THE FANS' LOVE STORY: How The Movie 'DIRTY DANCING' Captured The Hearts Of Millions! (11 page)

Why do you like
Dirty Dancing
so much?

I love
Dirty Dancing
so much because it’s a movie that has so much meaning, and it has great actors and dancers and music in it. I especially love how Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey can work together in such a natural, sexy, and trusting way. I have always been a big fan of Patrick Swayze, ever since I was a little girl, and I have always loved to sing and dance. When I watched
Dirty Dancing, the
whole movie blew me away, and it made me realize that I can get out there and do what I love and what I have a big passion for, and not let anyone or anything stop me. I have learned never to be put in a corner and stand up for what I truly believe in, no matter what it costs me.

How has
Dirty Dancing
impacted you personally?

You mentioned on the questionnaire that:

I can relate to the movie in so many ways, such as being seventeen and breaking away and individuating in your own unique way. Me and Jennifer Grey are alike, and I really look up to her in a way that she has given me the strength and power to stand up for myself and stand up for what I truly believe in, no matter if it’s to dance or to fall in love. I really thank her for that. Patrick is a dream come true. They could not have picked better actors to suit this film. Those two have a great chemistry which nobody can take away from them. It will live on forever because nobody puts Baby and Johnny in a corner.

Anything else you want to say about the above?

No, that covers it.

I think that you mentioned that you want to be a singer and dancer.

How has
Dirty Dancing
influenced you in that regard, and are you actively pursuing a career as a singer/dancer?

Dirty Dancing
has influenced me to get out there and have confidence, pride, and passion to do what I love to do best, and don’t let anything get in my way or don’t let anything stop me from living my dreams and finding happiness. I am currently looking into finding the right place for me—a dance studio, singing lessons.

I want to follow my heart. After all,
Dirty Dancing
is exactly why I started to dance in the first place. It’s my passion and long-term commitment.

Are there other ways the movie has impacted you?

Yes, there are other ways the movie has impacted me and they are: stand up for what you believe in no matter what it costs you. Don’t let anyone put you in a corner. Things are not as perfect as they seem—trust, honesty. Believe in yourself and don’t let others weigh you down and make you feel like you are worthless or treat you like you are nothing.

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

I have seen multiple movies which definitely feature Patrick Swayze in them. They are:
One Last Dance
(at least twenty times),
Ghost
&
Road House
(watch both all of the time),
The Outsiders
,
Red Dawn
,
Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights
, and
Father Hood.
I own all of Patrick’s movies and love all of them.
One Last Dance
is the most touching film I have ever seen.

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

No, I have never met Patrick Swayze or anyone else from the cast. I wish I could say yes, but that would be lying. I would love one day to meet Patrick Swayze and I never say never because things happen when you least expect them to. It would be a dream come true if I ever met Patrick Swayze or cast from the film.

Will you continue to watch
Dirty Dancing?

Yes, I will indeed continue to watch
Dirty Dancing
. No matter how many times I have already seen it over the previous years, I will always love
Dirty Dancing,
and I still to this day continue to watch it. I have even learned all the dance routines. I know the script from start to finish, and I constantly listen to the soundtrack over and over again, especially “(I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life,” “She’s Like The Wind,” “Hungry Eyes,” “Cry to Me,” “Be My Baby,” “Yes,” “Overload,” “Hey Baby,” “Do You Love Me,” and “Some Kind of Wonderful.” I love all the tracks, but they are my top nine that I repeat over and over.

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

I think
Dirty Dancing,
the movie, would be a great stage production. I would definitely plan to go and see it on stage, but I will not feel as passionate about the play as I feel about the movie unless the actual cast from the film was to do the stage production.

Do you think a sequel could be made?

It’s hard to tell. I recently saw
Dirty Dancing:
Havana Nights
. I can’t say that I disliked the film but as soon as I saw that Patrick Swayze made a cameo appearance, I enjoyed it even more. It just cannot be compared to the first
Dirty Dancing—
a film that many people from all over the world saw, a film that everybody talked about, a film that became a phenomenon, and just could not be replaced or be compared to films in today’s generation that have story lines that are rare and seem almost impossible.

Seeing Patrick in
Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights
made me want to see the movie to see the scenes that he is in. He still remains the hotel dance instructor but this time in Havana, Cuba not at Kellerman’s. He still teaches ladies how to dance. He shows great interest and helps Katie overcome her fear towards her feelings of her connection towards her dance partner, Javier and how she moves. If I compare this to the 1987
Dirty Dancing
, he helps Baby overcome her fear of the lift. He makes her find trust in him and they fall in love despite what her family thinks.
Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights
however shows Katie does find that trust in Javier, and they fall in love even though her parents forbid her. I still don’t feel that connection towards this adaptation as I did for Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze. They made this movie one that nobody could ever forget. I’m only seventeen years old, and I strongly feel that the way Patrick and Jennifer worked together with such great teamwork and sharing a soul level connection in this movie—nobody could ever fill that gap because if those two were not as great as they were, nobody can ever be better or think they were better. They were just brilliant, and they made it so natural and they made it seem so real.

