Uncovering the Role of Genetics in ADHD
By Neil Peterson | June 30, 2009
We inhabit complicated bodies. Advancements in medical research have unraveled many of the mysteries of how and why our bodies and brains work the way they do, but for every enigma solved, there are a thousand more to discover. For the majority of the population, this is an accepted fact that deserves no more scrutiny, but for those coping with physical and/or mental disorders this mystery takes on a new, more urgent tone - the need to understand and ultimately, to successfully treat, whatever it is that they are facing.
Much has been made of the sharp increase in ADHD diagnoses in the U.S. during the past ten years (see map above). But the controversy surrounding ADHD and related disorders, while making for intriguing sound bites, has done little to provide real answers for recently diagnosed adults, children and their families. Fortunately, recent decades have also seen a significant rise in medical research relating to ADHD, in the hopes of not only improving treatment methods, but also to remove the stigmas and social misconceptions regarding those afflicted. Understanding the underlying factors of ADHD isn’t just important for those diagnosed, but for family, friends and the larger community as well.
Causes of ADHD
One of the most intriguing fields of ADHD research is the relationship that genetics plays in the disorder’s development. While no single gene has been found responsible for ADHD, several genes have been shown to be susceptible to ADHD - most specifically involving a reduced level of dopamine in the brain. Research has also discovered that many of the genes implicated in ADHD have already been linked with the medications that ease the symptoms associated with the disorder, prompting further study into the relationship of how genes work together and how they interact with treatment.
By studying the correlations involving heredity and ADHD, which some doctors believe can account for up to 80% of cases, the possible role of environmental factors - such as prenatal health, diet and the presence of toxins - can be decreased. This is a significant breakthrough for patients and parents who are struggling with feelings of responsibility or guilt. While there is evidence that alcohol, nicotine, and lead exposure can contribute to the development of ADHD, this research shows there is more often a genetic anomaly that acts as a trigger.
There is still a great deal to be learned regarding the role of genetics in ADHD, but the recent development of several global collaborative research networks will help to shed light on this compelling connection. Larger patient populations and the resulting data offer an as yet unseen ability to study the underlying causes - across sociological and biological boundaries. While a greater understanding of ADHD has not lead to its cure - at least, not yet - it will go a long way in providing answers for families, and reducing the erroneous and harmful social theories that those with the disorder have had to contend with for decades.
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A Summer Adventure
By Neil Peterson | June 28, 2009
I have always looked for challenges, for opportunities that would test my mettle. One summer while my family was vacationing on Chappaquiddick Island, I decided to do something nobody had ever done: circumnavigate the island alone and, being the first, set a world’s record for doing so. I was just sixteen.
Chappaquiddick Island sits off the main island of Martha’s Vineyard, bounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the south, Nantucket Sound on the east and north sides, and Edgartown Harbor on the west side. The total circumference of the island is nearly eighteen miles. My sailing vessel for the excursion would be a sailfish. Invented in the early 1950s, the sailfish was essentially a large wooden surfboard with a sail, rudder, and dagger board. It was the precursor to today’s sunfish, the major difference being that the sunfish has a well for your feet that is self-bailing.
My sailfish was one of the early ones: old, wooden, a heavy 150 pounds, and only ten feet long by three feet wide. Our neighbor on the island gave it to me. It had been getting dusty, just lying in his garage unused. The first thing I did was clean it up, then give it some pizazz-bright red and orange flames over a background of black. I called it Blazer.
I loved sailing it in front of our house, especially on high-wind days. I probably tipped over a thousand times. But I didn’t care. It was all about the challenge. Each outing presented a new experience with different lessons to learn. How tightly could I head into the wind? How far could I heel over before I would capsize? How far could I lay out, gripping onto the mainsheet for dear life, before I fell over backwards into the water?
Blazer
On the big day of my trip, I was up early, all excited in anticipation of this amazing adventure. Of course my parents thought I was nuts. But they always thought that. And I didn’t care. I was determined to circumnavigate Chappy solo and to do so in record time.
Shirtless, no sunglasses, and with only a swimsuit on, I pushed off from the beach in front of our house at 8 a.m. sharp. It was a beautiful sunny day with a good breeze coming out of the north. Perfect.
The trip went pretty smoothly overall, although it was not without its challenges-probably the greatest of which was lugging my sailfish 400 feet over burning hot sand in bare feet and then another 150 feet just a short while later. By the end of the eleven-plus-hour excursion I was dog tired, roasted by the sun, famished-but invigorated.
