Frankie Manning (in memoriam)
The Ambassador of Lindy Hop, Frankie travelled all over the world teaching jazz dance to Swing enthusiasts in Sweden, Singapore, Australia, England, Spain, as well as across the United States. We were fortunate and honored to have had him on our staff from 1987 to 2009. A Savoy Ballroom legend and the chief choreographer of Whitey's Lindy Hoppers and the Congaroos, two famous Harlem dance troupes of the 1930s-1950s, Frankie won a Tony Award for choreography for the musical Black and Blue. Frankie passed away on April 27, 2009, in New York City at the age of 94.
Al Minns (in memoriam)
A Savoy Ballroom great, Harvest Moon Ball winner, and member of the famed Harlem troupe Whitey's Lindy Hoppers, the late Al Minns established the Swing program in 1981. Persuaded out of dance retirement by the studio's business manager, Larry Schulz, Al spread his love and tremendous jazz dance knowledge to studio staff and students until his untimely passing in 1985. His imprint and memory remain with the program.
Paul Grecki
One of a select few to have studied extensively with Savoy Ballroom legends Al Minns and Frankie Manning, Paul began teaching at SCDC in 1981. He helped spark the Lindy Hop revival in New York with his teaching at SCDC, local clubs and Lincoln Center's Midsummer Night Swing. In his over 25-year teaching career, Paul has taught, lectured, performed and judged at Swing events in the U.S. and abroad. His efforts to promote and teach Lindy Hop earned him the Herbert White Award for contributions made to Swing dancing. In 1995, he and his wife, Carol, placed first at the American Swing Dance Championship in the Lindy Hop division. In recent years, Paul choreographed the dance sequences in the film, Swing City. In 2002, he was profiled in The New York Times. In addition to Lindy Hop, Paul is also an accomplished Peabody, Collegiate Shag, Carolina Shag, West Coast Swing, and Gold-level Ballroom dancer.
Roddy Caravella
Trained by Paul Grecki and Frankie Manning, Roddy has taught and performed throughout the U.S., Canada, Germany and Hong Kong. He was a principal dancer in the show Swing Dance America and has performed live with Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. Roddy has competed (and placed) in a number of competitions, such as The American Lindy Hop Championships and American Swing Dance Championships. Roddy has danced on a variety of television programs, including Good Morning America and The Today Show.
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Kimani Fowlin
Professional dancer, choreographer, African Dance Consultant to Once On This Island, and a native New Yorker, Ms. Fowlin received her dance training and Bachelor of Arts Degree from Sarah Lawrence College. Currently, she is working with the Harambee Dance Company, Umoja Dance Company, Andrea E. Woods and Richard Rivera. She has conducted workshops and choreographed throughout New York and South America. Kimani teaches Hip Hop at SCDC.
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Stephanie Hakun
Stephanie (Shapiro) Hakun was practically born dancing. Although she began dancing ballet at the age of 5 years old in Parkridge, IL, she quickly traded in her ballerina slippers for dancing shoes where she danced all through school and in to her adult life. Stephanie's wide range of experience runs the gamut from her high school Drill Team to a traveling Folk Dance Troop in Israel, finally transplanting herself in NYC where she has excelled in Swing, Salsa, Hustle and Ballroom.
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Bill Kline
Bio to come.
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