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'''Flick Colby''' (23 March 1946 – 26 May 2011), born '''Felicity Isabelle Colby''', was an [[Americans|American]] [[dancer]] and [[choreographer]] best known for being a founding member and the choreographer of the [[United Kingdom]] dance troupe [[Pan's People]], which was a fixture on the [[BBC One|BBC 1]] chart show ''[[Top of the Pops]]'' from 1968 to 1976. Colby transitioned to become the full-time dance choreographer for the ''Top of the Pops'' dance troupes Pan's People, [[Ruby Flipper]], [[Legs & Co.]], and [[Zoo (dance troupe)|Zoo]], from 1972 until 1983. |
'''Flick Colby''' (23 March 1946 – 26 May 2011), born '''Felicity Isabelle Colby''', was an [[Americans|American]] [[dancer]] and [[choreographer]] best known for being a founding member and the choreographer of the [[United Kingdom]] dance troupe [[Pan's People]], which was a fixture on the [[BBC One|BBC 1]] chart show ''[[Top of the Pops]]'' from 1968 to 1976. Colby transitioned to become the full-time dance choreographer for the ''Top of the Pops'' dance troupes Pan's People, [[Ruby Flipper]], [[Legs & Co.]], and [[Zoo (dance troupe)|Zoo]] (credited as "Dance Director"), from 1972 until 1983. |
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==Early life== |
==Early life== |
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Born in [[Hazleton, Pennsylvania]], her father was Thomas E. Colby, Professor of German at [[Hamilton College (New York)|Hamilton College]]<ref name="Guardian">{{cite web | url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/2011/may/30/flick-colby-obituary | title=Flick Colby obituary | author=Chris Wiegand | publisher=The Guardian | date=May 30, 2011 | accessdate=2011-05-31 }}</ref> ,[[Clinton, Oneida County, New York]]. As a child, Colby lived in Clinton and later in [[Massachusetts]].<ref name="Guardian">{{cite web | url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/2011/may/30/flick-colby-obituary | title=Flick Colby obituary | author=Chris Wiegand | publisher=The Guardian | date=May 30, 2011 | accessdate=2011-05-31 }}</ref> Educated at a school in [[New Hampshire]] and [[Abbot Academy]] in Andover, Massachusetts, Colby began attending [[ballet]] and other dance classes in [[Boston]] and performed in [[Musical theatre|musical]]s before travelling to [[London]] in 1966.<ref name="Indy obit"/> |
Born in [[Hazleton, Pennsylvania]], her father was Thomas E. Colby, Professor of German at [[Hamilton College (New York)|Hamilton College]]<ref name="Guardian">{{cite web | url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/2011/may/30/flick-colby-obituary | title=Flick Colby obituary | author=Chris Wiegand | publisher=The Guardian | date=May 30, 2011 | accessdate=2011-05-31 }}</ref> ,[[Clinton, Oneida County, New York]]. As a child, Colby lived in Clinton and later in [[Massachusetts]].<ref name="Guardian">{{cite web | url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/2011/may/30/flick-colby-obituary | title=Flick Colby obituary | author=Chris Wiegand | publisher=The Guardian | date=May 30, 2011 | accessdate=2011-05-31 }}</ref> Educated at a school in [[New Hampshire]] and [[Abbot Academy]] in Andover, Massachusetts, Colby began attending [[ballet]] and other dance classes in [[Boston]] and performed in [[Musical theatre|musical]]s before travelling to [[London]] in 1966.<ref name="Indy obit"/> |
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==''Top of the Pops'' career== |
==''Top of the Pops'' career== |
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Colby was a founding member in December 1966 of Pan's People. After a few changes of line up, by December 1967 the troupe comprised Dee Dee Wilde, Babs Lord, Louise Clarke, Andrea Rutherford and Ruth Pearson.<ref name="marasco">PansPeople.com [http://www.panspeople.com/?q=node/1168 Flick Colby: Her Story in Words and Pictures]</ref> They first appeared on ''Top of the Pops'' in April 1968, and became a regular weekly feature in 1969.<ref name="Guardian"/> They also appeared on several other BBC programmes including ''[[The Two Ronnies]]''. |
Colby was a founding member in December 1966 of Pan's People. After a few changes of line up, by December 1967 the troupe comprised Dee Dee Wilde, Babs Lord, Louise Clarke, Andrea Rutherford and Ruth Pearson.<ref name="marasco">PansPeople.com [http://www.panspeople.com/?q=node/1168 Flick Colby: Her Story in Words and Pictures]</ref> They first appeared on ''Top of the Pops'' in April 1968, and became a regular weekly feature in 1969.<ref name="Guardian"/> They also appeared on several other BBC programmes including ''[[The Two Ronnies]]''. |
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After 1971, Colby concentrated on choreography for Pan's People, and then from 1976 with new troupes she put together for ''TOTP'' named [[Ruby Flipper]], [[Legs & Co.]] (both managed by former Pan's People dancer Ruth Pearson) and [[Zoo (dance troupe)|Zoo]]. She also choreographed the [[rock music|rock]] musical ''[[Catch My Soul]]'', and co-wrote an instructional book, ''Let's Go Dancing'' (1979).<ref name="Guardian"/> |
After 1971, Colby concentrated on choreography for Pan's People, and then from 1976 with new troupes she put together for ''TOTP'' named "[[Ruby Flipper]]", "[[Legs & Co.]]" (both managed by former Pan's People dancer Ruth Pearson) and "Flick Colby's [[Zoo (dance troupe)|Zoo]]", for which she was credited by TOTP as "Dance Director". She also choreographed the [[rock music|rock]] musical ''[[Catch My Soul]]'', and co-wrote an instructional book, ''Let's Go Dancing'' (1979).<ref name="Guardian"/> |
