Sunday 21 December 2014

Dancing Cheek to Cheek

A few weeks ago a programme aired on the BBC on the UK about the history of British dance crazes, the title of the programme charmingly was 'Dancing Cheek to Cheek'

About 20 minutes into the 3rd and final programme Len Goodman launched into talking about Vernon and Irene Castle and the influence they had on Britain in the 1910s, if anyone has seen the footage of the first half of this youtube video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuufFgAMkGE (have to say i'm fonder of the second half for reasons known to anyone who has seen it)
I didn't realise until now that this formed part of a film that was aired to movie audiences in 1915 'The Whirl Of Life', effectively the first dance training video!!
They also thankfully mentioned that Fred was inspired by them and so effectively had they inspired the dancing of Fred and Ginger that they had made a movie about them!! (Fred and Ginger made a movie about Vernon and Irene before anyone decides to pull a pun ;)) Which on that particular note it is a shame that only people today who are familiar with dance and its history seem to have any idea of who they were, I find it hard enough sometimes to find people who have heard of Fred and Ginger let along trying to find people who know exactly who Vernon and Irene were let alone what they were famous for!!

The tv show has helpfully thrown up a few 'new' to me photos of Vernon and Irene









It is somewhat disappointing that there are no further references to Fred and Ginger and disappointing again that there were no mentions of Fred and Adele especially considering how much more beloved they were in the UK compared to the US and of course considering who Adele married and all, then again Vernon was British which helps with talking about British dance history!!

I'm sure you'll likely have seen most if not all of these before but they make a nice round off/comparison non the less :-)









Tuesday 21 October 2014

My poor neglected Blog

I feel really bad for neglecting my poor blog, the only "excuses" I can offer are the long summer holidays where I never seemed to be at home, Top Hat (on stage) starting a new tour, to anyone in the UK who hasn't seen it I urge you to go! The two new leads Alan Burkitt and Charlotte Gooch are the best pair I have seen as Jerry and Dale on stage, not to mention Alan is the nearest I reckon that has been seen to Fred Astaire, he really is amazing!! I've now seen the show an awesome 31 times including a flying visit to Edinburgh at the weekend specially to see it. Anyone who knows me will know Top Hat is my favourite of Fred and Ginger's musicals so to love the stage show almost as much as i love the movie is something really special! As in go see ;) If anyone is in the UK and fancies a group outing please post here :-)

Thursday 17 July 2014

Happy 103rd Birthday Ginger!!!!

Happy Birthday Ginger may you forever rest in peace

Hard to believe that 3 years ago was in Independence for Ginger's centenary suffering in some serious heat (well it felt like serious heat until stopped in New Mexico the following morning!)
Feeling sad again that Nina (erosenplatt) is also no longer with us, it gets harder when Ginger/Fred related events occur :(

Anyway on a brighter note a few photos of our beautiful gal!





Monday 23 June 2014

RIP Fred

27 years since Mr Astaire left his final footsteps on the sands of time, just a few photos to share some of his best moments































Sunday 11 May 2014

Happy 115th Birthday Fred Astaire

'Gonna leave my footsteps on the sands of time, if i never leave a dime, a dancing man with footsteps on the sands of rhythm and rhyme..' - I Wanna Be A Dancin' Man - The Belle of New York (1952)