how old is baby's sister in dirty dancing

In the movie, Baby's older sister Lisa Houseman is supposed to be around 20 years old. It’s funny because, looking back at it now, the age gap doesn't seem quite as huge as it felt when I first watched the film as a teenager. Jane Brucker, the actress who played her, actually did a great job making that character feel like a typical older sibling who's just a bit more focused on her own social life than anything else.

I always felt like Lisa was the perfect contrast to Baby. While Baby was off trying to change the world or getting into trouble at the resort, Lisa was mostly concerned with her hula lessons and looking good. That dynamic is part of why the movie is such a classic; it captures those family summer vibes so well that you almost forget they're just characters in a script.