West Side Story is about two rival gangs, the Jets who are an American gang and the Sharks, a Puerto Rican gang. Both gangs dislike each other and are fighting over the same street which the Jets call their turf. The Jets are described as punks and delinquents. Riff is the leader of the Jets while Bernardo is the leader of the Sharks. Both gangs agree to a rumble which ends in tragedy with the death of both gang leaders.
Maria who is Bernardo's younger sister is escorted to her first dance by Chino. Maria meets Tony who is a member of the Jets and they instantly fall in love. They are the only couple from opposite gangs dancing together. Bernardo pulls Maria away from Tony and is very angry that she is dancing with him. Maria and Tony continue to meet secretly despite the gangs rivalry.
The lives of many of the characters are cut short due to their hatred for one another. After making a promise to Maria to end the fighting between the gangs, Tony tries to stop the rumble between Bernardo and Riff but is unable to. Bernardo stabs and kills Riff which angers Tony leading him to stab Bernardo. Maria forgives Tony for killing her brother. When Tony thinks Maria has been killed by Chino he calls out for her and is then shot by Chino and dies in Maria's arms.
Dirty Dancing takes place in the summer of 1963, it is a story about two people who fall in love despite their differences. Frances Houseman also known as ''Baby'' wants to join the peace Corps. Baby ''wants to make the world better'' and is always willing to help out others. Johnny Castle seems rebellious at first, he taunts Baby and her do-gooder ways, ''yeah it takes a real saint to ask daddy'' when she offers money to pay for Penny's abortion. He is initially against teaching her to dance, Johnny seems frustrated at times and yells at her for making mistakes when learning the dance routine until she stands up to him one day.
When Johnny and Baby first meet, she immediately develops a crush on him. The night Baby walks into the