THE FANS' LOVE STORY: How The Movie 'DIRTY DANCING' Captured The Hearts Of Millions! (16 page)

Do you think it could be successful?

For me, the
Dirty Dancing
movie with Patrick is the only one. I think it was such a piece of luck . . . this story, with this music and these actors.

Additional Demographic Information

Marital status:
Single

Education:
O-level (in German “Mittlere Reife”)

Profession:
I’m a banker . . . [and] nine years working in the social area as an administrator, Freelance qigong teacher

Official Patrick Swayze International Fan Club member:
Yes, since 2007

AGE 41. Lives La Plata, Argentina.

July 2008 (e-mail interview).

Has seen
Dirty Dancing
countless times.

What year did you first see
Dirty Dancing
? How old were you?

Did someone tell you about the movie or did you just happen to hear about it? Did you initially watch it by yourself or with someone else?

I first saw the movie in 1990. I was twenty-three. I saw the movie by mistake, because I wanted to see a dance movie from Central America called
Baile
Caliente
(hot dancing). I was convinced that DD was that movie, but to my surprise, I was so moved by DD that I saw it twice in a day. I was with one of my cousins. Both of us fell in love with Patrick that very moment.

Why do you like
Dirty Dancing
so much?

I loved the film so much for many reasons. The story was true to life. I love the kind of men that have the guts to fight for love. In such a controversial and material world, the role of love is worth being mentioned. Patrick’s acting was perfect as well as the rest of the cast, and the music—a great variety of it was really well selected.

How has
Dirty Dancing
impacted you personally?

On the questionnaire #3, you checked off, “has given hope that love exists,” and “has given hope that people will do the right thing.” Anything more you want to say about the above?

Dirty Dancing
has impacted me personally because of the topic itself. The fact that you have to fight for your feelings and beliefs.

In addition to
Dirty Dancing
, how many movies have you seen multiple times? And is Patrick in them?

Since
Dirty Dancing
, I’ve seen all Patrick’s movies, thousands of times. I can recite them all.

Have you ever met Patrick or anyone else in the cast? If so, what was that like?

Unluckily, I have never met him. That was my dream, but it has never come true.

Will you continue to watch
Dirty Dancing
?

I still love watching it. I also bought the CD with the music.

What do you think about the movie being made into a stage production?

I think it would be great.

Do you think a sequel could be made (
Dirty Dancing 2
)?

I think a sequel could have been made with Patrick. I don’t know if there’s anyone who can replace him or take his role. If so, he must be and do an excellent work to succeed.

Is
Dirty Dancing
very popular in Argentina?

From my view point,
Dirty Dancing
became much more popular in my country in the mid-90s. I believe
Ghost
was much more popular, but perhaps because of the topic it deals with. Since Patrick got ill, there have been specials on TV Sunday afternoons where you can enjoy all his movies, including DD.

Anything else you want to say about
Dirty Dancing?

It’s a great movie. All the people involved in it must feel pride and inner emotions. Twenty years is a long period of time, and if the movie is still on, it must have been a really good one.

Additional Demographic Information

Marital status:
Divorced

Education:
Complete education

Occupation:
English teacher in La Plata, Argentina

Official Patrick Swayze International Fan Club member:
No

AGE 51. Lives in Idaho.

May 2009 (e-mail interview).

Has seen Dirty Dancing 16–50 times.

What year did you first see
Dirty Dancing
? How old were you? Did someone tell you about the movie or you just happened to hear about it? Did you initially watch it by yourself or with someone else?

Honestly, I don’t remember the year. We went to the theater to see it and I was amazed at the incredible talent of Patrick Swayze. I wanted to be his partner! He was sexy but kind, in an innocent way. I went home and danced for hours. I bought the soundtrack when it came out and have worn out three! My entire family went to see the movie. Even my father loved it.

Why do you like
Dirty Dancing
so much
?

It teaches that we need to not judge someone based on their looks or attitude. “Bad boys” aren’t really bad. It’s a mask they wear. A sort of protection, if you will. If you get beyond the facade, you will find sincerity, compassion and also many hard knocks. People can rise above their circumstances and they can change their stars.

The love and gentleness that is shown to Baby is endearing.

How has
Dirty Dancing
impacted you personally?

Include any of these, if applicable:

“has provided relief in a difficult time”
(not applicable)

“has given hope that love exists”
*(applicable)

“has been an emotional catharsis”
(not applicable)

“has given hope that people will do the right thing”
*(
applicable
)

Please tell me what about your involvement with dance.

Please elaborate on how Patrick Swayze inspired you.

