Five Thousand Dollars Raised for NYPL: Yes, I’ll Be Learning to Lindy Hop

So, you lot won, I’ll be learning to lindy hop. Margaret Miller and Lauren McLaughlin have volunteered to go with me for at least part of the process. As has my husband. I’m sure it won’t be the worst thing I’ve ever experienced.

Thanks a bunch, evil minions of John Scalzi, Maureen Johnson and John Green—John Green, being the evil-John-Green-minion-in-chief. But most of all thanks to my husband who stepped in at the last minute to make sure the $5,000 total was met. (All thanks sarcastic in case you were wondering.)

The New York Public Library really does thank you all. Truly, I’m so thrilled that we’ve raised five thousand dollars to help them out. If you’d like you can start making those pledges real now. Or you can wait until I start delivering proof that I’m learning the lindy hop.

I will blog the whole process from my first lesson on. I’ll be doing this properly. There will be more than one lesson. Final proof will take the form of three YA author witnesses approved by John Green. They will watch me dancing the Lindy Hop and testify to their witness on their blogs. There will be no video.

All this talk of the lindy hop is especially fitting as one of the originators of the dance, Frankie Manning, died on the 27th of April. He was not only a pioneer and tireless evangelical for the dance but a true New York City boy through and through. He’s a huge loss, not just to the world of dancing, but to the city. Footage of him dancing was a big influence on my deciding to include lindy hopping in my 1930s NYC novel. It’s very fitting that I’ll be learning this dance in the city where it originated for a book set during the early days of the dance.

Here’s hoping lindy hopping doesn’t render my plantar fasciitis permanent! Or give me any additional injuries. But if it does I’ll know who to blame: MY OWN HUSBAND!

Posted by Justine at 17:02, 18 May 2009 under 1930s NYC novel, New York City/USA, Research | 10 Comments »

Comments

Patrick Says:

I wonder what it would take to bribe one of these ‘witnesses’ to post grainy cellphone video.

May 18th, 2009 at 5:38 PM
Patrick Says:

Wait, that’s preposterous. Clearly none of them would ever consider such a thing.

May 18th, 2009 at 5:39 PM
3. Justine Says:

Patrick: Nice try. Now you know why I have not disclosed the names of the witnesses.

May 18th, 2009 at 5:46 PM
Megan Says:

YAY! Can’t wait to see this!

May 19th, 2009 at 4:13 AM
Malcolm Tredinnick Says:

Congratulations. You saved the library.

May 19th, 2009 at 9:09 AM
Eric Luper Says:

I’m going to make my donation today. Whether you ultimately learn the dance or not, it’s a great cause.

May 19th, 2009 at 2:35 PM
PixelFish Says:

You and Scott are made of win!

And now, I must follow through with my pledge.

May 19th, 2009 at 5:41 PM
J Says:

Yay justine! I know u will do awesome. and if u ever feel like u can’t do it, try thinking of what i would end up doing… falling flat on my face… and various other parts that i’d rather not name…
go scott-la! my friends force me into doing the weirdest things to.
“FINISH THE SHORT STORY!” is usually one of their request. so very strange…

May 20th, 2009 at 7:22 AM
wanderingwino Says:

I received a very nice thank you email from Mr. LeClerc….. even if it is automated!

good luck with the dance!

(just remember “Tri-Ple-Step!”)

May 22nd, 2009 at 11:48 AM

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Justine Larbalestier