Pan's People

Pan's People were a British all-female dance troupe most commonly associated with the BBC TV music chart show Top of the Pops, from 1968 to 1976.

The group, founded and led by choreographer Felicity "Flick" Colby in December 1966, accompanied top 20 hits on the weekly show for eight years, when artists were unable or unwilling to perform live.

Pan's People succeeded the Go-Jos in May/June 1968 as the second dance troupe to make monthly appearances on Top of the Pops, when the series aired in black-and-white.

They became a weekly feature of the programme following its revamp and time extension in January 1970 and continued for the next six years, giving their last performance in April 1976 when they were replaced by the short-lived Ruby Flipper, also choreographed by Colby.

Due to their weekly exposure on British television the group acquired a high profile, and in addition as a result of the increasing number of preserved recordings from 1973 onwards, the 'classic' line-up which existed from 1972 to 1974 is still widely recognised today.

This marked the end of the Beat Girls as a regular act on British television; however, with new recruits joining Diane South,[10] that group continued their Dutch engagements from January 1967, finally ceasing to perform in May 1968.

After Pan's People, amongst other subsequent activities she performed with the Denise Shaune dancers, and worked in musical theatre, notably forming part of the original London cast of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

[13] The new line-up with Pearson appeared on The Dickie Valentine Show in September and October 1967, replacing the Beat Girls from the 1966 series.

In the final change before the Top of the Pops era, Lorelly Harris chose to leave in March 1968, ultimately going into the Bluebell Girls.

From November 1964, Top of the Pops had an all-girl dance troupe regularly appearing, the Go-Jos, formed and choreographed by another ex-Beat Girl, Jo Cook.

Through to the beginning of 1968, professional dancing had been restricted to approximately monthly appearances by this group, performing to one track on the show typically where the artist couldn't attend.

This situation began to change in January 1968: whilst still in the Beat Girls, Diane South appeared solo on the show, dancing to the song "Judy in Disguise (With Glasses)".

[31] In late March 1968, the producers held an open audition for dancers on Top of the Pops to appear on 4 April 1968 to a routine to "Simon Says" by the 1910 Fruitgum Company.

[31][30] The final performance of the Go-Jos was either to the 1910 Fruitgum Company,[36] whose track was on Top of the Pops on 4 and 25 April 1968[30] or the Rolling Stones,[37] transmitted on 20 June 1968.

[13] Two male dancers, Adrian Le Peltier and Gary Downie, also occasionally accompanied the group between 1968 and 1970, in Happening for Lulu,[42] the Bobbie Gentry Show and Top of the Pops.

[43] The group also did shows, their manager said in June 1969, "So far this year they have had 24 free days...to compensate it would be a bad week if the girls didn't pick up at least £90 each".

[45] New titles were produced using Andi Rutherford as a dancer, that debuted on 1 October 1970,[46] however, this was only used for 5 editions before finally being replaced in early November by the iconic C.C.S cover version of 'Whole Lotta Love'.

Andi Rutherford married in December 1971;[49] in September 1972 she ceased dancing due to pregnancy, managing the group till March 1973.

Rehearsals began on the Monday morning prior to that week's show, with Colby scripting a routine, and a costume fitting later the same day.

[53] In August 1974 the group released a double A-side record, "You Can Really Rock And Roll Me"/"The Singer Not The Song" on the Epic label[54][55] with Cherry Gillespie on lead vocal.

[58] In September 1975 Lord left[38] (after marrying Robert Powell on 29 August), and two members joined the troupe, Mary Corpe and Lee Ward.

Blue Peter presenter Lesley Judd became a temporary member of the group for a one-off routine, dancing to "Rodrigo's Guitar Concerto De Aranjuez" by Manuel and the Music of the Mountains, transmitted on Top of the Pops on 12 February 1976.

There was to be no role in the new group for the remaining two dancers, Mary Corpe and Lee Ward, but they continued to appear in Pan's People while the Ruby Flipper rehearsals began.

Corpe initially joined Nigel Lythgoe's Young Generation, but returned to Top of the Pops for two performances in Zoo in 1982.

The following week, the mixed-gender seven-member Ruby Flipper made their first appearance on the show with Colby as choreographer, Pearson as manager, and Menhenick and Gillespie starting the performance on their own, then joined by the five new dancers.

However, organisations such as the BFI and Kaleidoscope[66] have spent time searching archives and as a result many recorded dance routines have been rediscovered.

Estimated video survivals by year: Even after their departure from Top of the Pops Pan's People were much in demand for personal appearances.

[69][70] Babs Lord married actor Robert Powell and became an amateur yachtswoman and world explorer, with several trips to the Himalayas, the Sahara, both Poles and the jungle in Guyana.