It's hard to imagine how different seeing Dirty Dancing-The Classic Story on Stage is from watching the movie. On one hand, Eleanor Bergstein's adaption follows the movie very precisely-the script and soundtrack are almost identical and many cast members bear surprising resemblances to the players that appear in the movie. But there is something exciting about witnessing 10 professional dancers simultaneously hoist their legs atop their studly partners' shoulders in the fiery "Do You Love Me?" number that doesn't quite happen in the movie.It's an exhilarating 1963 summer for Frances "Baby" Houseman, played by the charming Aspen Vincent (at the show I attended, she was substituting for Amanda Leigh Cobb, who usually plays the role). Baby's family had planned to visit the Catskills retreat for some relaxation, but Baby's agenda is waylaid when she meets Johnny Castle, played by Josef Brown, and is introduced to an entirely different world. Castle's dance partner, Penny Johnson, played by the sleek and gorgeous Britta Lazenga, is knocked up and is afraid that her pregnancy will ruin her and Castle's performance at the end of the weekend. In an attempt to save their routine, Baby becomes Castle's new dance partner and secretly sneaks off during the retreat to learn how to dance. However, her father, who dislikes Castle, discovers Baby's involvement. The lovestruck Baby fights against her parents' disapproval and begins her journey as a young woman in this tale of passion and defiance.

To me, though, the plot is trivial compared to the show's astounding dancing and unbelievable technical work. From the first scene, I was drawn in by the musical's presentation. The combination of varying scenes of song and dance strung together seamlessly by unnoticeably quick scene changes gives the stage a three dimensional effect that was never in the movie.

The result is complete immersion. For example, there is a section on the floor of the stage that rotates. Well-to-do lodgers sit and have light lunch, their tables moving with the platform as the retreat activities director walks slowly past them, keeping up with the platform's speed. The audience feels as if they are moving with the director, not unlike watching a moving frame of reference.

Speaking of which, the stage is quite a technical achievement. In addition to the rotating portion, a rising platform lies upstage and is used in scenes where the performers are elevated. The two sometimes combine, such as when Baby walks up to Johnny's room on the rising and rotating platform, giving the effect of her walking up stairs. Drop-down props include colored lamplights used during intimate slow dance scenes and, most impressively, the giant log that Baby and Johnny walk on in the woods.

The centerpiece of the production is a screen behind the stage consisting of 50 LED video panels that project images to accompany the scene while also opening and closing to allow performers and props to move to and from the stage. According to a press release from Lighthouse Technologies, responsible for the display, it is "lit by 200 moving lights and includes more than 200 automation cues with state-of-the-art surround sound."

Considering the presentation, Dirty Dancing is as much a dance performance as it is a musical. The three leads, Vincent, Brown and Lazenga, do not sing at all, but their performances and choreography-which were directed by Kate Champion, Craig Wilson and David Scotchford-more than make up for the lack of singing.

Vincent, Cobb's understudy, displayed technical grace even when Baby is meant to stumble. Unlike Cobb, though, Vincent is much shorter than Brown and doesn't much resemble the film's Jennifer Grey, causing me to do a double take when she was addressed as Baby. Brown, a leading dancer in The Australian Ballet, flaunts his toned body with perfect spins and steps, giving the show the majority of its sex appeal. He plays Johnny Castle well, though his acting is stiffer than Patrick Swayze's. But this is unimportant considering how phenomenal his dancing is. Whoever his partner is, he leads and lifts her with ease while also demonstrating outstanding footwork.

The star of the dancing show, however, is the stunning Lazenga. A former member of the Joffrey Ballet, she has danced leading roles in Snow Queen, White Widow and Hermia. When she makes her first appearance dancing with Brown, her blend of allure and flawless technique locked my attention instantly onto her despite the presence of other dancers. Every move was precise and deliberate, and even though she had high heels on and was taller than all the other female dancers in the show, she maintained perfect balance. It's a shame her character becomes pregnant; I would have loved to see her dance in more than a few numbers.

As noted, Dirty Dancing is more of a dance performance than a musical play, but the musicians are just as essential in the show. Often a trumpet or saxophone player would accompany the dancers on stage, bringing out the soundtrack with live music. Notable are performances by Ben Mingay and Karen Burthwright, featured singers whose duet in the Oscar-awarded "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" will melt the hearts of any Dirty Dancing fan.

The nonmusical aspect of Dirty Dancing is weak, however. By the middle of the second act, I was so tired of the sappy dialogue that my attention drifted until the next minor dance number came up. The play drags on until Castle makes an impressive entrance from behind the audience. After saying the famous line "No one puts Baby in a corner," the audience cheers not only because they recognize the line but also because they've been waiting a long time for something exciting to happen. Then again, the final 10 minutes are worth the wait. The sudden explosion of visual and aural stimuli overloaded my senses, and it was not until the cast started taking bows when I noticed that my jaw had literally dropped. It was that good.

So despite the drawn-out plot, Dirty Dancing-The Classic Story on Stage absolutely blew me away. It doesn't just bring the movie to life, it presents an entirely new perspective of the story--one that focuses on what gave audiences "the time of their lives."

Dirty Dancing-The Classic Story on Stage is produced by Jacobsen Entertainment and is now playing at the Boston Opera House for a 10-week run through April 12, 2009 before heading to L.A.'s Pantages Theatre.