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Dance

dance

Danceschool Florence and her brother Ronald ran
a Dancing School in Torquay Devon.
The Pansy Byrd School of Dancing
All types of dance were taught
Ballroom, Ballet, Tap and Old Time
Their younger sisters were involved as well
Two stage shows were put on each year

Stageshow

Women's League of Health & Beauty

Women's League of Health & Beauty

The family went to tea dances at the Palm Court Hotel

The family went to tea dances at the Palm Court Hotel

Performance with Bird sisters 1936

Performance with Bird sisters 1936
Iris (centre), Joy, Thalia and Pansy (far right)

PansyByrd Pansy Byrd Torquay
joy

Peppers Sleaford Corn Exchange

Peppers Sleaford Corn Exchange

Ellen2 Christmas Pantomine
Ellen Watson (Pansy Byrd)
1950's
Ellen1 Costumes made by
Ellen and Janice
Operaticsoc Operatic and Dramatic Society
Dartford Kent
Competion Dancing Team Competion 1960's
John and Ellen Watson far left
EllenandJohn Ellen (Pansy Byrd) and John Watson continued with
their dancing well into their seventies
Ellen and her daughter Janice made
all of the dresses and costumes from
the 1950's onwards

 
We used to go to dances at the local hotels at Christmas, The Palace the Grand and the Imperial. I went to evening classes to learn ballroom dancing. I remember rich? guests taking our chairs with a throw away remark about us being only local shop keepers! Spen wrote a poem about them going dancing and leaving him at home.....(Last Traces, First Signs)
Susie and I with Bobbie her friend went to learn Scottish Dancing at the Victoria Hotel so we could partner the Cadets at their Naval College Dances, got no photos of those dances in the 1950's the cadets in their uniforms used to row us across the river Dart in the moonlight where our parents used to meet us on theb rtorquay side ...very romantic.We all learnt to dance with Miss Gooding at castle Circus.Thalia

My parents told us that when they were courting they also went to the Imperial, The Grand and the other large Hotels in Torquay to Tea Dances etc often with Lilian, Maurice and other members of the the family. Mother taught dad to ballroom dance at her dancing school.
I started dancing classes at a very early age, ballet, tap and then ballroom dancing in my teens. There always seemed to be shows to rehearse for, the annual pantomime etc What with the violin, the orchestra and various choirs my younger days were filled with music and dance.
Janice

Imperial Hotel

Imperial Hotel
LAST TRACES, FIRST SIGNS
2003


It reminds me of them dolled up to the nines,
Spruced-clean in their soft dancing shoes.
Off to a world thet could never be mine,
Whilst I was safe-tucked up in bed.

A peck on the cheek and a pat on the head,
Then off with a rustle and swirl.
While wafts of perfume would linger and fade,
A darkness entered my world.

Last traces included a scrunching of wheels,
And this light-line I'm seeing here now,
Moving its arc on my ceiling tonight,
Dispiriting since it's form left over right

Now close to this street more transitions occur,
A trace of anxiety, a trace of relief.
It reminds me of them dolled up to the nines,
Spruced-clean in their soft dancing shoes.

Maurice Bird

ThorLil Thora and Lilian Bird
Dorothy Dorothy

Mazuriandancer Mazurian Dancer
Polish Janice's Polish Dance 1954
Must be in the family!
Jandance Janice
What a tutu !

Monica Monica
FancyD Roberto and Monica
Clown Niccolo Clown
margaud1 Margaud
margaud4

Andypanto Andy Carrera Xmas Panto
(far right)
beach Childs beach theatre

rock
WarrNewt Warren and Newton

NigJul
AdeSue
party
party1
adesp
ss

Mimmo Mimmo at Janice's 60th (Ulten)