Here's a jam circle at the first dance party of the Frankie 95 Birthday Festival. With all of our guests not even here yet, it's already a blow-out, crazy-fun event.
Day 1 highlights:
- a very moving documentary film about Frankie called "Frankie Manning: Never Stop Swinging."
- Norma Miller in an intimate Q&A about her life as a dancer and performer
- the Jazz Vipers of New Orleans and the Gordon Webster band ripping it up in the beautiful Grand Ballroom!
- the Hellzapoppin Wildcard Round dance contest
- performances by the Cleveland jitterbug kids, the Harlem Hotshots of Sweden, Vicenzo and Isabella of Italy, (video) and The One-2-Swing Jitterbugs from LA
Here's another video of the Jazz Vipers playing to a jamming crowd of dancers.
Today is going to be amazing, with the Frankie Manning Memorial Service in the morning, followed by a Second Line processional from the church to Central Park, then a huge dance party in the sunshine at the Naumberg Bandshell. Then tonight we've got The Blue Vipers of Brooklyn, Ron Sunshine & Full Swing, The Cangelosi Cards and The Paul Tillotson's Trio performing from 9pm-4am!