Seattle Mariners fan keeps his bad dance alive
Mar 23, 2015, 6:35 PM | Updated: Mar 24, 2015, 5:43 am
Robert Ruvkun still makes guest appearances during Seattle Mariners games at Safeco Field. (Image courtesy of Seattle Mariners)
(Image courtesy of Seattle Mariners)
The Mariners fan known as “Bad Dancer” never planned to be in the limelight.
Robert Ruvkun was an employee of the Kingdome in the early 90s when he began dancing during a game against the Minnesota Twins. He was encouraged to take the act out into the stands.
“And that was it,” Ruvkun said. “I just kind of kept going after that.”
In the past, Ruvkun has been asked for photos and autographs. That usually came as a surprise.
“Are you sure you want my autograph,” Ruvkun would ask. “You’re not even going to remember who the heck this is.”
But they do recognize him. Ruvkun is recognized by his Mariners fishing cap, along with those dance moves. All his dances are ad-libbed, he said.
And yes, he still wears the cap.
“I wouldn’t be seen without that,” he said.
Now a father of two, Ruvkun still dances during games. He gets the chance to share the experience with his daughters when they attend games.
“That’s the best part,” he said. “Just knowing how the kids have fun with it too.”
Ruvkun attends five to 10 Mariners game each season. Last season, he attended a game with his daughters’ class. They were all dancing.
“They were quite proud we were on the big screen,” he said.
Ruvkun was recognized for his dedication to the Mariners in 2013 when he was presented with the Mariners Fan Lifetime Achievement Award. He has been the subject of numerous YouTube videos; one reached more than 1 million hits, he said.
“That’s just crazy to me,” he said. He enjoys reading the comments under the videos, especially those that say he’s the best father for what he does.
His dancing is going beyond Safeco Field, too. Over the weekend, he was asked to dance during a school auction to get people excited about purchasing tickets, he said.
