Early Lindy Hop: The Congaroo Dancers

SAVOYSTYLE SHOP Vintage Videos Instructional Videos T-Shirts Notecards BIOGRAPHIES *First Generation:* Shorty George Leroy Stretch Jones Twistmouth George	The Congaroo Dancers The Congaroo Dancers were a Lindy Hop performance group led by Frankie Manning after he returned from serving in World War II in 1947. The group originally got its start in 1939 as the primo group of Whitey's Lindy Hoppers known as The Harlem Congaroos. After playing the Cotton Club, they danced in the movie Hellzapoppin' and in the soundie Hot Chocolates.
The Golden Age: Whitey'sLindyHprs. Sandra Gibson George Grenidge Leon James Ann Johnson Dorothy Johnson Norma Miller Al Minns Frankie Manning Mildred Pollard Billy Ricker Willa Mae Ricker Russell Williams MOVIES After Seben The Big Apple Call Of The Jitterbug Can't Top theLindyHop Cootie Williams Cottontail Day At The Races Chicago & All That Jazz	The Congaroo Dancers Frankie Manning and Ann Johnson (1948-1952) or Helen Douglas (1952- 1958) Russell Williams (aka Rashul Ali) and Willa Mae Ricker Films Killer Diller (1948) Television The Milton Berle Show	After the Second World War, the popular music scene underwent great changes which affected popular dance styles. Big Band swing music was declining in popularity as newer musical forms emerged. On the one hand, jazz was evolving into Bebop, which was not very danceable, although a 6-count form of Lindy done with a "stutter" did develop in attempt to dance to the new music. On the other hand, Rhythm'n'Blues, a very danceable music, was gaining popularity and evolving into Rock'n'Roll, a music which lacked the syncopated rhythms and melodic sophistication of swing jazz. To this changing music, young people were dancing a simplified form of the Lindy, in which 6-count patterns predominated.
Frankie Manning Instructional Videos Hellzapoppin' Hot Chocolates Jammin'the Blues Jittering Jitterbugs Killer Diller Malcolm X Manhattan Merry-Go-Round	Despite a declining audience for jazz-based authentic Lindy Hop, the Congaroo Dancers found a comfortable niche performing in large traveling shows with big name artists and bands, such as the Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Kenton, Sarah Vaughan and Nat King Cole. But the popularity of live stage shows was declining, as well, and they were getting more and more expensive to mount. By 1954 the Congeroos disbanded.
	Written by Judy Pritchett with Frank Manning. Copyright, 1995, 1996, 1997 May not be reproduced without written permission. judyp@mcn.org>. Last updated: 22 September, 1997.