To Tap Dance

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Traditional American Tap Dancers

Everyone loves a good tapper; somehow, tap dancing is enjoyable because it is lighthearted alongside the music to which it is performed. From community productions to the big screen, tap dance has captured the hearts of millions of Americans, and this is most evident in the fan base supporting the careers of several influential tappers.

Most are men, with a few exceptions. America’s tapping stars in the golden era of Hollywood enjoyed lengthy careers and continue to be noted today for the fun entertainment they provided. Below are just a few of those who truly reigned as “tap’s tops!”

Fred Astaire
Perhaps there is no other name as synonymous with tap dancing as Fred Astaire. With his countless American films, including those with sidekick Ginger Rogers, Fred revolutionized the tap world’s presence in movies. Many people recall his partnership with Ginger Rogers not only for the beautiful ballroom dances, but also for the tap dances, such as Let Yourself Go. His killer combination of a handsome face and a suave style, paired with his peppy dance numbers made him one of Hollywood’s most cherished musical stars.

Bill “Bojangles” Robinson
Before he hung out with Shirley Temple both onscreen and off, Bill Robinson could be found in numerous theater productions. He is known for re-igniting the tap craze during the 20th century, and bringing the genre from popular to the elite art level. He often challenged competitors in tap competitions, almost always coming out as the victor. He was also the choreographer of the now infamous stair dance found in the movie The Little Colonel. He inspired and coached Shirley Temple, one of Hollywood’s littlest tap dancers, and she revealed in her autobiography how Bill was like an uncle to her, mentoring her both in dance and in life.

Sandman Sims
Another famous tapper from the golden era of Hollywood, he became notorious for his “sand dancing,” which involved tap dancing in a sandbox. He used to travel across the nation, challenging competitive tap dancers, and he rarely (if ever) lost a dance-off. He is regarded as one of the most creative and innovative tappers of his generation, and will always be known as a top tapper who never conformed to otherwise traditional rules of the dance.

The Living Statue

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Put simply the history of the living statue – at least where it all began – is lost to time. Arguably the first living statue can be traced back to the ancient Greeks where members of the public would pose for famous sculptors looking to mould their marble. Realistically though, the living statue as we currently know it first appeared in the 19th century as a circus performance. PT Barnum displayed living statues as part of his circus tours, a peculiar curiosity to the minds of those in the 1840s.

In the late 19th century and early 20th century, living statues became ever more widely known thanks to the emergence of the art form known as tableaux vivants; a group of actors would pose and be lit in a particular way so as to appear like paintings. The resulting performance was often shot on camera (which meant the performers had to stand still in their chosen pose) or performed on stage to the amazement of spectators. Cleverly, by tagging these performances as art, nude actors and actresses were able to perform erotic entertainment on stage, flouting theatre censorship laws. As long as the girls didn’t move, it was deemed okay by the masses. The most notable instance of this was under the stewardship of the famous Mrs. Henderson at the Windmill Theatre in London in the 1930s and 40s.

Since that time, living statues have featured prominently in both art and film – The Phantom of the Opera and Hot Fuzz are two recent films that have shown living statues on screen, whilst revered duo Gilbert & George utilised human statues as part of their gallery installations in the 1960s. Moving from inside to out, street performances too have flourished in the intervening years as various living statues appeared near famous landmarks all over Europe. Though varying in quality from person to person, they are a magnet for tourists, only moving when money is placed in front of their plinth.
If no money is thrown in front of the living statue, either because they are unimpressive as a statue or their costume doesn’t resonate with those walking by, the street performer doesn’t get paid that day.

With numbers still proliferating throughout London and the UK, it’s clear that the living statues are still well loved and make the perfect addition to your corporate event or private party. Despite their presence on the local high street, nobody will be expecting them in your back garden!

Scary films for your next Halloween

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When it comes to Hallowe’en, you could theme a Halloween party in a generic manner with cobwebs, spiders, skeletons and pumpkins. But if you want to give your Hallowe’en party a horror film list, here are some very cool film and entertainment ideas to make it an evening nobody will ever forget.

Stephen King’s It

The beauty of hosting a Hallowe’en party themed around Stephen King’s It is that the whole event is incredibly simple. Book costumed characters to dress in yellow coats holding red balloons – ideally facing away from guests – and book a clown (naturally with horrific makeup) to stalk the event and scare guests. If you want to take the theme further, by all means have a paper crafts table where attendees can make paper boats, which can handily be pressed down and act as a name tag. Clever.

