Victor Silvester
The strict-tempo pioneer who defined ballroom dance music.
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Victor Marlborough Silvester (25 February 1900 – 14 August 1978) was an English dancer, writer, musician and bandleader from the British dance band era. He was a significant figure in the development of ballroom dance during the first half of the 20th century, and his records sold 75 million copies from the 1930s through to the 1980s.
Quick Facts
- Born
- 25 February 1900
- Died
- 14 August 1978
- Field
- Dancer
- writer
- musician
- bandleader
- Nationality
- English
Facts from the source article.
Background
Silvester was born the second son of a vicar in Wembley, Middlesex, England. He claimed he enlisted in the British Army on 4 September 1916, but his service records show he was discharged as underage on 12 September 1916. He then served with the First Aid Services in France and later with the First British Ambulance Unit For Italy, where he was injured and awarded the Italian Bronze Medal of Military Valour. After the war he studied at Worcester College, Oxford for a year, then briefly at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, and also studied music at Trinity College, London.
He won the first World Ballroom Dancing Championship in 1922 with Phyllis Clarke as his partner, and married Dorothy Newton a few days later. He competed again in 1924, coming second to Maxwell Stewart and Barbara Miles. He was a founding member of the Ballroom Committee of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing and published Modern Ballroom Dancing in 1927. He opened a dancing academy in London, which grew to 23 studios.
He had his own BBC television show through the 1950s, called BBC Dancing Club, and was later President of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing. In 1935 he formed Victor Silvester and his Ballroom Orchestra, whose first record 'You're Dancing on My Heart' sold 17,000 copies.
He insisted on strict tempo recordings. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1961. He died while on holiday in the south of France at age 78.
Did You Know?
- His orchestra had a distinctive sound with two pianos, one playing a tinkling continuo he called 'lemonade'.
- He was the subject of This Is Your Life in 1957.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Victor Silvester?
Victor Marlborough Silvester was an English dancer, writer, musician, and bandleader active during the British dance band era. Born in 1900 and passing in 1978, he became one of the defining figures in ballroom dance music of his time.
What is Victor Silvester most famous for?
He is best known for shaping ballroom dance and strict tempo music in the early-to-mid 20th century. His group, Victor Silvester and his Ballroom Orchestra, became the go-to soundtrack for dancers seeking a steady, reliable beat.
How commercially successful was Victor Silvester?
His recordings are estimated to have sold around 75 million copies from the 1930s through the 1980s. That sustained sales figure over five decades made his orchestra one of the longest-running dance bands in history.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Victor Silvester (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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