Why hold an annual tribute for Frankie Manning?
About:
FRANKIE MANNING, AMBASSADOR OF LINDY HOP: 1914-2009
Legendary Lindy hopper Frankie Manning passed away on April 27, 2009, one month before his 95th birthday.
Frankie was a truly great man. There aren’t many people that can be said about.
Everyone who ever met him has a story to tell about Frankie. About how he inspired them and really touched them on an absolutely personal level. It wasn’t just that he taught us to dance and it wasn’t just that he showed us the soul of the Lindy Hop. That was all important, but it was more than that. Frankie Manning inspired LIFE. His passion for dancing will always be synonymous with a passion for a joyful life and way of being.
All of the good things in life, all of the positive energy, deeds and feelings; that’s what Frankie Manning was teaching us. He was radiant with it. Frankie was a living, breathing, pulsing mass of life-inspiration. All around the world, everywhere that he went, he inspired people right down to their core.
This man has left a legacy with us and I truly believe that it is each of our responsibility to carry on the Lindy Hop gospel. Tell people about Lindy Hop. Tell them about Frankie Manning. Teach them what it means to swing. Show them, not only with steps but with that same passion and joy that he brought to us. Remember that feeling. Cherish it in your heart and spread it whenever and wherever you can.
Thank you, Frankie Manning, for everything that you have given us!
So.
In true Frankie Manning fashion, this weekend will be a tribute to the great man himself, to Lindy Hop dancing and all the ways that it continues to inspire us, and to the values that Frankie has instilled in us, as summarized by the Frankie Manning Foundation:
- Having fun dancing the Lindy Hop
- Historic authenticity in Lindy Hop dancing and music
- Improvisation and continued innovation
- Close relationship between the music and the dance
- Maintaining a true community among dancers
- Mutual respect and cooperation
- Inclusivity (diverse backgrounds: geographic, ethnic, socio-economic, age, ability, etc.)
- Outreach and welcome to newcomers
- Excellence, which can be encouraged through friendly competition
All proceeds from the weekend will go to The Frankie Manning Foundation. The mission of Foundation is to preserve and promote the rich cultural, choreographic and artistic legacy of Frankie Manning and to encourage the world-wide proliferation and promotion of the music and the dance Frankie loved so much. For more information about the foundation, please click here.
