From “Pans People in Concert”: dancing to Wave by Antonio Carlos Jobim
A lovely relaxed Bossa Nova instrumental, here overlaid with some breaking wave sound to emphasise the beach setting.
Pan’s People in Concert (BBC 17 April 1974) was a 35 minute show produced by Stanley Dorfman and featuring routines to an eclectic selection of music: giving the dancers the opportunity to work with music outside the narrow confines of the charts.
The John Denver Show TX: 20/05/1973, Pans People comb their hair, while John sings The Mermaid.
Thanks to Andeebee for the YouTube post.
From the old blog, Saturday, 19 March 2011:
Here’s another clip from John Denver’s 1974 BBC show. John sings The Mermaid while Pan’s People, dressed as mermaids, comb their hair and lure foolish sailors to their doom.
I think this is the first song I’ve posted that has a Child Ballad Number: #289.
Comments:
Suefan said…
Thanks YMG. Not a fan of the song or the singer but the girls, now that is a different matter. I’m sure I could murmur a few sweet somethings into the shell-like of those maids.
19 March 2011 09:15PattiforPM said…
Ah they don’t make TV like this any more. Denver’s voice may not be Pavarotti and Pans Peoples’ dancing skills may be underutilized but this is fun and they look just gorgeous.
19 March 2011 14:48
The John Denver Show, 29 April 1973: Pan’s People dance, John sings You’re The Top.
Thanks to Andeebee for the YouTube post.
From the old blog, Thursday, 17 March 2011
Here’s a clip of Pan’s People fro their regular spot as guest on John Denver’s BBC Variety show: John sings Cole Porter’s You’re The Top and the girls dnace in thirties frocks (the thirties were big in the seventies).
I’m afraid this clip manages to miss part of the first line of the song: that’s always unfortunate, but particularly so with a carefully unconventional lyricist like Cole Porter. The whole first line is “At words poetic, I’m so pathetic”.
Comments:
Suefan said…
Not my favourite sort of music but the ladies do a good job. Poor little Cherry though, coping that cheesy line.
Was it on one of these shows that Pans appeared as mermaid combing their hair?
17 March 2011 14:43jez said…
yes i agree suefan not my type of music as well but hey anything with pans people on is worth watching
17 March 2011 18:38Young Mister Grace said…
Hold that thought just a day or two, Suefan…
17 March 2011 21:18PattiforPM said…
As long as John Denver doesn’t appear in a Speedo YMG otherwise I’m exercising my veto!
18 March 2011 01:34
The John Denver Show, 13th May 1973:
Pan’s People dance, John Denver sings If I Could Talk to the Animals
I can’t find my original comments from the old blog post of this routine, so I’m unsure who tho thanks for this contribution: please get in touch if you’d like a credit.
I do still have some surviving informative comments from erudite readers:
mojo2007 said…
Poor Ruth, she had the gorilla suit , a tent to dance with In Concert, an other one in that oil depot number and now she dances with a goldfish. Unfair to a fair lady.
25 June 2014 16:29VintageVideos said…
Of course, Bill & Taffy Danoff went on to form the Starland Vocal Band.
25 June 2014 17:18Pans Legs said…
Episode 3 of The John Denver Show from 13th May 1973, featured Cherry & Ricky Stratful from The Young Generation paired up for a number (whose title escapes me) which features the ramp seen in the solo from Louise, this tarzan/talk to the animals section and a spooky ghosts routine at the end. I expect the only reason information was missing online for this episode was that the person who made the SUPER channel recordings years ago either forgot to record it or didn’t trade it around.
25 June 2014 17:38VintageVideos said…
The number that Cherry & Ricky danced to was the Theme From Summer of ’42 by Michel Legrand.
June 2014 18:50
Top of the Pops, 22 June 1973:
Pan’s People dance to Take Me to the Mardi Gras by Paul Simon.
I was sent this routine last summer by an anonymous benefactor. Thanks again for your generosity.
The Morecombe & Wise Show Christmas Day 1975:
Eric, Ernie and Pans People dance to Big Spender.
Thanks to Andeebee for the YouTube post.
From the old blog, Saturday, 2 June 2012
Here’s Pan’s People making a guest appearance on Morecambe & Wise’s 1975 Christmas Special. They’re dancing with the boys while Brenda Arnau sings Big Spender.
In a style M & W often used, the routine starts as an apparently straight music number, focusing on the singer: only after two minutes have passed, about halfway through the performance, do the boys appear, dressed as sleazy showgirls a la Sweet Charity, amongst Pan’s People. Since the boys are the stars, obviously the camera stays on them: unfortunately as the routine is mimicking the Sweet Charity all-in-a-line choreography, that means we barely get to see Sue and Cherry at the ends of the line: only Ruth and Mary, right next to M & W, get much camera time.
Comments:
PattiforPM said…
Yup Mary and Ruth are visible but far too little of the other three ladies here. I think Ernie looks hotter than Eric “by a hair”! Pans could have done such a steamy routine to this on their own….
2 June 2012 22:06Some Guy said…
Good to see Mary getting some camera time. I like her outfit, she looks like an extra from Austin Powers.
