Reality TV > West Coast Swing Dancer Wins Fox's 'So You Think You Can Dance'
August 18, 2006
Via:
Benji Schwimmer, a 22-year-old from Redlands, Calif., was crowned the winner of the second season of the Fox's reality show, "So You Think You Can Dance" on Wednesday night.
Schwimmer was already a champion coming into the competition, having won the 2005 U.S. Open Swing Dance Championship. He learned his dance moves from his parents, Buddy and Laurie Schwimmer, who own a dance studio in his hometown.
A member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Schwimmer started a charitable non-profit organization called D.E.M.A.N.D. (Dancers Everywhere Making A Needed Difference) after completing his mission for the church in Oaxaca, Mexico. The charity helps orphans in southern Mexico as well as dancers with injuries. He hopes to continue fundraising efforts for the charity.
Schwimmer was one of four dancers who made it to the two-part finale. Last Wednesday, Heidi Groskreutz, Travis Wall, and Donyelle Jones performed along with Schwimmer in a performance episode that lasted two hours.
After the show ended, viewers called voting lines or voted on the show's official Web site for their favorite dancers. Fox said in a statement that viewers cast nearly 16 million votes.
Wednesday's grand finale results episode, which was also two hours, included performances by each of the final four as well as a reunion of finalists who were voted off the show in weeks past.
