At our April 26th dance, we, the NYSDS celebrated our 24th Anniversary, and we were part of the BABBLE dance weekend and Frankie Manning was across the street at Lenox HIll hospital gracefully dying.

It was as if Frankie choreographed his whole life and his dying - he had come home, to NY, to the NYSDS, or as close as he could get, and he sent us his amazing energy and spirit of dance as we sent him our love and prayers and thanks. We dedicated the dance to him, had a moment of silence, and later all did the shim sham together for him. We all signed a card which I delivered to him after the dance that night. We all remembered the Cat Club with stories of Frankie, with Paul Cosantino, Greg Avakian, Dawn Hampton, and all the others who were with us from the early years, as well as with those who joined us recently.

We felt Frankie's presence as we celebrated our 24 years of dancing with Frankie, celebrating both the past, the present, and with BABBLE danced into the future. By dancing, we will pass Swing along to others who will keep Swing alive.

In Loving Memory of Frankie Manning and all the others who have reached the Grand Dance before him.

                                                            
                                                            
….Margaret Batiuchok
                                                                   
president and co-founder
                                                            
NYSDS

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FRANKIE MANNING FUNERAL INFORMATION
(all are welcome)

Date:
Saturday, May 2nd

Location:
Mount Morris Ascension Presbyterian Church
15 Mount Morris Park West (corner of West 122nd Street, facing park)

Directions by subway:
#2 or #3 to 125th Street and Lenox Avenue
Walk south on Lenox Avenue to West 122nd Street.
Turn left and walk 1 block east to Mount Morris Park West.

Time:
Viewing: 10am-noon

Service: noon

Interment at Woodlawn Cemetery will follow the service.
Webster Avenue & E. 233rd Street; Bronx, NY
Phone: (718) 920-0500; www.thewoodlawncemetery.org
(travel directions by car and subway on website)

Repast will follow interment (Location to be announced).

A Tribute to Frankie Manning The photo was taken at Irving Plaza celebrating Margaret Batiuchok's induction into the Swing Dance Hall of Fame Photo © & courtesy of Myrna Caceres