“Believe it or not, I’ve caused fear in people. Some people are insecure. To some people, free-spirited is a threat,” he said. “When most people look at me dancing, they think I’m nuts. But if somebody’s not physically harming you, what’s the problem?”

He’s been yelled at, insulted and physically assaulted by people who don’t want him to dance. He’s even been offered money to stop dancing, something he refuses to do, though he will accept cash from people who want to see him shake a leg — not that he needs much encouragement.

He’s become a regular fixture at the Peacock, where you can usually find him cutting a rug to Western swing music on Wednesday nights or busting a move to the hip-hop beats on Saturdays.

And just about any day of the week, you can see him taking his show on the road.

“I started dancing on the sidewalks and streets because I just felt like doing it,” Ambrosius said. “There was nothing spiritual about it — I just liked it.”

In the process, he’s become a local celebrity, especially among OSU students. A few years ago he was invited to take part in Mock Rock, an annual benefit organized by the Kappa Delta Sorority that raises money to combat domestic violence and child abuse.