National Living Legends of Dance

The National Living Legends of Dance was founded in Virginia for the purpose of giving recognition to all styles of dance across the United States.

An annual dance is held the second weekend of November during which the selections of the "Legends" will be honored and inducted.

These inductees will have been proposed by an advisory board that will have considered their contribution and influence in their particular dance style. Inductees come from across the United States. Dances include the progeny of Lindy Hop,including West Coast Swing, Texas Push and Whip, Carolina Shag,DC Hand Dance, and Florida Beach Bop.

All of those proposed will then be reviewed and voted on by the Board of Directors.

It has been suggested that each nominee be at least 55 years of age, but this suggestion may be overruled at the discretion of the Board.

Bay Area Members that have been inducted into the Living Legends are:
Ray Coker in 2005
Kay Burrows in 2005
Mike Guerrero in 2010
Bryan & Judy Fore in 2011

Johnny Williams at Reno's
From left to right Bryan Fore, Mary, Barry, Johnny Williams, Ray Coker. Click photo or link below for full sized picture.

 

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Hall of Famers - click for for full sized picture

Ray Coker - Houston, Texas

In the early to mid-60s and while attending the University of Tennessee , Ray played with a top notch Rock & Roll Band, the Pyramids. On occasion, the band backed such noted entertainers as Ike and Tina Turner and the Drifters and was the number one band for the fraternity and sorority circuit throughout the state of Tennessee. They once passed up an opportunity to add Dolly Parton to the band as a singer. Ask him about that story!

His interest in DJing came quite by accident as dance director for the Bay Area Whip Dance Club in the Houston area; dancers started looking to Ray for dance music. As an avid collector of music (owning well over 2000 CDs at that time) it was not hard for him to make the transition. The dance club purchased DJ equipment in the early 90s and Ray used that until the bug really hit in the latter part of '97. He purchased his first DJ equipment from a retiring Warren Jenny (a Hall Of Famer in his own right) and the rest is history. Ray is known locally as the Dancing DJ, and is currently Dance Director for the Bay Area Whip Dance Club of Houston, TX. Vice President - National Association of Rhythm and Blues Dee Jays. Vice President - National Fast Dance Association and Moderator for allswing DJs. Ray is a 2000 inductee into the National Boppers Hall of Fame and most recently was inducted into the National Living Legends of Dance in Virginia Beach. Ray received an award at the Grand National Dance Championships for 2006 Allswing DJ of the year.
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