Showcase Winners - Benji Schwimmer & Torri Smith::2011 US Open Swing Dance Championships

[@cindelius]

And years later, I still return to this performance and am filled with the same wonder at the contrasts in movement and the musical intricacy. Thank you, Benji and Torri, for sharing such an amazing piece with us.

[@pamelasmith6758]

Still watching this 11 years later. Maybe be my favorite wcs showcase routine of all time.

[@tringu04]

This performance never gets old no matter how many times I've seen it. Puts a smile on my face every time. My absolutely favorite showcase of all time.

[@deesee708]

They're both terrific. Beautiful technique - so smooth and precise. But why I keep coming back to watch is that I love the nuances in the choreography as well as the big moves that serve the music so well. And they execute with such musicality. The music swells and you feel it. Benji wears his heart on his sleeve; he won SYTYCD because of his connection with the audience. Nigel criticized his fake mugging during auditions. Here, in his element, I say he is dancing with joy.

[@misang3730]

Masterpiece. It never gets old. Thanks for showing this stunning performance.

[@russelljenkins8412]

Competing against these two would be like going to a two on two basketball tournament and seeing Michael Jordan and LaBron James warming up.

[@andrewcbelbin]

@nfomation I think many dancers today may be flirting with the audience, as you say, but I believe that Benji is actually enjoying himself and the movement that much! Every dancer has experienced at least moments of that kind ecstasy, and he embodies that feeling with every single step or movement. That smile is completely genuine!

[@caroleerowan530]

I could watch Beni dance everyday. He is so talented.

[@anniebeen8842]

Fall 2022 came across this poetry. Very smooth, very very smooth.

[@marysibayan1]

great dancers. watched this over and over again.

[@billengles7485]

I can't count the number of times I've watched this. Stunningly beautiful.

[@michaeldeane9029]

Absolute perfection...

[@corbentx]

Brilliant and breathtaking performance. This is why I dance

[@mostguitarswins]

Great connection, amazing moves, seamless transitions 👏👏👏👏

[@Pam0284]

If I ever see this in person I'm going to cry like a baby

[@JavJav1418]

I loved Benji on SYTYCD but damn, seeing him do his thing, in his own element is just... Beyond words. This was awesome. Benji and Tori, it just can't get any better.

[@amonly]

Wow, this is taking WCS out of the box (slot) and into more expressiveness and creativity. Love the fluidity and music. Have really enjoyed seeing you develop Benji- as a dancer and artist, congrats to your partner too!

[@vanesa.1]

Every time I see this video, feel the same strong sensations ♥️

[@frty9erfanatic]

All I can say is WOW. Absolutely loved it. So wish I was like 30 years younger... I would have loved to learned to dance like this. What an insperation to all dancers out there. Just amazing!

[@JuanRuizBachata]

I just saw this performance again... ahhhh.... breathtaking!

[@SwingoutScott]

@andrewcbelbin Yeah. It looks a lot like an evolved Lindy Hop. This is where dance should be heading, especially WCS if they want to open up to more music and move away from the groove and tick/boom sound that it developed with. Truly beautiful!

[@catherinedochez3965]

Absolument merveilleux. Benji, c'est comme un rêve quand je te vois évoluer et te servir de la musique. Tory, la danseuse rêvée ❤

[@tiffany01018]

Absolutely incredible to watch this. They really compliment each other. Got chills watching it!

[@ThaiLifeSociety]

Oh My God. I found this clip by chance. I do not know what is swing but this video is really make me smile and I want to learn how do swing dance .lovely couple indeed.

[@josephcharlesworby1993]

They make it look so easy like if you could do it the moves are so smooth

[@andrewcbelbin]

It is amazing how well they blend the lifts and tricks into the dancing; rather than breaking from the dance in order to do something acrobatic, they truly make it part of the dance! Also, I believe the music is "Love Story Meets Love Story", by Jon Schmidt, though the middle is taken out.

[@chloeflowers-3967]

It's Taylor Swift

[@kelcorbett]

That was SUPERB dancing. Just lovely lovely balance. Great timing and spins. Beautiful committed aerials at speed. Benji is every girls dance partners dream-isnt he?? Hes just soooo Good. Torri is just a beautiful dancer!!!!She just maintains great balance in spins and lifts. And their presentation to the audience is smick!!! Ohhhh _im just gonna watch that again....:-)

[@austinthaijam7009]

love this acrobatic style of west coast

[@ChristinWilsey]

benji's dancing is just mind blowing

[@ATDreamsofdance]

It's so great and refreshing to see them dance again.

