Frankie Manning Frankie Manning started dancing in his early teens at a Sunday afternoon dance at the Alhambra Ballroom in Harlem and quickly graduated to the Savoy Ballroom, which was known for its great dancers and bands. Competitive as well as gifted, Frankie soon became a star dancer and was invited to become a member of Whitey's Lindy Hoppers, the performance group organized by Herbert White of the Savoy Ballroom. In a famous dance competiton where an opponent was the famous Shorty George, thought to be easily the best dancer in Harlem, Frankie partner Freda Washington outdanced Shorty and his partner Big Bea—and astonished the crowd of 2000—with the first Lindy airstep ever done. After World War II, Frank retired from dancing and went to work at the United States Post Office. Rediscovered in the 1980s, Frankie has been touring the world ever since, becoming a driving force worldwide with his teaching, choreography and performance. His own love of swing music and dancing has been as contagious as his dazzling smile as he has inspired thousands of new dancers. Back to TOP ^

Joel and Lenka Green Known for their fun and light-hearted approach to teaching, Joel and Lenka have built quite a reputation together. Their belief that dancing is made simple by an emphasis on great technique has made them sought-after teachers who enthusiastically invite dancers of all levels to join their classes. Those who had the pleasure of taking classes with Joel and Lenka at last year’s event will attest that even beginner level dancers will be able to learn and have a blast in the intermediate/advanced level classes. They also boast an impressive list of competition achievements, including National Jitterbug Champion 2004, four-time Swing Dance USA Champions, Swingin' New England Champion 2005, and 2nd and 4th place finishes at the American Lindy Hop Championships. Back to TOP ^