Happy Birthday Frankie

May 26th- Frankie Manning's birthday. 

He came up with air step, took lindy hop to greater height; He danced with intense engagement with his partner, showed what is called CONNECTION; They say, he is a big big man, with a big big heart. 

It's so good that he would never wanted to end it...

From How Wee and Ming Pang who met Frankie:
Frankie talked about the atmosphere at Savoy – “If you could dance, you danced the moment you walked in. If you couldn’t dance, you’ll find your feet would start tappin’, your fingers would start snappin’, and your head would start boppin’. And before you know it, you were dancing.”


When he was slightly older, like 90, the move I appreciated him most was his shimmy. It wasn’t with the shoulders, not with the hips, not the arms – it seem to come from somewhere within – like Lindy Hop was his life and love and the shimmy was his way of saying it.


MP: The old movies are so grainy, and sometimes the costumes are so comical, but you can always tell Frankie because of his huge smile. In person of course you can not be in the same room with him and not be warmed by his light. Said another way, it seemed as if sarcasm and cynicism dried up around him.


MP: The way he taught, I realize now, was really magic. Everything seemed easy and wonderful. Guys became gentlemen and women became ladies. Maybe I remember it too nostalgically, but that’s how it seemed it me.