top of page

Ann Johnson

A wonderfully athletic and agile dancer, Ann Johnson was Frankie Manning’s partner in Whitey’s Lindy Hoppers in 1940-1942. Manning says she was like a cat: ” No matter what way I threw her, she would land on her feet…She was also a wonderful human being.”.
She appeared with Manning twice in Life Magazine, once anonymously in 1940 in a photo of the aerial “Over the Head” sent in by a reader, the second in a great 1941 photo story by W.Eugene Smith which captures her mid-air and throughout an aerial step sequence.

As a member of Whitey’s primo group The Harlem Congaroos, Ann’s remarkable dancing can be seen in the feature film Hellzapoppin’and in the popular soundie Hot Chocolates.

From 1947-1952 Ann Johnson was Manning’s partner in the Congaroos and danced in the film Killer Diller.

 

Films

Hellzapoppin’ (1941)
Hot Chocolate (1941)
Killer Diller (1948)

kickstep.jpg
overhead.jpg

Sponsors

Untitled-design-1-2.png
Herrrang-e1491927026614.jpg
ILHC-logo.jpg
lf_fmf_square.jpg

Join Our Mailing List

Thanks for submitting!

  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • Twitter

©2024 by Frankie Manning Foundation.

Read Our Privacy Policy

bottom of page