Earlier this year, David Trinh (a dancer from Waterloo, ON, Canada) traveled across Asia visiting, dancing and facilitating events and classes in Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Hong Kong, China and Taiwan. Finding himself accumulating video footage and interview notes, he’s decided to create a documentary to show us what’s up in the emerging Asian swing dance communities.

“SEA JAM 2009 in Singapore”, SEA = South East Asia

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Filed Under: Dance Community | Thursday, July 9th, 2009

Shown at Frankie95, here’s the official global Shim Sham video.

Dancers from around the world dance a Shim Sham as a tribute to Frankie Manning on his 95th birthday. The video was edited by Akemi Kinukawa and was screened during the Frankie95 celebration held in New York City over the 2009 Memorial Day weekend. It features over 5,000 dancers from 22 countries in four and a half minutes of pure joy. Click the HQ button to watch in high quality.

Filed Under: Dance Community, Event Reviews | Monday, June 1st, 2009

This video was compiled for a memorial dance at the Jam Cellar in Washington DC.

Filed Under: Dance Community, Dancer Interviews | Thursday, April 30th, 2009

We all knew it would come some day. And, likely someday soon. After all, he is was no longer the spry and lively 87-year-old he once was. But why now? Only a month before his 95th birthday festival? With so many Lindy Hoppers still needing to look at him and remember what it’s all about? When we simply weren’t ready to let him go? (We’d never really be ready, unless he was in pain.)

If you’re reading this today, you’re a very special person. You are a part of the last generation of Lindy Hoppers who will have danced during the time of Frankie Manning. So, hopefully you had the opportunity to take a class where he addressed all the women in the room as “the beautiful ladies,” or stood behind him in a shim-sham, or saw a smile blossom on his face, which all have a similar effect.

If you don’t know who he is, his dance resume is pretty incredible. He introduced air steps, the “bent over look,” and women’s swivels into Lindy Hop, along with countless other moves we still do today. He was known as the biggest thief in the Savoy Ballroom, stealing moves and changing them before anyone would realize he had done it. He choreographed the greatest group Lindy Hop footage we have. And he taught the world to Lindy Hop, even in his eighties and nineties. But the important thing about Frankie Manning is how these accomplishments pale in comparison to the person you met when you shook hands with him.

Here was a man who performed across the world and talked to kings and queens, at a time when only well-off white Americans could afford air travel, and black men from Harlem were hardly ever thought worthy to shake hands with anyone of a different color. Here was a man who worked in a post office for 3 decades when the dance and the music he loved couldn’t support him anymore, and without a complaint. Here was a man who had his own share of personal problems, on top of all the social problems he faced, and yet, when you saw him smile, it was as if he hadn’t a care in the world. When you met Frankie Manning, you didn’t just see a great dancer. You saw a great man.

Before a few days ago, I often joked that Frankie was a benevolent godlike-being who was slowly having his body parts replaced with stronger, longer-lasting robotic ones. It was part of a childlike fantasy that I’ve allowed myself to actually believe—that perhaps Frankie would outlive us all. He already seemed younger than most people I know—he laughed the way an eight-year-old boy would, and giggled about women. He even swung-out young. He would bow to the queen, scrunch his shoulders and send her out with a smile. No pretension. No trying. No worries.

But the past few times I’ve seen him in public, I’d notice his mouth would sag into a frown, and his eyes looked heavy. At his age, even if you’re in the best of health, it seems like the secret is to avoid finding yourself in a hospital bed. But that’s a really hard thing to do. Medications and illness are unavoidable, and trying to fix the smallest things can easily become deadly to a 94-year-old. It had nothing to do with his birthday party, I tell myself, it was nothing we had control over.

I also have to keep reminding myself that death is only sorrowful for those who miss the dead. For the dead, it is probably some form of sweet, deep sleep. Though Frankie smiled like he didn’t have a care in the world, I suspect he had many cares. There is some form of peace in knowing that he does not have those worries anymore. And, if the deaths that are the least painful to us are those who have lived a life full of love, joy, great experiences and great accomplishments, I can’t think of a better candidate than Frankie Manning.

