Buddy Schwimmer
Encyclopedia
Buddy Schwimmer is an award-winning West Coast Swing
dancer, a choreographer, and the inventor of the Nightclub Two Step
. He has also been known as "The King of Swing", as well as "The Man with a Thousand Moves". He was a performer on the 1977 television variety show Dance Fever
with Lynn Vogen, as well as the 1992 show "Big Band Ballroom Bash".
Schwimmer has founded his own swing competition, organizes the World Swing Championships in Las Vegas
, and works as a dance teacher and coach.
". He developed this dance while practicing dance with his sister and searching for a way to dance to popular slow ballads.
Schwimmer had a dance studio in Costa Mesa for 22 years, and worked out of Moreno Valley
for 10 years, teaching on the road.
In the mid 1990s
, Schwimmer opened the "5-6-7-8 Dance Studio" in Redlands, California
.
On 31 July 2006, Schwimmer's "5-6-7-8 Dance Studio" suffered a major fire while Schwimmer was in Los Angeles watching his son, Benji
, compete on the program "So You Think You Can Dance". The studio, which holds both private lessons and classes with from 5 to 25 students, resumed full operations in September 2006.
In 2011, the studio 5-6-7-8 suffered another bout with mother nature and was forced to close. Buddy being the trooper he is found another building and built a bigger and better studio and reopened under a new name "Buddy Schwimmer Dance Center" with over 6000 square feet (557.4 m²) of dance floor and 3 room for classes, the largest being approximately 3000 square feet (278.7 m²) with the coolest ceiling fan you've ever seen. The New studio located at 1445 West Park Avenue, Redlands California 92373 held it's Grand Opening in March to over 400 visitors dancing the night away to the music of Jumpin' Jack Smith with special exhibitions by Benji Schwimmer, Torri Smith and Brennar Goree, Tom and Sossy Hyatt and many others.
, who is sometimes called the "Prince of Swing" after his father, was the reigning United States Champion of West Coast Swing
, and the winner on the 2006 televised competition "So You Think You Can Dance".
Buddy also has a daughter, Lacey Schwimmer
, who has won national dance championships and came in fourth in season three
of So You Think You Can Dance
. Lacey has danced for six seasons as one of the professionals on Dancing with the Stars. Buddy appeared in the 13th season to help Lacey's partner Chaz Bono. Buddy also taught Jared Murillo
, who has won national titles with Lacey Schwimmer. Murillo trained in West Coast Swing
directly with Buddy Schwimmer.
West Coast Swing
West Coast Swing is a partner dance with roots in Lindy Hop. It is characterized by a distinctive elastic look that results from its basic extension-compression technique of partner connection, and is danced primarily in a slotted area on the dance floor...
dancer, a choreographer, and the inventor of the Nightclub Two Step
Nightclub Two Step
Nightclub Two Step was initially developed by Buddy Schwimmer in the mid-1960s. The dance is also known as "Two Step" and was "one of the most popular forms of contemporary social dance" as a Disco Couples Dance in 1978...
. He has also been known as "The King of Swing", as well as "The Man with a Thousand Moves". He was a performer on the 1977 television variety show Dance Fever
Dance Fever
Dance Fever is an American musical variety series that aired weekly in syndication from January 1979 to September 1987. The series was created and produced by Merv Griffin and written by Tony Garofalo....
with Lynn Vogen, as well as the 1992 show "Big Band Ballroom Bash".
Schwimmer has founded his own swing competition, organizes the World Swing Championships in Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, and works as a dance teacher and coach.
Biography
In 1965, at the age of 15, Schwimmer invented a new American partner dance, which he called "Nightclub Two StepNightclub Two Step
Nightclub Two Step was initially developed by Buddy Schwimmer in the mid-1960s. The dance is also known as "Two Step" and was "one of the most popular forms of contemporary social dance" as a Disco Couples Dance in 1978...
". He developed this dance while practicing dance with his sister and searching for a way to dance to popular slow ballads.
Schwimmer had a dance studio in Costa Mesa for 22 years, and worked out of Moreno Valley
Moreno Valley, California
Moreno Valley is a city located in Riverside County, California.A relatively young city, its rapid growth in the 1980s and the first decade of the 21st century made it second-largest city in Riverside County by population, and one of the Inland Empire's population centers. As of the 2010 census,...
for 10 years, teaching on the road.
