Buddy Bradley (choreographer)
Buddy Bradley | |
|---|---|
 Bradley and his wife Dorothy (nee Pitchford), London, 1963 | |
| Born | Clarence Bradley Epps July 24, 1905 |
| Died | July 17, 1972 (aged 66) New York City, New York, US |
| Occupation(s) | Dancer and choreographer, dance school owner and teacher |
Buddy Bradley (July 24, 1905 – July 17, 1972)[1] was an African-American dancer and choreographer of the 1930s and later.[2] He worked for more than 20 years as an artist and teacher in England, where he became influential in the world of ballet, film, and theater.[3]
Biography
[edit]Born as Clarence Bradley Epps in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania,[1] he began his career in the United States, although he was often not credited for his early work because he was black. He also worked with Billy Pierce, his fellow African-American choreographer.
Bradley first went to England in 1933 and later settled there.[4][5] He worked on many Broadway and West End shows.[6] He was the first black dancer to choreograph an all-white show in London. He often worked with Andrée Howard, including 1935's Let's Go Gay.[7]
Bradley also ran his own dance school.[2]
He returned to the US in the late 1960s. He died in New York City on July 17, 1972, aged 66.[2]
Filmography
[edit]- Evergreen (1934), choreography
- Head over Heels (1937), as choreographer and dancer
- Gangway (1937)
- The Spider (1940)
- The Brass Monkey (1948)
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Buddy Bradley (1905–1972)", IMDb.
- ^ a b c Swinging into the Blitz: A Culture Show Special, BBC, February 16, 2013.
- ^ "Biography". buddybradley.taplegacy.org. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
- ^ Robinson, Danielle (2006). "'Oh, You Black Bottom!' Appropriation, Authenticity, and Opportunity in the Jazz Dance Teaching of 1920s New York". Dance Research Journal. 38 (1–2): 19–42. doi:10.1017/S0149767700007312. S2CID 193345640.
- ^ Hill, CV. 1992. "Buddy Bradley: The Invisible Man of Broadway Brings Jazz Tap to London". In Proceedings of the 15th Annual Conference, Society of Dance History Scholars.
- ^ Bourne, Stephen, Black in the British Frame - The Black Experience in British Film and Television, London: Continuum, 2001. ISBN 0826455395
- ^ Pritchard, Jane (1992). "The choreography of Andree Howard: Some further information". Dance Chronicle. 15: 77–87. doi:10.1080/01472529208569081.
External links
[edit]- Buddy Bradley at IMDb
- Buddy Bradley Tribute website.
- StreetSwing.com entry
- Annette Walker, "Buddy Bradley: Choreographing British Film and Theatre", March 16, 2021.
- "TDRN UK Online Talk Series: Contextualising Buddy Bradley in British Film". Presentation by Annette Walker, via YouTube. September 7, 2023.
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