From the Frankie Manning Foundation:

Frankie Manning had a long association with Beantown Camp. He would be so pleased to see the amazing job that Beantown has done in creating a vibrant and welcoming atmosphere for African American Lindy Hoppers. No camp has done more to increase African American participation and inclusion in the world swing dance community.

The Beantown Ambassador program was established originally due to our relationship with the Frankie Manning Foundation, and the desire to honor Frankie’s wishes to spread Lindy Hop to black communities, as well as other places around the world. Besides Frankie in our early years, we were very fortunate to have Norma Miller at Beantown for over 20 years. In our many talks with Norma, she often expressed her wishes to see more black representation, and young dancers to continue to pass on Lindy Hop and its history for generations to come.

Beantown Camp has been working since 2012 with the Frankie Manning Foundation’s Scholars Program (formerly Ambassadors Program). There have been 27 Ambassadors/Scholars who have attended Beantown through the FMF program, and for some it has been a life-changing experience. The Beantown Ambassador program began as a means to help past scholarship recipients return to camp in subsequent years. There are no fees for camp registration, however, funds are needed to cover expenses such as housing, meals and travel.

We’re excited to see the time at Beantown having an impact! It’s an excellent opportunity for Ambassadors to take classes, meet dancers from around the world, spend time with this year’s special guests, Barbara Billups and Sugar Sullivan, and immerse themselves in Lindy Hop. In addition, it’s a chance to work with other Ambassadors, whether on a performance, on their dance skills, as well as how to go forward with the role of Ambassador to pass on Frankie’s legacy. The more experienced Ambassadors are now mentors to the newer ones.

Success would not be possible without the help from Beantown campers and other members of the dance community. As the number of Beantown Ambassadors increase, more funds are needed as expenses also grow. Funds are raised through donations. Any help is much appreciated!