The
Tiller Girls were among the most popular
danceDance is a sport and art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
troupes of the 1900s, first formed by
John TillerJohn Thomas Ibbotson Tiller was a musical theatre director who was credited with inventing precision dance and was the originator of the 'Tiller Girls'.-Biography:...
in
ManchesterManchester is a city and metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. In 2007, the population of the city was estimated to be 458,100...
,
EnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, in 1890. Whilst on visits to the
theatreTheatre is a branch of the performing arts. While any performance may be considered theatre, as a performing art, it focuses almost exclusively on live performers creating a self contained drama. A performance qualifies as dramatic by creating a representational illusion...
, Tiller had noticed the overall effect of a
chorusA choir, chorale, or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together is called a choir or chorus...
of dancers was often spoiled by lack of discipline. Tiller found that by linking arms the dancers could dance as one; he is credited with inventing precision dance. Possibly most famous for their high-kicking routines, the Tiller Girls were highly trained and precise.
John Tiller's first dancers performed as The Four Sunbeams in 1886.
The
Tiller Girls were among the most popular
danceDance is a sport and art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
troupes of the 1900s, first formed by
John TillerJohn Thomas Ibbotson Tiller was a musical theatre director who was credited with inventing precision dance and was the originator of the 'Tiller Girls'.-Biography:...
in
ManchesterManchester is a city and metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. In 2007, the population of the city was estimated to be 458,100...
,
EnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, in 1890. Whilst on visits to the
theatreTheatre is a branch of the performing arts. While any performance may be considered theatre, as a performing art, it focuses almost exclusively on live performers creating a self contained drama. A performance qualifies as dramatic by creating a representational illusion...
, Tiller had noticed the overall effect of a
chorusA choir, chorale, or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together is called a choir or chorus...
of dancers was often spoiled by lack of discipline. Tiller found that by linking arms the dancers could dance as one; he is credited with inventing precision dance. Possibly most famous for their high-kicking routines, the Tiller Girls were highly trained and precise.
John Tiller's first dancers performed as The Four Sunbeams in 1886. He originally formed the group for a show at the old Pavilion Theatre Blackpool, and from this were founded the Tiller School of dancing and the Tiller Girl troupes.
The number of troupes grew to dozens and their fame spread around the world. The troupes were all slightly different, but within each troupe the girls were matched very precisely for height and weight. Individuality within the troupes was discouraged in favour of a strong group ethic. The Tillers performed as resident dancers at the Folies Bergère in Paris, the
London PalladiumThe London Palladium is a 2,286 seat West End theatre located off Oxford Street in the City of Westminster.Ian Dury and Cass Elliot played their last shows at the Palladium.-Building:...
, the
Palace Theatre-Canada:* Palace Theatre, Calgary, Alberta* Palace Theatre , Montreal, Quebec - see Robillard Block-United Kingdom:* Palace Theatre, London, England* Palace Theatre, Manchester, England* Palace Theatre, Mansfield, England...
s in Manchester and in London (as the Palace Girls), the Blackpool Winter Gardens, on New York's
BroadwayBroadway Theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, is the theatre associated with the 40 large professional theaters with 500 seats or more located in the Theatre District, New York in Manhattan, New York City...
, where
John TillerJohn Thomas Ibbotson Tiller was a musical theatre director who was credited with inventing precision dance and was the originator of the 'Tiller Girls'.-Biography:...
had a dance school, and at hundreds of other theatres over the British Isles, the Continent and the United States.
Tiller routines and line-ups
Basically they do what is called a 'Tap and Kick' routine, which was originally called "Fancy-Dancing" but today is known as 'Precision Dancing'. The routines may consist of straight lines or geometric figures. Every tap and kick troupe has tried to steer away from Tiller's arrangements, but sooner or later conforms to Tillers methods.
Kracauer stated in 1923 'These 76 energetic women dance about in geometric shapes: "The regularity of their patterns is cheered by the masses, themselves arranged by the stands in tier upon ordered tier'.
In certain shows a Tiller line-up could be as many as 32 girls who were selected for uniform height and weight. In 1923 the Stage play Nifties of 1923 feature the twelve Tiller Girls
The Radio City Rockettes Connection
Russell Markert, founder of the Rockettes quoted;
"I had seen the Tiller girls in the
Ziegfeld FolliesThe Ziegfeld Follies were a series of elaborate theatrical productions on Broadway in New York City from 1907 through 1931. They became a radio program in 1932 and 1936 as The Ziegfeld Follies of the Air....
of 1922," he reminisced, "If I ever got a chance to get a group of American girls who would be taller and have longer legs and could do really complicated tap routines and eye-high kicks, they'd knock your socks off!"
Many a Tiller girl would be a little offended at this remark as many of the Tiller Ballet and Tap Routines have never been replicated with such precision. However the Rockettes Kick routines today are precision dance at its very best, original and real entertainment.
