Musclehead

So I know this is a break from my usual posting routine, but I wanted to write a little bit about Frankie Manning, who died a year ago today. "Who is Frankie Manning!?" Is probably what most of you are thinking right now, so let me tell you:

"Swing dancer extraordinaire Frankie Manning was a leading dancer at Harlem's legendary Savoy Ballroom where, in the mid-1930's, he revolutionized the course of the lindy hop with his innovations, including the lindy air step and synchronized ensemble lindy routine. As a featured dancer and cheif choreographer for the spectacular Whitey's Lindy Hoppers, he performed in numerous films, and entertained on stages around the world with jazz greats Ethel Waters, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, and Cab Calloway. Upon the demise of the Swing Era, Frankie took a job in the Post Office, where we worked for thirty years until his rediscovery by a new generation of swing dance enthusiasts in the mid 1980's. Since then, he's been in constant demand and motion, teaching, choreographing, and performing globally. He won a 1989 Tony Award for his choreography in Black and Blue, and served as a consultant for and performed in Spike Lee's Malcom x. Frankie's activities have been chronicled in hundreds of articles and dozens of news programs. Considered the worl's leading authority on the lindy, he is highlighted in Ken Burns' acclaimed documentary, Jazz. His autobiography, Frankie Manning" Ambassador of Lindy Hop, co-written by Cynthia R. Millman, was published by Temple University Press in spring 2007. He passed away on April 27, 2009, one month before his 95th birthday." - frankiemanning.com

What does this have to do with me? There's the obvious, I love to lindy. Thanks to this man I have been able to find a kind of dancing which moves me in a way no other really can. I am lucky he lived because without Frankie, Lindy Hop wouldn't be what it is today. That's pretty superficial though, and its nowhere close to the reason I hold this man near and dear to my heart.

Frankie Manning loved to dance. I mean he loved it. He always described dancing as "a series of three-minute romances." Obviously, to him, a dance meant pouring out your soul, moving to the music, and working with your dance partner. Dancing, for him, was about self expression, movement, great music, and most of all just having a great time. He didn't let the end of the Swing Era get him down. A lot of people said that while working at USPS Frankie was still a really happy person, even though he wasn't dancing anymore. When he was given the chance to dance again he took it and relished in a second chance to do what he loved to do. Some of his last words were, "I'd like to tell them, if they're not dancing, get out there and dance! And do the lindy hop 'cause it'll make them feel good." For Frankie, dancing and all things involved were about making people happy.

I hope that my passion for movement and music can manifest itself in the same way that Frankie's did. I have been so blessed to be able to share my love of dancing with people throughout my life by teaching, choreographing, and performing. I can only hope that these opportunities continue, and people remember me for the way I used this passion to bring joy and happiness to others.

Frankie said:

"All dances come from the music. What the music does, thats what you try to dance."

"I'll stop dancing when my feet won't move any more. And then I might just try to sit in a chair and do it. If you want to live for a long time, lindy hop. 'Cause I'm still doin' it man."