April 7
Born Today:
Willa Mae Ricker
Lindy hop dancer Willa Mae Ricker (1910-1978) began dancing in the Savoy Ballroom with Frankie Manning (1914-2009) and was invited to dance with Whitey’s Lindy Hoppers, a top-notch dance group based in Harlem. She excelled in aerial moves and was strong enough to hold her partner up when necessary. She married fellow dancer Billy Ricker, who danced with swing dance queen Norma Miller (1919-2019), and Ricker is best known for partnering Leon James (1913-1970 in a photo spread for LIFE Magazine. She danced in the movies A Day at the Races (1937) and Hot Chocolates (1941), but her performance in Hellzapoppin (1941) is phenomenal. You should go watch it right now.
Also Born Today: Film star and martial arts genius Jackie Chan (1954-), whose humorous fight choreography transcends genres.