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{{Primary sources|date=June 2007}}
{{BLP sources|date=November 2017}}
'''Sylvia Sykes''' is a [[Swing (dance)|swing]] dancer, dance instructor, judge and choreographer. In particular she is considered by most to be the leading authority on the dance [[Balboa (dance)|Balboa]].
'''Sylvia Sykes''' is an American [[Swing (dance)|swing]] dancer, instructor, judge, and choreographer. She is known for reviving the swing dance style [[Balboa (dance)|balboa]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=SYLVIA SYKES {{!}} 2002 |url=https://www.worldsdc.com/about/hall-of-fame/sylvia-sykes-2002/ |access-date=2023-04-06 |website=World Swing Dance Council |language=en-US}}</ref>


==Career==
Sylvia Sykes studied with [[Dean Collins]] and was a member of his last dance troupe. She also studied balboa with [[Maxie Dorf]] and spent years learning from the greatest [[Southern California]] balboa dancers. Sylvia is an inductee into the [[National Swing Dance Hall of Fame]], as well as the California Swing Dance Hall of Fame. She is a U.S. Open champion, was the [[NASDE]] top point winner, two time California Balboa Champion, took third place in the National Carolina Shag Dance Championships, and has won many Strictly Swing and Jack & Jill dance contests through the U.S. in [[Lindy Hop]], balboa and [[West Coast Swing]]. She was twice voted Swing Dance Teacher of the Year and is a four-time Feather Award winner as Best Female Lindy Dancer in the U.S.
Sykes and her dance partner Jonathan Bixby started dancing together when she was fourteen years old. They were staff dancers for the television show ''Shebang'' during the 1960s. She has studied with many of the dance greats, including [[Frankie Manning]], [[Dean Collins (dancer)|Dean Collins]] (1981 to 1984), Maxie Dorf (1984 to 1987),<ref name="Stevens2011">{{cite book |last=Stevens |first=Tamara |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Sk1PMHxRHAgC&pg=PA152 |title=Swing Dancing |publisher=ABC-CLIO |year=2011 |isbn=978-0-313-37517-0 |pages=151– |accessdate=21 November 2017}}</ref> and Willie Desatoff.


She has performed with [[Count Basie]], [[Glenn Miller Orchestra]], [[Artie Shaw]], and [[Les Brown (bandleader)|Les Brown]], and she has appeared on many television shows such as ''[[American Bandstand]]'' and ''[[Gotta Dance]]'' for the [[American Movie Channel]]. She also represented the U.S. in the World Boogie Woogie Championships in [[Grenoble]], [[France]] with her original partner [[Jonathan Bixby]].
Sykes has performed with [[Count Basie]], [[Glenn Miller]], [[Artie Shaw]], and [[Les Brown (bandleader)|Les Brown]]. She has appeared on the television shows ''[[American Bandstand]]''<ref>{{cite podcast |url=http://www.thetrackpodcast.com/episodes/012 |date=2016-03-22 |host=Ryan Swift |access-date=2019-06-05 |title=Sylvia Sykes |website=The Track }}</ref> and ''Gotta Dance''.


She and Bixby represented the U.S. in the World Boogie Woogie Championships in [[Grenoble]], France. She has been head judge for many national swing events as well as being a teacher on how to judge. Following the retirement of Bixby, Sykes taught in Santa Barbara, California, and at workshops around the world including [[Herräng Dance Camp]]. In August 2008, she joined Nina Gilkenson and Tena Morales in founding the International Lindy Hop Championships.
She is best known for reviving Balboa, which is rapidly gaining popularity around the world, and is a regular guest at the balboa dance camps.


==Awards and honors==
Sylvia has been the head judge for many national swing events as well as being an expert teacher on how to judge.
She is an inductee into the National Swing Dance Hall of Fame<ref>{{Cite web |title=World Swing Dance Council, Hall Of Fame |url=https://www.worldsdc.com/about/hall-of-fame/ |access-date=2024-03-04 |website=World Swing Dance Council |language=en-US}}</ref> and the California Swing Dance Hall of Fame.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.csdhof.com/hof-inductees/sylvia-sykes |title=Sylvia Sykes - California Swing Dance Hall of Fame |access-date=2019-06-04}}</ref> She is a U.S. Open champion,<ref>{{Cite web |title=All First Place Awards – The Open Swing Dance Championships |url=https://theopenswing.com/all-first-place-awards/ |access-date=2024-03-03 |language=en-US}}</ref> was the NASDE top point winner,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-04-15 |title=NASDE TOUR WINNERS - NASDE: 1995 |url=https://nasde.net/nasde-tour-champions/ |access-date=2024-03-03 |language=en-US}}</ref> two time California Balboa Champion, took third place in the National Carolina Shag Dance Championships, and won many [[Strictly Swing]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=USA Grand National Dance Competition |url=http://michaelandleann.com/GNDC/results.php |access-date=2024-03-04 |website=michaelandleann.com}}</ref> and [[Jack and Jill]] dance contests through the U.S. in [[Lindy Hop]],<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=June 24, 2014 |title=Boogie by the Bay Results, 2004 |url=https://boogiebythebay.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/bbb2004results.pdf |access-date=2024-03-04 |website=Boogie by the Bay, Competitions, Previous results}}</ref> balboa,<ref>{{Cite web |title=2003 Results {{!}} All Balboa Weekend {{!}} |url=https://www.allbalboa.com/2003-results/ |access-date=2024-03-04 |website=www.allbalboa.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=2004 Results {{!}} All Balboa Weekend {{!}} |url=https://www.allbalboa.com/2004-results/ |access-date=2024-03-04 |website=www.allbalboa.com}}</ref> and [[West Coast Swing]].<ref name=":0" /> She was twice voted Swing Dance Teacher of the Year and is a four-time Feather Award winner as Best Female Lindy Dancer or Teacher in the U.S.<ref name=":1" />