In France and England, the death of a king was heralded with the phrase “Le Roi est Mort. Vive le Roi!” or “The King is Dead. Long Live the King.” What seems like a spiritual contradiction was really simply a political statement: Once one king was dead, the heir to the throne immediately became king, so that no country was never for a moment without it’s rightful ruler. I however, prefer the spiritual contradiction. The King of Lindy Hop died April 27. But his spirit will live forever in those who know how to swing.

Frankie, we miss you already, and we really can’t thank you enough. Hopefully we can repay you by carrying on not just your dance, but your attitude, with us always. Sleep well.

Filed Under: Dance Community, Dance History | Tuesday, April 28th, 2009

This morning Frankie Manning passed away peacefully.

Frankie Manning has been an inspiration to us all and the outpouring of love from the community in these past few days is amazing.  Many people are sharing their stories of Frankie on Facebook and elsewhere.  Please feel free to leave your memories here as well.

I’ve done my part.  Now it’s your turn. A one… a two… you know what to do…

Frankie Manning

Tonight swingout for Frankie.

Filed Under: Dance Community, Lindybloggers | Monday, April 27th, 2009
Tags: ambassador of lindy hop, frankie manning, lindy hop, memories, passing, rip

From all of us at Lindybloggers we send our best wishes and love to Frankie Manning.

Here is the announcement from the Frankie 95 team on Frankie’s health.  Please send him your love and wishes so that we can ring in his 95th birthday with him at the front smiling that amazing smile.

Dear Friends of Frankie,

As you might have heard, Frankie entered the hospital a week and a half ago, due to problems with his medication. Then on Friday, he was taken into the intensive care unit after he developed pneumonia. It is a very serious situation.

Although he cannot talk or move his limbs, he recognizes people and responds to their messages of caring and love. Throughout all of this, his spirit remains strong and his family and close friends are with him.

Please take some time during your day to send Frankie healing energy, prayers and love, and tell everyone you know to do the same. You can also send him a personal note of encouragement here:

Frankie Manning, PO Box 737648 , Elmhurst NY 11373

Frankie needs our support!

Of course, we will keep you all updated as his condition changes.

The Frankie 95 Team

Please e-mail this on to your friends, so we can help spread the love, who may not see it on Facebook or read it here.

Filed Under: Dance Community, Lindybloggers | Sunday, April 26th, 2009
Tags: 95th birthday, frankie 95, frankie manning, health, love

Today’s song of the week comes to us from Lucy Falkner, founder of Rhythm City in Vancouver, Canada. Lucy has taught Charleston, Vintage Jazz, Lindy Hop, and Blues across Canada and the Pacific Northwest, and at the world-famous Herräng Dance Camp, in Sweden.

I had a difficult time choosing my song of the week. I set aside about 12 songs and listened to them incessantly for a week, vacillating between this one and that one as the one to choose. In the end, I went with my original choice, “Keep the Rhythm Going,” by The Mills Blue Rhythm Band.

Some songs make me want to swing out hard and do lots of big swingy long and loose movements, and some songs make me want to do lots of fussy and complex shapes and rhythms. This one gives me good doses of both. I love songs that build in energy, have strong rhythm, and a lot of texture (what some people think of as layers). Plus, I like chewy trumpet (that’s the best way I have to describe that particular sound). I guess I use food and eating metaphors a lot with regard to music. Never noticed that before. Well, then this song feeds me, but like a good appetizer: it leaves me wanting more. You can purchase this song from Amazon MP3 Download’s here: Keep The Rhythm Going.

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Song: “Keep The Rhythm Going”
Musicians: Mills Blue Rhythm Band
Album: Chronological Classics, 1933-1934

Personnel (for the album, not sure about the song)
Baron Lee, Lucky Millinder, leader
Wardell Jones, Eddie Mallory, Sheldon Hemphill, Ed Anderson, tpt
George Washington, arr, tbn
Henry Hicks, J.C. Higginbotham, tbn
Crawford Wethington, sax
Gene Mikell, cl, sax
Joe Garland, cl, sax, arr
Edgar Hayes, p
Benny James, bjo, g
Hayes Alvis, b, brass b
O’Neil Spencer, d
Adelaide Hall, Chuck Richards, voc
Lawrence Lucie, g
Elmer James, b
Alex Hill, arr

Thanks Lucy! You can find her teaching and judging this weekend at Lindybout, the Lindy Hop Championships in Western Canada.

