Buddy Bradley (choreographer)

Buddy Bradley
Bradley and his wife Dorothy (nee Pitchford), London, 1963
Born
Clarence Bradley Epps

July 24, 1905
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, US
DiedJuly 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

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

References

  1. ^ a b "Buddy Bradley (1905–1972)", IMDb.
  2. ^ a b c Swinging into the Blitz: A Culture Show Special, BBC, February 16, 2013.
  3. ^ "Biography". buddybradley.taplegacy.org. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
  4. ^ 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.
  5. ^ 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.
  6. ^ Bourne, Stephen, Black in the British Frame - The Black Experience in British Film and Television, London: Continuum, 2001. ISBN 0826455395
  7. ^ Pritchard, Jane (1992). "The choreography of Andree Howard: Some further information". Dance Chronicle. 15: 77–87. doi:10.1080/01472529208569081.