==See also==
Sylvia Sykes currently teaches with her dance partner [[Jonathan Bixby]] in Santa Barbara, CA. where they have continuously taught weekly swing dance classes for nearly 3 decades.
* [[List of dancers]]


==External links==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
*[http://www.jonathanandsylvia.com/ Jonathan and Sylvia's official website].


{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. -->
| NAME = Sykes, Sylvia
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION = American dancer
| DATE OF BIRTH =
| PLACE OF BIRTH =
| DATE OF DEATH =
| PLACE OF DEATH =
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sykes, Sylvia}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sykes, Sylvia}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American swing dancers]]
[[Category:American swing dancers]]
[[Category:American choreographers]]
[[Category:American choreographers]]
[[Category:Dance instructors]]
[[Category:American dance teachers]]
[[Category:Lindy Hop]]
[[Category:Lindy Hop]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]

Latest revision as of 05:45, 26 June 2024

Sylvia Sykes is an American swing dancer, instructor, judge, and choreographer. She is known for reviving the swing dance style balboa.[1]

Career

[edit]

Sykes and her dance partner Jonathan Bixby started dancing together when she was fourteen years old. They were staff dancers for the television show Shebang during the 1960s. She has studied with many of the dance greats, including Frankie Manning, Dean Collins (1981 to 1984), Maxie Dorf (1984 to 1987),[2] and Willie Desatoff.

Sykes has performed with Count Basie, Glenn Miller, Artie Shaw, and Les Brown. She has appeared on the television shows American Bandstand[3] and Gotta Dance.

She and Bixby represented the U.S. in the World Boogie Woogie Championships in Grenoble, France. She has been head judge for many national swing events as well as being a teacher on how to judge. Following the retirement of Bixby, Sykes taught in Santa Barbara, California, and at workshops around the world including Herräng Dance Camp. In August 2008, she joined Nina Gilkenson and Tena Morales in founding the International Lindy Hop Championships.

Awards and honors

[edit]

She is an inductee into the National Swing Dance Hall of Fame[4] and the California Swing Dance Hall of Fame.[5] She is a U.S. Open champion,[6] was the NASDE top point winner,[7] two time California Balboa Champion, took third place in the National Carolina Shag Dance Championships, and won many Strictly Swing[8] and Jack and Jill dance contests through the U.S. in Lindy Hop,[9] balboa,[10][11] and West Coast Swing.[9] She was twice voted Swing Dance Teacher of the Year and is a four-time Feather Award winner as Best Female Lindy Dancer or Teacher in the U.S.[1]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "SYLVIA SYKES | 2002". World Swing Dance Council. Retrieved 2023-04-06.
  2. ^ Stevens, Tamara (2011). Swing Dancing. ABC-CLIO. pp. 151–. ISBN 978-0-313-37517-0. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  3. ^ Ryan Swift (2016-03-22). "Sylvia Sykes". The Track (Podcast). Retrieved 2019-06-05.
  4. ^ "World Swing Dance Council, Hall Of Fame". World Swing Dance Council. Retrieved 2024-03-04.
  5. ^ "Sylvia Sykes - California Swing Dance Hall of Fame". Retrieved 2019-06-04.
  6. ^ "All First Place Awards – The Open Swing Dance Championships". Retrieved 2024-03-03.
  7. ^ "NASDE TOUR WINNERS - NASDE: 1995". 2022-04-15. Retrieved 2024-03-03.
  8. ^ "USA Grand National Dance Competition". michaelandleann.com. Retrieved 2024-03-04.
  9. ^ a b "Boogie by the Bay Results, 2004" (PDF). Boogie by the Bay, Competitions, Previous results. June 24, 2014. Retrieved 2024-03-04.
  10. ^ "2003 Results | All Balboa Weekend |". www.allbalboa.com. Retrieved 2024-03-04.
  11. ^ "2004 Results | All Balboa Weekend |". www.allbalboa.com. Retrieved 2024-03-04.
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