For those that were not able to attend Frankie Manning's funeral service earlier this month, there will be a Memorial Service for Frankie on Friday May 22 as part of the Frankie 95 Birthday Festival. The service will take place at 10am at the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church (Fifth Avenue at 55th Street). Open to…
Join Jonathan Fanton and Cory Ondrejka on MacArthur Island on Monday May 18
On Monday May 18, at 2pm PST , the MacArthur Foundation will be officially launching MacArthur Island in Second Life with a public forum featuring Foundation President Jonathan Fanton and co-creator of Second Life, Cory Ondrejka. Ondrejka and Fanton will be discussing the future of virtual worlds and philanthropy, and then taking questions from the…
Reelz Channel profiles Frankie Manning
ReelzChannel Movie News | Movie Trailers Here's a sweet video news story by Reelz Channel about Frankie Manning's life and legacy, emphasizing his film career, as well as his impact on a new generation of dancers.
WNET Broadcasting Special Tribute to Frankie Manning on May 21!
I am happy to announce that PBS affiliate station WNET (Channel 13) in New York will be broadcasting a special tribute show about Frankie Manning on May 21 at 10:30pm. The documentary features the last major interview of Frankie Manning before his death, as well as precious archival footage of his dancing from the 1930s…
Roommate wanted for awesome Fort Greene 2-bd apartment
My buddy Swifty is taking the plunge and moving in with the lovely Lilieblue very shortly. Thus I am now seeking a roommate to share our lovely two-bedroom apartment in Fort Greene, Brooklyn starting on June 1st. Tell them what they get, Don Pardo! A goodly sized two-bedroom pad in a modern apartment complex Full…
Ambassador Stages Coup At UN, Issues Long List of Non-Binding Resolutions (video)
Ambassador Stages Coup At UN, Issues Long List of Non-Binding Resolutions As a United Nations-nerd, this Onion video just kills me: "Ambassador Stages Coup At UN, Issues Long List of Non-Binding Resolutions". Just this line alone is so perfect: I can't imagine what it's like for those ambassadors inside… having no idea what this madman…
“Love n’ Dancing” west coast swing movie opening in May
Here's the trailer for the new dancing movie "Love n' Dancing," opening in limited release this month. The plot revolves around a champion swing dancer who starts teaching a high school teacher how to dance for her wedding, but soon something more develops between them. [Cue cheesy music.] Anyway, its neat to see swing dancing…
My 1st breaking gig: cupcakes, hokey-pokey, and b-boying!
Today I performed at my first paid breaking gig: a kid's birthday party in Queens. The spot was one of those party spaces for toddlers complete with themed decorations (from Power Rangers to Hannah Montana), lots of group games, gift bags, and everything else that a six-year-old wants to celebrate his or her special day. …
The Swinging-est Funeral: Celebrating the life and legacy of legendary lindy hopper Frankie Manning
Today I was fortunate enough to participate in the most swingin' funeral I have ever attended. Today, we laid Frankie Manning in his final resting place. As I entered the Mount Morris Ascension Presbyterian Church in Harlem, I was greeted by the powerful sound of the full Harlem Renaissance Orchestra playing on stage. I saw…
The Frankie 95 Festival is On! Registration Re-opens! Come honor the ambassador of lindy hop from May 21-25 in NYC
I just got the latest news from the organizers of the Frankie 95 Birthday Festival about the status of the Festival with the passing of Frankie last Monday. Among the highlights: The Festival is still on! It's what Frankie would have wanted. Registration has been re-opened now for anyone who wants to come to the…