A Tribute To Bill and Bobbie Irvine MBE
Greg Smith and John Kimmins are given the onerous task of guiding us through a tribute to the great Bill and Bobbie. Seven years ago Bill and Bobbie were the first to participate in the now familiar “Audience With” and now we have this additional so deserved tribute. On to the stage also came Marcus and Karen Hilton MBE, Oliver Wessel-Therhorn and Andrew Sinkinson, and we had six people who were as close to the famed ones as anyone could possibly be. I feel sure there were so many others who would have wished, and been able to also participate and thrill everyone with stories, but of course time has its own limitations. Greg gave everyone a brief summary of the many Championships won by Bill with his Bobbie, and on the large screen on stage was beamed a film of them dancing at Blackpool with so many familiar couples on the floor at that time that it brought nostalgia to the forefront of the minds of those who remembered that wonderful era of dance.
Then it was 1968 and the famous drink we called Ovaltine were sponsors of the World Championship at the Royal Albert Hall and we thrilled to the scene in general, with hushed reverence beaming its way from audience, sprinkled with spontaneous applause also.
Then Andrew Sinkinson gave his reminiscence of the very first time he had seen them dance ... 1973 as a Juvenile competing himself in Derby, there was a demonstration and the showmanship was terrific. At the end he saw Bill as being just a wee bit “grumpy” with his lady of dance but the main item striking him was great
characterisation from them, and he realised that the apparent grumpiness from Bill was merely the result of a quest for utter perfection of feel of dance. Oliver then said that although he had never seen them dance in competitions or demonstrating, except on film, he had seen them in a workshop live, dancing Foxtrot and from that very moment he was mesmerised and thrilled to the soles of his feet as they simply glided over the floor ... Hooked forever and joined to Bill and Bobbie’s inspirational aspects.
Marcus, as an eight year old medallist, remembers a bald head and a big skirted lady of dance. He saw Bill as a Giant on that floor ... Five years later he had a lesson from Bill and was staggered to find how small he actually was ... Then Bill told him the famous principle “Stand to grow not to go”. Karen never saw them dance live in competitions and her first meeting was when she was sweet sixteen and went to the Starlight Studio ... for a lesson with Bobbie ... “So you think you can dance” asked Bobbie of Karen ... and the lesson began ... when it was completed, with Karen being able to hold back her tears, at being told that she wasn’t perhaps quite as good as she would like to be ... she staggered off down the stairs, still holding back tears ... Bobbie however followed her down the stairs and said to her “You can come back again” ... Joy replaced some despondency and the rest is history.
John Kimmins remembers the Latin event held in Australia where Bill and Bobbie lost to Rudi and Metchild Trautz and Bobbie sticking her heel through the bottom of her dress during the event. The next night was the Professional Ballroom Championship ... Wow ... he saw Bill and Bobbie flying past Rudi and Metchild and as they passed, Bill said to Rudi “Why don’t you learn to dance man?” ... and he was the one giving Rudi ballroom lessons at that time, so much laughter presumably came to Rudi’s lips.
They used to travel to the USA for six weeks every year and gave demonstrations all over that great country. Within the Arthur Murray school franchises, when dancing Latin demonstrations, Bill used to say “You guys are better than me, but I am getting paid, so I do hope it is okay for you to watch us.” Karen then tells everyone that many dogs in Japan are called either Bill or Bobbie because of the reverence and esteem in which they are held in that country. More observation followed and, as they cascaded to the ears of those in attendance, it was clear that the famous people on that stage were themselves so sad that Bill and Bobbie are no longer with us ... but they in fact are with us and will continue to be, for as long as those they trained to dance are themselves among us. Films were shown again and it was most interesting to see the changes in the style which they produced, for example from very low elbows to much higher ones from Bill. One rather obvious feature was that Bobbie’s stance never became overdone and therefore stiffness was never apparent.
Blackpool ... Bobbie and Janet Gleave, introduced by the great Sonny Binick, who had coached both of them ... Dancing, with each taking over as Man by switching arm position and creating awe within the audience.
They travelled to Germany each year for twenty-one consecutive years and became so famous they were treated like a King and Queen ... a film was shown with Bill placing a cup and saucer on his head and dancing without disturbing its balance, and inciting resounding reaction from the audience, with gasps of sheer astonishment.
Bobbie’s lecture at Blackpool with her ‘Friends’ all ladies ... all of them with black hair, black trousers and white blouses.
Oliver then gave a very funny but true story of the well known and excellent couple having a lesson and Oliver overheard the lady saying that she was having big problems with her head usage and asked Bill for a cure and he replied “well my recommendation would be amputation”. Then Oliver told about the time he spent three whole days in the studio having lessons ... first day feather, reverse turn, three step ... second day exactly the same ... so on the third day he requested a wee change, so did some Viennese Waltz ... danced three natural turns and then Bobbie said ... that was lovely Oliver, now show me your feather, reverse and three step ...
Greg Smith then told us of a lesson with Bill, at the end of which he was told that now was the time when he should have a lesson also with Bobbie ... off he went like a good boy and was told, in common with everyone else, he should not touch her ... a famous expression from Bobbie, instilled indelibly into all the men almost instantly. A few years later, Greg went to the studio to watch a young Australian couple having a lesson, again with Bobbie ... The lesson, started and continued until the very last minute when Bobbie turned to where Greg sat and said “Okay Greg, no doubt you have been waiting and waiting for it so here it is and she said to the young man taking the lesson ... “Donʼt touch me” ... Great laughter ensued as everyone had expected that within the first few minutes
Stories cascaded like confetti at a wedding ... Within Bobbieʼs effects was found a gun ... consternation ... they found out however, it was licensed to Bobbie from South Africa to shoot snakes with. John once asked Bobbie why she was so good when asked to dance as man and why were so many other girls pretty good at that too ... Bobbie replied “That's easy, we were never taught to push like you guys are”.
Johnʼs first lesson and his shoulders were up round his ears so he was asked what was wrong with him and replied “Iʼm scared silly” ...
Oliver sang to us ... to the tune “The Lady is a Tramp” and the words used were “Thatʼs why Bill Irvine was the Champ” and he devised this for Billʼs 80th birthday ... it was wonderful and then he read some highlights from the eulogy he presented at Billʼs funeral.
Let me tell you this ... The angels had better use their feet well in Heaven as they take lessons from Bill or from Bobbie or they will incur the full weight of criticism which, if worked upon when accepted, will make them become eminent as exponents.
So many more items were covered and it was clear that Bill and Bobbie have left everyone a legacy which incorporates intensity of loyalty to them, and the new Kings and Queens of the world of dance will undoubtedly have learned from them that you can only be “Royal” if you can incite from others, towards you, respect and admiration, caused by your own behavioural attitudes ... Thank you indeed those who told us of their wonderful times with Bill and Bobbie ...
The conclusion was a showing on TV of the tribute to Bobbie when the Amateur and
Professional ballroom finalists took the floor all at the same time and danced a Waltz to “The Desert Song” ...
Within the first act of the Bolshoi Ballet Companyʼs production of Swan Lake there is a transmission of utter regality, good manners and superb dance athleticism ... just as we always saw when watching Bill and Bobbie ... I do so hope that they are together in Heaven.
Jun 30, 2010
Following the AGM in Blackpool this year. The accounts for 2009-2010 are now available. Click here... for details. |
Mar 26, 2010
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