I would definitely love to see the whole cast together again. It would be fantastic to see Baby and Johnny together aging after soooooooo many years, with a few surprises added in, such as Penny has a baby, Lisa and Billy are involved in a relationship, and everyone is happy and changed, but
Dirty Dancing
never faded—it’s still alive . . . just to see the two of them—Patrick and Jennifer—together again as they make such an amazing couple.

Do you know anyone else around your age who watches
Dirty Dancing?

Yes, my best friend, other friends, and I have cousins who watch it but they are not as passionate and obsessed as I am about the film, and especially about Patrick Swayze.

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

Dirty Dancing
is by far my favorite movie and it reminds me of this time in my life, being seventeen and seeing life through my own eyes.

I own two versions of the film. I have just the DVD (on its own) and I recently bought the 20
^th
Anniversary Edition. I couldn’t help myself. I just had to buy it. I bought it because it features never before seen deleted scenes, alternate scenes and extended scenes, cast interviews, music videos,
Dirty Dancing
with Patrick Swayze (my favorite by far), multi-angle dance sequence, outtakes and screen tests, trivia track, and much more.

I just can’t get enough of
Dirty Dancing
. I really appreciate Eleanor Bergstein, Emile Ardolino, Kenny Ortega and everybody else who made the movie possible. Wonderful, Fantastic, Brilliant, and Entertaining. It has been an exhilarating experience.

Additional Demographic Information

Marital status:
Single

Occupation/Profession:
Student, singer, dancer, administration worker

Official Patrick Swayze International Fan Club member:
No

AGE 24. Lives in Athens, Greece.

December 2008 (e-mail interview).

Has seen
Dirty Dancing
51–100 times.

What year did you first see
Dirty Dancing
? And how old were you?

It was the year of 1996. I was about twelve years old. I remember it as if it were yesterday. My parents had plans for the night and were going out with some friends. I was supposed to stay home with my older brother and I made plans of my own. I would sit in front of the TV, eat my homemade popcorn and relax. The moment I turned on the TV, I saw a movie that was about to start and it instantly attracted me. I loved the song that it was playing in the beginning. I loved the characters, the plot, Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey. It seemed like something was keeping me on that couch, a feeling I had never felt before. From that day on, I fell in love with
Dirty Dancing.

Why do you like
Dirty Dancing
so much?

Dirty Dancing
, in my opinion, is the ultimate love story—a story about two people that the chances of them ever meeting were very few. But they did meet, fell in love against all odds and protected that love with their hearts and souls. Became better persons along the way and realized that love is worth giving, as well as losing everything. I had seen many movies that talked about love stories, great passions, unspeakable romances but this movie has heart. It has rhythm, it has spirit. It moves you in a way few things do in this life. But the best thing about this movie is that you see this love as it grows, as it flourishes, and you become a part of it—you feel like you are part of it.

How has
Dirty Dancing
impacted you personally?

The reason that makes people watch movies has a deeper meaning than just plain old entertainment. It’s a way to escape from our daily problems, a way to experience emotions or situations that every day life rarely gives you the chance to. Every person finds something in the kind of movies he likes that is missing from his own life, or that he would like to have lived.
Dirty Dancing
is the kind of movie I like because it gives me the opportunity to witness a love so strong and so overwhelming—like the one I have always dreamt of having. It’s really the realization of the fairytale with the prince on his white horse that comes and takes me away and we live happily ever after, only in a more “up-to-date” kind of way. Many people, including myself, have lost faith in these kinds of romances and love stories because they seem so unreal, almost like fairytales. But this movie really makes me believe that there is still hope for every person in this world to find the love of their life, and no matter what the obstacles are, to have the chance to let themselves get carried away. It’s really a lighthouse of hope that is shimmering in our hearts and that is keeping our faith in love strong and everlasting.

In addition to
Dirty Dancing
, what are names of movies that you have seen multiple times, and is Patrick in them?

The movies I have seen multiple times are:
Ghost
, with Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore;
Frankie and Johnny
, with Michelle Pfeiffer and Al Pacino;
Pretty Woman
, with Julia Roberts and Richard Gere;
Steel Magnolias
, with Shirley MacLaine, Dolly Parton, Daryl Hannah, Olympia Dukakis, and Julia Roberts;
What Dreams May Come
, with Robin Williams, Annabella Sciorra, and Cuba Gooding Jr.;
The Lake House
, with Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves, and last but not least
Beyond Borders
, with Angelina Jolie and Clive Owen. Actually, I can go on and on because I love movies, but these are the ones I have seen so many times I lost count. I have seen other movies with Patrick, but I haven’t seen them with the same frequency as
Dirty Dancing
.

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

No, I haven’t had the honor to meet any one of them.

Will you continue to watch
Dirty Dancing
?