The 5 Ring Circus

Vancouver seems to be taking its cue from the town from Footloose and banning dancing during the Olympics. Spandy Andy, local dance busker and perhaps the only non-Olympian to be wearing spandex during the Games, will not be allowed anywhere near an Olympic venue according to the fun police and the city of Vancouver. Even Translink didn’t think he was right for their Skytrain station buskers. More about that drama here.

Photo credits: Kim Ytsma

As of tonight, a group called I Heart Van Art were able to help Andy secure a busking permit, allowing him to dance in their Yaletown festival during the Games.

A little background on Spandy. Andy Rimer’s from Red Deer, Alberta, home to Winter Olympic athletes Jeremy Wotherspoon and Zina Kocher. A couple of years ago, Spandy brought his tight n’ bright, high energy dance act to Vancouver, as it likely wasn’t as well received in Red(neck) Deer.

With every robot pop n’ lock, air hump and headstand, Andy endeared himself to the passersby of English Bay and “undeared” himself to the by-law officers who didn’t know what to make of his neon white-boy  hip-hop freestyling.

Despite being named by Colgate as “Canada’s Freshest Dancer” and getting some good face time on So You Think You Can Dance Canada, it wasn’t until tonight that Andy was able to make his Olympic dream come true.

If you’re around for the Olympics, and you want to have your face melted, be sure to check out Andy’s performances, likely with a 2010 twist. He won’t be hard to miss. His Spandex Suit is brighter than Marco Buechel’s. Any ski nerds out there digging that reference? No, didn’t think so.

Follow Spandy Andy here