1. Richard Rodgers
1. Richard Rodgers
Richard Rodgers was one of the most celebrated composers of ballroom dance music in Britain. He was born in 1902 in London and attended the Royal Academy of Music.
Rodgers’ music was influential in the development of ballroom dancing in Britain, with his works being used in competitions and social dances throughout the country. He wrote a number of popular waltzes, foxtrots, and quicksteps, including ‘The Blue Danube’ and ‘My Heart Will Go On’. He also composed music for the films ‘Gigi’ and ‘The King and I’, as well as the musicals ‘Oklahoma!’ and ‘The Sound of Music’.
Rodgers’ music was also used in the first ballroom dance competitions in Britain, which began in the 1930s. His works have been performed in various competitions and social dances in Britain ever since.
Rodgers died in 1979, but his music continues to be a staple of British ballroom dancing.
2. George Gershwin
2. George Gershwin
George Gershwin was an American composer, pianist and songwriter who achieved great success in Britain during the 1920s and 1930s. He was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1898 and moved to London in 1924, where he quickly became a celebrated figure in the music scene.
Gershwin’s music was heavily influenced by jazz, blues and classical music, making it perfectly suited to ballroom dancing. His most famous compositions include the musicals ‘Porgy and Bess’ and ‘Girl Crazy’, as well as the classic songs ‘Rhapsody in Blue’ and ‘Someone to Watch Over Me’.
Gershwin’s music was often used for ballroom dancing in Britain during the 1920s and 1930s. He was a popular choice for dances such as the foxtrot, waltz and tango, and his music was also used in the ballroom of the Savoy Hotel in London.
Gershwin’s influence on British ballroom dancing is still felt today, with his music often being used in competitions and performances. He is remembered as one of the most influential composers in the history of British ballroom dancing.
Notable Works
– ‘Porgy and Bess’
– ‘Girl Crazy’
– ‘Rhapsody in Blue’
– ‘Someone to Watch Over Me’
3. Noel Coward
Noel Coward
Noel Coward was one of the most celebrated British composers of the twentieth century. He was a prolific writer of musicals, plays, and songs, and his work has been performed in theatres all over the world.
Coward was born in 1899 and began writing music at the age of fifteen. He wrote his first musical in 1923, and went on to write some of the most iconic musicals of the time, including Private Lives, Bitter Sweet, and Cavalcade.
In the 1930s, Coward wrote several popular ballroom dance songs, such as “Let’s Do It” and “Mad Dogs and Englishmen”. He also wrote the classic “A Room with a View”, which was popularised by the film adaptation of the same name.
Coward’s music has been used in a variety of ballroom dance competitions, including the Blackpool Dance Festival, the British Open Championships, and the World Championships. Many of his songs have become timeless classics and remain popular today.
Legacy
Noel Coward’s legacy lives on in the world of ballroom dance music. His music is still played in competitions around the world, and his songs have become an integral part of the ballroom dancing culture. His influence on the genre is undeniable, and he will always be remembered as one of the most celebrated British composers of the twentieth century.
4. Ivor Novello
4. Ivor Novello
Ivor Novello (1893-1951) was a Welsh composer, actor, singer and playwright who wrote some of the most memorable and beloved ballroom dance music of the early 20th century. He was born in Cardiff and studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London.
Novello’s music was often featured in ballroom dances, and he wrote some of the most iconic waltzes of the era. His most famous piece is the ‘Waltz of My Heart’, which was featured in the films ‘Top Hat’ and ‘Gigi’. He also wrote the ‘Kiss Me Goodnight, Sergeant Major’, which was popularised by the BBC Dance Orchestra.
Novello’s music was widely performed in ballrooms around the country, and he was a regular guest at the Savoy Ballroom in London. He was also an advocate for ballroom dancing as a form of social and cultural expression.
Legacy
Ivor Novello’s music continues to be enjoyed by ballroom dancers today. His music is still featured in competitions and social dances, and it has been covered by many modern artists. His legacy as one of Britain’s most celebrated ballroom dance composers is cemented in the hearts and minds of dancers around the world.
5. Cole Porter
5. Cole Porter
Cole Porter is one of the most celebrated ballroom dance music composers in Britain. He was born in Peru, Indiana in 1891 and moved to London in the 1920s. Porter was a master of the American popular song and wrote some of the most beloved and well-known tunes of the 20th century.
Porter’s music was used to accompany ballroom dancing in the 1930s, and he wrote many classic waltzes, foxtrots and tangos. His songs are still popular today, with many of them being used in movies and television shows.
Porter wrote some of the most iconic ballroom dance tunes of all time, including “Let’s Do It (Let’s Fall in Love)”, “Every Time We Say Goodbye”, “I Get a Kick Out of You”, “In the Still of the Night”, and “Begin the Beguine”. He was also a prolific composer of musical theatre, writing hits such as “Kiss Me, Kate” and “Anything Goes”.
Notable Works
• Let’s Do It (Let’s Fall in Love)
• Every Time We Say Goodbye
• I Get a Kick Out of You
• In the Still of the Night
• Begin the Beguine
• Kiss Me, Kate
• Anything Goes
6. Andrew Lloyd Webber
6. Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber is one of the most celebrated British composers of all time. He is best known for his stage musicals such as Cats, Evita, and The Phantom of the Opera. But he has also composed some of the most iconic ballroom dance music in Britain.
