What
were they? Back in the days before videos (or promotional films, to
use the technical term), TOTP employed a troupe of young dancers to offer
visual entertainment when an artist couldn't appear on the show. The first
of these were three (and later six) young ladies known as the Go-Jos.
Eventually, Top of the Pops decided to have their own exclusive set of
dancers and along came Pan's People.
Who were they? Babs Lord, Ruth Pearson and Dee Dee Wilde were 'Beat
Girls' on the ´óÏó´«Ã½ programme The Beat Room. They were later joined by Flick
Colby who recruited Louise Clarke and Andi Rutherford to form Pan's People.
Flick found it tough being in the band and being the choreographer and
eventually retreated to working only behind the scenes. Andi left to have
a baby in 1972 and was replaced by Cherry Gillespie. In 1974, Louise left
to get married, she was replaced by Sue Menhenick. Babs also left to get
married in August '75.
When
were they on? Their first appearance was in April 1968. Often, Flick
would have only a few hours in which to dream up a routine, leading to
some humourously literal dance moves. They survived for an astonishing
eight years before they felt it was time to call it a day. Their last
appearance was in April 1976, dancing to Four Seasons 'Silver Star'.
What happened to them? They were initially replaced by Ruby Flipper, who
were managed by Flick and Ruth. Later that year, Legs & Co took over
the mantle as show dancers. Ruth is a housewife, Dee Dee runs a dance
school, Babs married actor Robert Powell and they live in Hampstead. Louise
married a millionaire from Sheffield with a house in Marbella. Flick returned
to New York and ran a gift shop for a few years. The Pan girls are still
very close; the bond that brought them together in the '60s has made them
lifelong friends.
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