Black History Month: Frankie Manning and Mestre Petchú
For us as dancers, and for Reverie as stewards of this historic space and many living art forms, the month of February is a moment to pause and remember where so much of what we love comes from.
Many of the styles danced at Reverie were originated by Black American communities. Lindy Hop, Blues, Tap, to name just a few. Our responsibility is to keep this history alive and to be as accurate as possible in giving credit where credit is due.
And yet, social dancing has never lived in words alone.
“We didn’t learn this from the books. We learned it from each other, on the floor.”
— Frankie Manning
The dances we love did not appear out of nowhere. They were created by Black Americans, often in the face of exclusion and oppression, and carried forward through the social dancing community. In February, and always, we name that truth and honor the people who brought these dances to life.
Frankie Manning was a fundamental part of Lindy Hop’s formation.
Born in 1914 and raised in Harlem, Frankie grew up dancing in ballrooms like the Alhambra, the Renaissance, and eventually the legendary Savoy Ballroom. It was there that he helped shape the joy, athleticism, and improvisation that define Lindy Hop today. As a core member and choreographer of Whitey’s Lindy Hoppers, Frankie introduced ensemble choreography, freeze steps, and the very first aerial - forever changing swing dance as we know it.
As the initial swing dance vogue faded, Manning took a job with the Postal Service, where he worked for 30 years, dancing only socially. His impact never disappeared: In the 1980s, swing dance organizers started reaching out to him again in droves, and he became a beloved teacher and ambassador during the global swing revival, sharing Lindy Hop across generations and continents. From Broadway to ballrooms around the world, Frankie’s legacy lives on every time we dance - reminding us that Lindy Hop is, and always has been, a Black American art form rooted in creativity and community.
Thank you, Frankie. We dance because of you.
Mestre Petchú
Known as one of the most influential and charismatic Kizomba dancers on the planet, Mestre Petchú (Pedro Vieira Dias Tomas) was among the first to teach Kizomba and Semba in Portugal, helping these Angolan dances spread throughout Europe and beyond. At a time when Kizomba wasn’t widely accepted and lived primarily in clubs frequented by emigrants, Petchu worked tirelessly as an ambassador of Angolan culture, advocating for respect, visibility, and strong teaching practices within the dance.
With over 30 years of experience, he is the Founder and Artistic Director of Ballet Tradicional Kilandukilu, has trained many of today’s well-known Kizomba teachers, and developed foundational teaching methodologies still used worldwide - including formalizing the 3-count Kizomba basic.
Today, you’ll find him on the congress circuit with his vibrant partner Vanessa, sharing not just movement, but history, musicality, and cultural context through Semba, Kizomba, Tarraxinha, Angolan ginga, traditional dances like Rebita, and lectures on Angolan music.
A scholar. An advocate. A teacher. A performer. A true Master of Kizomba and a living link to the Black roots that make this dance possible.