Chappaquiddick Island
My parents and sister were on the beach waiting for me when I arrived, relieved that I had returned safe and sound. At the same time, their expressions seemed to say, Why? What in the world possessed you to do this? You must be crazy.
Only I could savor the satisfaction of what I’d done. No official contest drew me to take on that sailing adventure. And while no one else-to my knowledge-has ever attempted to circumnavigate the island in a sailboat, no real Guinness World Record was at stake that day. Yet the exhilaration of my accomplishment was intense; to this day, in fact, I remember my adventure in almost photographic detail.
The expedition was entirely self-driven, and I think that’s what made it so special. The desire came from within. In the end, I alone realized the accomplishment, relished it, and took satisfaction from it.
I did it for myself and not for anybody else…and maybe that is OK.
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The Case of Fabio Rosa - How Social Entrepreneurs Take on the World
By Neil Peterson | June 27, 2009
In a civilization fueled by innovation, entrepreneurial enterprise is king. This is no surprise to those of us living in the Information Age - where entrepreneurs are regular features on the covers of the glossy business weeklies - sharing their stories of translating problems into solutions, and making a mint in the process. Creativity, keen intelligence, tenacity and charisma are all defining characteristics - key facets of the ‘je ne sais quoi’ of the entrepreneur - but a new movement is developing that will add another descriptor - social. This is not social in a ‘tea in the garden’ sense, but in the ‘using entrepreneurial know-how to affect social change’ sense. Welcome to the dawn of a new era - the era of the social entrepreneur.
Fabio Rosa is one such entrepreneur, and while his name may not be as well known as many of today’s brightest minds, he is the man who brought light to rural Brazil. This may seem an overstatement, but for the farmers living without the benefit of electricity - up to 70% of the rural population - this is no small thing. In fact, it has made a world of difference.
In 1982, after graduating from university with a degree in agronomic engineering, a chance talk with a classmate’s father would ignite a decades-long quest to bring electricity to rural Brazilian communities. The classmate’s father was actually the mayor of the small town of Palmeras, and after having spoken with Rosa, proposed that he take the position of secretary of agriculture.
The region surrounding Palmeras was one of Brazil’s wealthiest, but the prohibitive cost of energy meant that most farming households went without power. A lack of energy meant a lack of water, as even the most meager wells required an electrical pump to deliver it to the fields for irrigation. Being ‘un-wired’ created a host of unforeseeable problems - inhibiting the farmers’ ability to adequately grow a cash crop, and causing millions to flee to the cities in search of work.
Rosa’s solution was not to adapt the rural communities to the government’s energy system, but to introduce an entirely new design developed by Ennio Amaral. By stripping down the technology to the basics, and using local workers to construct it, Rosa was able to finally deliver the cheap electricity he had promised. Farmers were not only able to keep their farms, but improved irrigation techniques and electrical machinery helped to make them more profitable than ever before.
Facing a shortage of funding due to Brazil’s changing political climate, Rosa created STA, a for-profit business in 1992 to promote photovoltaic solar energy. Nearly a decade later, inspired by the advancements made in alternative energy, he established a non-profit organization that would address the unique needs of impoverished areas, while being consistently mindful of the environmental and social impact of each project.
The challenges Rosa faced in Brazil may be unique, but his desire to create positive change is not. Entrepreneurs are (generally) by nature social people - as big business requires the involvement and contributions - if not the financing - of many other individuals. We are in the midst of a growing worldwide awareness of social problems, and the accompanying desire to contribute has also grown. With the brilliance of the entrepreneurial mind, there’s no telling what we can accomplish.
Social Entrepreneurs: Pioneering Social Change - Skoll Foundation
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Cat’s in the Cradle
By Neil Peterson | June 21, 2009
“If you must hold yourself up to your children as an object lesson, hold yourself up as a warning and not as an example.”
-George Bernard Shaw
This won’t be your standard “rah-rah, Dad” Father’s Day blog entry. Because, unfortunately, I see a lot of wisdom in this quote from George Bernard Shaw. I know from experience that, as a son, this is exactly what I did-I learned from my father precisely what I didn’t want to be rather than what I did want to be.
My father was a distant man. Every single work night he would come home from Grand Central Station in New York City on the 5:10 p.m. train, arrive in New Canaan at 6:15, and be home by quarter of seven. Then, like clockwork, he and my mother would sit in the den and have their customary scotch and water together-while my sister and I were on the other side of the closed den doors, forbidden to enter or disturb them.
