Dean Collins (born Sol Ruddosky; May 29, 1917 – June 1, 1984) was an American dancer, instructor, choreographer, and swing dance innovator. He is widely credited with bringing the Lindy Hop from New York to Southern California and significantly influencing the development of West Coast Swing. Collins appeared in over thirty films and performed both live and on television.
Biography
Collins grew up in Newark, New Jersey, where he began learning to dance at the age of 13 from his two older sisters. He participated in amateur dance contests across New Jersey
Collins moved to Los Angeles in 1936. During the day, he worked as a janitor at Simon's Drive-In Diner, and at night he danced at the Diana Ballroom and Casino Gardens. Concerned that his Jewish surname might hinder his career, he adopted the name "Dean Collins" from a wallet he found.
Over his career, Collins danced in or choreographed nearly forty Hollywood films. Notable appearances include Hellzapoppin'<nowiki/> (1941), Dance Hall (1941), Playmates (1941), Buck Privates (1941), Ride 'Em Cowboy (1942), Springtime in the Rockies (1942), The Talk of the Town (1942), Always a Bridesmaid (1943), Kid Dynamite (1943), Junior Prom (1945), and Living It Up (1954).
In the 1950s and 1960s, Collins taught swing dancing in Los Angeles. His students included notable figures such as Shirley Temple, Joan Crawford, Cesar Romero, Abbott and Costello, Jonathan Bixby, Sylvia Sykes, Lila Desatoff, and Arthur Murray.