Among swing dancers and Lindy hoppers, Frankie Manning is a legend. One of the best dancers to come out of Harlem in the 30s, he amazed audiences with his acrobatic lifts, spins and aerials. Check out this clip from one of my favourite dance movies of all time, 1941's "Hellzapoppin'". Frankie is the guy in the mechanic's overalls.
Frankie turns 95 years young in May, and he is still dancing. Here he is in 2003 leading some youngsters in the Shim Sham, a fun little dance number he made famous. Sure beats the crap out of the Chicken Dance, doesn't it?
Does this guy look 90 to you? The secret to eternal youth must lie in bringing unbridled joy to millions of people, as Frankie's dancing has done over the decades.
Today, the Shim Sham is danced all over the world. And in honour of Frankie's 95th birthday, hoofers in cities around the globe have been filming themselves doing the Shim Sham. A montage of these videos will be presented to Frankie on May 26 in New York, as part of a big swing dance festival being held in his honour.
The Ottawa swing dancers recorded their tribute on Parliament Hill yesterday afternoon. I didn't participate because I couldn't make the practice where they actually learned the steps. But it sure looks like fun, doesn't it? It was frickin' cold too, but these cats don't seem to care!
Here are a few more fun videos from the Global Shim Sham. Enjoy!
Today, the Shim Sham is danced all over the world. And in honour of Frankie's 95th birthday, hoofers in cities around the globe have been filming themselves doing the Shim Sham. A montage of these videos will be presented to Frankie on May 26 in New York, as part of a big swing dance festival being held in his honour.
The Ottawa swing dancers recorded their tribute on Parliament Hill yesterday afternoon. I didn't participate because I couldn't make the practice where they actually learned the steps. But it sure looks like fun, doesn't it? It was frickin' cold too, but these cats don't seem to care!
Here are a few more fun videos from the Global Shim Sham. Enjoy!
