf scene where Baby asks her father for $250 . Scenes filmed at Mountain Lake included the famous "water lift" scene, dining scenes, Kellerman's Hotel, the beach games, Penny crying in the kitchen, and the Houseman family's cabins . </P> <P> The tight schedule allowed only two weeks for rehearsal and 44 days for filming, as it was already the tail end of summer . The cast stayed in the same hotel at Mountain Lake Lodge in Pembroke, Virginia and at the 1927 Lake Lure Inn & Spa in Lake Lure, N.C. Rehearsals quickly turned into disco parties involving nearly every cast member, even non-dancers such as Jack Weston . </P>

Where was the water scene in dirty dancing filmed