Whey hey!!!!!
Happy Birthday Frankie!!! So grateful to have known you. Thanks for everything ❤
Doodle by Nate Swinehart
…when you’ve been trolled!
😉
Photo Credit: Dave Minter 2013
Dancing with the fabulous Francois Bechu at the 100 Club. Dance competition organised by The London Swing Dance Society.
This is my teacher 🙂
[update: Thursday 10th Sept] The video is back :). BTW, I recommend you joining the Ted blog www.blog.ted.com. There’s something for everyone, so many things to learn. When you click on a video, very often there is a tab to the bottom right of the video which gives you an option for different languages. A transcript will come up to help you follow the talk.
[update: Thursday 26th Sept] Well, this would have been a video of Ryan Francois giving a presentation at the Tedx Albertopolis on Tuesday 23rd September 2013. The video has been removed from Youtube, the reasons for which I have no idea. It’s a pity. Let’s hope it will be re-instated very soon. I found Ryan’s presentation to be simple and to the point and demonstrated class and authority. This is not to say that it didn’t conjure up critique (as any viewpoint worth its weight ought to).
[update of like 10 mins of writing the update and sourcing links] You’ll find the answer in the comments, just keep scrolling http://yehoodi.com/…/175827/ryan-francois-gives-tedx-talk/
The internet is mad, isn’t it? Phew. Watch this space for the return…I hope 😉
Last night, I came back home rather tired so I didn’t manage to write anything about the videos I posted.
So what prompted me to share those two videos?
She was one of those artists that took ownership of the material she performed. I mean, have you heard the original version of “My Baby Just Cares for Me”? Check it out, you’d be surprised. An uber talented human being, for me, Dr Simone is one of my main inspirations. Her integrity is what draws me to her; her uncompromising stance on honesty. During my time at music school, my voice tutor didn’t quite get why I rated her voice so highly “She croaks. And her posture…” Continue reading
and why the heck not…..!!!!
🙂
…don’t say it” (c) my Mum.
This bit of advice has been a curse and a blessing all in one. On one hand it has given me the grace to know how to respect and appreciate the qualities in my fellow human being, and has taught me how to show compassion for their limitations.
On the other hand, her advice has acted like an almighty saltwater-laden cloth gag which stifles me when affronted with mediocrity and fully blown B.S. posing and lauded as “good” or “nice” or whatever popular culture (whatever that is) dictates.
Yes, good or nice are subjective – and beauty is in the eye of the beholder – and if you ain’t part of the solution you’re part of the problem – and any other trite-ism I can spew out. But that’s just it isn’t it, it’s a numbers game – chi ching. The majority wins.
This morning I have been subjected to so much tosh in my tiny swing community that I couldn’t bear it anymore, I just had to have a rant. Continue reading
Photos: Ella Haller Zwierzchowska. Photo Booth: Hilary Jones
Celebrate the Savoy Ballroom 87th anniversary at Jitterbugs on Wednesday 13th March 2013, at Stern Hall at WLS, 33 Seymour Place, Marble Arch W1.
The Savoy Ballroom is the most renowned dance venue of the Swing Era. It not only had a rich culture of dance, but was also a pioneer in the social changes of that era.
In 1993, the lindy hop legend Frankie Manning named Jitterbugs Club “The New Home of Happy Feet”.
This Wednesday, we will be celebrating the legacy the Savoy Ballroom gave Jitterbugs and the World of Swing.
Come join the party at the Stern Hall located within a beautiful 1930‘s building with it’s original parquet dance floor – a true gem hidden just behind the top end of Oxford Street.
So what’s on the program?
Immerse yourself in the atmosphere of a typical Savoy Ballroom night. Come as your favourite dance personality from the era.
*Meet the legendary characters from the Savoy Ballroom: Big Bea, Shorty George, Whitey, Twist Mouth George and other famous people who went “Uptown” for a night of dancing.
*A talk and Q&A session with Angela Andrew and Julie Oram about the Savoy Ballroom Dance culture and legacy.
*Learn typical dances/routines that were danced at the Savoy Ballroom
*Battle of the DJ’s
*Get your picture taken
*and not let’s not forget the cake!!!
