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Amy Winn, reporter, friend, and gifted lindy hopper, had the good fortune to interview Frankie Manning (above in the '30s), who'd make a terrific New Yorker Profile. If you don't already know who he is, read the piece, then go out and dance, damnit! If you're already a fan, or are interested in jazz, dance, or American history, read Amy's full transcript. Actually, Frankie says it better:
This is an article for the daily newspaper, not just for dancers. What can I tell non-dancers to make them want to come hear you speak?
This is an American art form and if they want to learn anything about it, come to class. If you want to learn about an American art form that started in the 20s and you want to know some history of dance, and history of some things that happened. If you want to hear about legendary figures like, Ellington, Basie, people like that, then that's what my lecture will be about -- my involvement with those people.
...
Do you watch "So You Think You Can Dance," and "Dancing with the Stars"? What do you think of them, and specifically, what do you think of the swing dancing?
I saw "Dancing with the Stars," the one with Ryan and Jenny. I got a tape of it. I thought that was great...who better, right?
I think it's good for everyone, because it actually features dancing and I think people need to get out and dance more and get acquainted with more people, and that's the way to do it -- with partner dancing.
Do you see anything in pop culture today that seems analogous to what lindy hop, jazz, and Harlem meant back in the day? Does you see any major differences or similarities between the today and back then? Do you follow hip-hop?
I don't really follow it [hip-hop] but I have seen a lot of it and I know some of the fellows and girls from the hip-hop movement. Some things I see, I like, some things that we do, they like. It's a change of dances, that's all. I see a lot of what they are doing were things that were done in my day and even before my time, just done to different types of music, so it's done differently. But I look at very, very old films, from the 1900s, and I say that's what they are doing nowadays!
Related:
Article, "Frankie Manning: The Ambassador of Lindy Hop" [SavoyStyle]
Frankie dancing in vintage clips from Hellzapoppin (dance starts at 2:42, and you've never seen anything like it; Frankie's in overalls), in The Spirit Moves, and with Willa Mae Ricker [YouTube]
Ryan Francois and Jenny Thomas and their snappy Charleston routine [YouTube]
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Hello! We're a small band of culture writers, editors, and artists based in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Emdashes, which spent its formative years as a New Yorker blog, is our collection of conversations—mostly civilized—about magazines, movies, design, punctuation, and other things that stir us.
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Dashes, some say, “are particularly useful in a sentence that is long and complex.” Emdashes—like an em dash itself—provides a thoughtful pause amid the hubbub.
Emdashes, founded in 2004, is written and drawn by Emily Gordon, Martin Schneider, Pollux, Jonathan Taylor, and Benjamin Chambers, as well as occasional guest contributors. All posts before October 2008 are by Emily Gordon.
The site was designed by House of Pretty with illustrations by Jesse R. Ewing.
Additional drawings are by Carolita Johnson and Pollux (author of our web comic, "The Wavy Rule"). The Emdashes pencil logo is by Jennifer Hadley, based on a 1943 Dorothy Gray ad.
Other writing by Emily Gordon
- Reviews: theater writing (for Time Out Chicago)
- Profile: Valerie Casey, Designers Accord founder, is spearheading the design of sustainability (for SXSW World)
- Feature: Rea Irvin: visionary art director, bon vivant, New Yorker founding father (for Print)
- Slide show: the Coney Island Mermaid Parade (for NYCgo.com)
- Feature: Muslim immigration iconography in the Netherlands, and an interview with Ayaan Hirsi Ali (for Print)
- Review: King's Gambit: A Son, a Father, and the World's Most Dangerous Game by Paul Hoffman (for Newsday)
- Homage: Celebrating lindy-hop legend Frankie Manning (for NYCgo.com)
- Inquiry: Does a New Republic redesign mean a change of tune? (for Print)
- Interview: James Surowiecki on what's next for the wisdom of crowds (for Assignment Zero)
- Interviews: four up-and-coming designers under 30 (for Print)
- Profile: novelist and dance critic Laura Jacobs (for Newsday)
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