Filed Under: Dance Community, Lindybloggers, Song of the Week | Tuesday, April 14th, 2009

Today our Song of the Week DJ is Kate Hedin, partner to our resident “extreme” writer Bobby White, balboa expert, professional violist and all around lovely lady.

Artist: Benny Goodman
Song: Caprice Xxiv Paganini
Year: 1941
Album: 1941, Vol. 3

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Why I like it:

In a time in our lindy hopping lives when early jazz and “chunk-ca-chunk” music is so popular, I find my self drawn more and more to the old classic sound of big bands. Benny Goodman was definitely the first band that really grabbed me when I started dancing, so I guess his sound holds a special place in my heart.

I remember very specifically when I heard this piece (Caprice Xxiv Paganini) for the first time. While dancing at the Boston Tea Party in ‘05 or ’06, I heard this song blast through the speakers, and I can still see myself running up to the DJ booth after that dance, desperate to see what recording had just played. For me, the theme of that piece is something so familiar and so distinctive that I would recognize it anywhere. The main melody of Benny Goodman’s piece comes from a very famous classical work for solo violin by Niccolo Paganini. (Included below) Many of you may know that my “other life” is one of classical music. I have been playing the viola for over 20 years now, and received both my bachelors and masters degrees in viola performance. (www.katehedin.com) I still get a thrill when my two passions cross paths. This song by Benny Goodman is a brilliant example.

Piece: Caprice No. 24, for solo violin
Composer: Niccolo Paganini
Artist: Itzhak Perlman

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Niccolo Paganini (1782-1840) was both a pillar of violin virtuosity and composer who wrote pieces that showed off the technical mastery of which he was capable. His 24th caprice is probably his most famous work, and its theme has been used by over 35 other composers, including Benny Goodman, as a spring board for their own theme-and-variation compositions.

In the Goodman song, the full band plays the opening chorus: an energetic swung version of Paganini’s theme. Then Benny comes in with his solo, his own chilled variation of this theme. Each soloist thereafter variates the melody in their own way, leading a slow-driving crescendo to the final culmination: a recapitulation of the original theme in the final chorus with full band. For me, the fact that Benny Goodman not only wrote a piece that was a intellectual throw-back to one of the milestones of classical music, but also managed to make it swing so hard with that driving sound he does so well – well, it just baffles and amazes me.

You can find Benny Goodman’s rendition of Caprice Xxiv Paganini on Amazon.com.

Filed Under: Dance Community, Song of the Week | Monday, April 6th, 2009

This past month, swing dance teachers in Denver Colorado teamed up for Swing for the Cause, a special one day workshop at the Denver 1st Presbyterian Church with all proceeds going to The LindyHopper’s Fund.

Participating teachers included Kenny Nelson, Joe DeMers, Nelle Hatley, Heather Ballew, Ford Childs, Delilah Williams, Miranda Longaker, Becky Vigil, Teni Lopez-Cardenas, Andrew Munoz, JJ Weiss, and Davis Thurber.

I asked Danielle Hatley how she came up with the idea:

About 2 months ago, Joe and I were just talking about how we can contribute to the Fund, but we don’t really have any money to donate, so we figured we could donate what we do have: time, energy, knowledge, love of the dance and we just went from there. We’re planning on giving all of the money from “the Colorado dancers” at Southwest Lindyfest (Houston, TX) and hopefully this can be something that a lot of scenes will do.

Since I have never been to Denver, I took the opportunity to ask Nelle a few more questions about her and the scene:
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Filed Under: Dance Community, Event Reviews | Wednesday, March 25th, 2009

This week’s song comes courtesy of Peter Loggins. Look out for our upcoming interview with him on Lindybloggers. You can find the Korean translation of this week’s article below.

The SONG of the week comes from a band I would love to share with everyone: Alphonso Trent and his Orchestra.

I’ll spare you the long history of the Alphonso Trent which you can google for, But to keep it short the band was primarily out of Texas and was the toughest band to battle in the territories.

During the late 1920’s they toured the North east to record for the Gennett label in Indiana and on one of these tours played the Savoy Ballroom in Harlem.

Although they have numerous songs that are great I selected St. James Infirmary, Recorded March 5, 1930.

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Filed Under: Dance Community, Song of the Week | Monday, March 16th, 2009