Media Dancing to Different Rules
They were rebels, they were American, and they dared to be different: the makers of modern dance.
Herbert 鈥淲hitey鈥 White Dancer
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Born
Date Unknown
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Died
Date Unknown
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Country
United States of America
An ex-prize fighter and former Savoy Ballroom bouncer, Herbert “Whitey” White exported the Lindy Hop from Harlem to dance halls around the world. After years of watching talented amateur dancers pack the Savoy night after night, Herbert “Whitey” White set out to recruit the best of them for a professional dance troupe.
The Lindy Hop—the reigning dance of the day—ignited cutthroat competition among its practitioners. At the Savoy Ballroom dance hall, for example, you wouldn’t dare venture out onto the small patch of floor known as “Cat’s Corner” unless you believed your skills to be among the best. Creativity and personal expression ruled this spot where elite dancers congregated.
Skimming the cream from this crop, White formed Whitey’s Lindy Hoppers in 1935. He began booking his dancers at public and private venues all over town. Parties thrown by rich white socialites were prized gigs.
Whitey’s Lindy Hoppers hit the big time when several members won the Lindy Hop division at the Harvest Moon Ball, New York City’s premier dance competition. The troupe translated this success into an international tour that took the dancers to Broadway and the Cotton Club in New York and the Moulin Rouge in Paris. This in turn led to film appearances, notably the Marx Brothers’ A Day at the Races. The troupe’s appearance in the movie Helzapoppin' introduced the Lindy Hop to the masses—and touched off a global dance sensation.
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He was inspired by the Lindy Hop dance craze. |
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Whitey’s Lindy Hoppers plucked the best dancers from the Savoy Ballroom. |
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Whitey and his dancers competed with George Snowden. |
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Whitey's Lindy Hoppers appeared in Hot Chocolates at Connie’s Inn. |
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The group performed with Cab Calloway in the revue Manhattan Merry-Go-Round. |
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Video Bio
Video Bio
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