Dancehall Collection

Top Rank Ballroom, Reading, final preparations, prior to opening, Reading, Berkshire, 17th October 1967

The George Bradley Band, performing at the Top Rank Suite, Reading, Berkshire, 2nd November 1967

Where boy meets girl on their night out. Teenagers twisting at Dennistoun Palais, Glasgow, this week. 19th February 1967

Local dance, 1897-1899 (print)
990959 Local dance, 1897-1899 (print) by Steinlen, Theophile Alexandre (1859-1923); 41x53.4 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: Local dance. From L Estampe Moderne)

Top Rank Ballroom, Reading, preview pix, prior to opening, Reading, Berkshire, 23rd October 1967. Stage

Miss Vanity Fair, Cover Girl Contest, Semi Finals, Top Rank Suite, Reading, Berkshire, 7th December 1967

Charity Ball, Top Rank Ballroom, Reading, Berkshire, 28th October 1967

The Bal Bullier, 1902 (oil on canvas)
XIR208403 The Bal Bullier, 1902 (oil on canvas) by Vallee, Ludovic (1864-1939); Musee de la Ville de Paris, Musee Carnavalet, Paris, France; French, out of copyright

The Sperl Saal, dancehall where Johann Strauss Waltzes were played, by Karl Zajicek, watercolor
Karl Zajicek (1879-after 1945) Vienna. The Sperl Saal, the dancehall where Johann Strauss Waltzes were played. Watercolor

Paris, France - Barrieres, Ball at Dancehall Just Outside. Date: 1855

Gruene, New Braunfels, Texas historic downtown and tourist site. Historic site from 1878, oldest dancehall (Gruene Hall) in Texas

Couples dancing the Jitterbug at and Elks Club dance in Washington, D. C. Photograph by Esther Bubley, April 1943
DANCE: JITTERBUG, 1943. Couples dancing the Jitterbug at and Elks Club dance in Washington, D.C. Photograph by Esther Bubley, April 1943

The Moulin de la Galette, Montmartre, 1861 (oil on canvas)
XIR215190 The Moulin de la Galette, Montmartre, 1861 (oil on canvas) by Vollon, Antoine (1833-1900); Musee de la Ville de Paris, Musee Carnavalet, Paris, France; French, out of copyright

POLKA, 1844. Caricature of the polka, 1844, by Cham (Comte Amedee de Noe)

Dancers George Binstead and Sheila Tate dancing the Lambeth Walk, c1940
DANCE: LAMBETH WALK, c1940. Dancers George Binstead and Sheila Tate dancing the Lambeth Walk, c1940

Military men and women dancing to the Knickerbocker Dance Band at a club in Fort Hamilton, Brooklyn, New York
NEW YORK: DANCE HALL, 1941. Military men and women dancing to the Knickerbocker Dance Band at a club in Fort Hamilton, Brooklyn, New York. Photograph, 1941

A sailor and his girlfriend dance the Jitterbug at the Hurricane dancehall in New York City
NEW YORK: DANCE CLUB, 1943. A sailor and his girlfriend dance the Jitterbug at the Hurricane dancehall in New York City. Photograph by Gordon Parks, April 1943

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"Dancehall: Where Music and Memories Collide" Step into the Top Rank Suite in Reading, Berkshire, and let The George Bradley Band transport you to a world where boy meets girl on their night out. This iconic venue has witnessed countless teenagers twisting at Dennistoun Palais, creating memories that last a lifetime. But dancehalls have been around for much longer than we think. A local dance captured in a print from 1897-1899 reminds us of the timeless allure of these spaces. The Bal Bullier, depicted in an oil on canvas from 1902, takes us back to Paris, France - where barrieres couldn't contain the joyous spirit of ballroom dancing just outside its doors. Traveling across continents brings us to Gruene, New Braunfels, Texas - home to a historic downtown and tourist site boasting the oldest dancehall in Texas. Here, generations have come together to celebrate life through music and movement. Back in Reading's Top Rank Ballroom on October 28th, 1967 - hearts were warmed as attendees gathered for a Charity Ball. Amidst final preparations and preview pix capturing the anticipation prior to opening night at this beloved venue. The magic of dancehalls extends beyond traditional events; they also serve as platforms for beauty contests like Miss Vanity Fair's Cover Girl Contest Semi-Finals held at the Top Rank Suite itself. These stages not only showcase talent but also bring communities closer together. Dancehalls hold within them stories untold yet felt by all who enter their doors, and are places where melodies intertwine with laughter and love fills every corner.