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Introduction

This article has been written with the assistance of Andé Tyrer (née Ashcroft). The photograph that goes with the article is submitted with Andé's permission. Andé became a professional ballroom dancer during World War Two, under the name of Andé Lyons. Andé's professional dancing partner during the war and the years that followed was Walter Laird.

I have written this article following a discussion I had with Andé about dancing and the ��ѿ��ý “People’s War” project on Sunday 18 December 2005. It is additional to a more detailed account of Andé's wartime dancing memories previously submitted to the ��ѿ��ý "People's War" website (Edited Article Reference ID: A4165166). Both Andé and myself have read and understood the terms of the "People's War" website.

'Dual dancing'

As well as taking part in professional dance competitions, Andé and Walter used to give professional demonstrations for some of the famous Dance Orchestras, most notably the Victor Silvester Dance Orchestra. Another couple who also used to be on the dance circuit at the same time as Andé and Walter were Frank and Peggy Spencer. All the dancers became close personal friends as well as dancing colleagues. Both couples became famous on the dancing circuit, particularly in the early post-war years after the ‘��ѿ��ý Dancing Club’ programme began to be shown on television.

Sometimes for the dance demonstrations the two couples, Andé and Walter and Frank and Peggy would do 'Dual dancing', namely a routine where both worked together to entertain the crowds. When doing these demonstrations as 'Dual dancers' Andé and Peggy would wear similar dresses to give the right visual impression to go with the dances they were doing. Although they did this mainly in the ��ѿ��ý Counties, in and around London, they danced all over the country.

Conclusion

Walter and Frank have both passed away. Walter wrote several research papers and books about Ballroom Dancing. Walter's books are still highly regarded in the ballroom dancing profession and remain among the definitive works on ballroom dancing. Andé retired as a professional dancer at the age of 35. She now enjoys a happy retirement with her dear husband Franklin.

Peggy and Andé have remained close friends all their lives. After the war, Frank and Peggy trained the 'Frank and Peggy Spencer Penge Formation Dancing Team' for many years. Formation Team Dancing involves eight couples dancing a routine. Peggy was awarded the MBE for services to dancing, and became the President of the ISTD (Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing) in 2004, an honorary position that had previously been held by Victor Silvester.

It was a pleasure to meet with Andé and have the opportunity to talk about dancing, listen to some of Andé's memories of dancing and the war years generally and to look through some dancing and family photographs. It has been a pleasure to submit this article and a photograph of Peggy, Frank, Andé and Walter.

Dancers and the Dance Orchestras gave so much pleasure to others during and immediately after the dark days of the war and the post-war period through dancing. As someone who was a junior ballroom dancer in the 1960s and 1970s, it has been fascinating to learn something about the dancers and dance techniques of the war years and the immediate post-war period. It was during these years that many of the foundations of ballroom dancing were laid down. These are all things that should be remembered.

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