For more than a decade, dancers from around the world have gathered every February in Munich, Germany, for the annual “Rock That Swing”festival. They attend workshops, performances, and, of course, show off their skills on the dance floor.
The Lindy hop, Charleston, and other dances from the Roaring Twenties through the ’50s are usually danced as pairs, but at the 2016 festival, attendees were treated to an extraordinary group routine at the Deutsches Theater München!
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Before we show you the video, though, let’s delve into the history of this little song and dance.
Jan Rietman, a Dutch pianist and radio and television announcer, released the single “Killer Boogie”in 1973. About a quarter century later, swing dancing extraordinaire Markus Koch came along and released a video, “Footwork Fast and Fancy,”as part of a series about swing dancing. In it, he performs a routine that he choreographed specifically for “Killer Boogie.â€
“Hold on to your hats, button your britches, and tie your shoes. This is the ‘Killer Boogie,’ with 256 beats per minute,”he says, then launches into some seriously fancy footwork!
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Your heart rate will spike just watching this guy. How does he manage to keep from tripping over himself? And in this video, it’s just him. Can you imagine the logistical nightmare when more than a dozen people get up there and try to pull off this kind of insanity without tripping up everyone else around them?
Which brings us back to the 2016 festival.
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Markus (pictured above in the dark-blue suit, front row) leads dozens of dancers through the routine and they pull it off without a hitch! It’s like watching a bunch of tap dancers or the Riverdance crew on fast-forward.
Check out the entire performance down below, but be sure to have some tissues ready because you’ll be sweating vicariously through them. Share to spread amazement!
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