Temple University Press, 2008 Paper: 978-1-59213-564-6 | Cloth: 978-1-59213-563-9 Library of Congress Classification GV1785.M36A3 2007 Dewey Decimal Classification 792.8092
ABOUT THIS BOOK | AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY | TOC | REQUEST ACCESSIBLE FILE
ABOUT THIS BOOK
In the early days of swing dancing, Frankie Manning stood out for his moves and his innovative routines; he created the "air step" in the Lindy hop, a dance that took the U.S. and then the world by storm. In this fascinating autobiography, the choreographer and Tony Award winner (Black and Blue) Frankie Manning recalls how his first years of dancing as a teenager at Harlem's Savoy Ballroom led to his becoming chief choreographer and a lead dancer for Whitey's Lindy Hoppers, a group that appeared on Broadway, in Hollywood musicals, and on stages around the globe. Manning brings the Swing Era vividly back to life with his recollections of the crowded ballrooms, and of Lindy hoppers trying to outdo each other in spectacular performances. His memories of the many headliners and film stars, as well as uncelebrated dancers with whom he shared the stage, create a unique portrait of an era in which African American performers enjoyed the spotlight if not a star's prerogatives and salary.
With collaborator Cynthia Millman, Manning traces the evolution of swing dancing from its early days in Harlem through the post-World War II period, until it was eclipsed by rock 'n' roll and then disco. When swing made a comeback, Manning's 30-year hiatus ended. He has been performing, choreographing, and teaching ever since.
AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY
Lindy hopper Frankie Manning won a 1989 Tony Award for his choreography in Black and Blue, was honored by the National Endowment for the Arts with a National Heritage Fellowship, and served as a consultant for and danced in Spike Lee's Malcolm X and Debbie Allen's Stompin' at the Savoy. Frankie's choreographic contributions to the lindy, his professional dance career with Whitey's Lindy Hoppers and the Congaroo Dancers, and his vital role in the swing dance revival have been widely chronicled in the news media, books, and documentaries, including Ken Burns's Jazz and an ABC News 20/20 profile. Now in his nineties, Frankie travels the world teaching the Lindy hop and sharing his riveting memories of dancing through the swing era.
Cynthia R. Millman taught dance and performed for over twenty-five years, including five years with the Big Apple Lindy Hoppers. She has studied and partnered with Frankie, and lectures with him on the history of the Lindy. A librarian at The Town School in Manhattan, Cynthia has contributed articles to Dance Magazine and The International Encyclopedia of Dance, and has served as a dance consultant on several documentaries.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Acknowledgments / i
Foreword: Mercedes Ellington
Frankie Manning: An Appreciation by Cynthia R. Millman / xi
Prologue: Too Stiff / 1
PART ONE: EARLY STEPS (1914-circa 1933)
Chapter 1. Jazz Baby / 5
Chapter 2. Early Ballroom Forays / 21
PART TWO: SAVOY DANCER (circa 1933-1936)
Chapter 3. To the Savoy at Last / 47
Chapter 4. Whitey, Shorty, and Stretch / 72
Chapter 5. Win Win / 85
Chapter 6. Up in the Air She Goes / 102
PART THREE: WHITEY'S LINDY HOPPERS (1936-1943)
Chapter 7. Going Pro / 129
Chapter 8. Big Time at the Cotton Club / 149
Chapter 9. A Big Apple for Whitey / 174
Chapter 10. On Broadway and In the Movies / 213
Chapter 11. Stranded in Rio / 246
PART FOUR: WAR AND HOME (1943-1984)
Chapter 12. Dancer Interrupted / 259
Chapter 13. The Congaroo Dancers and a Day Job / 275
PART FIVE: SECOND ACT (1984-present)
Chapter 14. Revival /
APPENDIXES
A. Frankie Manning Timeline / 347
B. Biographies of Lindy Hoppers
C. List of Works Cited or Consulted /
C. Frankie's List of Swing Dance on Film/TV
D. Swing Dance Resources
E. Swing Dance Organizations and Events Index
REQUEST ACCESSIBLE FILE
If you are a student who has a disability that prevents you
from using this book in printed form, BiblioVault may be able to supply you
with an electronic file for alternative access.
