I first became aware of Scott and Rookie while idly surfing collections of humorous video clips. "You must see this!" the description read. The small picture on my Windows Media Player showed a blonde woman dressed as Olivia Newton-John's character from Grease - and a dog. They moved across an outdoor arena to the sounds of "You're the One that I Want," and I realized they were dancing. It was funny, in the way that unexpected behavior from animals is humorous. But above all it was joyous, as the grinning dog and smiling woman, their eyes locked, whirled and high-stepped across the trampled grass.

In 1996, Carolyn Scott had 15 years of experience in training and showing dogs. Her latest dog, Rookie, was bouncy and easily distracted - an unlikely candidate for the rigor of timed agility courses. Still, she worked with him on standard obedience commands, and his sometimes fearful, overly submissive personality became more confident. Then Scott saw a video of a new sport called "canine freestyle." Here, she thought, was a possible creative outlet for her enthusiastic, wriggly dog.

In those days, dancing classes for you and your pet weren't easy to find, and there was only one infant organization dedicated to freestyle: Musical Canine Sports International (MCSI), in Canada. Scott managed to attend a seminar by MSCI member Sandra Davis (widely considered the best U.S. freestyler). But for the most part, Scott and Rookie trained alone. Rookie learned to run backward, weave precisely between Carolyn's legs as she turned in the opposite direction, and spin in happy, lolloping circles. Soon they were trying out their routine at nursing homes and schools.

In November of 1996, Scott and Rookie entered their first freestyle competition, which was also the first in the United States. The event was held under MSCI rules and sponsored by the Heinz Pup-Peroni Canine Freestyler Team. Almost 700 people attended, and hundreds were turned away. When the competition ended, Scott and Rookie, unknowns in the sport, had won first place in the Off-Leash Division. Their routine, performed to the theme from "The Twilight Zone," gained them an invitation to join the Pup-Peroni Team. They were on the road with the Freestylers the next month, and they have toured to promote canine freestyling, with groups and on their own, for almost a decade.

When Carolyn Scott dances, her movements are precise yet flowing, with no wasted motion. There is no evidence that one of her legs is weaker and shorter than the other, a result of polio contracted at age four. She continues to be challenged by Post Polio Syndrome, a condition which probably stems from earlier treatments and the overworking of normal muscles to counteract stricken ones -- a common occurrence in highly motivated patients.

In the days before canine freestyle, fear of falling down haunted Scott's performances in obedience trials. But as she and Rookie competed and taught freestyle across the country, the response from audiences convinced Scott that spreading the word was worth the risk of occasional public discomfiture. There was something about dancing with a dog that inspired people to seek a deeper relationship with their companion animals - to see them as partners rather than pets.

Scott and Rookie's positions as spokesdancers for the sport solidified. They appeared on The Howie Mandel Show, Animal Planet, Regis & Kathy Lee, Pet Star (multiple times), the Jane Pauley Show, and Good Morning America. The performance video that aired on Good Morning America was the source for the video clip I saw, and it has gained fame worldwide.

The person most responsible for the clip's metamorphosis into legend is Rochelle Lesser, a school psychologist and advocate for golden retrievers. Lesser's "Land of Pure Gold" Web site has 800 pages of information about the golden retriever experience, and covers everything from adoption to dealing with the death of a beloved pet.

In 2001, Lesser saw a golden-related article which referenced Scott. She posted a copy to her site and received a copy of the video clip from Scott shortly afterwards. Lesser had the clip digitized and put it up along with her other content. Within days, the number of viewers was so great that she had to have the clip resized or pay thousands of dollars in fines for exceeding her bandwidth. E-mails flooded in. Almost everyone who wrote mentioned crying when they saw the clip.

Some of the people who e-mailed Lesser had a special reason for wanting to know more about canine freestyle. Debi Davis, a double-leg amputee, decided to try wheelchair dancing with her award-winning service dog, Peek, a tiny Papillon who is trained to load the washer and dryer, make the bed, and help his owner undress, among other things. Lesser, Scott and Rookie attended a P.A.W.S. for Service Dogs seminar and realized these already highly trained companion animals were ready to dance.

In February of 2005, Rochelle Lesser formed a non-profit foundation. The Land of PureGold, Inc., is dedicated to educating people about "responsible dog care and ownership as well as respectful and consistent training practices." To help extend the years that people have with their dogs, the Foundation also funds studies of cancer in golden retrievers. Cancer is the leading cause of death in goldens older than 10. The oncology of the disease is similar in humans, meaning that the studies Lesser helps fund can benefit both dogs and dog owners. Lesser and Scott have collaborated on a DVD documentary of Scott's life. Available soon, Gotta Dance! focuses on "the restorative miracles that can abound through the embodiment of the human-canine bond." All profits will go toward canine cancer research.

Carolyn Scott and Rookie will spend part of 2005 in Japan and Australia, teaching people to deepen their relationships with music and movement, and to communicate where speech is not the common language. At 12 years old, Rookie still dances as exuberantly as ever, and one could argue that his name no longer suits him. He has been grandfathered into the Advanced Division of the WCFO and is a highly decorated canine freestyler. He occasionally improvises during routines, adding extras of his favorite moves. Carolyn Scott gracefully accommodates him. She knows that the important thing, when dancing, is to do it for joy.

For You & Yours