|
|
Stage Name |
Birth Name |
| Kenny
Wetzel |
Kenneth
Wetzel |
|
---Kenny Wetzel started dancing as a teenager in east Saint Louis,
IL. Kenny would become the best swing dancer in all of Illinois,
dancing with his sister. He was known as the 'King of Flying Lindy'
and the 'St. Louis Shag',
THERE WAS and IS NONE ANY BETTERthan he, he was amazing even in his 60's. Those whoHe would also
excel in Latin dancing in the 1950's.
|
---Kenny came to California in the 1950's and settled in Glendale,
CA. with his mother, sister and nephew Mike. Here he would meet
many swing dancers and start teaching for the Arthur Murray studios
in Glendale and later Palm Springs.
---
Kenny
was well versed in all styles of dance and would win many Dance
& Swing Contests including the Harvest
Moon Ball. Kenny was also a Champion Golden Gloves Prizefighter
who would work with Sonny
Listonas well as a successful comedian who also worked with Lenny
Brucefor many years which you could see in his brand of 'colorful comedy'.
Later, Kenny would hold many dances
and would be one of the very first DJ's to spin records for dancers
here in the United States starting in the 1960s.
Kenny would hold his very first swing dance, with he as
D.J. at the Legendary "Staircase" in Downey CA. This
would prove to be his special calling in life as no one could
spin music as well as Kenny. Kenny
probably did more to keep swing dance alive than any other human,
through his Dancing, Choreography, Teaching, Emceeing, DJ'ing
and support of all who danced or competed. Kenny is mainly known
for his swing dance formats but many don't realize he DJ'ed many
other types of dance venues as well such as Hustle and Latin dances
in the 1960s and 1970s. Kenny Choreographed many winning swing
dance routines for some of the best names in the swing dance world
such as Mary Ann Nunez and Lance Shermoen, Jim Fisk and Sharlott
Jansen-Bott, Eddy Vega and Lisa Nunziella, Robert Cordoba and
many more.
AS A LEADER IN THE SWING DANCE
COMMUNITY Kenny formed the Rebels
Swing Dance Clubin Orange County with Dino Restlli and Al White in 1972 and later
joined Sonny Watson in many nightclubs in the Los Angeles area.
Kenny's Club was so popular that other clubs throughout the country
would franchise with Kenny on his club name. Kenny was emcee /
or DJ to almost all swing events throughout the country as well
as the U.S. Open Swing Dance Championships for 18 years. Kenny
supported everyone who was into dancing and knew just about everyone
as well in the dance community.
Kenny
semi-retired in November of 1998 after DJ'ing and MC'ing for over
25 years. Kenny passed away due to a brain tumor in March of 2000
at the age of 71. Kenny is missed by many who knew him well and
those who never knew him unknowingly benefit from Kenny Wetzel's
life in dance today. |