My father was a horticulture major in college, and he loved his yard work. And while it seems like that might have been the perfect father-son bonding time, it never was. We worked in separate corners of the yard, and he exuded a “stay away” attitude. He always seemed so angry with me, scowling while I worked and refusing to talk to me.
The 1974 Harry Chapin song “Cat’s in the Cradle” resonates deeply with me. The song describes a son growing up with a father too busy to give him the attention he needs. But, like all boys, the son wants to grow up to be just like his dad. Tragically, he does: As a man himself, he now has no time for his father.
As I entered adulthood, I vowed to be a different kind of dad, to never repeat my father’s mistakes. I promised to make time for my children, to always let them know they are loved, to asssure them they are central to my life and not just afterthoughts. I want to be an example for them-not a warning.
Friends tell me I am dad of the year, dad of the decade, dad of the century. All I know is that when people ask me what I’m most proud of in my life, without hesitation I always answer, “Being a great dad.” I have no regrets of time spent with my children, of long conversations with them, of hugs given-no regrets.
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Mobile Medical Fairs Help Narrow America’s Healthcare Gap
By Neil Peterson | June 19, 2009
“You know, I am sad that we are the wealthiest nation in the world, and we don’t take care of our own.”
- Joanne Ford, 60 Minutes
President Obama took to the podium on Monday to announce his plans for large-scale reforms to the American healthcare system. Healthcare has long been a hot button issue on Capitol Hill, but even more so for the estimated 47 million Americans who are currently uninsured, and the 25 million more who are underinsured. Obama’s plans include the establishment of a government-sponsored insurance plan - available to all Americans much like Medicare and Medicaid, as well as electronic patient record systems, and putting a stop to widespread waste and abuse in the industry.
While the promise of a more affordable option is bringing hope to millions, it may still be years before any of these changes are implemented. As the debate rages on in Washington, many citizens are facing the real, daily fear of what they will do in the event of catastrophic illness or accident. With so many living without insurance, or the ability to afford the required co-pay for even basic care, what can bridge the gap for those than need health care now?
Many in need are turning to mobile health fairs - events coordinated by churches, schools, community groups, and local businesses that bring volunteer doctors and patients together. Operating mainly in impoverished urban and rural areas, these fairs offer quality medical attention to the uninsured, under insured, and unemployed. These collaborative events provide a variety of needed services - including glucose, vision, pulmonary function, and hearing tests, as well as basic dental care and seasonal flu shots. In addition, some fairs will offer to assist patients in finding a no-cost, or low-cost, health care provider in their area for follow-up.
Mobile Health Fund - CBS News
Event organizers feel that health fairs provide a needed boost for many of these communities - supporting morale in these difficult economic times and raising awareness of healthier lifestyle choices. And as the demand for these services grow, health fairs are becoming more efficient. A weekend health fair can be the result of months of planning, site visits, and coordinating with volunteer doctors and staff - in addition to the significant follow-up tasks. Though there are several groups around the country offering similar events, one of the most successful is Remote Area Medical (RAM), founded in 1992 by former ‘Wild Kingdom’ host, Stan Brock.
The original mission of RAM was to provide medical relief and support to Latin American countries, airlifting supplies to the region from a circa-World War II airplane. In recent years, Brock recognized a startling new trend - RAM is not only focusing over 60% of its efforts on work in the US, but the events are becoming increasingly more popular and necessary. With no corporate support, RAM runs on a shoestring budget, relying on donations from individuals and community groups, and the dedication of their volunteers. But fiscal difficulties aside, RAM is responsible for providing quality health care to nearly 17,000 patients a year - a number that is rising quickly.
It is an uncomfortable question - why are we, one of the wealthiest nations in the world, unable to provide for the health of our citizens? Affordable, quality healthcare should not be a luxury for the privileged, but a basic service for everyone. Currently, this uncomfortable question is opening the door to greater discussion and awareness on this issue - discussion that will hopefully lead to better solutions in the future. But until that day comes, mobile medical fairs will continue to roll into communities, and thousands will finally be able to - at least for a day or a weekend - get proper treatment for what ails them without worrying about breaking the bank in the process.
