Skip to main content

With Gratitude for Norma Miller: A Giving Spirit NEVER to be forgotten







This past Sunday on CBS (CBS Sunday Morning Show) https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hail-and-farewell-to-those-we-lost-in-2019/   they mentioned our dear friend and supporter. Yes they again honorably mentioned Norma Miller as one of our beloved ones that we - and the whole world - lost this last year.

As 2020 is about to begin we share some thoughts about the fantastic Queen of Swing.  Seeing her relaxed and chilling, shooting the breeze in her home surroundings.... talking excitedly and lovingly about her new home of Italy and her friends there.... creating and writing new songs... new projects and ideas... looking forward to more and more...



Norma with some of her Harlem show-biz friends, representing the Cotton Club, Tap, Lindy Hop and more...



Norma performing in Italy during 2019


However of the times we were visiting Norma in her personal sanctuary, one of the most precious and memorable was with Sugar Sullivan.  





Both busy Queen Bees and Globetrotters, they realized they hadn't seen each other in over a year due to full schedules.  So on the 91st anniversary of the famed  historic Savoy Ballroom opening a little overdue reunion took place in Fort Myers. It was great to hear these two Lindy Hop Ladies reminisce of the Harlem they grew up in, who they knew...and talk excitedly of travels and such.  Loads of questions and life lessons shared...

A celebratory cake was in order for the occasion, and Norma's favorite of fried chicken (fixed lovingly by the hands of another Harvest Moon Ball winner Sherry Sullivan) sealed the deal :>)

YES think about it: Had Sherry been there that would have been represented 3 of the 4 major generations of Harlem Lindy Hop culture... and Harvest Moon Ball history represented too!





___________________






The Harlem Swing Dance Society (THSDS) has had the privilege of meeting with the two superb gentleman who helped Norma put her children's book together and gave it life.  

Artist and Illustrator Martin French had the honor of doing her vivid illustrations, and Alan Govenar had the pleasure of giving her story excitement in print.  Thanks to their efforts THSDS has been able to bring portions of this to life to Harlem Children and Seniors in the area thru performances, Q & A Sessions and video clips.  Efforts have been made for Norma's books to be in museum, gift and tourist shops in the Harlem area so more can know about her incredible will and tenacity.

With that we leave you with the words of Alan Govenar, letting us know what we can heartily learn and remember from Norma's phenomenal life journey...
Picture credit - Alan Govenar



NOTE - There was an effort to get Norma Miller a Kennedy Award honor so many more could see her!  While this sadly wasn't realized, the bio with the petition tells you so much about the Queen - worth a look  :>)

https://www.ipetitions.com/petition/norma-miller-kennedy-center-honoree-2017



Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Did Lindy Hop Really Die? I mean REALLY..... What the Fudge! "Alive and Kicking" - Part 3

Lindy Hop Died?  Find the tombstone please... Don't get me wrong here - I love the film Alive and Kicking and what it offers as a glimpse of whats happening now.  Do I like everything in there as far as whats stated?  Nope but that doesn't take away from the film. For me this is still a lively, exciting telling film that is riveting!  Its a scene that all can learn from.  How someone could say it "fell flat" is beyond me!                                                                         This was a statement made to me after the Harlem Q & A Talkback.  I was supposed to "take a more forceful position"....be stronger in "my stand" - stronger or forceful about what?  That was my second time seeing the film and I learned a bit more (despite the enthusiasm/noise of the audience).  As stated in Part One of this series sound bites can be tricky.... but nothing I said in the film was twisted or slanted. (Though at one point I

In Remembrance of Ruby Reeves

Ruby Reeves went to Smalls Paradise in the 1980s and  witnessed the transition of social dancing going from uptown to downtown. She knew Mama Lu Parks and many of  the regular Monday night Harlem crowd that listened and danced to Al Cobbs Band. She performed professionally doing the Tranky Doo (or her version  the Cranky Doodle").   It has been stated but not confirmed that she was also part of the 1982 famous Harvest Moon Ball dance competition.  But b ack in 1988 when a tribute was given to Mama Lu ( Tapping Through an Evening in Honor of Mama Lu Parks )   she was in grand company  https://www.nytimes.com/1988/12/29/arts/review-dance-tapping-through-an-evening-in-honor-of-mama-lu-parks.html Naturally she saw and experienced the "exodus" of Harlem's dance traveling from uptown to downtown. And uptown folk seemingly going with the flow because - in her words - "we weren't doing anything in our community".  Thus part of the sad rea

Harlem's most famed dance is in "Alive and Kicking": But wheres Harlem and Why? Part 1

APRIL  5th  2017 The VIEWING of  "ALIVE and KICKING"   at CITY COLLEGE, NYC With Talk Back/ Q & A   PART 1  Alive and Kicking  is a 2016 American   documentary film  about  swing dancing  directed/produced by Susan Glatzer. It   gives the audience an intimate, insider's view into the culture of the current swing dance world while delving into the history.  We meet the dedicated dancers and witness their energy, drive, sacrifices, challenges and successes as they make the time to perfect their craft for the dance they love... A dance that was made famous during the 1920's  in H arlem at the legendary Savoy Ballroom:  How apropos that this film have a showing in Harlem!  Out of all of the four NYC screenings of this film this was the one I was looking forward to being at.  I was hoping for a diverse audience - and honestly for more of my people to attend - and it "balanced out".  Present were Lindy Hop/Swing Dancers, secon