Saw

Though we frown upon the idea of forcing two groups of guests into doing tasks to save their limbs, you can still have some fun with a Saw theme. Keep the lights down low and have an unseen voice speaking to guests as they enter. Add a digital clock counting down to zero – what will happen next? – as a unique way to say that food is now being served and yes, Jigsaw can always be cycling around the venue on his tricycle. Feel free to theme the event with numerous tasks from the movie franchise as well.

A Nightmare on Elm Street

Another easy theme to set up – simply hang an ‘Elm Street’ sign in your event space to create the titular setting – the beauty of holding an A Nightmare on Elm Street Hallowe’en party is that Freddy Krueger haunts the teenagers in their dreams. When it comes to event themes, nothing is more broad than ‘dreams’ as an idea because it be anything you want. Book macabre dancers, circus acts, costumed characters– Anything at all! Just be sure to have Freddy interrupt each scene throughout the evening (or perhaps meander through the audience) to ensure that the scares keep coming!

Night of the Living Dead

Not every Hallowe’en party has to focus on the slasher genre! George A. Romero’s franchise about ‘living dead’ or zombies as we now call them is sure to impress when guests enter a venue to be greeted by a horde of the undead. We highly recommend booking a photo booth to capture the experience and numerous attendees can enjoy an evening of avoiding the zombie outbreak. Marvellous.

Halloween

John Carpenter’s Halloween franchise is perhaps the most famous of all horror movies. Not only did it give the world Michael Myers, a deranged masked killer who famous brings all manner of terrors to Jamie Lee Curtis’ main character, but it also spawned a number of sequel including the frankly mad Halloween III, a film that focuses on the idea of a song turning the public insane. We highly recommend not only booking a costumed Michael Myers to scare patrons but also playing ‘Happy happy Halloween’ on a loop to really send those in attendance insane.

Vintage Event Entertainment

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There’s no denying that in the modern world, everybody loves a vintage theme. There’s just something about yesteryear that gets us going, no matter how old we are. With this in mind, we thought we’d let you know about five vintage dance acts that are sure to impress if you’re looking to get all nostalgic at your next event.

The Bees Knees
This talented trio are sure to fit right in with your event, no matter how big or small the celebration! When you book The Bees Knees, you can pick your era – 1920s to conjure up the idea of a speakeasy or 50s Hollywood if you’re all about the glamour of Bogart and Bacall.

Impact Dance Group
These talented dancers are able to perform a variety of different routines for your party or event. Hugely popular with all ages, the group have held residencies in some of the finest London hotels and if you’re good they may even offer to show your guests how to dance the Charleston.

Chica Bonita
If you’re working on a Las Vegas party theme then there is absolutely no excuse not to book some Show Girls! Chica Bonita is a troupe of glamorous and glitzy dancers, these fabulous women are available not just for dancing but also for meet-and-greet so get those cameras ready. Featuring stunning costumes and startling choreography, Show Girls are a perfect choice if you’re wanting to commemorate the glory days of Vegas!

The Cheek of it
Lady Cheek can bring the spirit of 1920s cabaret and social clubs to your event with her exciting and titillating performance. Able to take her cues from vintage Hollywood films like All that Jazz, Cheek can bring a wealth of experience to your event; she’s previously appeared for in many productions that he been captivated by her beauty..

Silent Disco

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Booking a disco for your party or event entertainment is generally a no brainer. Almost everybody in attendance will enjoy a chance to let their hair down but should you opt for the traditional disco with loud thumping beats or a silent disco?

Before we begin, we should probably outline what you get when you book a silent disco. Rather than the usual thumping beats emanating from the DJ booth, you simply receive a pair of headphones. The DJ will still be in attendance, it’s just that their decks won’t make a sound. Rather than amplifiers around the room, it’s all about that headset around your head. All of the fun of a disco with none of the noise to keep up the neighbours…which brings us to point number one.

It’s Quiet
Yes, that may be obvious but there is a very important reason for opting to book a silent disco rather than a tradition disco in some cases. That one reason comes down to two words – ‘sound limiter’. Many weddings, events and parties take place in stunning venues and because of their historic significance or the fact that they are situated near a number of private residences, these spaces may have a sound limiter, which means that no music can go above a set level. Because a silent disco is err… silent, there’s no problem!

It Won’t Distract
This particular reason isn’t so much a problem at a wedding where the only activity to be enjoyed is a disco at the end of the evening, but at a party or event that perhaps takes place during the day (yes, it does happen), there may be a number of other activities also going on at the same time. Nobody wants to have their face painted to the sound of a deep bass flooding through the floor and thankfully the silent disco solves this problem!

Change the Tune
When you attend a traditional disco, you often only have the one DJ and you have to dance to his or her tune. Not so when you book the silent disco! Although you can opt for one DJ there is also the option to have two or even three putting out the tracks they love with those dancing in the middle of the venue able to pick the track that they’re listening to. So what’s it to be? Pop, rock or novelty tunes? The choice is yours!