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Twitter Rules for Revolutionaries
By Neil Peterson | June 16, 2009
Nobody was counting on Twitter to aid the revolution. Following Iran’s highly contested election - in which incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was declared the victor, “by a landslide”, the government quickly instituted a media blackout - jamming transmissions for many of the world’s leading news outlets and denying access to popular social networking sites including Facebook and YouTube. Iran’s youth generation has been an anomaly in the Middle East - maintaining a powerful internet presence in a region dominated by tight government control of the media. However no one could have predicted how the dramatic events of the past few days would reach us - in minute by minute updates.
Iran Election Story - BBC
Created in 2006, Twitter has exploded in popularity in the last several months, and is now reportedly the third most popular social network. Described as a micro-blog, with posts capping out at 140 characters, users can update their feed from computer or mobile phone and share that information with anyone who has chosen to follow their posts. Up to this point, it has proven itself similar to most other networking sites - connecting old friends, creating a space to make new friends, sharing web links, and giving celebrities the opportunity to expand their fan base without a publicist acting as intermediary.
Twitter has been used for disseminating news in the past - most notably during the Virginia Tech shootings and the 2007 California wild fires, and has proven reliable enough that the American Red Cross also uses the service in guiding relief efforts. But the situation in Iran has brought a new element into play - using the service to not only share information, but to give voice - and power - to a movement.
Beginning on June 14th, two days after the election, increasingly frantic reports from several Twitter users began leaking out of Iran - in spite of the government’s internet and media crackdown. Posts telling of violent military action, gunfire in the streets, missing persons, and a raid on a Tehran University dormitory were quickly ‘re-tweeted’ from user to user, with major news outlets confirming the events several hours later.
As supporters of candidate Mir-Houssein Mousavi gathered in the streets to march in protest, Twitter users around the world offered support in the form of ‘greening’ their profile photos, posting the addresses of proxy servers, and leveraging the power of their social networks to direct electronic attacks at government websites, causing several to fail. While many bloggers today have decried these actions as the work of ‘keyboard cowboys’, it is a strong and positive indication that people are paying attention - and that this election is no longer a national concern, but a global one.
Twitter has not only given voice to a population that feels it has been robbed of one, but has also reminded the major media of their responsibility in reporting the news efficiently and truthfully. Users bashed CNN for their lack of coverage by adding the tag #CNNfail - which allows posts to be easily searched, and raising the visibility of their misstep when it became one of the most popular topics on the site. Given the danger foreign correspondents have reported as they have met with government opposition to any filming or coverage of the ongoing unrest, the revolution may not be televised. But it will be twittered.
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Paul Krugman - Depression Economics
By Tom Masters | June 13, 2009
A well known adage warns us to never discuss politics or religion at the dinner table. But if - hypothetically - capitalism is our new religion, should the adage be changed to reflect that? As the US economy still struggles to turn around from the disconcerting downward spiral of the past year, this may be a dangerous (or at least socially reckless) question to consider, but that hasn’t stopped economist Paul Krugman from rising to the challenge. With the recent publication of his latest tome, The Return of Depression Economics and the Crisis of 2008, Krugman has updated his 1999 release to encompass the what, why, and how of today’s current financial woes and how they correlate with the events of the Great Depression.
In his book, Krugman states that it is impossible to discuss economic systems without the framework of the political systems that allow them to flourish - or in this case, to wither on the vine. Economics, as a subject, can rarely be described as easy reading, but Krugman’s dry wit and broad academic knowledge assist him in creating a book on misguided finance for the lay person - at a time when explanation is not only important but necessary.
Paul Krugman - The Return of Depression Economics
By revisiting the economic crises that struck the Asian and Latin American markets in the 1990’s, Krugman attests that they were strong warning signs that no one - even leading economic pundits - were heeding. As foreign markets were plummeting, American markets were little affected, leading many economists to believe that the circumstances that led the country into the Great Depression had been addressed. He makes no apology for the criticisms he levels at Ben Bernanke and Robert Lucas, who is quoted as saying ‘the central problem of depression-prevention has been solved, for all practical purposes.’ What seemed, at the time to be a statement of financial certainty, of faith in our free market enterprise, seems now to be woefully naive, or as Krugman puts it, ‘incredibly smug.’
An expert on macroeconomics and international trade theory, Krugman cites examples of missteps on the part of foreign financial institutions, and the resulting consumer-driven fear and investor panic that furthered the crises and delayed an economic revitalization. His argument for depression economics - increased government funding and a renewed focus on building export demand - rests on strong historical evidence, while acknowledging that our financial institutions are much stronger than those in the past, which should help to shorten the road to recovery. Krugman also calls for greater government regulation - an idea that has gained more stead in the wake of the lending scandals of the last year.