[@coachelefort]

That trick at 1:30 mark was just awesome....great dance, but that one move was stunning!

[@mrsmjackson1]

I was there. Cant get enough of BS. Brilliant dancing.

[@marlenewelliver5522]

ditto how do they do such timing

[@my2cents2u]

They are so amazing, and this is my favorite TS song. She has come such a long way since then, and I really love to watch her and her hubby dance WCS together. So magical.

[@soaringeagle6918]

AMAZING!! Seamless gracefulness! I give it a thousand thumbs up!! :)

[@markbib28]

These two look as if this was the most fun they could possibly be having. Incredible Routine!

[@slam5]

He has his dad's dancing genes alright, Buddy used to dance like this and he improved it.

[@Ruud_Brouwer]

I Love the part @ 2:25 where (I think) they mirrow a very short part of the routine by Jordan & Tatiana on Viva La Vida :D

[@Dorofeev0]

How INCREDIBLY beautiful you are! you are the loveliest dancing couple in the world. Believe me, i've seen many)

[@porterhouse1974]

I think he would be a great pro on DWTS

[@pouetgiigle4178]

My favorites dancers with one of my favorite band (The Piano Guys)... Heaven is not a lie

[@blineker]

Coreografia linda demaaaaaaaaissssss!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@ninjaballerina007]

beautiful, it was as if they were flying

[@saerince]

@hatnguyen87 I think it's still viva la vida but "slightly" modified, if you pay attention you can hear the notes of the introduction. As to tell you who composed this new interpretation of viva la vida, i'm afraid i can't, sorry :)

[@Artur_Martins]

Great musicality! Clap, clap, clap!

[@IsaacRowntree]

Brilliance interspersed with sheer annoyance. WCS guy dancers *really* need to stop flirting with the camera/audience. Where's your masculinity? Also please stop making those stupid grimaces/smiles.

[@SwingoutScott]

@andrewcbelbin yeah, it looks a lot like an evolved Lindy Hop. This is where dance should be heading, especially WCS if that want to move from that groove and "tick/boom" sound that WCS is based on.

[@ErwinTheBolocBoloc]

Watching From The Philippines! 🇵🇭 🇵🇭

[@alinassi]

This WCS routine is just beautiful.

[@Lyuzifer]

Красиво танцуют, музыка хорошая, но как то все вместе странно и непонятно. То ли танцевать помедленней надо, то ли музыку пошустрей.

[@sugarstandard]

@andrewcbelbin I think its the instrumental version of a coldplay song, though I can't remember which one right now...

[@denuvien]

Is youtube being wierd or is the audio remixing off just a tiny bit? I'm assuming they didn't dance off time...

[@halbenhahn]

Beautiful music, extraordinary choreo and very talented dancers! Greetz from Germany!

[@ewa2034]

Putz ... mto bom ... simplesmente lindo !

[@atomicchick061]

these 2 are something else. BEAUTIFULLY AMAZING

[@WestCoastSwinger]

I know it's apples to oranges, but I liked this a little better than the J&T classic routine.

[@sherridoub2931]

Love her outfit....but how in the world did she keep those low rise pants up?

[@BRaffertyable]

Just out of curiosity, why does Benji seem to switch partners so often?

[@thouinjc]

Actually the all song sounds like "Love Story" by Taylor Swift.

[@IX19UT8O]

Beautiful dancing but I still like him with Heidi Groskreutz.

[@JosephWatersSD]

It's "love story" (Taylor Swift) until 2:25 then it's Vida La Vida. The performance sounds similar to "Alvin Soo on Piano - Love Story meets Viva la Vida Cover" (Search for it on KZbin) not sure if that's actually what they're dancing to though.

[@booksmart8]

her shirt was made with one sleeve hanging off the shoulder

[@Pikatrainer2]

beautiful....

[@sophiadw]

This's my all time favorite in wcs

[@Theckonestroh]

This is when becareful u have lived ur dream and people will try to steal away ur dream. U have to work hard then ever to keep ur dream alive. I think his body language says he loves dance. Dance move along can he follow is the question. I think he is a great preformer. We may move into rock era, rap era or a Instrumental era. He needs to protect his ability and work on the changes in decades if he wants to stand as Icon of Dance.

