When Patrick Swayze danced with the Royale

Patrick, "Buddy" with Kathryn Krawczyk

       He sang "froggy" songs on his trusty guitar (carried all the way from Houston, Texas) with a Texan accent, and kept all enthralled on the "Bernie bus".  This old but trusty nineteen foot GM 'beauty' carried nineteen young dancers, both professionals and students to many country schools in Alleghany county (lovingly called "the boonies").  Dancing their way into the hearts of naive but hopingly future balletomanes, This troupe from the Royale Dance Theatre with guest artists from Pennsylvania Ballet Company, jostled along as six a.m. with ballet bags upon which rested turned out and tired feet.

     Patrick, or "Buddy", as he was known, was nineteen and fresh from winning gymnastic and trampoline awards and "Dancer of the year".  Randy Schwarz, a talent agent and friend of Prima ballerina Michelle Lucci saw Patrick in a competition at his mom's school (Patsy Swayze) and hustled him up to Buffalo to perform with Michelle.  She was thrilled to tour with a Texas cowboy who doubled as a delightful dance partner for six weeks.

     It was a fabulous, fun tour, going where dancing angels fear to tread.  the schools in these farming areas had small stages, no lighting, no darkened auditoriums AND NO electricity anywhere near the stage.

     On the way to this rural area south of Buffalo, son Mark, the proverbial entertainer was telling jokes between "froggy" songs, while younger son Matt snoozed under the front heater. The ten foot trailer bobbed along, barely holding on with its huge load of costumes, lighting, sound equipment, and believe it or not, our own floor. (the dancers demanded this - concrete is bad for  the knees.)

     After chugging along a bumpy, hilly ride, Mark began loading huge orange extensions into every classroom possible to set up our home-made but very effective lights.  One cannot imagine what can be done with large veggie cans, lamp cord and colored celophane.   Many of the lighting effects were better than what was produced at Shea's and Artpark in later productions!  We had fantastic lighting effects - scoops, floor lights for silhouettes, side lighting for drama and two ladder mounted slide projectors wired backstage for the first multi-media show they had ever seen.  even Shea' and Artpark wouldn't allow this nouveau idea! 

Kissing Patti Makey, the "Irish Girl in Americana.
 Looking on is mime artist/dancer Karen Lorshbough

     Patrick performed as the "cowboy" (what else? ) in Americana and a jazz dancer in a multi-media projected  work (The kids loved this). We brought huge Altec speakers with 15 inch horns connected to a giant sound system and blasted the great sound out to the four walls

     Patrick was overwhelmingly loved by principals, teachers and especially kids who were spellbound by his stunning antics on the trampoline between shows.  Little did they know he was a U.S. champ, nor did they realize he would become a Hollywood star in a few years!

     By the end of the tour, everything was held together with duct tape- including my glittering speaker's gown!
     a few weeks later, Patrick returned to perform some variations with Michelle in our June performance at Orchard Park middle school

     No one will ever forget this amazing experience.  My mom never forgot that Patrick enjoyed a luscious spaghetti dinner at her home.  (her claim to fame)

     From what I have heard from former students who work in Hollywood, he still kept his humble beginnings in his heart and held a soft spot for his first professional job here in Western New York.
     In my wardrobe of 2,000 costumes hand his ruffled blue cowboy shiirt annd in my bathroom, his coveted hair brush which he left in my car when I drove him to the airport.

Patrick Swayze and Michelle Lucci onstage with the Royale Dance Theatre

     I cherish the memorabilia, the photos, the memory of the tour, but most of all, I cherish the memory of the "froggy" songs sung with a texas accent...so do my kids.