Brewed Beverage of Choice: What Frankie Wants Today, Frankie Gets Today!
Today, we in the swing dancing community mourn our “grandfather.” Frankie Manning (if you are unsure of who he is, google his name) past away at the ripe, young age of 94. To those of us who started swing dancing in the 90s, he was our mentor, he was our inspiration, he was our grandfather as we sat at his feet whilst he told us the stories we will pass on to our children. Frankie Manning, in my heart, is.
I had the pleasure of meeting Frankie in 2000 in Catalina where I was taking a swing dancing workshop. I had studied the man like any good Confucian would. Watched video…Listened to him speak…Studied move after move after move…It was our religion. Sorry Keith but you, as well as every other swing dancer from that time, were a member of the Church of Lindy Hop with Frankie Manning as our Pastor. Remember a time that you put someone up on a pedastal, putting time and effort into studying and trying to be that person only to be crushed when you met ‘em because that person turned out to be an ass? This was not one of those times. When I met Frankie, when I shook his hand, all I felt was calmness and happiness. It was as if I met Confucius himself. His presence filled the ballroom. Everyone knew where he was. His smile made me smile made the person next to me smile made him smile.
I stuggled for a bit to put my thoughts of Frankie into the proper words because words do not do Frankie justice. Every thought, every memory, every feeling all came down to Frankie Manning Is. And so the following is the best I could do. Frankie…You will live in all those you touched. And believe me, that is a lot of people. Prost! To Frankie Manning!
Spank the Baby
Frankie Manning is Confucius
Frankie Manning is the Buddha
The Zen Monk of Lindy Hop
Walk into any ballroom
and feel the warmth of his presence
His smile, grand and expansive,
has the calming effect of a healer
And that is how he made the world feel:
calm and joyous
He was the perfect dancer
His moves…Simple…Serene
Someone once exclaimed,
“Even the air is jealous of Frankie!”
His image: Saintly
His footwork: Devine
In all of heaven there is only one
phrase to describe our grandfather…
Frankie Manning Is