Frankie Manning Dies at 94. by Finn mac Cumhal

REAL WORLD EVENT DISCUSSIONS

Frankie Manning Dies at 94.

POSTED BY: FINN MAC CUMHAL
UPDATED: Monday, April 27, 2009 13:51
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Monday, April 27, 2009 1:04 PM

This is perhaps very off topic, but I’d like to share with you some news that may or may not affect you, but which both saddens and inspires me. Frankie Manning, at the age of 94, has passed away. Frankie Manning was one of the original members of the Whitey’s Lindy Hoppers at the Savoy Ballroom in Harlem, NY. Frankie is also the creator of the lindy air step, later known as aerials, which gave swing its characteristic acrobatic patterns. Frankie was a popular dancer and choreographer during the swing era, choreographing and dancing in many films and performing nation wide. When the killer-diller Charleston jazz of the 30s and 40s gave way to bubblegummy early Rock-N-Roll of the 50s, serious swing dancers like Frankie Manning found themselves out of work. Frankie worked for the US post officer for many years. Then in the 80s a resurgence in partnered dance and an interest in neo-swing music brought the old vintage dances back from the grave. Suddenly, people were Lindy Hoppin’ again, and Frankie, now one of few surviving members of the original swing dancers, was in huge demand nation wide. As early as a few months ago, he was still dancing. Sadly, old age finally claimed Frankie. A month before his 95 birthday, which was sure to be a huge swing event world wide, he died due to complications from pneumonia.

Frankie Manning was a hero of mine. And although I am deeply saddened by his passing, I am also inspired by his legacy. He and others like him gave the world a new form of art, distinctly American, like the music it was danced to. And now Swing and Jazz are enjoyed the world over. From Sweden to Australia, from Japan to Huntsville, Alabama. The world jumps and wails to the big bands and the Charleston spirituals. Even to modern music, because swing continued to evolve to suit a newer time and newer music, and continues to bring out the best in who we are. Thank you Frankie.

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/arts/2009/04/27/2009-04-27_li
ndy_hop_great_hospitalized.html

Nihil est incertius vulgo, nihil obscurius voluntate hominum, nihil fallacius ratione tota comitiorum.

Nothing is more unpredictable than the mob, nothing more obscure than public opinion, nothing more deceptive than the whole political system.

-- Cicero

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Monday, April 27, 2009 1:26 PM

KWICKO

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." -- William Casey, Reagan's presidential campaign manager & CIA Director (from first staff meeting in 1981)

Normally I wouldn't advocate dancing a jig at the news of someone's death, but in this case, I think Frankie not only wouldn't mind, but that he'd INSIST!

Dance it up, Finn, and make the man proud.

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Monday, April 27, 2009 1:50 PM

KIRKULES

I'm not a dancer, but I paid for dance lessons for my daughter for 13 years. Swing dancing is one of the few styles of dance I really enjoy watching, especially if the music is the
Stray Cats or the Sugar Popping Daddies.

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Monday, April 27, 2009 1:51 PM

FINN MAC CUMHAL

Thank you, Kwicko.

I plan on doing just that at FrankieFest, next month.

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