26 Facts About Ken Swift

Ken Swift was a longtime member and key figure in the Rock Steady Crew, and its former Vice President.

Ken Swift is President of the Breaklife and VII Gems Hip Hop movement in New York City.

Ken Swift began b-boying in 1978, at the age of twelve, when he was inspired by dancers on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.

Ken Swift is credited with the creation of many dance moves and terminology.

Ken Swift has several film credits to his name, including Style Wars, the first hip hop documentary, and the first hip hop major motion picture, Wild Style.

Ken Swift has since appeared on numerous music videos and documentary films on hip hop and breaking.

Ken Swift started the Young City Boys in 1978 which included Doze Green, Dante, Deno Rock, Andy, Stevie D, and Disco C among many others.

In 1996 Ken Swift co-authored, co-directed, co-choreographed and performed Off-Broadway's first hip hop musical Jam On The Groove.

In 1996 Ken Swift started a dance company called VII Gems, a company dedicated to the preservation of New York City's traditional dances, Breaking and Rocking.

Ken Swift directed and choreographed the first ever Rock Dance theater piece entitled "Rockin It" that toured 8 cities throughout the UK in May 2009 sponsored by the Breaking Convention, a Sadler Wells Project.

Ken Swift is still active and consists of members whom average over 30 years of dance experience, authentic pioneer dancers from the early years of these dances.

Ken Swift is involved in numerous dance classes, lectures, demonstrations, performances, panels, film screenings, competitions, and workshops throughout the world.

Ken Swift has participated in and judged dance competitions throughout the world in countries such as France, Switzerland, Sweden, China, South Africa, Finland, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Brazil, Venezuela, Norway, Germany, Canada, Japan, Belgium, Russia, Portugal, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the throughout the US Ken was a Scholar in Residence at New York University's Hip Hop Education Center from 2014 to 2015.

Ken Swift was appointed as an Eminent Artist in the Dance Department at University of California Riverside for the Spring of 2016 and Spring of 2017.

Ken Swift is a contributor to The Oxford Handbook of Hip Hop Dance Studies, which was published in December 2022.

Ken Swift is one of the greatest influences the dance of b-boying has known.

Ken Swift is credited with establishing movements critical to the dances' foundation with his personal style and techniques.

Ken Swift participated in the development of the accepted terminology for the form, now used by dancers and choreographers all over the world.

Ken Swift is a true pioneer recognized worldwide for his continued contributions throughout the last 41 years of promoting, performing, educating and preserving the art form.

Ken Swift continues to be a driving force in its current global culture and is continually invited to attend, judge and compete in competitions around the world.

Ken Swift received the Louis Reyes Rivera Lifetime Achievement Award presented to him at Amherst College in 1993 and a Lifetime Achievement Award from The Mighty IV, a nationally renowned annual Breaking event in North California in 2004.

In 2007, Ken Swift received an Appreciation Award from Seoul Arts College as well as a Hall of Fame Living Legend Award from the Korean Tourism Agency, which declared him as an Honorary Ambassador of Korea and positive influence on youth cultures worldwide.

In 2009, Ken Swift was awarded a Zulu Nation Achievement Award at the "Take 1" event in Belgium, as well as an Appreciation Award from Encountras las Ruas at the Joinville Dance Festival in Brazil.

In 2011, Ken Swift was voted the 2nd Most Influential Dancer of the 20th Century by CNN's Icon Series; he was the only b-boy to receive this honor, which otherwise was primarily given to ballet dancers.

In June 2013, as part of Sadler Wells' "Breaking Convention Festival" at NY's Apollo Theater, Ken Swift was honored for his contributions to the dance of Breaking which included an exclusive short dance piece entitled "Chill Town, New York".

In 2015, Ken Swift received a Living Legend of Hip Hop Award from Hip Hop International at the World Championships in San Diego.