Communication
You know when you go to a nightclub and find yourself shouting at the person next to you? This simply doesn’t happen with a silent disco! If you need to talk to the person on your left, take off your headphones and have a chat at a normal level. Those dancing won’t notice (because the music hasn’t stopped for them) and the two of you can speak as you ordinarily would with no threat of losing your voice or tearing an ear drum.

It’s Hilarious
At a disco, you’ll all too often be dancing with friends, colleagues or family to stop and observe the goings on from the sidelines. Even if you do decide to take a breather, there’s nothing that funny anyway because the dance moves are in time to the music that you can hear. Not so when you book a silent disco! Take off your headphones and take some quality videos of people jumping about in a silent room.

The Christmas Song that wasn’t

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If you can recall the very first lyrics to Jingle Bells sound eminently Christmassy; “Dashing through the snow, in a one-horse open sleigh, over the hills we go, laughing all the way…” Horses aren’t really associated with Christmas and although snow certainly is, there’s not really anything else to link the song to everybody’s favourite Christmas holiday entertainment song. The reason for that? It isn’t a Christmas song.

You might think of Jingle Bells being a Christmas classics, it isn’t actually a Christmas song! Read on to find out more to the history of this festive tune. Or not-festive tune as the case may be.

The song we sing today was written by a man named James Lord Pierpont in or around 1850. Nobody is exactly sure of the precise time at which it was written or indeed, where. What we do know is that Pierpont was an American and although he hailed from Medford in Massachusetts, he only published the song when living in Savannah, Georgia. The only reason that this is of importance is that both towns lay claim to being the birthplace of Jingle Bells.

You see, although we only ever sing the first verse and chorus, there are many more lyrics to Jingle Bells that none of us really know. Some believe that the song was written for children to sing to the congregation at Sunday School. The verses none of us know go in a pretty intriguing direction with references to the sleigh crashing, a race with another sleigh owner and picking up women: “Now the ground is white, go it while you’re young, take the girls tonight, and sing this sleighing song. Would children sing that? Probably not, though one could easily argue for the innocence of youth.

Others believe that Jingle Bells is actually a drinking song. Historians are aware that it was a hugely popular song to sing at private parties, with guests ‘jingling’ the ice cubes in their glasses as they sang. Jingle all the way indeed! So which holiday is it about? If we go back to what we’ve previously written, the clue might be found in the history of Medford, Massachusetts. Back in the 1840s and 1850s, the Medford Sleigh Races were a hugely popular event with townsfolk cheering on the sleighs as they tore around the town. But they didn’t take place in December! They actually took place during Thanksgiving, which makes Pierpont’s classic ballad a song for the holidays, just not the one we all thought!

An intimate dinner party

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When thinking about the best Entertainment for an intimate dinner party, an obvious place to start is with the music.

Pianists

Pianists are fantastic for creating mood and providing a soundtrack to your evening, no matter the function. Providing a repertoire of modern and classic hits, they tend to provide a fun and informal atmosphere for a whole host of events including dinner, drinks receptions or a small networking function.

Classical Guitarist

What is there to say about classical guitarists that hasn’t already been said (or assumed)? Well, for starters it’s not only western styles of music that are often booked; flamenco is extremely popular whilst many prefer a slightly different sound to what they ordinarily listen to as it promotes a sense of occasion for the evening.

Cello

The cello is the perfect sound for a classy dinner private party amongst a few choice guests. It has a sound that many people absolutely adore, its low timbre fitting perfectly with a number of other instruments or in a solo setting.

Violin

The Violin is popular across all private parties and corporate events, no matter intimate or otherwise. Mixing a Cello and a Violin are extremely popular which fits for virtually any occasion. Another act combination that people enjoy for intimate dinner parties is violin and…

Harp

The harp is a gorgeous, gentle instrument that many adore but rather interestingly, rarely get to experience live. It could be because it’s a rather bulky instrument for a child to play, so many performers actually learn when they’re adults. Perfect as an accompaniment to dinner, the harp is also great in combination with strings or woodwind.

Magician

Now you may be thinking that a magician wouldn’t fit in at all at your intimate soiree but they can be extremely effective for engaging a room and have been proven to be great for informal networking events. For dinner parties, there are some brilliantly parlour magicians that can sit with you at the tables.

As ever with these things, it’s all about finding the right entertainment for your party.

Photography Entertainment

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When it comes to booking entertainment for events and parties around London, clients often opt for a photo booth. If you think back to any event that have attended over the past 12 months, we guarantee that there was at least one photo booth for use at one of these events. Everybody likes them and they’re great… But what if they could be improved? That’s where Staged Photography comes in!