[@Doppelreiter82]

@andrewcbelbin I think in between in this Piano/Instrumental Cover is Coldplay - "Viva la vida" which was used by Tat & Jordan for a routine in 2009, it also looked like they used some of their moves to get the connection done (2:17 following) but even when there is a competition between all the WCS dancer, there is also a kind of friendship (I hope so) and that is what makes such parts really fun to watch!

[@gabrielenaujalyte]

i'm definitely not a hater, but... at times the choreography and the music does not go together. I mean piano music and ass shaking (1:02)... seriously? adore the technique but choreo is improper for the Jon Schmidt's cover

[@RubyRedDances]

Definitely lots of interesting moments here, but the face attitude of the performers does not match the emotion of the music. Tori is a little more subtle, but Benji just can't seem to wipe that show-man smile off his face and it kind of destroys the feeling that they seem to be going for. I remember when Nigel busted him for that back on season 2 of SYTYCD, but I guess he never got the message.

[@idontnoapassword]

With all honestly i wasn't very impressed. Don't get me wrong it was a very amazing routin ebut i personally don't like routines in west coast swing because they tend to lack the emotion within the dance. I prefer to watch jack and jills over the average routine anyday. It's just my personal take on west coast swing routines. very few seem to impress me,

[@JosephWatersSD]

Looks like it's Jon Schmidt, though the Alvin Soo performance sounds very similar...

[@purnelljd]

Nice dance, but SAD COSTUME CHOICE! Very unflattering and not suited to the stage.

[@kmburkezoo]

I agree - the dancing is beautiful, and so is the music, but it looks like the music was grafted on after the fact instead of used to create their choreography.

[@XSStrings]

it's "love story" for sure. I found a lot of it a really cheezy and too zany for the song. Fabulous dance quality, lifts, and tricks, but I found mood was off.

[@mormonchristiangirl]

@andrewcbelbin I think the song is actually called "Love Story Meets Viva la Vida"... :) There's definitely Coldplay in there... :)

[@ylekiote99999]

That was phenomenal. Thank you for sharing your incredible gifts. My spirit soars when I watch this.

[@LucioUghi]

@MrCinderelladance si è vero...peccato che qui in italia la west coast swing non è conosciuta .... bisogna provvedere!! :)

[@vision40]

I love this video. The dancing is amazing. But, for gods sake Benji, the cheeseball smile isn't needed 24/7. That lift at 1:30 is unrreal.

[@VaporificLilo]

2:24 That music change is Viva La Vida (Jordan and tat's music) and they do the EXACT same moves J+T do at the beginning of their routine! Check it out! ^_^

[@mariaashot5648]

Wow! Amazing moves... Great music, thanks for putting so much thought into all you do!

[@quantumnature514]

Beautiful!

[@toycanon]

It is magical - why did I give up on my lessons. I think this is the music Jon Schmidt - Love Story Meets Viva La Vida

[@Emsgems613]

Does anyone know the song that is playing? I know I know it but I just can't think of it!

[@ybranger1]

John Schmidt "Love story meets viva la vida"

[@TimTurnerMusic]

Monica is right... Bt what you're thinking of is Taylor Swift - Love Story

[@firephreek]

They are both absolutely remarkable dancers, but I can't help but feel like they're dancing to an entirely different song.

[@LamarDL]

@denuvien I bet globaldancetv laid the soundtrack on top of the dance so you would hear the song well,, but it does make it seem a hair off.

[@theresawilloughby9884]

That was Beautiful

[@vickypapola2081]

The best I have seen yet. And to haters of this video if you dont like the video then why talk about.

[@RushatiMukherjee]

Omg it's so good to see his adorable smile again

[@sn4rl]

@thouinjc And it is...

[@HVibeke]

O..M..F..G...I cant believe how fluenty that was!?!? I..just dont have words..

[@UniteForgetLeftRight]

Mormons are so cool, all smiles all the time almost makes me want to move to Utah and convert.......but not quite.

[@yonnyboy3]

wowwww

[@EmilyHull443]

I love this routine so much if you look closely you can see my dad with glasses and a blue shirt on and I know them in real life thay are so nice and funny

[@hogtrot1777]

She's one of my favorites but Dam that boy can dance. I wonder if they made any mistakes.

[@ErwinTheBolocBoloc]

400k views?

[@davidmyres8465]

❤️

[@anthonyt.384]

Holy shit

[@bubles929]

Its kinda sad that i am singing the lyrics of the piano in my head while in aww watching them

[@bobbyjustbobby1]

not too bad

[@RKdeptuy]

swerve

[@tiffany01018]

@amonly I couldn't agree more.