[Dixielandjazz] The Death of Dixieland

[Robert S. Ringwald]

David Richoux tubaman at tubatoast.com wrote:

> >> Not quite dead yet, if it can be tied in with Lindy Hop dancers - or
>> other creative marketing...

Steve barbone posted:

>   Young and old cutting a rug at City Hall
>>
>> By Misha Berson - Seattle Times arts critic
>>
>> Ninety-three-year-old Frankie Manning had some official business at
>> City Hall on Thursday. It was showing people young enough to be his
>> great-grandkids how to do the Shim Sham
>>
>> Known as "The Ambassador of the Lindy Hop," Manning was not the only
>> one laying down moves at City Hall's outdoor plaza in a noontime
>> concert. . .  snip to
>
>> The festival runs
>> through Sunday and features 10 surviving star dancers from the Big
>> Band era,. . . Though now in their 70s,
>> 80s and 90s, these elder hoofers are still cuttin' a rug.
>
>> While here, Manning and contemporaries Jeni LeGon, Norma Miller,
>> Sugar Sullivan and others will reflect on their escapades as star
>> African-American hoofers, at nightspots like Harlem's Savoy Ballroom,
>> from the 1920s into the '40s. They also will teach their fancy
>> footwork for such crazes as the Lindy Hop (the jazzy partner dance
>> that led to the Jitterbug),. . .
>
> Amen Dave. Frankie Manning and Norma Miller were in Philadelphia last year
> at an event for the local Lindy Love group.
>
> It was quite a treat to meet them both. In the swing dance world, their
> stature is like that of King Oliver. Not the originators of the Lindy, but
> a
> few years later, the undisputed King and Queen of the Lindy Hoppers. I
> talked with them about their nights dancing at the Savoy Ballroom to the
> Chick Webb Orchestra and how they won a city wide Lindy contest in NYC at
> Madison Square Garden circa mid 1930s.
>
> The Savoy? A magical place and integrated from its opening day. If you
> could
> dance, nobody cared what color you were. And even if you couldn't dance,
> if
> you were a musician you were welcome. Even Leopold Stokowski visited.
(snip)


Frankie Manning will be the guest of honor at a big Swing Dance event we,
The Fulton Street Jazz Band, are playing for this Saturday, 9:00 - Midnight.
They are expecting 500 couples!

The following is from our web site, www.fultonstreetjazz.com

  (snip)
Aug 25
Fulton Street Jazz Band
Midtown Stomp 9:00 PM - midnight, Public welcome.
Sacramento Turn Verein, 3349 J St. Sacramento CA 95816-4502 Information
916/221-1500
info at MidtownStomp.com
http://www.sacsavoynights.com
Featuring dance demonstrations by 93-year-old Lindy Hopper, Frankie Manning.
Mr.
Manning still travels the world giving demonstrations and teaching. He
danced at
the legendary Savoy Ballroom in Harlem and is known far and wide by swing
dancers
as the best swing dancer there ever was.
(snip)

--Bob Ringwald
Fulton Street Jazz Band