John Lindo breaks stereotypes of what a dancer should look like, but that hasn’t stopped him from being one of the most famous swing dancers.
According to his website, John got his start with country-western dancing in 1992. From there, he moved onto the West Coast swing circuit, where he quickly made a large impression.
In a very short period of time, he earned awards and championships for Strictly Swings, as well as Jack-and-Jills. He even has first-place awards for the Grand Nationals, U.S. Open, and Phoenix Champion of Champions.
Over the decades, John has continued to be involved in dancing, proving that this is his true passion. People around the world seek him out for experience as well as teaching. In fact, his website states that in just the last year, he’s traveled to at least five countries for dancing, either performing or teaching. When not traveling, John lives in New Jersey, where he has a very influential presence on the West Coast swing scene in New York City.
Reading about John’s fame in the world of West Coast swing can only tell you so much; to get a feel for what he can do, take a look at some of his dancing.
This video is from several years ago, but it was the dance that earned John and his partner, Deborah Szekely, the title of first place in a West Coast swing Jack and Jill competition.
Right from the start, both John and Deborah get their feet moving incredibly quickly, showing off plenty of attitude as they dance. John leads Deborah on numerous twirls without fail, and she goes down into the splits. It is clear that their energy made the audience excited, as you can see other competitors clapping along.
The series of spins Deborah does closer to the end of the dance routine will make you dizzy just watching, but it really shows that she chose the right shirt – its fringe is an endless swirl around her.
John also uses social media to keep everyone up to date on his dance adventures and increase interest in West Coast swing.
His Facebook page is a good source for photos and videos, including of Liberty Swing Dance Championships, which John runs. The competition takes place every year, and winning it is perhaps the highest honor in the world of West Coast swing.
For those who are in the West Coast swing scene and looking for music to dance to, John also posts his bi-monthly choices for song picks on his website, along with the occasional picks on his Facebook page. Suggestions in September and October 2017 include plenty of modern songs, including “River” by Charlie Puth and “Love Love Love” by Tina Campbell.
Because of his dancing skills and knowledge, it is never a surprise to find John dancing or working with beautiful women who are just as flexible as he is.
John proves that you don’t need to look a certain way in order to have an incredible sense of rhythm and moves that make it impossible for your audience to look away. What is truly impressive is that even in one of the careers that are the most body conscious, John excels and is frequently regarded as the most successful male.
He is a member of the most important West Coast swing organizations, including the World Swing Dance Council, the National Association of Swing Dance Events, the Youth America Swing Dance Association, and Rising Star Tour. Today, he still dances as well as coaches, teachers, judges, choreographs, and DJs for swing dancers.
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