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Dancer
The Resume
(December 2, 1919-May 5, 2019)
Born in Harlem, New York City, New York
Dancer, choreographer and comedian
Member of the swing dance troupe Whitey’s Lindy Hoppers (1935-42)
Formed and toured with the Norma Miller Dancers (1952-68)
Appeared in the films ‘A Day at the Races’ (1937), ‘Hellzapoppin’ (1941), ‘Sparkle’ (1976) and ‘Malcolm X’ (1992)
Appeared on Broadway in ‘Lew Leslie’s Blackbirds of 1939’ (1939) and ‘Run, Little Chillun’ (1943)
Appeared in the Ken Burns documentary ‘Jazz’ (2001)
With Redd Foxx, wrote ‘The Encyclopedia of Black Humor’ (1977)
Why she might be annoying
She claimed she lost the Harvest Moon Ball contest at Madison Square Garden because her blouse opened up in mid-dance (1935).
After a cross-country tour that ended in Hollywood with her performing in the musical number ‘All God’s Chillun Got Rhythm’ for the Marx Brothers film ‘A Day at the Races,’ she was hospitalized for exhaustion.
She and married actor Roy Glenn started a six-year affair after appearing together in ‘Hellzapoppin.’
During a Latin American tour, she and the other members of Whitey’s Lindy Hopper’s were stranded in Rio de Janeiro for six months after the Pearl Harbor attack disrupted ship schedules.
Why she might not be annoying
She was discovered dancing outside the Savoy Ballroom at age twelve.
She toured with Ethel Waters, Pearl Bailey, Count Basie, and Cab Calloway.
She performed a comedy routine for American troops in Vietnam.
She received a Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts for ‘preserving the acrobatic style of swing dancing known as the Lindy hop.’ (2003)
She was still teaching dance workshops when she was 98.
Credit: C. Fishel
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Year In Review:
For 2021, as of last week, Out of 3 Votes: 0% Annoying
In 2020, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
In 2019, Out of 90 Votes: 52.22% Annoying
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