BOCA RATON, Fla. — Watch “America’s Got Talent” on Tuesday night on WPTV and you might see South Florida’s beloved “Tommy Socks” again. The 85-year-old originally danced into the hearts of viewers in his performance of NBC’s show “Little Big Shots: Forever Young” a few years ago.
Tommy Sylvester has been dancing for decades to almost every genre of music. His grandson posted a video of the moves on YouTube and it caught the attention of show producers.
“I’ve done a lot of things, Ashleigh, since I was a teenager, and this is probably the highlight of them all. And so many people got to see me and are very complimentary, which is the best compliment I can get. That I made them smile, you know,” he said.
He wears socks while dancing so his body can slide and move easily across the floor. He was injured at a dance club and learned his lesson. Now, he dances and swims to keep in shape so he can display his moves without hesitation.
“As far as dancing, I’m just dancing three days a week. Probably around 15 minutes every day. And now I’m back in the pool doing my laps to keep in shape too. Now, I only go in the summer when it’s hot,” he said.
Tommy Socks hopes South Florida will tune in to watch one of his all-time favorite shows, and perhaps catch a glimpse of his moves.
“That’s the best compliment I can get. I made them happy,” he said.