Dirty Dancing
inspired me to take lessons. I wanted to be more free in movement and not so blocked in certain steps.
Dirty Dancing
and Patrick Swayze inspired me to be free in my dancing and to let go of fears. Through Patrick, I have been more confident in myself and have enjoyed the beauty of dance in all forms.

My husband and I have taken dance lessons and we are into ballroom, salsa, and of course, dirty dancing. Most of the students are 30+ single moms.

I had taken ballroom in high school and did well, especially with swing. Michael (my husband) and I chose to take lessons together after
Dirty Dancing
. Michael had been dancing for many years when I met him. We met on a blind date. He was in an original dinner theater production,
Not the Count of Monte Cristo
in Arizona. He danced and sang. I had just come from Hawaii and had been doing disco there. We blended our dancing together and took lessons.

Please tell me how
Dirty Dancing
/Patrick Swayze inspired an at-risk teen to dance.

My husband and I were guardians of a fourteen year old girl who came to us from an unstable and emotionally abusive home. The first night here she wanted to watch
Dirty Dancing
. We put it on and she sat transfixed. After the movie, we took the soundtrack and played it. She began dancing like Baby. It was amazing to see her so comfortable and feeling sure of herself.

During her stay with us we would let her “dirty dance.” She watched the movie at least fifteen times while here and got better and better with her dancing. She is now in dance class that we are paying for and she has gone from D’s and F’s to B’s. She feels better about herself and seems to be moving in a good direction in her life. Perhaps some day she will use her dancing talents to find her dream, and perhaps she will be able to inspire others like the movie inspired her. She is still watching
Dirty Dancing
every week.

She looks at boys and compares them to Patrick Swayze. He is the “model of a real man” in her opinion. I have to agree. They broke the mold when he was made.

In addition to
Dirty Dancing
, are there movies that you have you seen multiple times? If so, is Patrick in them? And how many have you seen multiple times?

Road House
, seen it at least fifteen times.

Ghost
, I have seen at least one hundred times!

We have also watched
Ever After
over fifty times!

Willow
at least twenty.

Chicago,
dozens of times.

Have you ever met Patrick Swayze or anyone from the
cast? If so, what was it like?

No, we have not had the honor of meeting him or anyone from the cast.

In 1993, my husband took master classes from Patsy Swayze (Patrick’s mom) at her dance studio. She was fantastic. He said it was awe-inspiring to dance where someone like Patrick Swayze had learned. The energy there was awesome. He also attended another master class at the studio hosted by ABT.

Will you continue to watch
Dirty Dancing
?

Yes, at least three to four times a year, if not more.

What do you think about
Dirty Dancing
, the movie being made into the stage production, and do you plan to see the stage production?

It will be hard for anyone to be like Patrick. However, Adam Lambert would be fantastic in the role.

Yes, we would go see it, definitely.

Do you think a movie sequel could be made?

NO. Don’t mess with perfection.

Is there anything else you want to say about
Dirty Dancing
?

The movie gives a person the feeling that you can be anything you want to be. You don’t have to be locked into a stereotype. There is so much out there to enjoy and experience if we allow ourselves the opportunity to be free. Everyone should be able to “dance” and be “like the wind.”

Additional Demographic Information

Marital status:
Married

Education:
Grad School

Occupation/Profession:
Writer and animal rescuer

Official Patrick Swayze International Fan Club member:
Since
1995

Age 53.

Lives in Birch Bay, Washington.

January 2008 (e-mail and telephone interviews).

July 2008 (e-mail interview).

Has seen
Dirty Dancing
51–100 times.

When did you first see
Dirty Dancing
?

Summer of 1989.

So
Dirty Dancing
wasn’t the first movie you saw Patrick in?

Yes, it was.

Why do you like
Dirty Dancing
so much?

I fell in love with Patrick’s voice. I had heard the song “She’s Like The Wind” in London playing everywhere. My neighbor told me about the movie. I rented DD and fell in love with the whole movie.

I remember the era. I was too young to be part of it so
Dirty Dancing
let me live vicariously. It is an age before our world view became more cynical. It resonates with me.

Dirty Dancing
lets me get away from life’s problems and takes me to a place that I feel safe. I fell in love with the entire cast. Baby, Johnny, the dancers—the casting was perfect.

It has been a lovely friend through many years.

How has
Dirty Dancing
impacted you personally?

It helped me through my cancer treatment. I mentioned that I loved
Dirty Dancing
and the nurses related to it. They knew what I was talking about without any explanation. (Interestingly, the nurses were twenty years younger than me.) They played the music for me. They talked about how wonderful Patrick was in this movie. We could go somewhere else besides the radiation room during my treatments. It was something positive in a difficult situation.