Photo Op: The Robertson Dancer
Yes, this is indeed the Robertson Dancer you feared it might be when you saw the headline. No, I don’t know his name or story either. Yes, please do approach him and ask him why. Why. WHY!!!?*
If you’ve ever driven down Robertson through the heart of LA during the last few years, you have seen this man. His cart is parked on the east side of the street, a mere few yards from the acclaimed Michel Richard Patisserie. While you sit steaming in traffic, late as hell with coffee stains on your slacks, a scant few yards away he dances, struts, stretches, flexes and performs all manner of silly in pink-and-black spandex, every day, from dawn to dusk, mumbling sweet nothings to his reflection in a store window halfway between Third and Burton Way. You’ve seen him more times this year than your own mother, for the love of pete, so here it is: your very own losanjealous postcard suitable for printing, framing or sending via US postal, provided you add the proper postage. Greetings to the gang back home from Robertson and Third. Look at the fancy dancer. Go, fancy dancer, go!
*Approach at your own risk. One of my agents attempted to glean information and Robertson Dancer was apparently not having it.
Bonus photo:
Bubble vendor, Melrose Hill
Got a photo the world needs to see? Submit it to ryan@losanjealous.com for photo of the week consideration. Local photos only. No relocation budget.
Oh Christ! That guy again?
Indeed it is that guy again. The folks at Losanjealous have captured him on film in all of his Robertson Danciness. Yes, it’s the Robertson Dancer. Back when I worked near Robertson I’d see this guy on a daily basis….
[...] I wonder of Fancy Dancer. My father would look good on rollerblades.[...]
[...] Related: The Robertson Dancer See More In Photo Op | Print This Post [...]
We called him the Robertson Dancing Ninja and he’s been there since at least 1997. Once I saw him loading his shopping cart into a Beverly Hills Cab handicap van with a wheelchair lift. Rumor has it, the guys a trustafarian.
I saw him there almost every day 1999-2003.
The rumor I heard (and enjoyed) was that he is a former Broadway/Hollywood choreographer who went all Norma Desmond when they stopped doing intensive song and dance musical productions, thus making his services no longer necessary. He couldn’t stand the strain and he cracked up. He dances on that particular portion of street because he KNOWS that the studio executive that fired him is forced to drive by there every morning, where Dancer will taunt him with intense roller-boogie moves. Human imagination is a wonderful thing.
I grew up in the Fairfax area, and remember this guy in the eighties…well, I am guessing this is the same guy, except he wore rollar skates instead of rollerblades
I see him all the time. He’s mentally ill. He’s been out there for about 30 years. He does have a trust fund.
Some asshole is making shirts with his picture. Let me know how it goes if someone in your family ends up with schizophrenia. Lots of laughs!