Times
—-6.45 – 7.00 – Talk / Q&A
—-7.00 – 7.45 – Peabody / Swing Walk: A Foxtrot style dance enjoyed
—-7.45 – 8.30 – First Stops routine – as taught by Sugar Sullivan and Barbara Billups (Orignal Dancers of the Savoy Ballroom)
A bit about
Angela Andrew
Angela has been often described as the “next generation” of authentic lindy hoppers. She was one of Frankie Manning’s assistants for over 10 years, and is keen to continue his work of spreading and developing the lindy hop, her emphasis on the soul and roots of the dance. She is also and considered to be a “protégé” of Savoy veterans like Norma Miller and others, Frankie himself stating that she was one of the 5 top female dancers in the world.
Julie Oram
Original dancer of the Swing Renaissance, Julie was at the forefront of all that is Swing especially in the UK. Her close relationship with Frankie Manning inspired her to share her love of lindy-hop in the most humblest of ways. Co-founder, principle dancer and manager of Zoots and Spangles (one of the first performance troupes of the Swing Renaissance), her knowledge and experience is a great resource.
More about the Savoy Ballroom here
This is a party for anyone who is interested in dance culture and just looooves to dance. Come along and join in the fun!!!!
Savoy Ballroom, Friday March 12, 1926 – Thursday July 10, 1958
*UPDATE 12TH MARCH 2019*
The original article I linked to has gone. Since found out that the website closed down three years ago. If you are able to retrieve it somewhere, here is the full link. Twas a good article. http://www.examiner.com/article/today-new-york-history-march-12-1926-the-savoy-ballroom-opensToday-new-york-history-march-12-1926-the-savoy-ballroom-opens
On Tuesday 12 March 2013, the Savoy Ballroom will be 87 years young.
I would have loved to have danced there. All the stories that I have heard, from Norma and Frankie especially. And when I see the footage, I think…maybe if I cross my fingers, close my eyes and wish real hard, then…
Savoy Ballroom Celebration, Lyon, France 2012.
Photo: Jul Effet
Last year, I and the gang at Rhythm Tap N’ Swing put on a little party to celebrate. This is what we got up to in Lyon photos. The party was attended by mostly members from the association – a small but very enthusiastic bunch of dancers. Let’s hope that there will be more happy feet dancing there this year.
The Savoy Ballroom was … located at 596 Lenox Avenue, between 140th and 141st Streets in Harlem, New York City . It was in operation from March 12, 1926 to July 10, 1958…owned by white entrepreneurs Jay Faggen and a reputed Jewish gangster, Moe Gale…It was managed by African-American real estate business man Charles Buchanon.
…It could hold up to 4,000 people. The interior was painted pink and the walls were mirrored.
Unlike many ballrooms such as the Cotton Club, the Savoy always had a no-discrimination policy. Generally, the clientele was 85% black and 15% white, although sometimes there was an even 50/50 split. Lindy hop legend Frankie Manning noted that patrons were only judged on their dancing skills and not on the color of their skin…All they wanted to know when you came into the Savoy was, do you dance?”. Virtuosic dancers, however, excluded others from the northeast corner of the dance floor, now referred to as the “Cat’s Corner,” although the term was not used at the time.
Taken from Wikipedia
Savoy Celebration – 2006: Frankie Manning, Chazz Young, Mickey Davidson, Norma Miller, Angela Andrew
What they were doing then voice over, Norma Miller
What we are doing now 🙂
It’s funny how history repeats itself, so many parallels on sooo many levels (a bit of an in joke I’m afraid). So if you fancy shaking a leg in honour of the Home of Happy Feet, or even finding out more what is behind the “in joke” then come along to Jitterbugs on Wednesday 13th March and ask me.
Some links:
Savoy Ballroom on Wikipedia
www.theharlemswingdancesociety.blogspot.co.uk
www.yehoodi.com
Dance Heritage Coalition
Savoy Ballroom Anniversary on Facebook
Savoy Ballroom Project
Say look-a here Lucky, what’s that place uptown that all the hep cats rave about?
Savoy Boy, Savoy
Yeah, well tell me Jack, what’s this place like, maybe I can come swing some night
P.S. Speaking of countdowns. Have you noticed, there’s another one on this page. Don’t you just love pisceans?! 😉
Cookie's Jam 