Tuesday 31 May 2011

Britain is a country where old men say "goodbye" to Flick Colby who, with 'Pan's People', brightened their lives as young men in the 1970's



Flick Colby, seated on the ground, was the driving force behind the dance group 'Pan’s People', has died at the age of 65. An American dancer and choreographer, she was a founder member of the all-girl troupe which appeared weekly on the British chart show, 'Top of The Pops' in the days before music videos.


Pan's People Tribute :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDIzTL8XuCM&feature=related

Things you probably didn't know about Flick, that she :

* performed for 15 million viewers who tuned into the show each week during its 1970's heyday.

* was the daughter of a Professor of German at Hamilton College in Clinton, Oneida County, in the centre of New York state.

* trained as a ballet dancer and performed in musicals before moving to London in 1966 with her first husband.

* decided to form her own troupe, considered calling it 'Dionysus's Darlings' but then came up with the snappier 'Pan's People'.

* with the group, picked up work on tv in the Netherlands, Switzerland and Belgium and then had her debut on 'Top of the Pops' in 1968 and became, with the group, a permanent weekly fixture on the show in 1969.

* went on to work with Pan's People's replacement 'Ruby Flipper' amd then 'Legs and Co.

* married a Professor of English at Hamilton College, where her father had taught.

* on returning to Clinton, ran a gift shop called Paddywacks and said :
"I was always interested in retail. It's a bit like showbiz in that you put on a performance to sell something."

1 comment:

  1. It was never about their dancing abilities but I'm sure she brightened a few lives.

    ReplyDelete