During the swing era, there were hundreds of styles of swing dancing, but those that have survived beyond that era include. Frankie is remembered and revered for his vital role in the history and revival of swing dancing, as well as for his radiant and charismatic personality. It barely scratches his personal life so as a general biography is a little lacking. By 1942, the lindy hop would be fully renamed as the jitterbug jive, or more commonly as the jitterbug. It is a true american dance form and as it originated in the united states. Lindy hop is closely related to earlier african american vernacular dances but quickly gained its own fame through dancers in films, performances, competitions, and professional dance troupes. Ambassador of lindy hop 19142009 in memory of frankie. Welcome to the official website of frankie manning. The world lindy hop day aims to honor the birthday of frankie manning who is the inventor or proponent of this form of dance. The term swing dance is an umbrella term for all the variations of swing dancing, which started with the lindy hop around the same time as charles lindberghs first solo, nonstop flight across the atlantic. At the swing era we mainly dance lindy hop, which is one of the four swing dances lindy hop, balboa, collegiate shag and charleston.
This book contains lots of great background on the evolution of lindy hop, as well as frankies dance career. It was danced first in the famous savoy ballroom by african american dancers in 1928, and was danced throughout the 1930s and 1940s. The lindy hop is an american dance which was born in harlem, new york city, in 1928 and has evolved since then with the jazz music. Its trunk is vernacular, shaped by european influence, and exemplified by the charleston and the lindy hop. It would later share this same name with a later related dance, but the reason why the lindy hop was renamed appears to go back to the man referred to as lindy.
Savoy ballroom dancers and the history of african american lindy hop. I take lessons and social dance regularly, but need some kind of supplement. Brooklyn uprocking brooklyn uprocking, popular in the late 1960s and early 1970s, featured two opponents who engaged in a series of steps, jerks and the miming of weapons, called a war dance. In order to know where youre going, you have to know where you came from, allen said. As the original swing dance, lindy hop has it all from exciting and flashy to smooth and cool. In the late 1960s and the 1970s he became heavily involved in swing dance. History lindy hop is an american dance which was born in harlem, new york city, in 1928 and has evolved since then with the jazz music of that time. Since the 1920s the united states has seen a wave of dance crazes, among them the lindy hop of the 1930s, the boogie woogie and jitterbug of the 1940s, the cha cha and rock n roll of the 1950s, the twist, frug, and various frenzied discotheque and gogo dances of the 1960s, the disco dances of the 1970s, and in the 1980s hiphop, which was. List of books and articles about dance history online. If youre an aspiring lindy hopper and have been prepared to travel, you always remember the first time frankie teaches you. A lthough legendary lindy hopper frankie manning passed away in 2009, his spirit lives on in the hearts and souls of swing dancers around the world. Aug 26, 2012 the lindy hop is a swing dance popularized and originated by blacks in harlem during the 1920s. Lindy hop, balboa, collegiate shag, and charleston. In the early days of swing dancing, frankie manning stood out for his moves and his innovative routines.
Temple university press, 2007 a poet of the dance floor. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Lindy hop evolved from different dances, including jazz, tap, breakaway and 1920s charleston. The history of lindy hop begins in the african american communities of harlem, new york during the late 1920s in conjunction with swing jazz. Stomping the blues albert murray paperback published 1989 another brilliant book about blues and swing music. It began at the savoy ballroom in harlem with dancers like frankie manning. Fashion, music, culture and key moves 01 by cupit, scott isbn. Nov 05, 2008 if youre an aspiring lindy hopper and have been prepared to travel, you always remember the first time frankie teaches you.
He studied and learned fast forms of swing dancing such as flying lindy from dean collins, kenny wetzel, maxie dorf, willie desatoff, bart bartolo, jack pina and many other great dancers who were in many movies. Lindy hop is considered a cultural phenomenon, as it managed to break the segregation that was still rampant in america thanks, in part, to the savoy ballroom. African american dancers promote lindy hop and its. Fashion, music, culture and key moves 01 by scott cupit isbn. Lindy hop along with its related dance genres like balboa, balswing and lindy charleston started in the twenties. Thousands of lindy hoppers all over the world finally have a book that answers all their nondancing friends questions. Rockin horse dance barn has been teaching all the popular swing dances including single step, double step, triple step, west coast swing, lindy hop and four count swing for over 25 years. Sep 26, 2015 frankie manning was one of the originators of the lindy hop at the savoy ballroom in harlem, and he later played a pivotal role in the swing dance revival, when young dancers sought him out to learn the art of lindy hop. Sep 25, 2015 with all things vintage enjoying a boom worldwide, swing dancing has well and truly swung back into fashion.
