The BBC’s first dance stars
Suzanne Scaife recalls her talented uncle Derek’s star appearances on the BBC
Back in the Fifties, my Uncle Derek regularly took part in the BBC’s Television Dancing Club, the forerunner of today’s Strictly. Hosted by popular dancer, musician and band leader Victor Silvester, it started out on radio, with Victor teaching dancing steps to a war-weary Britain. In 1948 it moved to television and was broadcast weekly from Maida Vale, in London. Victor and his dancers in full ballroom dress would give demonstrations and a dance lesson, with a competition for viewers to vote for their favourite couple. Without today’s phone or online voting, Derek remembers viewers sending in a postcard, with the winner announced in the following week’s show.
As a student of the Bob Burgess School of Dancing in Hammersmith, Derek made regular appearances on the show. Bob, a famous professional dancer, arranged weekly tickets for his pupils to attend and dance. Derek and partner Shirley were forever immortalised on the cover image of the LP of dance music that was issued annually to support the show. It was during the war years that Derek discovered his talent for dancing. When his brother Henry was posted to Malta, Derek stepped in to accompany Henry’s fiancée to dance lessons. Once the war was over and Henry came back safely, Derek found a new partner Shirley and never looked back, winning many competitions including the Sussex Amateur Championship twice. Derek had started his dance training in Sussex, but said that to progress to championship standard, pupils were encouraged to go to the best teachers in London. These teachers also judged on the competition circuit, so that gave you an edge as they were more likely to be favourable to their own students.
All Derek’s siblings were good dancers. Sister Florrie loved her sequence dancing and brother Bill met his wife at a wartime dance in Hackney while serving in the RAF. My dad Cliff (Derek’s twin brother) was an accomplished musician and played piano at dances in the camp band during his National Service.
In the Seventies Derek had a proper sprung dance floor installed at home. Here he would give lessons and I remember helping out demonstrating Samba Walks to groups of ladies. We also had some great dancing parties here, with my dad accompanying on his professional organ. Dad’s novelty trademark was an illuminated candelabra – a nod to Liberace! I’ll never forget the look on his face when a chap came up and took the microphone and started crooning along, he’d had a couple of pale ales and thought he could sing! Happy days.
‘Derek hosted some great dance parties with my dad accompanying on his organ’