Webber’s ballroom dance music includes the ‘Theme from Starlight Express’, ‘The Music of the Night’ from The Phantom of the Opera, and ‘Don’t Cry for Me Argentina’ from Evita. His music has been used in many ballroom competitions and events in Britain, and is enjoyed by dancers of all levels.
Notable Pieces of Ballroom Dance Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber
• ‘Theme from Starlight Express’
• ‘The Music of the Night’ from The Phantom of the Opera
• ‘Don’t Cry for Me Argentina’ from Evita
• ‘Take That Look Off Your Face’ from Song and Dance
• ‘Any Dream Will Do’ from Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
7. Frederick Loewe
7. Frederick Loewe
Frederick Loewe was a German-born British composer best known for his collaborations with lyricist Alan Jay Lerner. They created some of the most popular musicals of the 20th century, including Brigadoon, Paint Your Wagon, My Fair Lady, and Camelot.
Loewe was born in Berlin in 1901 and moved to London with his family in 1914. He went on to study at the Royal Academy of Music, where he met Lerner. The two began working together in 1942, and their first musical, Life of the Party, was produced in 1943.
Loewe’s music was known for its lush, romantic quality, often featuring lush strings and lushly orchestrated waltzes. His music was also characterized by its use of folk and traditional melodies. He was a master of creating a sense of atmosphere and mood in his music, and his works often featured a strong sense of nostalgia.
Loewe’s music has been featured in ballroom competitions all over Britain, and his music remains popular today. His works are often performed at weddings and other special occasions. He is remembered as one of the greatest ballroom dance music composers in Britain.
Notable Works
Brigadoon (1947)
Paint Your Wagon (1951)
My Fair Lady (1956)
Camelot (1960)
8. John Barry
John Barry
John Barry (1933-2011) was a highly celebrated English composer who wrote music for many films, including 11 James Bond films. Barry was also a renowned ballroom dance composer. He wrote some of the most iconic ballroom dance pieces of the 20th century, such as the ‘Beat Girl’ and ‘Midnight Cowboy’ soundtracks.
Early Life
John Barry was born in York, England in 1933. He studied music at the Royal Academy of Music in London, and began his career as a jazz musician in the 1950s. He later moved into composing for films, where he found great success.
Ballroom Dance Music
Barry created a number of ballroom dance pieces for films, including ‘Beat Girl’ (1960) and ‘Midnight Cowboy’ (1969). His music was known for its sweeping strings, lush orchestrations and dramatic flair. He also wrote the theme song for the popular British television show, ‘Strictly Come Dancing’.
Legacy
John Barry was a highly influential composer who left an indelible mark on the world of ballroom dance music. His music was beloved by dancers and audiences alike, and his legacy continues to inspire new generations of dancers and composers.
9. Eric Coates
9. Eric Coates
Eric Coates (1886-1957) was an English composer of light music, who produced a number of popular and iconic works. He was born in Nottingham, and studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London.
Early Works
Coates’ early works included incidental music for theatrical productions, and he wrote the score for the film ‘The Guns of Loos’ in 1928.
Later Works
Coates’ later works are perhaps his best known, and include the marches ‘The Dam Busters’, ‘Knightsbridge’, and ‘Calling All Workers’, as well as the popular ‘By the Sleepy Lagoon’. He also wrote the theme music for the BBC radio programme ‘In Town Tonight’.
Ballroom Music
Coates wrote a number of pieces which are now popular in ballroom dancing, such as ‘Belle of the Ball’, ‘Dream of Love’, and ‘The Three Bears’. His music is often used for the Waltz, Foxtrot, and Quickstep dances.
10. Arthur Sullivan
10. Arthur Sullivan
Sir Arthur Seymour Sullivan (13 May 1842 – 22 November 1900) was an English composer best known for his operatic collaborations with the librettist W. S. Gilbert. He was also a prolific composer of ballroom dance music, with many of his pieces becoming staples in the repertoire of dance bands.
Sullivan was born in London and educated at the Royal Academy of Music. He was an organist at the St. Michael’s Church in London and wrote a number of pieces for the church, including the popular hymn tune “Onward Christian Soldiers”. He also composed a number of ballroom dance pieces, including the waltzes “The Lost Chord” and “The Gondoliers” and the polkas “The Mikado” and “The Yeomen of the Guard”.
Sullivan’s ballroom music was popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His music was often performed by the leading dance bands of the day, including the London Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and the London Pops Orchestra.
Sullivan’s music was an important influence on the development of ballroom dance in Britain. His pieces were often used as the basis for choreography in the ballroom, and his waltzes and polkas were particularly popular. In addition, Sullivan’s music was often used in the theatrical productions of the day, including the popular Gilbert and Sullivan operas.
Notable Works
Some of Sullivan’s most popular ballroom dance pieces include:
• The Lost Chord
• The Gondoliers
• The Mikado
• The Yeomen of the Guard
• The Pirates of Penzance
• Iolanthe
• The Sorcerer
• The H.M.S. Pinafore
• The Princess Ida
• The Mikado
