Tag Archives: lindy hop

Biography

Early years

Frankie Manning (May 26, 1914 – April 27, 2009) was an American dancer, instructor and choreographer. Manning is considered one of the founding fathers of the Lindy Hop. was born in Jacksonville, Florida. He frequented Harlem’s Savoy Ballroom in the 1930s, eventually becoming a dancer in the elite and prestigious “Cat’s Corner,” a corner of the dance floor in which impromptu exhibitions and competitions took place. During a dance contest in 1935, Manning and his partner Frieda Washington performed the first air step (often referred to as an aerial) in a swing dance competition against George “Shorty” Snowden and his partner Big Bea, at the Savoy Ballroom. The air step he performed was a “back to back roll” and was danced while Chick Webb played “Down South Camp Meeting”, which was Manning’s request after having heard the song earlier in the evening. The airstep went flawlessly to the music and astonished over 2,000 audience members watching.

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