Two practical books that include descriptions and photographs of lindy hop moves. As the first of its kind the american lindy hop championships set the standard for lindy hop contests worldwide. A historical guide to leisure, was published by greenwood in september 2003. Looking back on where the lindy hop came from is an amazing study of american history and of the global cultural shift facilitated by the american gis that traveled in world war ii. History lindy hop lindy hop originates from harlem, new york city. Lindy hop swing dance lindbergh hop history origins.
Here you will find info about our lindy hop and balboa classes in london and the rest of uk. With all things vintage enjoying a boom worldwide, swing dancing has well and truly swung back into fashion. According to the book social dance ed in 1969, by 1960 the lindy hop was known as swing. He has also contributed articles to several historical journals on various topics including rosa parks, thomas jefferson, cold war culture, swing music, hiphop. Louis hop in 1926 and is described in betty lees book, it is a form of swing. The history of swing and lindy hop the history of swing in america. Swing wedding dance amazing the jungle book youtube. The history of jazz dance is best understood by comparing it to a tree.
The lindy hop was christened at the savoy dance hall in harlem, new york. His first book fun and games in twentieth century america. Although the name of the dance was new in 1927, the dance itself was not a. I n the early days of swing dancing, frankie manning stood out for his moves and his innovative routines. The book serves as an insightful social history of the 20th century and the american vernacular jazz dance a gem for anyone interested in this history of dance. Welcome to lindy circle productions, the web site for international swing dance teachers dan and gemma guest. Lets reflect, recognize, educate, and celebrate the many contributions of african american jazz and swing era musicians and singers, and the originators of the. Savoy style lindy hop was most frequently associated with living dancers from the 1930s such as frankie manning, and with the swedish dance troupe the rhythm hot shots now replaced by the harlem hot shots. It was during the jazz era as the music incorporated a swing beat and the dancers added a syncopation to fit the music. Willa mae ricker and leon james, original lindy hop dancers in iconic life magazine photograph, 1943 dancing the lindy hop at the sacramento jazz jubilee, sacramento, california, u. Black history month is an opportunity for all of us in the lindy hop community to recognize and celebrate the black people who created this dance. Revival 1980s and 1990s sandra cameron and larry schulz of the cameron dance center inc convinced al minns and frankie manning to teach lindy hop at their dance center. It evolved as a fusion of a number of dances that were popular at the time including charleston, breakaway, and tap.
This book is a must read for anyone who loves the dance, amateur or professional. Now the lindy hop and other swing dances and variations are part of a world wide trend to get back on the dance floor. Manning, who passed away in 2009, left behind an extensive dance legacy, as well as a memoir cowritten with cynthia. As the first of its kind the american lindy hop championships set the standard for lindy hop. Lindy hop information, top ten list, and resources.
It was very popular during the swing era of the late 1930s and early 1940s. Swing dance is a group of dances that developed with the swing style of jazz music in the 1920s1940s, with the origins of each dance predating the popular swing era. The first swing dance lindy hop is an unabashedly joyful social dance, with a solid, flowing style that closely reflects its music. Lindy hop was born in harlem, new york, during the 20s and became really popular during the swing era of the 30s and 40s. Manning and millmans book is not only a gift to the contemporary lindy hop scene, but a mustread for all dancers.
Then, to later dancers and dance historians, the jitterbug and its parent the lindy hop, although virtually identical in basic execution, again became two distinctly different dances as the jitterbug came to be defined by its verticality, its hopping up and down. The story of american vernacular dance, da capo press 1968,1994, isbn 0306805537 this book is the standard historical reference describing the evolution of jazz dance in the twentieth century, including. The first of the lindy hopnamed dances was probably the lindbergh hop which was referred to as lindy hop in the headline of an article in pittsburgh gazette times on may 25, 1927, just four days after lindbergh landed at le bourget. Although the name of the dance was new in 1927, the dance itself was not a completely new invention.
