Throwback Thursday Eccentric
Eccentric dance is any dance that is
unconventional or unique. It developed in the U.S. during the late 19th
and early 20th centuries and included African, clogging and tap
among other genres.
The team of Wilson, Keppel and Betty
were said to be the “greatest eccentric dance act”. They were a popular
attraction in the British music halls and vaudeville venues during the mid-20th
century. The three performers were: Jack Wilson (January 30, 1894-August 29,
1970), Joe Keppel (May 5, 1894-June 14, 1977) and Betty Knox (Alice Elizabeth
Peden, May 10, 1906-January 25, 1963). Over the decades there were actually
several “Bettys” since the original Betty Knox left the act in 1941 to become a
journalist. She worked as a war correspondent during WW II.
Wilson, Keppel and Betty’s act
capitalized on the new Egyptian craze (following the opening of King Tutankhamen’s
tomb) and they became famous for their “sand dance” that involved a soft-shoe
number performed on layers of sand (see the Link of the Day below).
A biography about them called Wilson,
Keppel and Betty: Too Naked for the Nazis by Alan Stafford, was
published by Fantom Publishing in 2015. The book won the Bookseller/Diagram
Prize for Oddest Title of the Year in 2016.
From the Big
Blue Book of Ballet Secrets
Dance History Secret #203:
“Wilson, Keppel and Betty are known for their greatest
eccentric dance act.”
Link of the Day:
Quote of the Day:
“Weirdism
is definitely the cornerstone of many an artist's career.”
― E.A. Bucchianeri
― E.A. Bucchianeri
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