It is the Rock That Swing Festival in Germany and Chandrae “Chanzie” Roettig and Stephen Sayer are ready to dazzle and stun their audience. And if you’ve never heard of, or simply not interested in Swing dancing, then you have to watch these two.
Those outfits are inspired from the “old school” era and for good reason. Roettig and Sayer are dancing to the 1963 hit, “The Nitty Gritty” by Shirley Ellis so it is only fitting to mix and match accordingly. If they are to slay, they will do so looking exceptional!
Chandrae is from Montana while Stephen from California and together, have been teaching Swing, Jitterbug, the Lindy Hop and other dance styles from the 1920s to great success, even winning lots of awards to back up their credentials.
From the outfits to the hair, everything screams of a bygone era when there was no internet and people weren’t so easily offended. Okay maybe that’s not so true. But regardless, Roettig even chews gum the same way a female gangster would in that period of time. She’s a looker too. Well they both are.
Their intro to the routine is very much reminiscent of the Swing era. Chanzie and Stephen hopping and side stepping to the beat, throwing in the old shoulder shake for good measure.
Those attractive faces breaking into smirks and smiles are surprisingly effective adding to the effect of the performance.
There was a movie back in 2013 called “Gangster Squad” featuring an all-star cast.
Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, Josh Brolin, Sean Penn and others featured in an American action-crime set in the 1940s.
The era of Big Band and Swing needed people to fit the look so naturally, Roettig and Sayer were recruited for roles. How cool is that?
Very cool indeed. Just look at these two go. Sharp steps, bopping heads, attitude! Even the audience is enjoying it. Hop skipping on one leg, then the other, a twist and a twirl later, got us wondering no more why these two were in that movie.
Those feet are probably running on high octane fuel. They look like pistons moving at high revolutions without tiring. And even when they slow the pace down, both dancers still exude a level of energy difficult to fathom.
The routine is a “blow-your-socks-off but stay happy doing it” kind of show and even viewers agree.
“That was beyond impressive. A terrific homage to the insanely great performance on The Judy Garland Show back in 1964. These two know what their freakin’ doing.”
Says one and here’s another comment,
“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve watched this. It just makes me happy.”
Chanzie and Stephen look and act like they are from that era and both are simply marvelous to watch.
That ballroom swing got Chanzie flying and spinning mid-air too!
The footwork, the balance, the chemistry these two have as they move together is nothing short of astonishing. It’s one thing to be able to dance, and another to capture the audiences with your look and charisma. They’re having fun together and it shows.
It is one of those memorable performances that have people going back to watch just because it is such a feel good routine.
Watch the video below and let Chanzie and Stephen do the nitty gritty for you!
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Source: YouTube, Rock That Swing
