Billy Ricker

Billy Ricker and his high school sweetheart and wife, Willa Mae , were close friends with Frankie Manning from their pre-Savoy days in the early 30’s at the Rennaissance Ballroom till Ricker’s death in 1987. Ricker was a member of Whitey’s Lindy Hoppers and later worked as one of Norma Miller’s Jazzmen. He developed a long friendship with fellow Jazzman Chazz Young, Frankie Manning’s son.

Billy Ricker is credited with creating a style of the Lindy Hop called “Mutiny” in which a swing out is followed by one air-step after another. When Frankie Manning first saw Ricker doing this dance with Esther Washington, he exclaimed, “Billy, that’s mutiny!” meaning it was mutiny against the traditional Lindy Hop. The name stuck.

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Films

A Day at the Races
Hellzapoppin’
Hot Chocolate