| SAVOYSTYLESHOP
Savoy Posters Instructional Videos Swing Dance Shoes Vintage Clothing BIOGRAPHIES
The
Golden Age:
|
George Grenidgeaka "Long-Legged George", "Long George" |
|
| Ann
Johnson
Dorothy Johnson Norma Miller Al Minns Frankie Manning Mildred Pollard Billy Ricker Willa Mae Ricker Russell Williams |
An important figure in the Golden Age of Lindy Hop, and a member of Whitey's Lindy Hoppers, George Grenidge danced in three of the five feature films that were made by the group, including the ill-fated Everybody Sing, with Judy Garland. During the mid to late thirties, when the Lindy Hop grew like wildfire nationally and developed into a substantial dance form at the Savoy, Grenidge was one of the prime movers, along with Frankie Manning and Snooky Beasley. The three often vied for first place in the Saturday night competions at the Savoy Ballroom. | |
| MOVIES
After Seben The Big Apple Call Of The Jitterbug Can't Top the LdyHp Cootie Williams Cottontail Day At The Races Chicago & All That Jazz Frankie Manning Instructional Videos Jammin'the Blues Jittering Jitterbugs Killer Diller Malcolm X Manhattan Merry-Go-Round Outline Jitterbug Hist The Policy Man Radio City Revels The Spirit Moves Stompin' at the Savoy Swing Kids Swingin'at the Savoy Symphony in Black |
 He
was known as "Long-Legged George" at the Savoy, where there were
a number of popular Georges (see Twistmouth
George and Shorty
George Snowden.) His specialty was Charleston steps. He created
the "Long-Legged Charleston" to exaggerate even more the prodigious
length of his legs by adding a slide forward and back. This gave
the illusion that the kicks extended even further than they did.
He also created the "Turn over Charleston" which you can see him do with
the woman in front of him in A
Day at the Races.
With Frankie Manning, he worked on the development of many of the airsteps, which were then brand new. He is particularly associated with the creation of the Side Flip. |
Grenidge and Willamae Ricker are featured in the Dec.28, 1936 issue of Life Magazine demonstrating how to do the Lindy Hop. George also danced frequently with Norma Miller and some think he was the best partner she ever had. Although a top dancer at the Savoy between 1935 and 1940, Long George seems to have disappeared from the dance scene by 1940 after meeting a woman and settling down into domestic life. Films
Radio City Revels |
Written and researched by Judy Pritchett with Frankie Manning (C)1995,1996,1997.May be reproduced only with explicit written permission. Last updated:16 July 2002. Send your suggestions, corrections or comments to judyp@mcn.org |
||
