Lots of females get to dance with their daddies at a father-daughter dance or their weddings.
But very few get to do that in a national dance championship.
Sam West and his daughter Sidney Kimble West, however, do!
And their performances not only wow the judges but also fans on the internet.
Sam started dancing when he was just 9-years-old after his mother became interested in the art.
He won two junior national titles as a junior shagger dancing with partner Terri Alerty, according to his website.
Sam went on to win all kinds of titles and championships with various partners over the years, including his sister Sarah.
He is a seven-time champion of the Carolina Shag Division in the USA Grand National Dance Championships and a three-time US Open Shap Champion. Sam was also named “Entertainer of the Weekend” three times at the Grand Nationals.
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One of those was for a country/swing routine he did with his wife Lisa who was very pregnant at the time.
The couple met in 1998 at the USA Grand Nationals in Atlanta.
Sam and Lisa, who didn’t start dancing until she was 27, won their first big title in 2010 when they were named the winners of the Sophisticated Swing Division at the US Open Championships.
The couple won lots of titles and even starred in a national TV commercial for Kayak.com. They have choreographed and taught dance all over the world on cruise ships and places like France, Spain, England, and the Netherlands. You can also buy their dance lessons online.
With such accomplished parents, it’s no wonder that Sidney followed in her parents’ footsteps. Sidney and Sam performed so well during the Professional Division Champions at the 2020 National SHAG Dance Championships that they got a standing ovation from the crowd.
“I know Sam has to be so proud to have danced with his daughter in the Nationals and they will have special memories that they will NEVER forget. While I was watching the video my eyes were leaking,” wrote on commenter on YouTube.
The dad and daughter danced to Eric Marienthal’s version of “Stand By Me.”
“Stand By Me” is a song originally performed by Ben E. King in 1961.
The song was written by King, Jerry Leiber, and Mike Stoller.
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The song was inspired by a spiritual “Stand By me Father” written by Cook and co. derived from Psalm 46:2c/3c.
The song went on to be featured in the movie “Stand by Me.”
The original version was inducted into the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress in 2014 deeming it “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” just five weeks before King’s death.
And Sydney and Sam totally did the song justice.
The best way to describe their moves is just “smooth.”
They flow like water as one unit. It’s actually quite magical to watch.
“Sam west is arguably the best shagger out there today. His smoothness and articulations on the dance floor are the best I have ever seen. I truly enjoyed this routine and interpretation of Stand by Me, just a wonderful exhibition of pure talent and joy,” one YouTuber explained.
But you’ll have to see this to believe it. Check out the video of Sydney and Sam’s performance below.
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