As is only proper for the owner of the Century Ballroom, Hallie Kuperman loves to dance and her favorite form of dance is the Lindy Hop. But almost as much fun as dancing has been the opportunities to meet the "old masters" of Lindy Hop, tap and other forms of dance taught at the Ballroom, said Kuperman.
"The spirit of the people who pioneered this dance is amazing," she said. "It's such a thrill when I meet these people, a way to connect with the history of the dance."
So, for this week at the Ballroom and its sister space, HaLo (short for Hallie's Loft), Kuperman has invited as many masters as she could for events for both dancers and the general public.
"It really started as a small thing, but then the whole event blossomed," she said. Currently expected for the four day "The Masters of Lindy Hop & Tap" are Frankie Manning, Norma Miller, Chazz Young, Jeni Legon, Kip Cunningham, Dawn Hampton, Sugar Sullivan, Chester Whitmore, Mark Medonca and the Nicholas Sisters.
If you're not an avid tap or Lindy Hop fan, you might not recognize the names. But a quick perusal of the dancers' biographies shows personal histories engrained in 20th-century cultural highlights. Born in 1914, Manning was in on the birth of the Lindy Hop, that free-swinging style of dance that paid homage to Charles Lindbergh's solo "hop" across the Atlantic as well as the jazz music coming out of Harlem in the 1920s. Today, he and his son Young are considered the top instructors of the Lindy Hop and Manning has been honored with a National Heritage Fellowship.
Like Manning, Miller began dancing professionally as a member of Whitey's Lindy Hoppers and appeared in numerous films during the 1940s, including "A Day at the Races" and "Hellzapoppin."
"It's just great to listen to their stories," said Kuperman, "like Norma Miller talking about hearing Ella Fitzgerald perform for the very first time at the Apollo and later touring with her. That's why we are having the panel discussions and showing the documentaries during the weekend, so people have a chance to connect. Even if you're not a dancer but are interested in the history of music, this is an incredible opportunity."
But dancers also have an opportunity to take a number of classes with the Masters, as well as get on the floor at the Century Ballroom and its sister space HaLo. Special performances will give the public a chance to see both the visiting masters and the local talent in action on the floor of the Century Ballroom.
"We have amazing local dancers-the caliber of swing dancing in Seattle is so high," said Kuperman, who has been teaching various swing styles at the Century for the last decade. The Sunday night swing dances at the Century Ballroom routinely draw 200 people or more, while the more intimate Wednesday nights see 75 people or more on the floor.
"I think the appeal for people is that you can be any shape or size and train yourself to swing. And let's face it, Lindy Hop just looks cool. It's goofy in a way but it's also great fun. That's the draw," said Kuperman. "And today's dancers really got good because we had this revival of interest and this chance to take classes from such masters as Frankie Manning and Norma Miller."
Among the events planned for Wednesday, Aug. 16, through Saturday, Aug. 20, are a formal dinner with the masters, a special showcase of the new generation of talent including the Nicholas Sisters (granddaughters of the famed Nicholas Brothers tap dancers), performances by the Masters, nightly dances, three live bands (Ham Carson Quintet, the Solomon Douglas Swingtet and the Opus One Big Band), documentary showings, free panel discussions, storytelling sessions, book signings and more.
Prices for individual events range from free for the panel discussions to $75 for the Thursday Aug. 17 dinner and showcase. Workshops are $20 and the dances range in price from $5 to $20 depending on the venue and date. All dances and other events are "all ages" with the bar placed on the balcony for the Century Ballroom events.
"The whole event is a big-budget item for us," explained Kuperman. "I didn't go into even thinking that I'd cover my expenses. The goal was just how to make it bigger and better than anything before."
And if you miss something, not to worry. Kuperman plans to do this again next August. "I have so many other people that I want to bring up here, dancers or bands that other people told me about or I just found," she said. "But we ran out of time."
As for Kuperman, she'll be down on the floor, dancing with the rest of the crowd. "For me, the music is always a draw, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, all the greats, and I love a nice moderate tempo Lindy Hop for social dancing," she said. "It's just fun."
So hop, tap or swing over to the Century Ballroom, 915 E. Pine St., Second Floor, to pick up the schedule for "The Masters of Lindy Hop & Tap." Or check out the Web site at www.centurymasters.com.
Rosemary Jones writes about arts and entertainment for the Capitol Hill Times. She can be reached at editor@capitolhilltimes.com.[[In-content Ad]]
