After reading last Friday’s PW Daily story about the online marketing of choreographer Frankie Manning‘s memoir, I had two questions. First, why was I only hearing now about how a concentrated effort to organize Amazon.com purchases of Frankie Manning: Ambassador of Lindy Hop on May 26 (Manning’s 93rd birthday) pushed the Temple University Press title all the way to #7 on the charts? Second, what was the video that inspired nearly 1,500 swing dancing enthusiasts to buy the book? Five seconds on YouTube gave me an answer to one of those questions:
I’m just sorry I didn’t root this story out sooner; my days as a swing kid are long behind me, but Manning’s footwork—and there’s plenty more samples of it online—is pretty amazing, and a joy to behold. (Anybody got any pics from his book party at Riverside Church over the weekend? Send ’em in!)