You might not know a lot about swing dancing, but Ben Morris and Jennifer DeLuca are two of the best.
Back in 2015, they performed together at the Capital Swing Dancers’ Presidents’ Day weekend convention at the Red Lion Woodlake Hotel in Sacramento, CA, and the video of their dance is absolutely incredible. Even if you’ve never watched a swing dance competition in your life, you’ll certainly be able to recognize their amazing talent. Check out the video below and see for yourself why their routine won them 1st place in that year’s Classic Division.
It all starts with the duo’s excellent music selection — George Thorogood’s “One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer”.
Music is everything and choosing the wrong track can sink an otherwise great performance. However, the epic George Thorogood tune they selected is both the perfect amount of smooth and funky at the same time.
After the music begins playing, Morris and DeLucas instantly show the judges they know how to move.
While the performance was certainly different than what we would expect from a traditional 1930’s style swing dance, they proved they definitely have serious talent.
Soon, of course, the duo also starts swinging each other round and round.
The crowd loves it and can be heard cheering and whistling in the background.
While back in the original swing-dance era, many dancers would don a floral A-line style dress throughout a performance, Deluca breaks the mold by wearing black slacks and a stylish white top.
She and her partner are definitely not afraid to expand the definition of what it means to swing dance.
As it turns out, that is all totally okay the judges as well.
At one point, Morris even pretends he is singing using DeLuca’s hand as a microphone. The pair is super creative, which in addition to their smooth moves is probably the main reason the judges gave them the first place title.
The way they effortlessly glide across the dance floor is nothing short of spectacular.
One of the great parts about swing dancing is that there are literally hundreds of different styles and variations.
Even though Swing is one of America’s most classic and celebrated dance genres, every dance duo has their own unique way of performing.
Morris and DeLuca’s updated and modern routine certainly proves that.
While Swing Dancing reached its peak in the early decades of the 20th century between the 1920s and 1940s, in recent years the smooth and funky dance style has definitely made a huge resurgence. It’s easy to understand why… it’s just so cool.
Really, there is no one who dances quite like these two talented people, and the video is just something you have to see for yourself.
Watch Ben Morris and Jennifer DeLuca’s full performance that won them the 2015 Capital Swing Dance competition below.
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