Abortion in Dirty Dancing

Dirty Dancing, the 1987 coming-of-age movie starring Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze, has resurfaced in the news in 2022 for three reasons:

1. Grey is promoting her memoir Out of the Corner.
2. August 21 marks the film’s 35th anniversary.
3. The Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade, the 1973 Court decision that affirmed the constitutional right to abortion.

In light of these recent events—along with Millennium Park's summer film series (Aug. 2) and a live concert in Rosemont, IL (Nov. 11)—join Chicago Movie Tours in an exploration of Dirty Dancing as it relates to the issue of abortion.

We’ll pay special attention to the movie’s representation of abortion, without which the whole story would collapse. Also, in the livestream, we’ll consider Dirty Dancing’s premiere, its screenwriter’s intents, and its progressive messages for audiences in 1987—and today.

Choose your date now to join the conversation, or learn more about the program.