Norma Miller, the legendary dancer, choreographer, actress, comedian, and author who was known as the “Queen of Swing”, passed away on May 5, 2019, at the age of 99. She died of congestive heart failure at her home in Fort Myers, Florida. She was one of the last surviving members of the original Lindy Hop generation, and a pioneer of the acrobatic style of swing dancing that originated at the Savoy Ballroom in Harlem, New York.
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A Life of Dance and Joy
Norma Miller was born on December 2, 1919, in Harlem, to parents who had immigrated from Barbados. Her father, a soldier, died of pneumonia before she was born, and her mother, a maid, struggled to pay the rent. Miller grew up in a tenement apartment that overlooked the Savoy Ballroom, where she would watch the dancers perform from her fire escape. She was fascinated by the music and the movement, and dreamed of becoming a dancer herself.
At the age of 12, she was discovered by Twistmouth George Ganaway, a famous Lindy Hopper, who invited her to dance with him at the Savoy. She impressed the crowd with her natural talent and energy, and was soon hired by Herbert “Whitey” White, the dance master at the Savoy, to join his troupe, Whitey’s Lindy Hoppers She became the youngest and the smallest member of the group, and learned from the best dancers of the era, such as Frankie Manning, the chief choreographer and innovator of the Lindy Hop.
Miller traveled the world with Whitey’s Lindy Hoppers, performing in prestigious venues and events, such as the Cotton Club, the Apollo Theater, the Harvest Moon Ball, and the 1939 World’s Fair. She also appeared in several movies, such as A Day at the Races (1937) with the Marx Brothers, and Hellzapoppin’ (1941), which featured one of the most iconic Lindy Hop scenes in film history.
A Career of Creativity and Diversity
Miller’s career as a dancer was interrupted by World War II, which disbanded Whitey’s Lindy Hoppers and changed the trends in music and dance. Miller adapted to the new styles, such as bebop and mambo, and formed her own groups, such as Norma Miller and Her Jazzmen, and Norma Miller Dancers. She also pursued a career in comedy, working with Redd Foxx in the 1960s and appearing on his TV show Sanford and Son in the 1970s. She also wrote books, such as Swingin’ at the Savoy: A Memoir of a Jazz Dancer (1996), which documented her life and the history of swing dancing.
Miller never stopped dancing, teaching, and promoting the Lindy Hop. She was featured in several documentaries, such as Ken Burns’s Jazz (2001), and Queen of Swing (2006). She also choreographed dance scenes for Spike Lee’s Malcolm X (1992), and Debbie Allen’s Stompin’ at the Savoy (1992). She taught swing dance at Stanford University, the University of Hawaii, and various workshops and festivals around the world. She received many honors and awards, such as the National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts in 2003, and the Living Legend of American Dance Award from the National Dance Association in 2012
A Legacy of Inspiration and Influence
Norma Miller was a trailblazer and a role model for generations of dancers and artists. She was one of the first African American women to achieve international fame and recognition in the entertainment industry. She was also a pioneer of the Lindy Hop, a dance that celebrates freedom, joy, and creativity. She influenced the development of other dance forms, such as rock and roll, hip hop, and salsa. She inspired countless people to learn and love swing dancing, and to preserve and share its culture and history
Norma Miller cause of death was heart failure, but her spirit lives on in the hearts and feet of swing dancers around the world. She was the Queen of Swing, and she left a lasting legacy of dance and joy.
