Why Molly Ringwald Hated Her Iconic Dance Scene In The Breakfast Club

It's tough to think of "The Breakfast Club" without its iconic detention dance scene, but if it were up to Molly Ringwald, it never would have happened. In fact, it actually had to be adapted before it was even shot because she felt so awkward about it. 

For those who grew up loving "The Breakfast Club," Ringwald's dance in character as Claire Standish continues to be a standout moment. As one YouTube user penned decades after the film's release, "Molly Ringwald dancing on the stairs is the pinnacle of the 80s." However, Ringwald herself poked fun at it in an interview with Time in 2015. Talking about how uncomfortable she'd been going into it, Ringwald recounted, "In the original script, it was supposed to be just my character dancing." Cue the alarm bells. "I've never really considered myself a dancer ... I was like 'Ahhh G-d, I don't know about this,'" she said. Ringwald was ultimately persuaded by the film's director, John Hughes, who suggested they make it a group dance instead. However, even with that, she wasn't a fan. "So that's sort of how it ended up being a whole dance sequence, which I can't say really improves the movie," she said. Overall, Ringwald said of the scene, "It's one of the most dated parts of the movie." 

Well, it is worth noting that fans have also pointed out that there were many other details that made it so '80s-coded. "Everything about Molly Ringwald during this time was just so 80s. The way she looks, talks, dances ... She just had that 'It' factor," one fan gushed. Another said that the entire movie gave them nostalgia. "This is THE movie that makes you wish you were a teenager in the 80's. Periodt," they penned. Dated, maybe, but at least for fans, that was one of its drawcards. 

Like we said, one of the main reasons why Molly Ringwald was nervous about going into the dance scene from the start was because she didn't think she was a good enough dancer — and nearly a decade after her interview with Time, she shed some more light on just how daunting the idea was. During an appearance on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," she revealed that initially, the solo dance was set to be a pretty big focal point. "[Claire] was supposed to be a really great modern dancer, and so there was a big scene where I was supposed to, I don't know, become like Martha Graham and impress everyone with my skills, but I was not a great dancer. I don't think I've ever been a great dancer," Ringwald said.

Of course, audiences seem to think otherwise, and Fallon pointed out that her dance became so iconic it got a name ("The Molly Ringwald," ICYMI). However, Ringwald quipped that its popularity hadn't been because of any choreographic genius on her part, but inspo from another '80s star. "I really just stole it from Belinda Carlisle and The Go-Gos," she laughed. 

Well, whatever her inspiration, even with all her reservations, the dance was a hit, and it firmly cemented her as one of the best-known actors of the '80s. What's more, because of how strongly it resonates with audiences even today, Ringwald said on "Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen" that she'd love to see "The Breakfast Club" adapted for the stage, specifically as a musical. Given that one of the many things Ringwald has done over the years is performing on Broadway, here's hoping that means she'd be up for a cameo. She'd certainly have the moves down (and we swear, we wouldn't even tell Belinda Carlisle).