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NORMA MILLER My name is Norma Miller. And I'm a product of Harlem. I began my career, my dancing years, in Harlem. I accidentally got into the Savoy Ballroom when I was twelve years old. That was the first time. Children were not allowed in there. But this was something which was exceptional. It was Easter Sunday. And I was invited up to dance with this marvellous dancer, who saw me dancing in the street. Easter Sunday, everybody goes to church. After the services, I knew there was going to be a matinee at the Savoy Ballroom. You know, Easter Sunday is the garish parade. I mean, people wore clothes you couldn't believe. It was the Easter Parade. So I wanted to see what they were going to be wearing into the Savoy Ballroom. So I rushed from church and went straight up to 140 Street and Lennox Avenue. And I'm standing out there watching the dancers. So, when the music started, being kids, we started dancing in the street. And all of a sudden, while I'm dancing in the street, I heard somebody say: "Hey, kid!" And I turned around. And I knew this person by sight immediately. You couldn't miss him. And he's standing up there with the white hat, white suit, white vest, white shoes, hat cocked all the way over to the side, and a mouth that was all the way by his ear. That's why he had the name Twist-Mouth George. But he was the one that had actually created the dance that we were doing. That was the Lindy-Hop. You call it Swing Dancing today. But what was created was: it went from a two-step to where the girl stepped away from the man and did a twist. Well, I tell you: that was the most exciting thing, when I turned around and saw this man asking me to come up with him to the Ballroom. Because I didn't even know how they were even going to let me in. But he went over there and talked to Big George - Big George was the doorman - and got permission for me to come into the Ballroom. And he came back and said: "Kid, I'm taking you up with me." Well, I tell you, honey, I followed that man like you couldn't believe. I don't think my feet touched the floor. I flew with him. And that was like an exhibition. It wasn't a contest - it was like an exhibition. So he wanted something different to do - because, you know, a regular dancer - you always find something different to do. And I was the difference. So, when the time came for me to swing out with the great Twist-Mouth George - honey, I was in heaven. I flew around that floor. And the people - you couldn't believe it - they just stood up in mass. And it was so thrilling. And he put me on his shoulder, walked me around the Ballroom, took me straight to the door and dumped me out in the street. (Laughs). It was so wonderful. And that was one of the highlights for me. And that must have been round 1932 - because I was twelve years old. Oh, wonderful. But I was always dancing, up until that time. I'd been going to dancing school and everything. But I loved the Lindy, because it was such great music. Now, the Lindy-Hop got its name because Charles Lindbergh, at the time - 1927 - made his famous hop from America over to Paris. And it was called Lindy's Hop. Understand? So the dance was named after that flight. And that's how it got the name Lindy-Hop. I think I danced in every theatre in Harlem, in a dance contest. My mother used to take me to these places. My mother realised - when I was dancing, she knew she never had any problems with me. So she always encouraged my dancing. Because in those days we were a poor family. And my mother had two girls. And how do you keep girls out of trouble, living in these kinds of places? So my mother thought that, if she put me in a dancing school, she didn't have to worry about me. I'd be there all day. Even when my classes were over, I'd still be there watching. So every Saturday, when I would finish dancing school, I would go by the different rehearsal places and watch the people put together shows. I got thrown out of every place there was in Harlem. Because I used to go in and peek my head in to watch this dancer and that dancer. I saw all the great dancers that came along. And I just followed what they did, and dancing was my entire life. I've never done anything else. Even till this day, I've never done anything else. E N D
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