Family Program: A Swinging Good Time: The Story of the Savoy with Lana Turner

Join us for a vibrant family program celebrating art, history, and dance! Guest speaker Lana Turner, a prominent figure in the modern Lindy Hop and swing dance scene, will share the story behind a stunning quilt she has lent to the museum. This quilt commemorates the extraordinary life and work of Frankie Manning, the legendary Lindy Hop dancer and choreographer whose artistry helped shape American dance. 

Families will:

• Explore the quilt’s rich symbolism through an interactive experience led by a museum educator, 

• Hear directly about the cultural impact of the Savoy Ballroom and discover how Frankie Manning’s joyful spirit continues to inspire generations in a Q&A with Lana Turner, and 

• Be invited ask questions of the guest speaker to practice historical thinking skills. 

Hands-On Activity: After the storytelling session, families will participate in a mini quilting workshop, where each participant will design a small fabric square inspired by themes of movement, music, and community. These squares will come together to form a collaborative quilt celebrating the day’s experience. 

Ideal for: Families with children ages 6 and up 

About Lana Turner 

Lana Turner, a native of New York City, is a reader, writer, thinker and researcher with a keen interest in the elements of art and style in black culture and why this meditation matters.

Ms. Turner works as a real estate professional, archivist, and produces chamber music salons and literary events.  She is co-founder and chair of The Literary Society (1982), a New York City book discussion group based in Harlem.

Her work in real estate, event production, interior design and personal style have been cited in such publications as Animan (FR), Casa da Abitare (IT), Elle, Essence, Fast Company, Interview, The New York Daily News, New York Magazine, The New York Times, The Roo: Red Rooster Newsletter, Swing (DE), Time Out, Town & Country, The Wall Street Journal, and The Zoe Report.

An active member of the New York's Lindy Hop dance scene, Ms. Turner credits her father, the late Lee A. Turner, who was a patron of The Savoy Ballroom and other clubs in Harlem for her introduction to the art of what it means to swing and for guiding her first steps into the joyful world of The Lindy Hop. Honored by the New York Lindy Exchange in 2024 for a legacy of advancing the art of jazz, dance and enhancing the cultural landscape, Ms. Turner continues to inspire dancers, musicians, artists, and audiences around the world to the beauty of this quintessential American form.