Economic systems are indeed heady topics - and Krugman is not without detractors who have railed against him for oversimplification and disseminating flawed arguments to the masses through his widely-read New York Times financial blog. He is unapologetic regarding his liberal bent, blaming much of today’s current economic fiasco on policies enacted during the Bush administration, leading many to feel that his views are politically self-serving. But regardless of which side of the fence one is standing on, Krugman’s works don’t shy away from asking the difficult questions - only time will tell if he has come up with the right answers.
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Deconstructing the Uncommon Effectiveness of the ADHD Entrepreneur
By Neil Peterson | June 10, 2009
For the creative thinker, winding one’s way through society’s values and mores can be oftentimes confusing. As children, we are told to ‘Be ourselves’ and ‘Follow our passions’ while at the same time being warned, ‘Don’t rock the boat’. For those with ADHD spectrum disorders, societal rules can be even more perplexing, causing many to struggle with feelings of inadequacy and an inability to adapt to the ‘culture of the norm’. While there is still a great deal to learn about the disorder, there is also a growing body of research linking the processes of the ADHD mind with the extraordinary personality traits of the entrepreneur.
Though it will be impossible to know for certain, many historians and researchers believe some of the greatest thinkers and creators of our civilization - among them Mozart, da Vinci, Einstein, and Benjamin Franklin - to have had ADHD or an associated disorder. And as our society’s knowledge and acceptance grows, some of today’s brightest minds are acknowledging their struggles, and how they have adapted their unique mental capabilities to succeeding in the business world.
Entrepreneurs often seem to exist on another plane - turning problems into opportunities and building success from the ground up. Recent Canadian research attests that ADHD adults are nearly four times more likely to be entrepreneurs that their non-ADHD peers.
Lessons from a Hyperactive Dyslexic, Kinko’s Founder
So what makes the ADHD mind so well suited for developing new enterprises?
Creativity
Many entrepreneurs credit their innate creativity with helping them to achieve their goals, and seeing business opportunities in the most unlikely of corners. Rapid-fire brain processes - what some may label in children as easy distraction - helps the ADHD entrepreneur to visualize potential problems and solutions faster than their norm counterparts.
Energy
Entrepreneurs rarely lack for energy. And neither do those with ADHD. By channeling the excess energy into professional aims, ADHD entrepreneurs are able to achieve great gains in a relatively short amount of time. While the rest of the world is yawning, and reaching for that third cup of coffee, entrepreneurs have already mapped out a new business plan.
Focus
It has been widely accepted that ADHD-ers have a problem with focus, but the truth behind this myth is that they have a problem zoning in on subjects they are uninterested in. Give an ADHD entrepreneur an interesting problem and witness the extraordinary focus they are capable of.
Multi-tasking
Today’s business world is awash in technological advantages - but it is the rare person who can attack several stimuli at once and still get the job done. ADHD entrepreneurs are masters at multi-tasking, a must in fast-paced offices.
An initial diagnosis of ADHD may be devastating for some - whether for parents or an adult who has struggled to understand their difficulties over the course of a lifetime. But as we learn more about these disorders, we are also learning ways to overcome and adapt - and to utilize these unique traits. For those who have felt the sting of being different, one needs look no further than the pages of glossy business magazines to see that they are not alone.
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Act First, Think Later
By Tom Masters | June 7, 2009
I heard of a theory once that says character traits are largely set in children by the young age of three.
Based on my own life, I don’t doubt it for a second.
I am a risk-taker and have been for as long as I can remember, even as far back as my childhood. A prime example?
The day I decided to climb to the peak of our family’s two-story house.
We lived in a fairly typical New England Georgian colonial style home in New Canaan, Connecticut-square, symmetrical in design, four windows across the front, attached garage, wood siding, white with black shutters. And the main part of the house had a medium pitched roof.
But to a fourth-grader, the roof seemed more than just “medium” pitched. It seemed very tall, very steep…and very enticing. I couldn’t resist.
I climbed onto the garage roof and moved over to the kitchen roof with no problems. But getting onto the main roof of the house-the really steep one-proved to be a bit more difficult. I just couldn’t reach that roof, even when I was standing on my tiptoes. Finally I found a solution: standing with one foot on the window ledge to my sister’s bedroom. It gave me just enough “boost” to clamor onto the main roof.
Voilà! Success!
