I came across this creative video today. A Hula version of the Shim Sham performed in San Francisco. Choreography by Erin & Julia (video by Cianna).

From the youtube description about bringing the hula & lindy hop together:

Many traditional hula celebrate and pay homage to those who have preserved and promoted the dance and culture. Other hula tell about those who inspire the dancers. The motions of hula are part of a storytelling tradition that is beautiful to watch while it preserves history.

Both hula and swing are living dances, reflecting a range of influences on a base of structured forms. As women who met through Lindy Hop and are now studying hula in the same San Francisco halau, we wanted to pay tribute to one of our main inspirations in swing dancing, Frankie Manning, in a fun, unexpected way. Plus, of course, we are from the Bay Area, and you know that we like to mix things up a little here.

Filed Under: Upcoming Events | Friday, April 10th, 2009

This is the Shim Sham compilation from Montreal for Frankie Week, compiled by Marie N’Diaye. Remember to click HQ (high quality) if you have high speed internet. Enjoy!

And here’s a group picture at Cat’s Corner (taken by Emmanuelle Girard).

Filed Under: Upcoming Events | Friday, April 3rd, 2009

Frankie Manning appeals to folks to open up their homes to visitors coming into town for the Frankie Manning 95th Birthday Festival.

Read what our writers think about Frankie. (more…)

Filed Under: Dance History, Upcoming Events | Wednesday, March 25th, 2009

Last week’s answer
This photograph was taken in 1937. What type of dance event does it portray?

ANSWER: two couples remaining after a 5-month dance marathon. Photo by Bernard Hoffman

Congrats Ann for getting the answer.

This Week’s Tuesday Dance Trivia Question: Frankie Week

March 12 to 22, 2009 has been dubbed Frankie Week. What is Frankie Week?

Know the answer? Let everyone know and comment.

Filed Under: Dance Trivia, Upcoming Events | Tuesday, March 17th, 2009

This is Peter Strom and Ramona Staffeld’s choreography to honor Frankie at his 95th birthday celebration in NYC, with help from Skye Humphries and Frida Segerdahl. The song used is Savoy by Lucky Millinder on the album “Apollo Jump”. Learn it if you are going to the event, and if you can’t make it, add a video response with you dancing to it. And do spread the word!!!

Check out Peter’s message about the video: (more…)

Filed Under: Upcoming Events | Friday, March 6th, 2009

Late breaking news about Frankie Manning’s 95th birthday.

Registration was temporarily closed for the last few weeks, but they’ve found a new venue for the Friday through Monday dances (the Manhattan Center’s Hammerstein Ballroom). So if you haven’t registered, go do that now. It’s going to be a historic event, with Lindy Hoppers from 31 countries already registered.

Check out the list of countries being represented: (more…)

Filed Under: Upcoming Events | Saturday, February 7th, 2009

This weekend is Swing and Soul in Atlanta, Georgia, so I thought I’d give a quick shout-out to the event. This year’s special guests include Mama Yeye, Rob Bowman, Popin’ Pete of Electric Boogaloo fame, and Victor Loveira.

Unfortunately I will not be going this year, but I have learned this year’s line dance (we taught it to a bunch of students here) and will be dancing it tonight in Montreal as a tribute. The dance is to “Give It To Me Baby”, by Rick James. Thanks Peter for an awesome choreography.

Filed Under: Upcoming Events | Friday, December 12th, 2008

Coming up May 21st to the 26th, Frankie Manning’s 95th birthday celebration is being held in NYC.

This is not an event to miss with performances and tributes by top dancers from all over the world, great live music and support from the entire lindy hop community.

This celebration is not just about the 95 years Frankie has lived but also the amazing gift of dance that he helped create.  Lindy Hop has influenced so many peoples lives and this is an event of appreciation.  To show Frankie how much impact he has had on the world.

If you haven’t read Frankie’s book it is a must read for anyone who dances Lindy Hop. Frankie Manning: Ambassador of Lindy Hop

Thank you Frankie!

If it’s not on your calendar it should be.  May 21st - 26th, New York City.

Are you going or performing for the 95th?  Comment.

Filed Under: Dance Community, Dance History, Travel Advice, Upcoming Events | Wednesday, December 10th, 2008

Arassay Reyes and Izaak Smith performed a Punk Rock Lindy Hop choreography on So You Think You Can Dance Canada this week. The dance piece was choreographed by Benji Schwimmer, winner of season two on SYTYCD USA and champion West Coast Swing dancer.

Watch the video here:

I started a discussion in the Lindy Hop community, and so far there have been some heated reactions to this choreography. You can also view comments on the Youtube video.

My first thoughts were (1) this is not swing music (2) Benji Schwimmer is not a Lindy Hop dancer (3) why didn’t they hire a real Lindy Hopper for the choreography like they did with Nick Williams on SYTYCD USA?

(more…)

Filed Under: Dance Community, Dancer Interviews, Upcoming Events | Friday, November 21st, 2008

This is the first part of a two-part feature with World Lindy Hop Champion and Balboa Mastermind Nick Williams. For the second part, Williams, an avid “clip collector” and historian, will take us on a You Tube tour of some of his favorite clips.  First, though, we sat down with Nick over IM to talk about Lindy Hop, Balboa, and the unseen dangers of shooting a commercial.

I’m sitting here (metaphorically speaking) with Nick Williams, champion Swing Dancer.  Let’s do the obligatory ones first…how did you start swing dancing?

NW. I started when I went to college at USC.  My longtime friend knew of a student-run club that offered a 12 week swing course.  We joined and immediately got hooked.  This was in the beginning of 1998. I had seen the movies like “Swing Kids” but never really mad e the connection or realized there was an entire scene with such awesome dances to go along with it. Visalia, where I grew up, wasn’t exactly a hip and happening town, so I had to find these things out when I moved to LA for school.  So I knew very little about jazz at all.

Was there a particular moment when you decided that what you wanted to do for a living was be an incredible swing dancer? Or did it just happen slowly?

NW. Well, I had been going out dancing with my USC friends and never realized there was a “swing scene.” There were so many clubs at that time that had swing nights in LA it was easy to get lost into it. Eventually I realized there was a scene with top dancers and friends that knew each other from club to club. Although I never thought I could be as good as they were. (more…)

Filed Under: Dance Advice, Dancer Interviews, Upcoming Events | Monday, September 29th, 2008