Kevin Bacon, the man whose name is synonymous with dance moves and six degrees of separation, has done it again. Not content with just causing a stir on screen, he’s now sending a whole school into a frenzy – all because of a little movie called “Footloose.”
For those born in a cave, what was “Footloose” about?
Footloose, which appeared on movie screens across America in February of 1984, a staggering 40 years ago, featured Bacon as “Ren McCormack.” Poor Ren had moved from Chicago to a small midwestern town only to find out that dancing and rock music was illegal. What’s a teenager to do?
Ren stepped up and waged a battle against the town and his new girlfriend’s preacher father and scheduled a dance for the school. That dance was at the Payson High School in Utah where the iconic ’80s movie was filmed.
Footloose school set to relocate.
Now that school, with Footloose memorabilia everywhere, is on the brink of their final prom at the old building before the school relocates.
What did the students do? They hatched a plan, a scheme, a quest worthy of a Hollywood plot twist: Get Kevin Bacon to prom.
School embarks on campaign to get Kevin Bacon to visit school.
The students, fueled by the spirit of the ’80s and fueled even more by their determination, launch an all-out campaign. They’re not just asking Kevin politely; they’re going full ’80s montage, with flash mobs, social media blitzes, and even mastering the “Footloose” dance – using the hashtag #bacontopayson across social media platforms to get attention.
Kevin says yes!
And what does Kevin do? He doesn’t just brush it off or send a polite decline. No, he picks up the phone, calls in from Atlanta, and drops the bombshell on The Today Show. He’s coming.
Cue the screams and cheers in the school gym which you can see here [1] along with Bacon’s announcement of his visit.
Kevin Bacon is not just showing up out of obligation; he’s genuinely impressed by the students’ dedication and their support for his charity.
Different media accounts vary on whether Bacon will be at the actual prom or just at the school on prom day – but either way, it’s sure to be a day to remember with dancing, laughter and lots of “Footloose” reenactments – plus The Today Show documenting it all.
Let’s Dance!