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 