Jean Veloz has died at 98… dancer known for the Lindy Hop routine in 1940s Hollywood musicals
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Jean Veloz dies at 98: Old Hollywood dance sensation known for her Lindy Hop routine in the 1940s film Swing Fever passes away at her home in Los Angeles
- Veteran dancer died at her home in Los Angeles on Sunday, her representative said
- He had appeared in such films as 1943’s Swing Fever, 1943’s Jive Junction, and 1945’s The Horn Blows at Midnight.
- Veloz had an extensive career in dance, through performance, teaching, and mentoring.
Dancer Jean Veloz, known for her Lindy Hop dances, died Sunday at the age of 98 at her Los Angeles home.
He had appeared in such films as 1943’s Swing Fever, 1943’s Jive Junction, and 1945’s The Horn Blows at Midnight.
His death was confirmed the hollywood reporter by his agent and friend Rusty Frank.
The Latest: Dancer Jean Veloz, known for her Lindy Hop dances, died Sunday at 98 at her Los Angeles home, her agent said
“Jean pioneered a swing dance style that was admired around the world,” Frank told the publication. “It was silky smooth and in stark contrast to the more edgy style that was prevalent during the 1930s and 1940s.”
He added: ‘Every moment I spent with Jean was a lesson in how to live a life. His positive attitude was unparalleled, her love for people was immense.’
Frank had produced an event in 2010 titled A Tribute to the Groovie Movie, which paid tribute to Veloz and his creative contributions to his craft.
On MGM’s Swing Fever, Veloz danced to the number One Girl and Two Boys alongside a pair of military men played by Lennie Smith and Don Gallagher, to the beat of Kay Kyser’s band with singer Marilyn Maxwell.
In 2017, he appeared on NBC’s Little Big Shots: Forever Young alongside host Steve Harvey.
Veloz had appeared in such films as 1943’s Swing Fever, 1943’s Jive Junction, and 1945’s The Horn Blows at Midnight.
Veloz danced the jitterbug in Where are your children? in 1943 and she danced with Bob Ashley that year at Jive Junction. She danced with Arthur Walsh in the 1944 MGM short Groovie Movie and with Dean Collins in 1945’s The Horn Blows at Midnight, starring Jack Benny.
Veloz, whose real name was Jean Grinnell Phelps, began training with dancer Frank Veloz at one of the schools he ran with his wife Yolanda.
Veloz and the instructor later had a romantic relationship, marrying in 1963. They had collaborated on choreography projects such as 1951’s Valentino and 1953’s Latin Lovers.
Veloz, who was born in Los Angeles on March 1, 1924, had an interest in dance from his youth and had prevailed in a jitterbug competition in Santa Maria, California with his brother Raymond against 500 other dancers.
Following a contest win at Hollywood Legion Stadium, she earned a Screen Actors Guild card, which led to her being cast in Swing Fever.
She married Harold ‘Babe’ Davi in 1947, but the couple later divorced.
Veloz had an extensive career in dance, through performance, teaching, and mentoring.
Veloz also participated in multiple dance festivals, the last one in Germany at Rock That Swing in February 2020, just before the start of the pandemic.
Veloz temporarily retired from show business following the death of Frank Veloz in 1981, and in 1996, he was inducted into the California Swing Dance Hall of Fame.
In recent years, Veloz had worked on the ABC series The Bachelorette in 2016 in the role of a dance instructor. The following year, in 2017, she appeared on NBC’s Little Big Shots: Forever Young alongside host Steve Harvey.
She also participated in multiple dance festivals, the last one in Germany at Rock That Swing in February 2020, just before the start of the pandemic.
She is survived by her niece, Stacey.