Improvisation requires a different level of confidence.
When two Champion dancers are partnered up at random, it takes everything to a whole new level. Anything could happen, and when Ben and Tessa join hands to do a little West Coast Swing, the sparks fly.
Ben Morris is a Champion Lindy Hopper and a two time World Swing Dance Champion. Morris travels the world to compete and teach. After graduating from UCLA, he now teaches dance at several Southern California colleges.
He pulls out all the stops in this improvised dance with Tessa Cunningham.
Tessa Cunningham is a champion West Coast Swing dancer. this super talented lady is ranked number one in Canada and second in the world. Her regular dance partner is Myles Munroe and together, they tour, teach, perform, and compete in dance events worldwide
With tons of trophy’s and years of experience, she makes it look so effortless.
Countdown Swing Boston
Ben and Tessa are at the annual Countdown Swing Boston. This is a premier Swing Dance competition and the weekend event is filled with some of the best dancers in the world.
They describe the dance weekend on their site.
“We hope to create a relaxing, fun event, one in which you make new friends, create memories with old ones, and dance.”
West Coast Swing is a partner dance that sprang from the Lindy Hop.
It was in Harlem 1928 with the dance “characterized by an elastic look that results from its extension-compression technique of partner connection and is danced primarily in a slotted area on the dance floor.” That’s according to Wiki.
That means dance partners swing away and then return together in a confined space on the dance floor. Like rubber band only way more graceful.
Mix & Match is a highlight.
One of the events spectators look forward to is the Mix & Match competition. Dancers are partnered up at random and judged on their improvisation skills. These two meet on the dance floor and instantly a strong spark is developed.
Impressive Improvisation
What’s really exceptional about this dance is the ease at which these two took to being paired up. There was no practice and they didn’t get to choreograph their moves beforehand. This is completely improvised. Ben and Tessa have never danced together. Until this one.
These two move to the music like they’ve been dancing together for years. When the lyric mentions high heeled shoes, they feature that in the dance. Ben and Tessa improvise so well that they even put interpretive dancing in the mix.
It takes years of experience and pure skill to improvise under so much pressure.
YouTubers are expressing how the video stunned them.
“There is nothing sexier than a good dancer.”
“You mean this is improvisation??? That is awesome!”
Watch the video below and prepare to be dazzled by the impressive dance moves that were completely improvised on the spot.
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