Male bellydancers on British telly, early 1970s

[Duvet]

Came across this clip by accident. Its a compilation from "The Good Old Days", a British TV variety show that ran from 1953-1983. This clip includes Roy Castle, Bernard Cribbens, barber shop singers, Eartha Kitt, Edward Woodward, Mike Reid, and a bellydance group! Unfortunately I can't assume all the clips are from the same show (Eartha Kitt appeared in 1972-76, The King's Singers 1973-80, Bernard Cribbens 1973-1982, Roy Castle 1974-79, Edward Woodward 1976, Mike Reid in 1977-78), but certainly its the 1970s.

The whole thing is worth watching, but the bellydancing (?) is from c.6:20-9:04. A woman starts, doing some kind of skirt/veil routine, rapidly joined by two twirling men playing finger cymbals.

Unfortunately the film is clipped, their introduction by Leonard Sachs is missing, and their routine has been spliced. Any idea who the dancers are, when it was, and what they are dancing (is it bellydance?). Does the full clip exist anywhere, and what else did they do? Are they just made up for the show? Seems to be a lot of Flamenco going on. Some references mention a group in the April 1972 show called 'Macardis', but not if they were dancers.

Personally, the idea of male 'bellydancers' on prime time TV, on BBC1, maybe in 1972, amuses me immensely.

[video=youtube;ZVwyUVy40GQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVwyUVy40GQ[/video]

"The Good Old Days" (1953) - Full cast and crew

 

[Dunyah]

Thanks for sharing, that was fun to watch! It was interesting to hear a Western orchestra playing Aziza.

Their dance style resembles Turkish or American Cabaret belly dance from that period.

 

[Aniseteph]

Thanks for that - Bernard Cribbins and Eartha Kitt, <3 <3 <3 Pure class.

I've no idea who the dancers are, but you've got yourself some truly WTH costume inspiration there to weird people out at a hafla. Bare chest, 70s hair and lime green flares. Yikes. :dance:

 

[Yorkshire Lass]

Oh goodness that's screamingly funny.:lol: The flares, the outfits. Mind you, the zill technique wasn't half bad. Those guys weren't self conscious and the moves were recognisable. I'd agree probably Cabaret style.

On an unrelated note, Bernard Cribbins was hysterical.

 

[khanjar]

Ugh, I used to hate that TV program as we forced to watch due to granny being an ex show girl where she to break out singing to oldies she remembered. But yes, male dancers in 1972 in Britain, who would have thought.

 

[Sirène]

The speed of it all had me thinking Turkish but that bit at 7:53 was as traditional as lime green bell-bottoms :shok:.

 

[Amulya]

That was some very fast dancing! The spins! But fun to watch

 

[Starmouth]

The woman's skirt was quite gorgeous!