Please have the disability coordinator at your school fill out this form.
Temple University Press, 2008 Paper: 978-1-59213-564-6 Cloth: 978-1-59213-563-9
In the early days of swing dancing, Frankie Manning stood out for his moves and his innovative routines; he created the "air step" in the Lindy hop, a dance that took the U.S. and then the world by storm. In this fascinating autobiography, the choreographer and Tony Award winner (Black and Blue) Frankie Manning recalls how his first years of dancing as a teenager at Harlem's Savoy Ballroom led to his becoming chief choreographer and a lead dancer for Whitey's Lindy Hoppers, a group that appeared on Broadway, in Hollywood musicals, and on stages around the globe. Manning brings the Swing Era vividly back to life with his recollections of the crowded ballrooms, and of Lindy hoppers trying to outdo each other in spectacular performances. His memories of the many headliners and film stars, as well as uncelebrated dancers with whom he shared the stage, create a unique portrait of an era in which African American performers enjoyed the spotlight if not a star's prerogatives and salary.
With collaborator Cynthia Millman, Manning traces the evolution of swing dancing from its early days in Harlem through the post-World War II period, until it was eclipsed by rock 'n' roll and then disco. When swing made a comeback, Manning's 30-year hiatus ended. He has been performing, choreographing, and teaching ever since.
AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY
Lindy hopper Frankie Manning won a 1989 Tony Award for his choreography in Black and Blue, was honored by the National Endowment for the Arts with a National Heritage Fellowship, and served as a consultant for and danced in Spike Lee's Malcolm X and Debbie Allen's Stompin' at the Savoy. Frankie's choreographic contributions to the lindy, his professional dance career with Whitey's Lindy Hoppers and the Congaroo Dancers, and his vital role in the swing dance revival have been widely chronicled in the news media, books, and documentaries, including Ken Burns's Jazz and an ABC News 20/20 profile. Now in his nineties, Frankie travels the world teaching the Lindy hop and sharing his riveting memories of dancing through the swing era.
Cynthia R. Millman taught dance and performed for over twenty-five years, including five years with the Big Apple Lindy Hoppers. She has studied and partnered with Frankie, and lectures with him on the history of the Lindy. A librarian at The Town School in Manhattan, Cynthia has contributed articles to Dance Magazine and The International Encyclopedia of Dance, and has served as a dance consultant on several documentaries.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Acknowledgments / i
Foreword: Mercedes Ellington
Frankie Manning: An Appreciation by Cynthia R. Millman / xi
Prologue: Too Stiff / 1
PART ONE: EARLY STEPS (1914-circa 1933)
Chapter 1. Jazz Baby / 5
Chapter 2. Early Ballroom Forays / 21
PART TWO: SAVOY DANCER (circa 1933-1936)
Chapter 3. To the Savoy at Last / 47
Chapter 4. Whitey, Shorty, and Stretch / 72
Chapter 5. Win Win / 85
Chapter 6. Up in the Air She Goes / 102
PART THREE: WHITEY'S LINDY HOPPERS (1936-1943)
Chapter 7. Going Pro / 129
Chapter 8. Big Time at the Cotton Club / 149
Chapter 9. A Big Apple for Whitey / 174
Chapter 10. On Broadway and In the Movies / 213
Chapter 11. Stranded in Rio / 246
PART FOUR: WAR AND HOME (1943-1984)
Chapter 12. Dancer Interrupted / 259
Chapter 13. The Congaroo Dancers and a Day Job / 275
PART FIVE: SECOND ACT (1984-present)
Chapter 14. Revival /
APPENDIXES
A. Frankie Manning Timeline / 347
B. Biographies of Lindy Hoppers
C. List of Works Cited or Consulted /
C. Frankie's List of Swing Dance on Film/TV
D. Swing Dance Resources
E. Swing Dance Organizations and Events Index
REQUEST ACCESSIBLE FILE
If you are a student who has a disability that prevents you
from using this book in printed form, BiblioVault may be able to supply you
with an electronic file for alternative access.
Please have the disability coordinator at your school fill out this form.
It can take 2-3 weeks for requests to be filled.
ABOUT THIS BOOK | AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY | TOC | REQUEST ACCESSIBLE FILE