Alex Burr
Rest In Peace Frankie
You gave us all something wonderful.
I don’t think I can find the words to express the profound effect this man has had on my life and the lives of thousands like me. We lost him Monday morning at the age of 94.
In his youth, his masterful athleticism, innovation, choreography, negotiation, unequaled talent and skill and plain dedication were fundamental in defining the dance as it took shape and matured. But in his later years it was his return to teaching that really helped form a movement. It’s Frankie’s contributions to dance in his later life that really seem (to me) to be the longest-lasting and farthest-reaching.
According to the legends (and stories from the horses’ mouths), after a decades-long hiatus from dancing, Frankie resurfaced in the mid-1980’s (thanks to Steven Mitchell and Erin Stevens) and began teaching various enthusiasts around the country, which eventually snowballed into the far-reaching Lindy Hop scene we enjoy today.
I first heard of Frankie back when Mike and I were seeking out places to learn swing dancing. We tried to learn the Shim Sham from his videotape. Esther and Richard recounted him fondly; as did Steven and Bill Borgida. Finally, in 1999, several friends and I (plus a large contingent from Ithaca!) took a workshop in Albany, where we got to experience some time with the true embodiment of love for the dance.
My sister Amanda and a friend of hers got dragged along to take some of the classes with us; even they couldn’t deny the man’s energy and charm. And in all subsequent workshops and classes with him (in Rochester, Ithaca, Albany, Syracuse, and Herräng), it was impossible to not have a fantastic time. All of the frustration and gravity of training and practicing that permeates other workshops was absent from Frankie’s sessions… not just because his material was often much simpler, but because he was visibly so enthused at having so many people that wanted to keep Lindy Hop alive.
When I think about the course my life has taken in the last decade or so, it’s impossible for me not to recognize the impact that Frankie had. Dancing the Lindy Hop has taken me to many places, made me many friends, helped me discover things about myself, and even introduced me to a wonderful person I can share it all with. None of that would have been possible without Frank Manning’s dedication and exuberance.
We still love you Frankie, and will always. And we can’t thank you enough.
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