By Margaret Maccoll
Filming starts this week as part of a project developed by Noosa Community Dance Artist Gail Hewton to make dance a more accepted domain for older people and to showcase their talents, abilities and contributions.
The project titled ‘In a Different Space’ and with funding from Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF) will include a film, which Gail plans to submit to several film and dance festivals, and a photographic collection.
Among her participants are lifelong dancers Jack Floyd, 101, and Jacqueline B’Nay known as Jonny, 92.
“Dance is most often seen as the domain of the young and it’s time such perceptions and expectations are changed – dance is possible for everyone including older people and those with mobility restrictions and issues,” Gail said.
“The histories, contributions, abilities, talents, personalities, creative flair and value of older people are often invisible, undervalued and overlooked.”
Performing as Floyd and B’Nay, Jack and Jonny were the highest paid dancers in the UK post WWII and have a rich history to tell.
“We danced with Judy Garland, Micky Rooney, Danny Kaye and the Jackson 5,” Jonny said. “We worked with them when Michael was a little boy but even then he stole the show.”
Jonny started dancing as a four-year-old. She studied ballet with Madam Espinosa in London before taking up acrobatics and combined the two during a sister act she performed during WWII in England.
Jack’s career began in the 1930s with a tap dancing act he performed with his father.
“He wanted me to learn to dance. I wasn’t that keen,” Jack said. But after he lost part of a finger in a factory job he found he was quite good at tap dancing.
During the war Jack spent six years with the AIF based in Crete and Libya but when the war ended he found there was no entertainment work in Australia so he headed for London, putting an ad in the paper for a dance partner.
Jonny replied.
“We danced all around the world,” Jack said. “King George VI and Queen Elizabeth came especially to see us.
“I think we’d do exactly the same thing again. Of course we’d do it much better, we’ve had that much experience.”
In the 1950s Jack brought Jonny to Australia where they continued to perform, finding the introduction of television forced then to alter their style to suit a small studio. They retired from performance in 1957 and opened the Floyd and B’nay School of Dance, turning out many successful dancers.
The couple are excited to be involved in Gail’s project which involves filming of participants in places including a theatre and a bath which hold significance to them.
Gail has 40 years professional experience as a dancer, choreographer, educator and producer and five years ago established RIPE Dance (because dance Really Is Possible for Everyone), working with over-sixties. She said participants range from the agile and independent to those with physical and mental health issues and the aim is to improve health and well being and allow them to experience the joy and benefits of dance.
