Profiles


Dancer
Dancer-B-boyer

Name: T-Swift
DOB: 4/10/74 (Aries)
Hobbies: dancing, soccer, basketball, weight lifting, traveling
Love/Passion: dancing
Favorite Clubs: Shelter (Speed) - NYC, Saturn (no longer in existence) - Philly, Shampoo - Philly
Signature Move: "Valez To Windmill"
Favorite DJs: Tony Humphries, Little Louie Vega, MAW (Masters At Work), Eddie Matos
Favorite Songs: "Little Girl " - Viola Sykes (and remix), "Finally" - Kot
 

Future Plan: Continue dancing, improve b-boying skills and power moves Improving house skills and incorporate all disciplines into one style. He also wants to pass dancing onto his kids (if and when he has them).

Interview and Notes

T-Swift is a very open-minded dancer with versatile style on the floor. Always giving credit before anyone else can, and always taking advice from other dancers. When you see T-Swift dance, he is always trying his best in giving all he can do. Check out his different styles while he combines them into one artistic style. This is a true dancer.

T-Swift considers himself as a b-boyer. He dances House, Capoeria and some salsa. He dances to Deep House and Hip-Hop.

Q: Who was your biggest influence?
A: "My parents, the dancers at my high school and various dancers at the clubs, Fizz, Kaboom, Pulsations, 1415, Saturn, Egypt, and Shampoo."

Q: Who/Where do you get the most respect from?
A: "I'd say I get the most respect in clubs when someone forms a circle and I get to showcase my skills."

Q: How did you get to your level and area of dancing?
A: "I've been involved with dancing pretty much my entire life. The earliest instances I can recall which greatly influenced me into dancing were when I was in elementary school every New Years Eve. My parents would always invite their friends for dance parties and when I woke up and came downstairs, I was always welcomed by the crowd and encouraged to show my stuff. Of course at that age I just made up things off the top of my head, what I thought was cool and whatever. I did get cheers. I'd say those New Years Eve parties helped me get my confidence at an early age in dancing in front of a crowd. During high school, I would always tear it up at the dances and earn my respect. I picked up a lot of different moves from other dancers at the dances and also at clubs in the Philly area such as Fizz, Pulsations, and Kaboom, It was from those clubs that I got into the dance known as House. When I went to Pitt University for college I continued to dance House and freestyle and also performed cultural dances for ISA (Indian Student Association), which was particularly interesting since it opened me up to a different flavor. It was several years later at a club called Milkbar in South Jersey that I came across these young b-boys who where quite good for their age. At that point I entered the b-boy scene and added some power to my dance style. I also joined a club in my new school, Drexel, called DMADU (Dance and Music Association of Drexel University) and entered b-boy battles, which really helped to improve my skills. Not too long ago I moved to the North Jersey area and losing touch with the b-boy scene, I was unable to maintain b-boying at the same level. However, I took up salsa dancing and have been building skills in that arena. I've hit several salsa clubs in the NYC area including Copacabana, which has the most incredible dancers I have ever seen. Although I very much enjoy salsa, I miss the days of b-boying and house and would love to return to the scene, maybe even incorporating salsa into my style. Regardless of what kind of dancing I do, I will always continue to dance since it has and will always be a major part of my life."

Q: What are some techniques that you use dancing and in taking it to another level?
A: "Every dancer has a certain skill set. However, what I do to take my dancing to the next level is to dance to the point where I have lost touch with all my problems and worries. Once I reach this point, I am able to use the skills I have to come up with crazy combinations of power and style and perform them with consistency, high energy, and smooth transitions. So in taking my dancing to another level, I must become hypnotized by the music to the point where I don't care how tired or sore I become in order to dance my ass off. It is usually during those moments that I perform the best and make the best progress."

Q: What advice would you give to others on dancing?
A: "I would say have a passion for the music. In order to dance, I mean really dance, you must love the music almost to the point that it brings tears to your eyes. It is when you reach these levels of passion that you are able to break any boundaries that stand in your way and make the greatest progress in your dancing. Also, in performing well in circles, it is always good to plan some of your moves and combinations, particularly power moves, and practice them consistently. It is apparent in dancing as it is in any sport that how you practice is how you play. When you're in a circle, you will almost always do what you are most familiar with. So if you want to have a certain style, you must train your body and mind to perform the moves and combos in that style until you can perform them every time you dance, especially in front of a crowd."