Alexander Schweitzer is an eighth grader who attends the Wisconsin Dells congregation of UCG and lives with his grandparents, Jim and Shirley Buckmaster in Waunakee, Wisconsin. About six years ago Alex was watching a televised program with his grandmother Shirley on PBS about children learning ballroom dancing. Alex asked his grandmother, “Can I do that?”

Shirley researched local dance studios and found one whose owner’s passion was teaching ballroom dancing to young people. 

Alex began taking lessons and has participated several times in the Wisconsin Dancesport Championship held every year at the world-class Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The event was held April 27-May 1, 2016, with the amateur competition being held on Sunday. 

Alex has had several dance partners near his age since he began competing. This year, however, Alex competed with his instructor, Tina Freitag, as his ballroom dance partner. Tina is the owner of Fusion Dance Academy in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin.

They performed in nine separate categories: standard waltz, tango, foxtrot, Viennese waltz, cha cha, rumba, East Coast swing, samba and salsa, winning nine blue ribbons for first place in every category.