Ambassador of Lindy Hop
Autobiography of Frankie Manning
AUTOGRAPHED COPIES!!

A poet of the dance floor. This book is a
must read for any one who loves the dance,
amateur or professional. What a life he has
lived, and thank God he remembers it all!
—Bette Midler, student and fan

Ambassador of Lindy Hop, the account of Frankie Manning's many lives from 1914 until today, is a delight to the eye, the ear and the heart. The story is told in Manning's own voice from his excellent recollection, and has been formed into a tight memoir with pruning and coaxing from his collaborator, Cynthia Millman.

The primary focus, of course, is on his dancing years in the thirties and forties. These chapters move with the energy of the swinging music and dance itself. Manning's excitement is contagious, from his first days at the Savoy Ballroom, his triumph in winning a contest and a place in history by inventing the first air step, and his subsequent career dancing with Whitey's Lindy Hoppers. Millman has assiduously corroborated every historical detail through independent research, so dance historians will have an unusually accurate record.

I have read numerous biographies of swing era entertainers, but, sadly, none of them lived long enough to have an upbeat final chapter like Manning, who gets to tour the world again in response to the revival of the Lindy Hop by a new generation of dancers.

If you are too busy to read, or don't read English, just get this book for its great looks and terrific pictures. Beth Tondreau, a friend and student of Manning's, has honored him with a gorgeous book design. And some 35 vibrant photographs bring the story to life, enriching it with at least 35,000 more words -- in the universal language!

PART ONE: EARLY STEPS (1914-circa 1933) Chapter 1. Jazz Baby / 5 Chapter 2. Early Ballroom Forays / 21

PART TWO: SAVOY DANCER (circa 1933-1936) Chapter 3. To the Savoy at Last / 47 Chapter 4. Whitey, Shorty, and Stretch / 72 Chapter 5. Win Win / 85 Chapter 6. Up in the Air She Goes / 102

PART THREE: WHITEY'S LINDY HOPPERS (1936-1943) Chapter 7. Going Pro / 129 Chapter 8. Big Time at the Cotton Club / 149 Chapter 9. A Big Apple for Whitey / 174 Chapter 10. On Broadway and In the Movies / 213 Chapter 11. Stranded in Rio / 246

PART FOUR: WAR AND HOME (1943-1984) Chapter 12. Dancer Interrupted / 259 Chapter 13. The Congaroo Dancers and a Day Job / 275

PART FIVE: SECOND ACT (1984-present) Chapter 14. Revival /

APPENDIXES A. Frankie Manning Timeline / 347 B. Biographies of Lindy Hoppers C. List of Works Cited or Consulted / C. Frankie's List of Swing Dance on Film/TV D. Swing Dance Resources E. Swing Dance Organizations and Events Index

For more about Frankie Manning see www.savoystyle.com/frankie_manning.html

For Frankie Manning's teaching schedule for 2007 see www.savoystyle.com/schedule.html