Bobby Burgess

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Bobby Burgess, born Robert Wilkie Burgess on May 19, 1941, in Long Beach, California, is an American dancer and singer. He was one of the original Mouseketeers on The Mickey Mouse Club.

After Disney, Burgess became a regular dancer on The Lawrence Welk Show, where he performed for many years. He danced with Barbara Boylan from 1961 to 1967, then with Cissy King from 1967 to 1978, and later with Elaine Balden from 1979 to 1982. He also teamed up with Arthur Duncan and Jack Imel and appeared in PBS reruns in 2010.

Growing up in Southern California, Burgess started performing at age five, dancing, singing, and playing the accordion. By age 11 he had appeared in at least 75 television programs. He attended Long Beach Polytechnic High School and later Long Beach State University, where he joined the Sigma Pi fraternity. A Calcutta dance contest he entered with Barbara Boylan helped him land an appearance on The Lawrence Welk Show, which eventually became a permanent job.

In his later life, Burgess still dances on tours with Elaine Balden and runs his own dance studio to teach young students.

Personal life: He married Kristie Floren, the daughter of Welk accordionist Myron Floren, on February 14, 1971. They live in Hollywood Hills and have four children.