Cotton Club Dancers Bust Some Moves

Filmed May 23, 1933, Bessie Dudley and Florence Hill show how to move to Duke Ellington's Bugle Call Rag. Both Dudley and Hill were Cotton Club dancers, though this was not filmed at the Cotton Club. Bessie Dudley died January 16, 1999 at the age of 88. I've not yet been able to find information about Florence Hill.

The band is Duke Ellington, Arthur Whetsel, Cootie Williams, Freddie Jenkins, Joe Nanton, Juan Tizol, Lawrence Brown, Barney Bigard, Otto Hardwick, Johnny Hodges, Harry Carney, Benny James (subbing on guitar), Wellman Braud, and Sonny Greer. Thanks to ellingtonweb.ca for the band member info.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• dancing
• dancers
• bessie dudley
• florence hill
• duke ellington
• bugle call rag
• cotton club
• jazz
• a bundle of blues
• 1933

[stodd32]

cocain's a helluva drug

[555aahouse1]

estupendo!!! happy black history month.

[14ihatemath]

nice

[lazeezee]

wonderfuLLLLL!!!!!

[jor99912]

If I were the (DUKE OF ELLINGTON) I would have ordered that Piano turned around before the performance!

[nashsuper1]

KILLER!

[chocolatesouljah]

@TheNightster2008 Um! That "guy on the piano" is the composer of the piece Duke Ellinton!

[TheNightster2008]

wow those girls are hot! the guy on the piano cant stop watching them lol

[ToddCMorgan2]

The one in the black fluffy skirt is more acrobatic, but the one in the light colored silk number has much smoother moves/better rhythm, there for, I find her to be the sexier of the two!

[youngmindedman]

Fantastic!