Something is wrong with this class…
No, it’s not the way the dancers are doing the moves…
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No, it’s not the colour of the room walls and door either…
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Wait! Are there are THREE guys waiting for their Queens to swing-out with…?
Ladies, wait no more, come to the dance class where men wait for a chance to dance. Sign up now. Check the Classes page for details.
Categories: Courses/Events
The first time I met Frankie in 1999 on Catalina island, I was 4 months into dancing, and I remembered being in awe of this guy, who was all smiles and laughter, who danced with the great Jazz band leaders like Count Basie and Chick Webb and Cab Calloway, who spoke of Ella Fitzgerald fondly as a sister, playing cards and dancing with him.
But over the years, I stopped seeing him as a figure among the Greats, but one of the Greats himself, as I learnt about his contributions to Lindy Hop – from the first aerial, to the first group choreography for Lindy performance. And of course, being the inspiration and the light during the Swing revival that started in the late 80s.
Yet, despite all of that, Frankie was an amazing person, always with a smile on his face, always ready with a story or two, always great in the class in the way he inspires people and how he embodies all that is Lindy Hop.
My fondest memories of Frankie:
Whenever he came to Singapore and to the studio where I’m teaching a class, I’ll make the class stop, all turn towards him looking in from the window, and salute, and he’d laugh.
My DJ set in Herrang where I changed my list to have his favourite tunes just so I can watch him groove. And I managed to catch him singing and scatting to the tunes at the sidelines to music he’s heard live back in the day, now on recording. I wish I video-ed that from the DJ console…
A quiet conversation with him last year about his life between his dancing periods, and how he told me about the parties where he danced to motown music. It was such a rare and precious moment.
If you’ve stories of Frankie, share them here…
Last night, when I got the news while hosting the social dance event, I was sad. When I made the announcement for us to do the shim sham in his honour, I had to explain who he was because I realised that there were many people there who did not know him, and many dancers who have never had the chance to meet the Man.
This is a picture I took of Botak Jones’s logo, an american style food stall here in Singapore, which reminded me so much of him. I had hoped to give to Frankie when I next saw him, but I never got the chance. For those who did not know, Frankie’s nickname was also “Musclehead”.
Thank you Frankie, for all you have done for the Lindy Hop community then and now, and for all the lives that you have touched.
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See http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/28/arts/dance/28manning.html to learn more about Frankie and type his name in this blog to see him in action…
Categories: Personalities
Despite apprehensions of some first timers, everyone did well doing the Tranky Doo routine (including the instructor I think, haha). The routine was choreographed by Pepsi Bethel back in the 30s, and you can find the original clip of him doing this with Al Minns and Leon James elsewhere in this blog as well. Here’s the clip to refresh your memory, and of course, we’ll practice this at the socials! For those who’ve missed out, one more workshop end of May before I head off to Europe!
Categories: Courses/Events · Video
