Perfect Imperfection
This doesn’t really have to do with lindy or blues, but I’m taking a Contemporary Jazz class and we watched a documentary about Bob Fosse that had a quote I really liked.
“I always hunched my shoulders and I had trouble turning out my feet. My entire style was a product of my flaws. Thank God I wasn’t born perfect!”
The Queen of the Soundies
Well, its been a while. I am way overdue for an update and have several things that I would like to discuss.
I suppose I will start with Mabel Lee, as I’ve wanted to write a post about her for a long time. She was a singer and dancer during the Harlem Rennaisance, performing with such stars as Fats Waller, Louis Jordan, Cab Calloway, and Count Basie. She came to visit Rochester during Girl Jam a couple months ago and absolutely blew me away. She is now 88 years old yet had more vibrancy than a lot of the college-age zombies I know. She flashed a big smile and wiggled her hips at the boys and let out this energy that completely filled the ballroom. Her delightfulness was contagious and I thought to myself, yes, this is why I love dancing. I love that we are continuing something that started long ago, yet continuing to be innovative and contemporary with it. I love that interaction and admiration of those singers and dancers and actors and musicians who made Jazz what it is today…and, as I’ve been finding out from the Jazz class I’m taking, that encompasses a hell of a lot more than just lindy hop.
Here are a couple of clips of Miss. Mable Lee, Queen of the Soundies followed by her recent performance in Rochester:
