The Fans' Love Story -- Part 1

The book The Fans' Love Story was written by Sue Tabashnik, a very active member of The Official Patrick Swayze International Fan Club. The book describes the attitudes of passionate fans of the movie Dirty Dancing -- who have watched the movie dozens of times.

I like the book for its introspective characterization of such fans. In a previous article, titled 1987 - 2017, I recounted some experts' explanations of why people like to watch one movie many times. Those experts were analyzing those fans from the outside. In contrast, Tabashnik analyzes herself and her fellow super-fans from her own, inside perspective.

Book Cover -- The Fans' Love Story

Tabashnik watched the movie for the first time in the summer of 1987, when the movie opened in the theaters.

I confess that I was one of "those women" who saw the movie multiple times. Yes, I became a member of the "100 club". ....

I had had recently gone through a very difficult break-up with the man that I thought was my soul mate. Watching this movie not only provided a very nice escape, but it also seemed to impart that all again would be right in the world - that true love could exist against tremendous odds.

I came to the conclusion that watching this movie was very soothing, even better than reading self-help books, and in a way just as good as counseling.

The story was great, the music was fantastic, and the dancing was powerful.

Finally, there was this sizzling, passionate actor/dancer by the name of Mr. Patrick Swayze, who played the lead heartthrob. .... I was hooked into becoming a huge fan of Mr. Swayze. ...

In the year 2000, Tabashnik joined The Official Patrick Swayze International Fan Club, which provided her various opportunities into the year 2010, when she completed her book.

I have enjoyed many different activities through the fan club.

I met Mr. Swayze four times — and had the opportunity hold conversations with him individually and as part of a group. I met him at two dance benefits for the extraordinary dance company Complexions Contemporary Ballet … in 2002 and then again 2004. I also met Mr. Swayze and Ms. Niemi at two film festivals — WorldFest Houston International Film Festival in 2003 and Nashville Film Festival in 2004 — that were showing their magnificent dance movie, One Last Dance. Their accessibility to us fans at both of the film festivals was really amazing.

Then, in 2005, I had the opportunity to call in a question to Mr. Swayze on The Big Idea with Danny Deutsch CNBC television show.

Throughout the years,I have had the good fortune to make some long-lasting, great friendships with some of the other fans in the club.

I have also been able to develp my writing skills and use my creativity by writing twelve articles that were published in the club magazine.

Patrick Swayze and Sue Tabashnik

By attending the club's events and reading and writing in the club's newsletter, Tabashnik enjoyed opportunities to become acquainted with other fans and with people who had been involved in making the movie. She asked many people what they loved about the movie. The result was this book, The Fans' Love Story.

In her first chapter, Tabashnik explains her own repeated watching of the movie:

I know that all I have to do to get a quick shot of “feel-good” is throw the DVD in, sit back, and be captured by the bliss of Dirty Dancing. Whether I have been in a great mood and wanted a “fix,” or whether I have been in a funk ... I just had to pop in Dirty Dancing and could escape into a great place where there was love, integrity, and a happy ending. ...

She quotes Swayze's opinions about why so many people watch the movie repeatedly.

He [Swayze] was also asked why audiences respond so strongly to dance. He said, “The world loves dance. It’s our first form of worship. It’s primal. Moving to rhythm is a powerful thing that’s innate in all of us.”

Mr. Swayze has made statements throughout the years that a big component of dancing with a partner is having a soul connection through the eyes. In his portrayal of Johnny and Ms. Grey’s portrayal of Baby, the connection definitely happens ....

Mr. Swayze stated that he had been advised not to do the movie. However, he took the role because, “I felt something for Johnny, the guy from the streets . . . that is fighting to like himself, to believe in himself.” It seems that Mr. Swayze put his own constant quest for personal/spiritual growth into the character of Johnny.

Barbara Walters asked why do so many women watch the movie so many times. In response, he spoke about how the relationship between the two main characters was based on what is inside: “Everybody dreams that somebody would see into their lonely world ... see past the exterior and see what they’re really like ... somebody sees through that and cares about them as a person ... It has been so successful because basically it’s about love, and how the power of love can redeem us all.”

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Tabashnik posted a questionnaire on the Internet and 186 people responded with information about how many times they had watched the movie and about their reasons. The book includes an analysis of those 186 responses.

Tabashnik subsequently interviewed 22 people in more detail. The book includes the transcripts of those interviews. Those interview transcripts comprise 83 pages of the book and are quite interesting.

(Tabashnik is a social worker who has conducted thousands of interviews in her professional occupation.)

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Based on the questionnaires and interviews, Tabashnik lists the reasons why the movie is so loved:

1. The artistry of the movie

2. Patrick Swayze

3. The love story

4. The haven

5. The messages

6. The timeframe -- 1963

7. The inspiration to dance

8. The overall feel-good effect

The book elaborates on each of these reasons in a five-page essay, which I will summarize in a future post.

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The book can be ordered from various booksellers, including directly from its publisher, Outskirts Press.

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I will continue this article in Part 2.