It's good to be the winner--movie and tv offers for Benji
'Dance' winner gets film, TV offers By TARA MERRIN - Calgary Sun Benji Schwimmer is moving off the dance floor and on to the big screen. The 22-year-old Californian swing dancer says just minutes after he won Fox's So You Think You Can Dance 2, the film and TV offers started rolling in. "I've had two movie offers, I've had three Broadway shows approach me about joining their casts, as well as a sitcom and another comedy program that's on Fox," says Schwimmer. "One thing I just got offered, and it is a for sure thing, is playing Fred Astaire in an upcoming motion picture. I have an acting background -- I did commercials and TV when I was a younger kid, so I'm really excited." The former U.S. Swing Dance Champion says his future looks so bright, he's not sure if he's going to accept the show's main prize -- a one- year contract to dance in Celine Dion's show in Las Vegas. "I come from a swing and ballroom background and it's a contemporary show, so we are trying to see if I can work out," he says. "It would be amazing if I could -- there's a rumour I'm going to be doing a swing routine with Celine. If that's the case, I'd be ecstatic." Regardless of what he decides, Schwimmer says he's having a hard time coming to terms with what's happened to his life. Not long ago, he was severely depressed after being dumped by his longtime girlfriend (who recently asked for an autographed picture for her niece) and was obsessed with the dancers from the first season of So You Think You can Dance. "The cool thing about it is, it's kind of like you're a stalker. Let's just say I was stalking Britney Spears and she eventually married me -- that's kind of how I felt about this show. "I had been stalking the show forever and I ended up being on it -- it's a stalkers' fantasy." While all of Schwimmer's dreams are now coming true, he says, he just learned this week, he almost didn't make it on the series. "I wasn't even cast originally in the Top 20, I was an alternate -- Nigel (Lythgoe) just told me that after I won. "I guess there were contractual obligations a couple of the other competitors had, so they couldn't join the Top 20. I must have somebody looking out for me." Indeed he does. Schwimmer shocked many Dance fans, and himself, when he defeated fellow finalist Travis Wall, 18, of Virginia Beach, who was not only a fan favourite, but some of the show's judges pick to win it all. "That day, I just had this horrible feeling that I wasn't going to make it, so it really did shock me when they called my name out to win," he says. On top of the chance to perform in Dion's Vegas show, Schwimmer also walked away with a $100,000 US cheque and a new SUV Wednesday. And the cash, he says, came at the perfect time. Two weeks ago, Schwimmer's family's dance studio in Redlands, burnt down, leaving his parents, Buddy (King of Swing) and Laurie, in financial ruins. "That's their source of income and bread and butter for the family," he says, adding his win means as much to his family as it does to him. "My dad was bawling, my mom was bawling and my sister was crying and she hardly ever cries. It was just an amazing experience because they've suffered a lot." And as for his cousin Heidi Groskreutz, who was also part of this season's Top 4, Schwimmer says she's couldn't be happier for him. "It really didn't matter if she had won or I had won, it's pretty much the same thing. We've been dancing together for 17 years and I wouldn't be anything without her," he says, adding all the rumours he's having an affair with Groskreutz, Wall and finalist Donyelle Jones are ridiculous. "Donyelle has a boyfriend right now -- she's a great person and very faithful -- Travis ... we are just really good friends. And Heidi is my cousin. I'm not from the Bayou so it's fine -- there's no issue there either." The third season of So You Think You Can Dance is expected to air on Fox next summer.http://jam.canoe.ca/Television/2006/08/18/1762637.html
'Dance' winner gets film, TV offers By TARA MERRIN - Calgary Sun Benji Schwimmer is moving off the dance floor and on to the big screen. The 22-year-old Californian swing dancer says just minutes after he won Fox's So You Think You Can Dance 2, the film and TV offers started rolling in. "I've had two movie offers, I've had three Broadway shows approach me about joining their casts, as well as a sitcom and another comedy program that's on Fox," says Schwimmer. "One thing I just got offered, and it is a for sure thing, is playing Fred Astaire in an upcoming motion picture. I have an acting background -- I did commercials and TV when I was a younger kid, so I'm really excited." The former U.S. Swing Dance Champion says his future looks so bright, he's not sure if he's going to accept the show's main prize -- a one- year contract to dance in Celine Dion's show in Las Vegas. "I come from a swing and ballroom background and it's a contemporary show, so we are trying to see if I can work out," he says. "It would be amazing if I could -- there's a rumour I'm going to be doing a swing routine with Celine. If that's the case, I'd be ecstatic." Regardless of what he decides, Schwimmer says he's having a hard time coming to terms with what's happened to his life. Not long ago, he was severely depressed after being dumped by his longtime girlfriend (who recently asked for an autographed picture for her niece) and was obsessed with the dancers from the first season of So You Think You can Dance. "The cool thing about it is, it's kind of like you're a stalker. Let's just say I was stalking Britney Spears and she eventually married me -- that's kind of how I felt about this show. "I had been stalking the show forever and I ended up being on it -- it's a stalkers' fantasy." While all of Schwimmer's dreams are now coming true, he says, he just learned this week, he almost didn't make it on the series. "I wasn't even cast originally in the Top 20, I was an alternate -- Nigel (Lythgoe) just told me that after I won. "I guess there were contractual obligations a couple of the other competitors had, so they couldn't join the Top 20. I must have somebody looking out for me." Indeed he does. Schwimmer shocked many Dance fans, and himself, when he defeated fellow finalist Travis Wall, 18, of Virginia Beach, who was not only a fan favourite, but some of the show's judges pick to win it all. "That day, I just had this horrible feeling that I wasn't going to make it, so it really did shock me when they called my name out to win," he says. On top of the chance to perform in Dion's Vegas show, Schwimmer also walked away with a $100,000 US cheque and a new SUV Wednesday. And the cash, he says, came at the perfect time. Two weeks ago, Schwimmer's family's dance studio in Redlands, burnt down, leaving his parents, Buddy (King of Swing) and Laurie, in financial ruins. "That's their source of income and bread and butter for the family," he says, adding his win means as much to his family as it does to him. "My dad was bawling, my mom was bawling and my sister was crying and she hardly ever cries. It was just an amazing experience because they've suffered a lot." And as for his cousin Heidi Groskreutz, who was also part of this season's Top 4, Schwimmer says she's couldn't be happier for him. "It really didn't matter if she had won or I had won, it's pretty much the same thing. We've been dancing together for 17 years and I wouldn't be anything without her," he says, adding all the rumours he's having an affair with Groskreutz, Wall and finalist Donyelle Jones are ridiculous. "Donyelle has a boyfriend right now -- she's a great person and very faithful -- Travis ... we are just really good friends. And Heidi is my cousin. I'm not from the Bayou so it's fine -- there's no issue there either." The third season of So You Think You Can Dance is expected to air on Fox next summer.