Kevin Bacon, Tired of Being a “Trained Monkey,” Refuses to Dance ‘Footloose’ on Demand

July 3, 2024, 11:29

Kevin Bacon, the man who made dancing iconic in the 80s classic Footloose, has revealed he’s not too keen on recreating his legendary moves at every wedding he attends.

While the film enjoys a cult following even after four decades, Bacon, in a recent interview, admitted that he’s not a fan of being asked to “do the Footloose dance.”

"‘Will you do the Footloose dance?’ And I’m like, &squot;No!&squot;" “‘Will you do the Footloose dance?’ And I’m like, ‘No!'”. Picture: Getty/Alamy

“I am not a trained monkey,” Bacon stated firmly, adding that he’d rather not perform on command. His response comes as no surprise, given the sheer number of times he must have been subjected to this request over the years.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of Footloose, and Bacon, despite being someone who doesn’t dwell in the past, is constantly reminded of the film and his iconic performance.

Kevin says he's asked to do 'the Footloose dance' at every wedding. (Paramount/courtesy Everett Collection) Kevin says he’s asked to do ‘the Footloose dance’ at every wedding. (Paramount/courtesy Everett Collection). Picture: Alamy

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“It’s the 40th anniversary of Footloose,” Bacon shared in the interview, “And while I’m not somebody that has much of a rearview mirror, I’m now forced to look at that moment in my life.”

While he may not be thrilled about dancing on demand, Bacon did acknowledge a recent instance where revisiting the Footloose era was enjoyable. He recounted inducting Dean Pitchford, the screenwriter and co-writer of all the songs in Footloose, into the Songwriters Hall Of Fame.

“We played the song, my brother and I, for him. And that was really, really fun,” Bacon revealed.

Even at the event, Bacon wasn’t spared from the inevitable “Footloose” dance request, but he stood his ground. “A couple of people said, ‘Will you do the Footloose dance?’ And I’m like, ‘No!'” he recounted.

Kyra Sedgwick and Kevin Bacon at a recent film premiere in Los Angeles. (Photo by Araya Doheny/FilmMagic) Kyra Sedgwick and Kevin Bacon at a recent film premiere in Los Angeles. (Photo by Araya Doheny/FilmMagic). Picture: Getty

It’s been a busy year for Bacon, who’s also back on screen in the latest installment of the Beverly Hills Cop franchise alongside Eddie Murphy. In the film, Bacon takes on the role of the antagonist, a corrupt law enforcement officer, playing opposite Murphy’s iconic Axel Foley.