2 June 2012 22:16Suefan said…
Something of a travesty to crop the view in such a way without so much as a single Pan shot down the chorus line!
10 June 2012 10:06
Top of the Pops 29th of July 1976:
Ruby Flipper dance to A Fifth of Beethoven by Walter Murphy and the Big Apple Band
Philharmonius Phil and Funky Floid conduct these eight perfect pins.
Thanks to panspeople.com for the YouTube post.
From the old blog, Wednesday, 10 March 2010:
More Ruby Flipper on TOTP, on the 29th of July 1976. The music is A Fifth of Beethoven by Walter Murphy and the Big Apple Band, a bit of kitschy funked-up classical fluff used in the film Saturday Night Fever.
Oh my! This clip has got me in quite a quandry. I just can’t decide who has the best legs. What do you think?
comments:
Carl said…
Wow!!!!!
and Shhhhhhhh! Let’s enjoy music and picture co-ordination while it lasts for this routine.
Finally a chance to see the authentic version of the Flipsters routine in it’s full uncensored glory.
Who’d have thought even Beethoven could be put into a disco groove- with great success!
16 January 2011 00:12PattiforPM said…
Let me think – Patti has the best legs YMG
30 April 2011 02:43
Top of the Pops Christmas Day Special, 25 December 1973: Pan’s People dance to Gilbert O’Sullivan’s Get Down.
My first draft of a comment for this routine was:
Are you a lazy telly researcher? Looking for some footage to illustrate a mention of Pan’s People on your show?
Don’t bother going to all the trouble of finding a seldom-seen routine to excite their fans: just show thirty seconds of this most-used Pan’s People performance, like everybody else does.
If you’re feeling particularly creative, why not edit in a clip of Ronnie Barker in Porridge, making his hilarious “Beautiful Babs: dunno what her name is” joke? That would be original.
…but that’s too cynical for a holiday like today. Christmas is for the well-loved and familiar, so lets just enjoy all our favourite things about this most familiar of routines…
Hurrah! Merry Christmas!
Top of the Pops Christmas Day Special, 25 December 1974:
Pan’s People dance to The New Seekers’ You Won’t Find Another Fool Like Me
The colourful tutu outfits signal the choreographic theme: inept ballet moves, illustrating the “fool” theme of the song. Of course, like Les Dawson’s “bad” piano playing and Tommy Cooper’s conjuring “mishaps”, you can’t really do this kind of clumsy bad dancing unless, like Pan’s people, you’re actually pretty damn good dancers.
Cherry and Ruth were always good at looking glum, but I think Sue wins the prize for facial expressions here.
Thanks to SuPaLu for the YouTube post.
From the old blog, Friday, 21 August 2009:
Christmas TOTP 1974: Pan’s People dance to the New Seekers’ You Won’t Find Another Fool Like me. They’re glum! They’re cute! Ein anderes Geschenk von einsfestival.
comments:
Some Guy said…
Yep your right, they’re glum, they’re cute, but very sexy. Brings back memories of 1974. Power cuts, things like that.
13 November 2010 23:45
Top of the Pops Christmas Day Special, 25 December 1975:
Pan’s People dance to Art Garfunkle’s I Only Have Eyes for You.
According to Vintage Videos over on the One For The Dads Discussion Forum, Flick’s inspiration for these outfits was the Swedish celebration of Saint Lucy’s Day on the 13th December:
Vintage Videos: “a young girl dressed in a white dress and a red sash (as the symbol of martyrdom) carries palms and wears a crown or wreath of candles on her head. In Sweden, girls dressed as Lucy carry rolls and cookies in procession as songs are sung.”
Thanks to SuPaLu for the YouTube post.
From the old blog, Monday, 3 December 2012:
Here’s an early christmas present for Ryan: Pan’s People on Top of the Pops, Christmas Day 1975, dancing to Art Garfunkle’s I Only Have Eyes for You. Those candles on their hats do seem a trifle electric: understandable, since real candles would be shedding hot wax every time they moved. But where are the batteries? At firstI thought they might be in the body of the candles, like a torches batteries: but that would make the whole thing pretty heavy. No, I guess they’re probably wearing battery packs somewhere amongst their demure costumes.
My speculations were confirmed by Sue on the discussion forum:
Sue: “The Swedish Christmas candle headers … were battery powered. We had small battery packs sewn into the back of the dresses, but they didnt last too long, and had to be “charged” every so often with us still wearing the dresses! Brought a new meaning to “getting a little hot under the collar!” It all got a little warm after a while …also had to take it easy with movements in case we got a loose connection!”
Lots of forum regulars have help this site out, with contributions of rare video, cash, and their erudite knowledge.
So many thanks to my generous benefactors:
...amongst others.
And a particular thank you must go to Ryan, who has single-handedly kept the forum alive, building a community of enthusiasts and supporting this site.
Video for the Top 20 Pan's People Routines Forum Choice was broken: now it's fixed.
My old One for the Dads blog was shut down by the Kopyright Kops. So here's a new one. Still showing performances from Legs & Co., Pan's People and Ruby Flipper, amongst others. But no more downloads. Sorry.
A TOTP rarity.