In the mid 1990s
1990s
File:1990s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: The Hubble Space Telescope floats in space after it was taken up in 1990; American F-16s and F-15s fly over burning oil fields and the USA Lexie in Operation Desert Storm, also known as the 1991 Gulf War; The signing of the Oslo Accords on...
, Schwimmer opened the "5-6-7-8 Dance Studio" in Redlands, California
Redlands, California
Redlands is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 68,747, up from 63,591 at the 2000 census. The city is located east of downtown San Bernardino.- History :...
.
On 31 July 2006, Schwimmer's "5-6-7-8 Dance Studio" suffered a major fire while Schwimmer was in Los Angeles watching his son, Benji
Benji Schwimmer
Benjamin "Benji" Daniel Schwimmer is an American professional dancer, choreographer, actor, and soon-to-be lead singer of the band "The Weekend Forecast". On August 16, 2006 he was crowned "America's Favorite Dancer", as the winner of the second season of So You Think You Can Dance and has...
, compete on the program "So You Think You Can Dance". The studio, which holds both private lessons and classes with from 5 to 25 students, resumed full operations in September 2006.
In 2011, the studio 5-6-7-8 suffered another bout with mother nature and was forced to close. Buddy being the trooper he is found another building and built a bigger and better studio and reopened under a new name "Buddy Schwimmer Dance Center" with over 6000 square feet (557.4 m²) of dance floor and 3 room for classes, the largest being approximately 3000 square feet (278.7 m²) with the coolest ceiling fan you've ever seen. The New studio located at 1445 West Park Avenue, Redlands California 92373 held it's Grand Opening in March to over 400 visitors dancing the night away to the music of Jumpin' Jack Smith with special exhibitions by Benji Schwimmer, Torri Smith and Brennar Goree, Tom and Sossy Hyatt and many others.
Children
As of 2006, Schwimmer's son, Benji SchwimmerBenji Schwimmer
Benjamin "Benji" Daniel Schwimmer is an American professional dancer, choreographer, actor, and soon-to-be lead singer of the band "The Weekend Forecast". On August 16, 2006 he was crowned "America's Favorite Dancer", as the winner of the second season of So You Think You Can Dance and has...
, who is sometimes called the "Prince of Swing" after his father, was the reigning United States Champion of West Coast Swing
West Coast Swing
West Coast Swing is a partner dance with roots in Lindy Hop. It is characterized by a distinctive elastic look that results from its basic extension-compression technique of partner connection, and is danced primarily in a slotted area on the dance floor...
, and the winner on the 2006 televised competition "So You Think You Can Dance".
Buddy also has a daughter, Lacey Schwimmer
Lacey Schwimmer
Lacey-Mae Schwimmer is an American competitive ballroom dancer, singer, and the winner of multiple youth championships. She is best known as the fourth place finalist of the third season of So You Think You Can Dance...
, who has won national dance championships and came in fourth in season three
So You Think You Can Dance (Season 3)
So You Think You Can Dance is an American television reality program and dance competition airing on the Fox network. Season three premiered May 24, 2007....
of So You Think You Can Dance
So You Think You Can Dance (U.S. TV series)
So You Think You Can Dance is an American dance competition and reality show that airs on Fox in the United States.The series first premiered on July 20, 2005, and was created by American Idol producers Simon Fuller and Nigel Lythgoe and is produced by 19 Entertainment and Dick Clark Productions...
. Lacey has danced for six seasons as one of the professionals on Dancing with the Stars. Buddy appeared in the 13th season to help Lacey's partner Chaz Bono. Buddy also taught Jared Murillo
Jared Murillo (dancer)
Jared Makaio Murillo is an American professional dancer known for his works as a dancer in the Disney Channel movies, High School Musical, High School Musical 2 and for having a special cameo appearance in High School Musical 3: Senior Year. He is also in a boyband called V Factory.-Early...
, who has won national titles with Lacey Schwimmer. Murillo trained in West Coast Swing
West Coast Swing
West Coast Swing is a partner dance with roots in Lindy Hop. It is characterized by a distinctive elastic look that results from its basic extension-compression technique of partner connection, and is danced primarily in a slotted area on the dance floor...
directly with Buddy Schwimmer.
External links
- Original Interview with Buddy Schwimmer Regarding this creation of Nightclub Two Step (1995)
- Instructor profile
- "So You Think You Can Dance" interviews, 2006
- 1976 photo
