June 23, 2010

GAZZARRI DANCERS

Nothing spells freedom like Go Go! The Gazzarri Dancers we saw during Bo Diddley week appeared on Hollywood A Go Go from 1964-1966. The sexual revolution and changing culture of the era is encapsulated by their thrilling cocktail of new dance steps, freestyle, and youthful abandon. The second clip below is especially... athletic. Spy Vibers, please use caution when Go Go Dancing at home.





In the clip below, Hollywood Backstage takes us along to the 1963 premiere opening of Gazzarri's Broadway A Go Go club in Hollywood. The camera follows Grammy-winning songwriters Nino Temple and April Stevens to the party. Some of the Gazzarri Dancers really shake it up! The announcer mentions that the dancers divided their time between the club and television appearances. It's my understanding, however, that the main dance team appeared briefly at the club and then were featured primarily on TV's Hollywood A Go Go.

4 comments:

  1. We recently watched The T.A.M.I. Show and there were go-go dancers (one named Teri Garr) and one of the gals was very buxom. She was jumping up and down violently, and my wife just said "That's gotta be painful."

    RetroHound.com

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  2. I've been meaning to watch the T.A.M.I. Show- didn't know Teri Garr was dancing in that!

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  3. Not just Terri Garr, but also Toni Basil. They were roommates and best friends. They were both also associates with the great LA artist/filmmaker Bruce Conner which is why they're in some of his photos. That circle also included Dennis Hopper which is why Toni Basil is also in Easy Rider.

    Another great Terri and Toni go-go scene is from Pajama Party. Also, Toni dances nude in Conner's excellent short movie Breakaway. Toni went on to become the most prominent rock choreographer of the sixties and seventies (she choreographed Bowie's shows), formed The Lockers (famous hip hop dance group) and - of course - had a hit with "Mickey" when she was almost 40.

    Toni Basil - Go Go Queen! (You can also see Toni doing the Go Go in Village of the Giants.)

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  4. Great footage, although I spotted a discrepancy.

    The third video, where Nino Temple and April Stevens go to Gazarri's is shown dated as 1963. However, in the video Nino is shown behind the wheel of a 1966 Cadillac (1:33). And when they pull up in front of Gazarri's, they park behind a 1965 Chevrolet (2.04).

    The actual event depicted had to have taken place during or after the autumn of 1965 unless the Hollywood Backstage crew smuggled two advanced prototypes from the Eero Saarinen-designed GM Technical Center!

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