Imagine being able to pull off a flawless dance routine with a surprise partner to a randomly chosen song. That takes some major talent!

But that’s exactly what West Coast Swing dancers have to do when they enter “Jack and Jill”-style competitions.

Michael Kielbasa and Kristen Humphrey are two talented dancers on the swing circuit who excel at this style of competition. Their impromptu routine won them first place in the invitational category at the Wild Wild Westie swing dance competition in 2015.

For the record, there are normally 7 levels for Jack and Jill competitors (“Wild Wild,” Newcomer, Novice, Intermediate, Masters, Advanced, and All-Stars), but the “invitational” category is for those who are beyond categorization.

West Coast swing relies heavily on improvisation. In competitions, there are two kinds of performances – “Strictly Swing” and “Jack and Jill.” In the first, competitors choreograph a routine with a partner to some extent, but the music is chosen at random, so they still have to figure things out as they go along. In “Jack and Jill” competitions, the partner AND the song are randomly assigned!

As you might imagine, Jack and Jill routines require two excellent dancers with good physical communication skills. Each partner has to take cues while leading or following and there has to be a level of trust so no one goes rogue.

At the end of the day, it’s still a partner dance, so you’re only as good as the person you’re paired with. And Kielbasa and Humphrey are clearly two amazing dancers.

Their award-winning 2015 performance begins with a song one might not expect from a swing dance competition – it’s “Twerk It Like Miley,” by Brandon Beal (ft. Christopher)!

But the duo takes it in stride, executing a series of dips, twists, and spins that look like they were choreographed and practiced for weeks.

Mercifully, there is no twerking.

The kinds of moves that make up the bulk of West Coast Swing become evident after about 20 seconds into the performance – and it’s wildly impressive that with just a gesture, partners can anticipate each others’ next moves.

But wait, this isn’t a one-song deal! Halfway through, the duo has to make do with a different song. With just a few seconds to take a breath, Michael Jackson’s “A Place With No Name” comes on.

And both dancers pull off some moves straight from the King of Pop – Humphrey even manages a moonwalk!

Towards the end of the performance, Humphrey pulls off some solo hip shakes that give her fellow dancers something to cheer about. (Of course, when one can be assigned a random partner at any time, it’s probably best to keep things supportive among dancers!)

Their talent makes it no surprise that the footage of their performance has been viewed over 675,000 times on YouTube alone.

As the two conclude their dance, they get a big round of applause from the audience as well – clearly, everyone knows they’re seeing the best of the best in action.

And these two look like they’re having the time of their lives.

West Coast Swing developed as a separate style in the 1960s on the west coast of the U.S. (hence the name), but it’s actually derived from the Harlem-based dance called the Lindy Hop that was popular in jazz clubs in the 1930s and 40s. It’s a style that’s open to everyone of all body types – and it looks like a heck of a lot of fun!

Be sure to scroll down to see Kielbasa and Humphrey’s winning performance.

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Source: Ksunshine07 via YouTube, Wild Wild Westie