Swayze's Widow: He's Dancing With Angels

Lisa Niemi Tearfully Accepted a Rolex Dance Award on Behalf of Her Late Husband, Who Started His Career as a Dancer

(AP)  Before Patrick Swayze was a film actor, a TV actor and People magazine's "Sexiest Man Alive," he was a dancer.

And so it was fitting that a huge, eclectic group of dancers gathered to honor him this week at the annual fundraiser for Career Transition for Dancers, a group that helps dancers develop new careers after age or injury forces them to halt dancing.

Patrick Swayze 1952-2009
Notebook: Patrick Swayze
Patrick Swayze Dead

Swayze had been chosen as this year's honoree well before his death in September of pancreatic cancer at age 57. His wife of 34 years, Lisa Niemi, seemed to tear up as she accepted the Rolex Dance Award on his behalf, telling the crowd her husband was now "dancing with the angels."

Monday's event at New York's City Center featured a huge variety of dancers of all types: ballet, modern, tap, jazz, salsa. Among the highlights: the "Stars and Stripes" pas de deux by Ashley Bouder and Andrew Veyette of New York City Ballet; the synchronized tap-dancing of the Lombard Twins; excerpts from Bob Fosse's "Dancin"'; and a salsa performance by unheralded youngsters Alexandra Gutkovitch, 10, and John Gaylan, 14, that brought down the house.

Swayze is best known for his roles in the popular films "Dirty Dancing" and "Ghost," but his first professional job was as a dancer for Disney on Parade. He studied with the Harkness Ballet Company and then the Joffrey Ballet before joining the Eliot Feld Ballet as a principal dancer.

He also starred as Danny Zuko in the Broadway production of "Grease" before achieving sudden stardom as dance instructor Johnny Castle in "Dirty Dancing."

[dastib]

i just don't think he is dancing with anyone'' when you die you go to Hell or Heaven'' most poeple goe to Hell acording to the Bible Broad is the way of destructon'' people are going to Hell like never before'' people are going in numbers the The Bible says in the last day's Hell will enlarge it's self'' people are dieing in numbers!!!!!!!!!!!!

[harykal]

I like this man's dancing.he was a great actor and nice man.

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[formrusmcsgt]

"...telling the crowd her husband was now "dancing with the angels."

Why do people always make mushy non-sensical statements like this when referring to the deceased?

I hope when I'm done, they'll say "He was an honorable man", not silly postulations about a spiritual state that no mortal could possibly have direct knowledge about.

[formrusmcsgt]

"...telling the crowd her husband was now "dancing with the angels."

Why do people always make mushy non-sensical statements like this when referring to the deceased?

I hope when I'm done, they'll say "He was an honorable man", not silly postulations about a spiritual state that no mortal could possibly have direct knowledge about.