John Tiller
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
John Tiller, was a wealthy Englishman who introduced the straight line uniformity of dancing. He started the Tiller Girls in 1885 in England after watching a Stage play in 1883 called the Gaiety Girl. The Rockettes originally were based on the choreography of John Tiller).
He also produced amateur shows and danced as a hobby.
John Tiller married Mary Carr (1855-1905) in 1873, and Jennie Walker in 1906, who passed away in 1936.
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[edit] Origins of Tiller girls
Originally the troupe was called the 'Four Sunbeams' who had a big performance at the King's Manchester Theater in 1890. The Sunbeam's later grew into the Tiller Girls. Tiller and his wife Jennie opend a Tiller dance school in Manchester, England.
[edit] Tiller routines and line-ups
Basically they do what is called a 'Tap and Kick' routine, which was originally called "Fancy-Dancing" but today is known as 'Precision Dancing'. The routines may consist of straight lines or geometric figures. Every tap and kick troupe has tried to steer away from Tiller's arrangements, but sooner or later conforms to Tillers methods.
Kracauer stated in 1923 'These 76 energetic women dance about in geometric shapes: "The regularity of their patterns is cheered by the masses, themselves arranged by the stands in tier upon ordered tier'.
In certain shows a Tiller line-up could be as many as 32 girls who were selected for uniform height and weight. In 1923 the Stage play Nifties of 1923 feature the tweleve Tiller Girls.
[edit] Tiller schools
The Tiller schools remained open and run by Doris Alloway, Barbara Aitken and R.J. Smith. In 1973 the Tiller school was taken over by the impresario Robert Luff, with Barbara Aitken remaining as director and choreographer. It is said it would have taken about three months to turn an experienced dancer into a Tiller Girl.
John Tiller died in 1926 but by 1925 (Casino de Paris - Paris en Fleurs program ) was called the Lawrence Tiller Girls, John's wife kept the school running until her death in the mid 1930s.
After John Tillers death, his son Lawrence continued the tradition (Lawrence was not a dancer) however Lawrence dropped all the ballet training.
[edit] Similar groups
Other groups such as Tiller's were done by:
- Allan K. Foster Troupe (The Roxy),
- Russell Market Troupe,
- Gertrude Hoffman Girls,
- The Rockettes,
- Chester Hale Girls, and
- the Albertina Rasch Girls.
The Cotton Club Boys and Girls also were known to use some of these methods in their dancing, as well as a dance called the Can-Can used Tillers ideas. The Ziegfeld Follies of 1922 featured the Tiller Girls in one of the acts and was Choreographed by Ned Wayburn.
Tiller died in New York in 1925. His body was brought back to London and traveled to Brookwood on the special funeral train.
[edit] External links
See Also Tiller Girls on Wikipedia
- Bernard Tiller's Tiller Girls Web Site)Bernard Tiller's Tiller Girls Web Site Pages of information on John Tiller, The Tiller Girl Dancers and the Tiller School of Dancing