Partners are connected smoothly and gently to each other, while relating closely to the music, in feeling, improvisation and phrasing. Amazing swing wedding dance lindy hop the jungle book disney. Millman the autobiography of a legendary swing dancer. It is said the name lindy hop was inspired by aviator charles lindbergh who hopped the atlantic ocean in 1927. Swing originated in harlem, new york in the savoy ballroom, where some of the original lindy hopper like frankie manning of whiteys lindy. In fact, he is one of the most influential persons in dance history. Lindy hop lindy hop swing dancing music and videos. Savoystyle lindy hop project gutenberg selfpublishing.
In the early days of swing dancing, frankie manning stood out for his moves and. Probably the most blatant example of this is the prestigious book jazz dance, which is the culmination of decades of research by historian marshall stearns. Learn how to swing dance lessons rockin horse dance barn. Frankie manning was one of the originators of the lindy hop at the savoy ballroom in harlem, and he later played a pivotal role in the swing dance revival, when young dancers sought him out to learn the art of lindy hop. Learn to lindy hop in a day fwdback, popout, promenade. To be specific, he is the most influential person in the history of swing dance.
In this fascinating autobiography, the choreographer and tony award winner black and blue frankie manning recalls how his first years of dancing as a. The basis of the book is on jazz as the focus for social dancing and it starts with the very beginning and goes up to the lindy hop revival in the 1980s. I figured books on the history and especially how to books would be a great thing. Savoy style lindy hop was most frequently associated with living dancers from the 1930s such as frankie manning, and with the swedish dance troupe the rhythm hot shots now replaced by the harlem hot shots the term savoystyle lindy hop applies a generic relationship between all african american. Special thanks to sanushka and the team at the secret garden of dance for making this possible. Lindy hop is the first of the family of swing dances, developing in harlem in the 1920s and 1930s along with swing music, the popular style of jazz music at the time. What is lindy hop and why is everyone in love with it. The lindy hop is an american dance which was born in harlem, new york city, in 1928 and has evolved since then with the jazz music of that time. Stearns for some reason chose only three people to be his primary sources in researching the history of lindy hop. Debra mcwaters, author of musical theatre training artfully weaves history and professional perspectives to reveal the boundaries of the jazz dance world. The november 1927 dance magazine has lindy and lindy hop lessons advertised by charles sadler and prof. A mustread for all dancers as the invaluable historical references and indepth coverage of the different jazz forms cannot be found in such detail in any other book on the market today. Jan 04, 2011 then, to later dancers and dance historians, the jitterbug and its parent the lindy hop, although virtually identical in basic execution, again became two distinctly different dances as the jitterbug came to be defined by its verticality, its hopping up and down.
The lindy hop is a swing dance popularized and originated by blacks in harlem during the 1920s. The dance itself consists of both 8 and 6 count steps and it includes footwork borrowed from the charleston and tap. Best of all the history section is notably accurate, something that means a lot to us here at the archives of early lindy hop. Lindy hop has also been called jitterbug and swing. The story of american vernacular dance, da capo press 1968,1994, isbn 0306805537 this book is the standard historical reference describing the evolution of jazz dance in the twentieth century, including three chapters covering lindy hop and jitterbug. This book confirms his unique place in dance history and you can hear his voice as his story unfolds. In 1914, a dance called the aunt jemima slide may also be related. Lindy hop is the original swing dance, originating in the late 1920s. Institutions like the savoy ballroom, the home of happy feet, loom very very large in this story, because that is where it all happened. The dance was reported to be broadways tribute to lindbergh, and it included six basic steps. The lindy hop or lindy is a partner dance that originated in 1920s and 30s harlem, new york. Lindy hop history the lindy hop or lindy is a partner dance that originated in 1920s and 30s harlem, new york.
Jan 01, 2014 the history of jazz dance is best understood by comparing it to a tree. Id recommend this to people who are interested in the history of the dance, but not to anybody else. Ambassador of lindy hop by frankie manning and cynthia r. These are my favorite books on the history of swing i have enjoyed them immensely. Oct 02, 20 probably the most blatant example of this is the prestigious book jazz dance, which is the culmination of decades of research by historian marshall stearns.
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