Dance history: Jonathan started dancing at 15 and even enjoyed being a regular dancer on American Bandstand with Dick Clark in the late 1960’s. After graduating from UCSC, he became a kindergarten teacher until he movedto Santa Barbara in 1979 to begin a dance career. By locating celebrated dancers like Dean Collins, Frankie Manning, and Maxie Dorf from the 1940’s, he and his partner, Sylvia Sykes, learned various forms of Swing and Balboa from the masters and they have been passing on this knowledge for more than three decades.
Couples Induction 2022 Bio with Sylvia Sykes https://youtu.be/iTxDXBg97V0
Jonathan Bixby and Sylvia Sykes started dancing together in 1966 when she was fourteen years old. They began competing in 1970 and teaching in 1979. They were staff dancers for the television show Shebang during the 1960s. From 1981 to 1984, they studied with the legendary, Dean Collins, who recommended Maxi Dorf for learning balboa. They were students of Dorf from 1984 to 1987. They also studied with with Balboa great, Willie Desatoff. And Lindy Hop great, Frankie Manning. Throughout his intense study they were able to move Swing forward from the 40’s and 50’s legends of the Hollywood movies. In 1985, Sylvia and Jonathan, co-founded the Santa Barbara Swing Dance Club, a twice-monthly live-music dance club that they continue to run.
Their influence and impact as a long standing swing dance duo who brought swing and Balboa to the masses is a tremendous achievement.They appeared on the television shows American Bandstand, and Gotta Dance.Jonathan and Sylvia represented the U.S. in the World Boogie Woogie Championships in Grenoble, France.They competed in the US Open Showcase Division in their early years as well as other organized swing events. While Jonathan slowed down and semi retired from his teaching travels, Sylvia continues teaching weekly classes and traveling the World to share her wealth of knowledge. Sylvia successfully crossed over into the West Coast Swing and Shag Communities during its hey day of the 80’s, 90’s and through the mid 2000’s