Legacy Series

The Project

In late-2005 an idea was formed to develop archival information and video film footage of the original Lindy Hop movement. The Houston Swing Dance Society (HSDS) and SwingBud Films sponsored “The Project”, as it was called. The initial goal was to interview legacy Lindy Hoppers and capture an honest retelling of their individual stories, with a larger goal to create a documentary of these legendary dancers. The initial artistic board for this project was comprised of Tena Morales-Armstrong, Peter Strom, Skye Humphries, Margaret Batiuchok, and Elliott Donnelly; with a production crew of Buddy Steves, Roberto Pumpido, Steve Inskeep and Kenneth Barrett.

Later in 2006, more than 20 dancers were filmed and interviewed during the 80th anniversary celebration of the Savoy Ballroom in New York City, Lindyfest in Houston, TX, and a number of dancers’ homes in NYC and New Jersey. Discussions with these dancers centered around the following themes:

  • Personal inspiration of key players
  • Spread of inspiration into movement nationally, globally
  • State of the union of social dance in America (and abroad)
  • Conventions versus history/reality
  • Dancing as it relates to American culture (and worldwide culture)

Although the documentary has yet to be made, ILHC in partnership with the Houston Swing Dance Society and SwingBud Films, will share a series of these discussions with the Lindy Hop Community!

This video series is part of the Swing Dance Museum, that will be open and free to the public.

Frankie Manning

Whitey’s Lindy Hopper, Savoy Ballroom Dancer, Instructor and Choreographer

Frankie Manning at Lindyfest, Houston, Texas

Video of Frankie Manning dancing in the 1941 film “Hellzapoppin’“

Sugar Sullivan

Harvest Moon Ball Winner, Partner of George Sullivan

Live interview with Ryan Swift

Dawn Hampton

Cabaret and Jazz Singer, Savoy Ballroom Dancer

Interviewed by Manu Smith

Video of Dawn Hampton dancing with Frankie Manning in 2008 at Lindyfest in Houston, Texas

Gloria Caldwell and Dave Butts

Presented with Peter Strom

Interviewed by Peter Strom, Ms. Caldwell and Mr. Butts discuss:

– Lindy Hopping with Mama Lu Parks in the 50s and 60s

George Sullivan

Harvest Moon Ball Winner, Mama Lu Parks Dancer, Partner of Sugar Sullivan

Interviewed by Peter Strom and Skye Humphries, hear Mr. Sullivan discuss:

– Rhythm is the heart of the dance
– Uniqueness of the Dance – No Act can follow Lindy Hop
– Savoy 400 – Elite Savoy Group Member
– How being laughed at was his motivation to learn
– Show business wasn’t for him because of the pay

Video of George Sullivan dancing with Ruth Sugar Sulivan—the 1955 Harvest Moon Ball Jitterbug Champions

Eleanor “Stumpy” Atkinson Watson

Whitey’s Lindy Hopper, Savoy Ballroom Dancer

Interviewed by Skye Humphries, hear Ms. Atkinson Watson discuss:

– Pay for a Whitey’s Lindy Hoppers
– Having to “laugh” all the time in movies of the day
– Opinion of modern day lindy hoppers in 2006
– Partner “Long-legged George” Greenidge

Video of Eleanor “Stumpy” Atkinson Watson dancing in the 1938 film “Radio City Revels”

Remegia Simone

Harvest Moon Ball Dancer, Savoy Ballroom Dancer

Interviewed by Skye Humphries, hear Ms. Simone discuss:

– Worlds Fair in 1939
– Ed Sullivan as MC of Harvest Moon Ball
– Harvest Moon Ball and what it was like
– Dancing as a white female at the Savoy
– Why she stopped dancing at the Savoy after the war (very interesting with today’s climate)

Andrew Jerrick

Savoy Ballroom Dancer, Palladium Ballroom Dancer

Interviewed by Peter Strom, hear Mr. Jerrick discuss:

– Started dancing at Savoy Ballroom at age 16
– Savoy Ballroom owner Buchanon and leadership
– Touch Dancing
– Motion without emotion
– Coming into Black Spaces to dance by Whites
– Restorative Power of the Dance
– Restorative Power of the Dance

Ruth Rheingold

Presented with Skye Humphries

Interviewed by Skye Humphries, hear Ms. Rheingold discuss:

– Describes Dancing at the Savoy-1936
– Black Dancers vs White Dancers and race relations at the Savoy
– Dancing at Savoy vs. Roseland vs. Apollo
– Ruthie telling a young college-aged Skye he couldn’t make much of a living as a Lindy Hopper
– Working with Whitey’s Lindy Hoppers as a White Dancer

Leroy Griffin

Savoy Ballroom Dancer

Interviewed by Peter Strom, hear Mr. Griffin discuss:

– Savoy 400 Club
– Competition on the dance floor – Cuttin is natural
– Small’s Paradise
– Black and Blue

Terry Monaghan

Lindy Hop Historian

Interviewed by Elliott Donnelly, hear Mr. Monaghan discuss:

Part 1

– Colored Dance Marathon at the Rockland Palace
– What came first, the Music or the Dance
– Dancers from NY (Snowden) vs Dancers from other parts of the country (Frankie Manning, Al Minns)
– Evolving from Competition dance to Performance to Social Dance
– Lindy Hop being taught to White dancers as a Social Dance

Part 2

– Bands and their repertoire
– Brave youth who were swing dancers who stood up to oppression. Relevant today.
– Lyceum Ballroom, 1961
– Sitting talking to Billy Ricker, Norma and Frankie. Once you name the dancers you give the dancers identity. Must learn who is who and who to acknowledge, fights stereotypes.