The Rockettes first kicked to life in 1925 as the "Missouri Rockets" and made their show business debut in St. Louis, the realization of a long-time dream of their creator, Russell Markert.
It is known that some of the Tiller Girls and American girls who trained with Mary Read were also involved in the Rockettes, one girl Lily Smart who trained with the Tiller School of Dance in Manchester and was with the 1922 troupe in the Ziegfeld Follies, she settled in America and Joined the Rockettes, she was with them for many years. Russell Markert added his own style to the Precision Dance routines; this found its way back to the Tiller girls in the United Kingdom.
Girls that had visited the USA during the late 1930s and 40s danced for the Troops and liked the American style of dancing and the costumes with head dresses they saw. American films also showed showgirls and had a big impact on the British audience. From the late 1940s through the 1970s the Tiller girls adopted a lot of the American Showgirl styles that could trace their roots back to the “Les Folies-Bergère” in the late 1890s.
After John Tiller
After
John TillerJohn Thomas Ibbotson Tiller was a musical theatre director who was credited with inventing precision dance and was the originator of the 'Tiller Girls'.-Biography:...
's death in 1925 the Tiller schools were kept alive first by his wife Jennie Tiller, then by some of the head girls. However, as attitudes changed in the early 1970's so did dance, and the precision kicking routines of The Tillers were considered dated and for the first time since their inception the popularity of Tillers waned. However, the Legend was to be kept alive by these very ladies that retired in the late 1960's and early 70's. In 1989, following a request by the Parkinsons Society, a line up of the original 1950's and 1960's Tiller Girls returned to the stage for a benefit performance to aid the actor Terry Thomas. This unexpected comeback and the resultant publicity that ensued led to the formation of The 1960's Tiller Girls under the stewardship of Bruce Vincent and resident choreographer and original Head Girl Wendy Clarke. The 1960's Tillers continued kicking for over 300 shows at theatres and on television, many at the London Palladium and prestigious charitable events all over the UK including 40 Glorious Years (for HRH The Queen) and were semi adopted by Lily Savage ,aka Paul O Grady, for his shows and video's in the 1990's. The ladies announced their retirement in April 2009, on the Paul O Grady show, after having danced with the current hot band of America and teen idols, The Jonas Brothers. At that time most of the ladies were in their mid to late 60's and early 70's in age. The last official routine was held at The London Palladium, the girls official home, at the end of 2008, at a benefit for ex servicemen. Surely this is a record for any dance troupe? A dancers life is notoriously short but these plucky originals bucked the trend and started again and continued successfully at a much later stage in their lives. Interest has recently been shown in the Tillers with the opening of a new Tiller School of Dance.
The Radio City Music Hall RockettesThe Rockettes are a well-known precision dance company performing out of the Radio City Music Hall in Manhattan, New York City. During the Christmas season, the Rockettes have performed five shows a day, seven days a week, for 75 years...
, an American dance troupe, follow and keep alive the Tiller Girls tradition of high-kicking precision dancing.
Former Tiller Girls
- Betty Boothroyd
Betty Boothroyd, Baroness Boothroyd of Sandwell OM, PC is a British politician, who served as Member of Parliament for West Bromwich and West Bromwich West from 1973 to 2000 and was the first, and to date only, female Speaker of the British House of Commons between 1992 and 2000.-Early...
, Speaker of the House of CommonsIn the United Kingdom, the Speaker of the House of Commons is the presiding officer of the House of Commons, and is seen historically as the First Commoner of the Land. The present Speaker is John Bercow, who was elected on 22 June 2009, following the resignation of Michael Martin.The Speaker...
(1992-2000)
- Diana Vreeland
Diana Vreeland was a noted columnist and editor in the field of fashion...
, former Editor-in-chief of VogueVogue is a fashion and lifestyle magazine published in 16 countries + Latin America by Condé Nast Publications. Each month, Vogue publishes a magazine addressing topics of fashion, life and design.-Style and influence:...
- Sunny Rogers
Sunny Rogers was an English entertainer best known for her work with comedian Frankie Howerd.Rogers was born Jessie Mary Rogerson in Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire. Her nickname "Sunny" comes from her constant smiling...
, accompanying pianist to comedian Frankie HowerdFrankie Howerd OBE , was a distinctive English comedian and comic actor whose career spanned six decades.-Biography:...
- Avril Owton, Honoree Member of the Leading Women Entrepreneurs of the World
- Doremy Vernon, actress (Are You Being Served?
Are You Being Served? was a British sitcom broadcast from 1972 to 1985. It was set in the men's and women's departments of Grace Brothers, a large, fictional London department store. It was written mainly by Jeremy Lloyd and David Croft, with contributions by Michael Knowles and John Chapman...
) and writer
External links