Dancing Costumes: Groups and Studios


Figure 1.-.

A few childrens dance groups have performed commercially. They seemed to have trained children interested in show buiness. Other groups also provide fances for a variety of events, including movies and television. Other groups appear to have had less commercial orientations. Some schools have also formed dance groups. We note one Russian group or ensemble that was assocaited with the Young Pioneer movement. We know of no similar activity concerning Scouting. HBC has, however, only limited informtion on these groups.

(Don) Crichton Dancers

One of the variety shows in the 70s had a group of boys and girls that did dance routines each week. Sometimes the costumes were interesting, I remember them in kilts once.

Meglins Dance Troope

Perhaps the most famous dance school in America was the Meglins Dance Studio. It was a Hollywood school and mothers who wanted to get their children into the movies enrolled their very young children. Its most famous pupil was none other than Shirley Temple. She was a student there when a studio game and wanted to cast 12 toddlers (10 boys and 2 girls) for a series of film shorts in 1931 called the Baby Burlesque. Shirley of course was chosen. In the film the children were costumed in diappers and exagerated safteypins with a more mature jacket or shirt. They played adult roles in a variety of skits. Of course Shirley who was only 3 years old stood out and was soon offered a contract with 20th Cetury Fox She was to soon single handedly save the studio from bankruptsy.

Nicholas Brothers

Two black brothers appeared in shows and movies. Both boys wear quite proper suits, but the younger boy has a short pants suit which he wears with knee socks. I'm not sure to what age he wore shorts, but he looked to be about 12 in the film I saw.

Panchet and Moro Dance Studio

I'm not sure about the spelling here. This was a dance studio in Hillywood. One of the most famous students wasDorris Day.

(Ruth) Page School (US: Chicago?)

A 1990 PBS biography showed pictues from her school which she founded in the 1970s. Most of the children, were girls, but in the beginning class were several boys, all dressed in black tights. There were also boys in the more advanced classes. Their Nutcracker had quite a few boys, all in elaborate costumes with knicker-length pants, white stockings, and black balet shoes. Ms. Page is shown speaking with a blond dancer who tells us that he is 11 years old.

(Paul) Taylor Dance Companyrs

The distinguished Paul Taylor Dance Company performs regularly at Lincoln Center in New York City and elsewhere. Paul Taylor was one of the individuals that played a major role in creating America's indigenous art of modern dance. This is not a children;'s group, but we mention it here because of its imaginative use of costguming. The company is noted for highly very imaginative and creative evocations of the past by the use of costumes and choreography that are purely imaginary but that suggest dress of past eras without attempting to reproduce it accurately.

V. Loktev Singing and Dancing Ensemble (Russia: Moacow)

A Russian reader mentions the Singing and Dancing Ensemble of V. Loktev. We have little information on the group other than it was active in Moscow during the 1970s. As the name suggests, it was a performing ensemble and not just a choir. Both boys and girls participated. The performance uniform was a kind of closed vest and short pants wirn with theur red Young Pioneer neckerchiefs and white kneesocks. They also had costimes for dance numbers such as lederhosen-type short pants. We note the children practicing for a dance to be presented All-Union Exhibition of the USSR in 1977. Here they appear to be wearing what look like Young Pioneer uniforms.






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Created: November 3, 2000
Last updated: 5:59 AM 3/1/2011