Once I was on the main roof, I cautiously climbed up to the peak and began looking around. I felt as if I was on top of the world. I was pretty sure nobody else had ever climbed this roof before-and I was doubly sure nobody my age had ever climbed it. I was pretty satisfied.
But when it came time to get down, all my smugness vanished. I’d managed to get up on the roof, but I had absolutely no idea how to get down.
And I was scared to death.
I’d been up there a couple of hours when my mother finally came outside, calling my name. She’d been looking all over for me.
“I’m up here, Mom,” I yelled down.
“For goodness’ sakes, Neil! Get down right now!”
“I can’t.”
In desperation, my mother called the New Canaan Fire Department to come and get me down.
With sirens blaring, the fire truck raced up the street. And it wasn’t just any fire truck-it was the huge hook-and-ladder truck. Before long all the neighbors had crowded into our front yard to see what was happening, looking and pointing at me as if I were an animal in the zoo. Oh my gosh. How embarrassing.
The firemen got me down to safety. But some fifty years later, that “small” incident still affects me deeply. Almost every nightmare I’ve had for the last half-century has me clinging to a very steep roof. In the dream I lose my grip, begin to slide down the roof, pick up speed, and try desperately to grab the gutter and save myself. Then I wake up, sweating like mad, and the nightmare is over.
That day on the roof, I was living on the edge-literally. And despite the nightmares that still haunt me I wouldn’t have traded that boyhood adventure for the world. Anyone who’s ever looked back with nostalgia at their childhood zest and zeal for life will know what I’m talking about. The thrill of pushing forward, of climbing up and up and up, even if the outcome turns out to be less than ideal, is a delicious reward in and of itself.
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A Tribute to Swing Dance King Frankie Manning
By Neil Peterson | June 5, 2009
If traditional ballroom dancing is the adults’ table at a family function - elegant and decorated with the finest silverware, then surely swing dancing is the rowdy children’s table, where peals of laughter are bouncing off the walls and the food is more likely to be found in someone’s hair than on someone’s plate. Even the word ’swing’ seems gloriously unfit, sliding out of your mouth in consonant-filled glory. And so it is, in dance, that swing is just a bit more messy, wild, and enthusiastic than its forefathers - and is the better for it.
Swing dancing, like the Big Band music that birthed it, was a revolution - a response to the grim memories of World War I, and a way to honor and celebrate life as the world was thrust back again into turmoil of World War II. It is nearly impossible to hear the music of swing without feeling the primal pulse of the music, something bigger than oneself, pulling the rhythm out. And if Harlem`s Savoy Ballroom was the birthplace of swing, then Frankie Manning was the man who brought it to the world with the Lindy Hop.
Born in Jacksonville, Florida, Frankie Manning rose to prominence on the dance floor of the Savoy. Most often found in `Cat`s Corner` - a space reserved for the premiere dancers - Manning`s flair quickly made him a standout, earning him a place in Whitey`s Lindy Hoppers, the first professional swing ensemble. Organized by Herbert White, and comprising the best of the Savoy dancers, the Lindy Hoppers toured around the world and were featured in several films. As a key member of the group, Manning created much of the group`s choreography, his high energy making the dances impossible to ignore. But the wartime pressures soon disbanded the group as many of the male dancers joined the service.
Hellzapoppin’
Seeing Manning dance it is hard to imagine him doing anything else. Vintage films of the era show him, flying faster than seems possible, with partner Norma Miller as they danced their signature Lindy Hop - named for aviator Charles Lindbergh, and the popular line dance, the Shim Sham. However, as the nation’s interest in swing waned in the early 1950’s, Manning took a job with the US Postal Service, where he would work for the next 30 years.
In 1986, Manning was contacted by two young dancers, Erin Stevens and Steven Mitchell, hoping to re-ignite an interest in swing dancing. Initially skeptical that a new generation would be interested in a old-fashioned dance craze, Manning was soon proven wrong, and dance troupes and camps around the world clamored to have his presence on their floors. Occasionally appearing with his Savoy partner, Norma Miller, Manning taught the joy of swing to eager students from Australia to Sweden.
Frankie Manning passed away in April at the age of 95, having taken part in reinvigorating a dance that he helped to popularize. In addition to witnessing the swing revival, his second wind also gave him new opportunities to choreograph, earning him a Tony Award for his work with Broadway musical ‘Black and Blue’. Manning may be gone, but his legacy as the ‘Ambassador of Lindy Hop‘ inspires a whole new generation of enthusiasts, for whom ’swing is the thing’.
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