Ryan Boz and Alexis Garrish make quite a pair. But in 2016, they weren’t spending their time on your average teenage pursuits, rather, they were preparing for the Young Adult Division of the U.S. Open Swing Dance Championships in Burbank, California.
They won that competition that year, even though they had been partners for less than 12 months, and Boz’s mother uploaded the video in 2016 and since then it has been viewed over 2.2 million times!
In 2017, USOpenSwing posted a video nearing half a million views in which they won yet again!
Quite the pair
Boz hails from Raleigh, North Carolina while Garrish is from Damascus, Maryland. And while they’ve both been dancing since they were just 5 years old – likely thanks to their respective mothers both being dancers as well, ones who competed against each other in the past! – their backgrounds are quite different.
Boz started off in an eclectic mix of hip hop, Shag, and West Coast Swing and at one point ranked 3rd in the Cabaret Division at the US Open. According to the video caption, he’s also a professional actor, appearing on television shows such as “Revolution,” “Sleepy Hollow,” Secret and Lies,” “Vice Principles,” and “Powers.”
Garrish has studied tap, jazz, ballet, lyrical, and hip hop before competing in country dancing. She is also “a 5 time 8 dance World Champion to include 2step, Polka, Triple 2, Nightclub, Cha, Waltz, East Coast & West Coast Swing,” and “one of the youngest highest-ranking West Coast swing Dancers in the World.”
At the time of their performances, both dancers were in high school.
The 2016 performance
In their award-winning routine, the two take the stage with big smiles and decked out in glimmering costumes.
With flexibility and balance, their fancy footwork betrays some of their hip hop background. But it bring something fresh and new to the traditional swing dance style.
Twirls, pivots, and patterns are all flawlessly executed, but it’s the chemistry that caught our attention. And it’s rumored that they’re now a couple outside of competitions.
The choreography is truly unique as is the song choice – “Shut Up and Dance” by Walk the Moon – which doesn’t sound like your typical swing dance tune.
Keeping up momentum
Once again donning glittery black outfits their 2017 performance started with the statement:
“This is a tribute dance to those that came before us.”
They grab hands and begin their flawless execution of choreography set to the song “Fever” by Elvis Presley.
Then the music changes to a cover of Jackie Wilson’s “Baby Workout” as the teenagers show off various styles of swing dance to prove they’ve got the moves – and then some!
The reaction
Their 2017 performance won them high praise from YouTube viewers as well as the judges.
“I feel like i’ve turned into the screaming girl in the stands that screams “iloveyou!!”. You both are more then amazing. I love watching you guys. Edit: Watched and fell in love with the 2015&2016 before this one. 1000% loved those too,” gushed one person.
It’s clear these two teens have a lot of fans!
Be sure to scroll down below to see both performances, first from 2016 then from 2017 and see what all the fuss is about.
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