Staged Photography will require a little more room than a photo booth. Most booths can take up a small space in the corner of your venue, while a Staged Photography takes up quite a bit more space than that. But here’s the thing, you won’t mind because you want people to notice this amazing form of entertainment. You want people to have an incredible photo taken against the backdrop that you have chosen for your event!

The backdrops are what this is all about. You can pretend you’re in a horror movie, a Venetian ball, a rainforest. Pretty much any photo is possible with these backdrops. All you have to do is book Staged Photography, state the background you’d love to see on your photo and that’s it. Come the day of your event, the incredibly immersive – “Is it 3D?” – backdrop will be unfurled and you’ll be stunned at the realism. Even more so when you join the picture later on!

Just like a photo booth, photos are available almost immediately so you can take your home your entertaining snap for use however you please. Want it digitally? That’s not a problem either! A truly brilliant form of entertainment.

Madame Tussauds

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Situated right in the heart of London, the venues offers five themed areas that can host events with up to 1,000 guests. Each event space can be adapted to suit your events exact requirements making it an ideal location for corporate events, private parties, presentations, gala events and press conferences.

Madame Tussauds Famous for its incredible wax works of celebrities and royalty from around the world, Madame Tussauds is also an award winning themed venue that has been hosting high-profile events for over fifty years.

The World Stage Ballroom was designed to impress with a grand stage, back projected screen, full lighting rig and plasma screens. LED lighting can be programmed to display specific colours to suit your corporate identity or theme. The largest space in Madame Tussauds, it is perfect for a whole host of corporate events and can even accommodate smaller events with adjustable and removable walls that can be used to create a more intimate space.

Not forgetting that this venue’s main attraction is its spectacular collection of wax works, guests can walk through over 200 years of history and with the museum-style ropes and poles gone they can also get up close and personal with historical icons, A-list celebrities and sporting legends. Not only is Madame Tussauds a great venue for corporate events but it also offers team building exercises and incentives: staff also have the chance to go behind the scenes and see how a waxwork is made at Madame Tussauds, ride through London’s history in a mini black cab and battle with Marvel Super Heroes in a 4D movie experience!

A popular choice for high-profile celebrity launches, Madame Tussauds is an impressive event space twice voted the UK’s number 1 favourite venue! No entertainment is more apt to accompany your event at this exclusive venue than one of our lookalike tribute bands. Alternatively why not invite 007 to entertain guests, as he poses for photos and suavely mingles with guests.

Venues for events

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The Floating Cinema
This is one of London’s top 8 coolest art venues in 2013, the floating cinema is now available for private venue hire offering a unique event space for product launches, corporate away days, film shoots and special occasions.

This intimate venue has a capacity of 12 passengers when cruising and 20 people standing while static. The Floating Cinema is a purpose-built wide beam barge with a flexible ‘whitespace’ auditorium that offers a unique and original experience for guests. The space can be easily reconfigured to accommodate meetings and team building sessions. As a cinema it offers state of the art high-spec lighting and surround-sound facilities, a fully equipped cinema auditorium space and a stunning central viewing deck from which guests can enjoy a new perspective of London’s most iconic views.

Beach Blanket Babylon
Is a decadent venue in trendy Shoreditch perfect for exclusive events and celebrations with an impressive capacity of up to 800 people. The venue has a number of opulent event spaces on offer that lend themselves perfectly to stylish corporate networking events, cocktail receptions, corporate event dinners, gala events, conferences and fashion shows.

The Champagne Lounge is ideal for private parties of up to 300 guests with rich wooden surrounds, decadent mood lighting and unique decorations. The Gallery offers a versatile self-contained space, with rustic wooden floors and white walls it is the perfect blank canvas for conferences and exhibitions and can hold up to 175 guests. The Mezzanine and The Bar are both gorgeous spaces; The Mezzanine elegantly holds up to 70 guests while the vibrant cosmopolitan bar holds up to 250 guests.
To complete the look and enhance the atmosphere Red Masque entertainment have a few Swing and Jazz bands on our books from London to provide standout musical entertainment that will.

The Warner Bros Studio in London
Home to Harry Potter film sets – offers an exciting event space not just for fans of the Harry Potter franchise. Corporate event organisers can choose to host exclusive dinners and award ceremonies in the Great Hall, sip cocktails and tankards of butter beer in the Three Broomsticks, and host networking events in Dagon Alley.

What better entertainment to accompany a corporate event in the place where Harry Potter was filmed than a string quartet that will create an atmospheric setting fit for the Harry Potter films and could even play the film franchise’s iconic theme tune!