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==Personal life== |
==Personal life== |
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For a few years after Colby's tenure with ''Top of the Pops'', Colby split her time between her family's home town of Clinton, New York and London, but eventually chose to settle down in Clinton, where she lived the remainder of her life. In Clinton, she owned and operated a [[gift shop]], Paddywacks<ref name="Guardian"/>. |
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Colby married three times: first to Robert Marasco,<ref name="marasco"/> then to James Ramble in 1967, and finally in 2003 to George Bahlke, a professor of literature at Hamilton College, until his death in February 2011.<ref name=debrag>{{cite web | url=http://www.hamilton.edu/news/story/professor-of-english-emeritus-george-bahlke-dies | title=Professor of English Emeritus George Bahlke Dies | author=Mike Debraggio | publisher=Hamilton College | date=February 1, 2011 | accessdate=2011-05-31 }}</ref><ref name="Indy obit">Spencer Leigh [http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/flick-colby-dancer-and-choreographer-whose-work-graced-lsquotop-of-the-popsrsquo-across-three-decades-2291041.html Obituary: Flick Colby], ''The Independent'' 31 May 2011</ref><ref name="Tel dies"/> |
Colby married three times: first to Robert Marasco,<ref name="marasco"/> then to James Ramble in 1967, and finally in 2003 to George Bahlke, a professor of literature at Hamilton College, until his death in February 2011.<ref name=debrag>{{cite web | url=http://www.hamilton.edu/news/story/professor-of-english-emeritus-george-bahlke-dies | title=Professor of English Emeritus George Bahlke Dies | author=Mike Debraggio | publisher=Hamilton College | date=February 1, 2011 | accessdate=2011-05-31 }}</ref><ref name="Indy obit">Spencer Leigh [http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/flick-colby-dancer-and-choreographer-whose-work-graced-lsquotop-of-the-popsrsquo-across-three-decades-2291041.html Obituary: Flick Colby], ''The Independent'' 31 May 2011</ref><ref name="Tel dies"/> |
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Revision as of 20:02, 1 August 2014
Flick Colby (23 March 1946 – 26 May 2011), born Felicity Isabelle Colby, was an American dancer and choreographer best known for being a founding member and the choreographer of the United Kingdom dance troupe Pan's People, which was a fixture on the BBC 1 chart show Top of the Pops from 1968 to 1976. Colby transitioned to become the full-time dance choreographer for the Top of the Pops dance troupes Pan's People, Ruby Flipper, Legs & Co., and Zoo (credited as "Dance Director"), from 1972 until 1983.
Early life
Born in Hazleton, Pennsylvania, her father was Thomas E. Colby, Professor of German at Hamilton College[1] ,Clinton, Oneida County, New York. As a child, Colby lived in Clinton and later in Massachusetts.[1] Educated at a school in New Hampshire and Abbot Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, Colby began attending ballet and other dance classes in Boston and performed in musicals before travelling to London in 1966.[2]
Top of the Pops career
Colby was a founding member in December 1966 of Pan's People. After a few changes of line up, by December 1967 the troupe comprised Dee Dee Wilde, Babs Lord, Louise Clarke, Andrea Rutherford and Ruth Pearson.[3] They first appeared on Top of the Pops in April 1968, and became a regular weekly feature in 1969.[1] They also appeared on several other BBC programmes including The Two Ronnies.
After 1971, Colby concentrated on choreography for Pan's People, and then from 1976 with new troupes she put together for TOTP named "Ruby Flipper", "Legs & Co." (both managed by former Pan's People dancer Ruth Pearson) and "Flick Colby's Zoo", for which she was credited by TOTP as "Dance Director". She also choreographed the rock musical Catch My Soul, and co-wrote an instructional book, Let's Go Dancing (1979).[1]
Personal life
For a few years after Colby's tenure with Top of the Pops, Colby split her time between her family's home town of Clinton, New York and London, but eventually chose to settle down in Clinton, where she lived the remainder of her life. In Clinton, she owned and operated a gift shop, Paddywacks[1].
Colby married three times: first to Robert Marasco,[3] then to James Ramble in 1967, and finally in 2003 to George Bahlke, a professor of literature at Hamilton College, until his death in February 2011.[4][2][5]
In the last years of her life, Colby was afflicted with breast cancer and died of bronchopneumonia[5] aged 65[6] at her home in Clinton.[5] She was survived by a brother and a sister.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d e f Chris Wiegand (May 30, 2011). "Flick Colby obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 2011-05-31. Cite error: The named reference "Guardian" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- ^ a b Spencer Leigh Obituary: Flick Colby, The Independent 31 May 2011
- ^ a b PansPeople.com Flick Colby: Her Story in Words and Pictures
- ^ Mike Debraggio (February 1, 2011). "Professor of English Emeritus George Bahlke Dies". Hamilton College. Retrieved 2011-05-31.
- ^ a b c "Pan's People co-founder Flick Colby dies aged 65", Daily Telegraph, 29 May 2011
- ^ Obituary, The Times, 30 May 2011, p42