SuperBowl Experience!

 

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Hello my name is Joshua Felder aka Swagman Felder! I’m from Tampa, Florida and I’m a Global Ambassador, and a Member of the International Board of Directors for Best Buddies!

I’d love to share my experience being in the SuperBowl Halftime Show!

It all started back in December of 2020 when I was at a Best Buddies Champion of the Year kickoff party at a hotel. It was our very first in person event since Covid. We ate, we socialized, and even experienced a live band play good music for us.

When the event was nearing an end, we were getting ready to leave and the deputy director for Best Buddies Tampa called me over to a group of men who I thought were just supporters of Best Buddies, but they mentioned they had their own radio station along with working for the SuperBowl. So we introduced ourselves to each other and even exchanged business cards. I also remember one of the men asked me if I knew how to dance. I responded with a yes and that’s when they gave me an opportunity to try out for the SuperBowl Halftime Show.  After I accepted the opportunity, they gave me their email to send my own bio and to send a dancing video of myself to the Director of the SuperBowl.

After I sent my bio and dance video, 2 weeks passed after New Years and I was just sitting on the couch watching tv one day, and I noticed my phone vibrating and I also noticed a random number on my screen which I thought was spam so I didn’t answer. Then a minute later, I got a voicemail from that same number and I found out it was the director of the Super Bowl Halftime show. I immediately called back and luckily she answered. After she answered, she mentioned how impressed she was with my bio, and dance video. That’s when she gave me the great news that I had earned a spot in the Super Bowl halftime show!

She also explained to me that it was mandatory to keep it a secret. If I would’ve revealed my secret, not get Covid tested, or even show up late to practice or not even show up at all, then I would’ve been kicked off the halftime show for good with no second chances. So, I took a break from social media for 2 weeks, and attended rehearsals 4 days a week, 8 hours a day.

After 2 weeks passed, it was finally the day of the SuperBowl and all us dancers had to meet up at a secret location for dress rehearsal, eat a good lunch and rest up for later on that evening. That same day when it was time to head to Raymond James Stadium for the SuperBowl, we got on our buses and we had police escorts blocking all the roads for the buses to pass by.

After we arrived at the stadium, we were just goofing off and practicing our dance moves, then finally when it was time to get on the field, we gave a great performance with The Weeknd himself and the crowd went wild!!

After the performance was over we got back on our buses and the director of the Super Bowl said that we can finally post our photos and videos from the halftime show. After I revealed my surprise that I was in the SuperBowl Halftime show all over social media, my phone started blowing up full of notifications from everyone’s reaction. What really got everyone’s attention was when I mentioned “ I believe I’ve just made history for being the first person with a disability to be in the SuperBowl “ and turns out what I said in the caption was legit.

I went viral overnight and I even got the attention of some celebrities. I’ve been featured on TV twice. Once on Bay News 9, and once on CBS Good Morning. During my TV appearances, I mentioned that my high functioning autism and photographic memory were what helped me learn the dance moves I performed in the Super Bowl halftime show. I was also featured in the Tampa Bay Times Newspaper and the Ospreys Newspaper. I also received a congratulatory plaque from the Tampa City Council, and a letter of commendation from the Mayor of Tampa. I also was a special guest instructor at a local dance studio.  I also remember that same month, one of the staff members from Best Buddies texted me a screenshot of The Weeknd retweeting my post for being the first person with IDD to perform in the SuperBowl Halftime show. What was more mind blowing was when he posted me on his Instagram for describing my  high functioning autism as a superpower. I’m also the reason he donated a lot of money to Best Buddies.

Since this amazing opportunity happened for me, I’ve really been a great example of living the dream without letting my disability define me. I really hope my Super Bowl journey brought a huge impact to the IDD community as well. My quote for everyone with or without a disability is “ If you want to do something great in life, then definitely go for it “ .