"IT WONT BE LONG !'

THE GENERATION DANCERS

‘IT WON’T BE LONG UNTIL WE ARE TOGETHER’

CORONAVIRUS 19 Inspired JACKIE TRAVERS one of the GENERATION DANCERS , to write the lyrics of this song about missing Friends,family and loved ones...

Generation Dancers started as a reunion 4 years ago of all the dancers /performers that worked for Dougie Squires OBE MVO over the past 6 decades ...

Dougie who created the Young Generation and Second Generation song and dance team popular in the 60’s 70’s 80’s 90’s on television ,theatre cabaret ,revues all over the world, it changed the approach to dancing groups on tv .... he created a group of diversity and as a dancer he pushed you to be the best you could be and gave you inspiration to be individual but work as a team player.

The reunion was not a normal drinks and catch up! It was in DANCE ATTIC in a rehearsal studio leg warmers at the ready for a dance warm up and learn a routine. It was a magical occasion...generations of dancers through the decades came

The minute the music started everyone went back 30/40 /50years ago

The respect for Dougie was untoward, it was amazing to see everyone dance together ,it also brought friendships from long ago back together and created new friendships with the bond of passion for Dougie and the love of performing and dance .From that first reunion dancers meet every month from all over the uk for GENERATION DANCE CLASS .... and during this corona virus Antony Johns has been giving classes on line every Sunday to the GENERATION FAMILY that it has become .

Dougie was producing and directing Dame Vera Lynne ‘s 100th birthday celebration at the London palladium , the idea was brought to the table that over the years Dougie had worked with Dame Vera Lynne on her BBC Television series with the young generation dancers ,and then on special events msuch as Q40,VE AND VJ 50 ,VE 60’ to name but a few , for them to perform in the celebration ....thinking only 20 would want to perform again ,but no ,90 Generation dancers were back on stage performing again for Dame Vera ,In front of Her majesty the Queen ...

Multi talented Jackie Travers after class on ZOOM chat said she was inspired to write a song about this very strange time we find our selves in... she wrote the lyrics and working with Nick Rye for the music created this song, IT WONT BE LONG , Then the task of getting everyone to sing and record edit it and produce ....

It was always in mind that we would do this for Dame Vera’s charity that brought everyone back performing together again .

Then hearing of the sad news of the passing of Dame Vera Lynne it is a A natural fitting tribute from the GENERATION dancers with love

So a huge thank you and love to the amazing Jackie Travers and Nic Rye .

We know it’s a tough time for everyone but if you could spare a few pennies. We would all be most grateful ... stay safe, be kind , all our love xxx

T

https://www.facebook.com/643109156/posts/10157564661969157/

GENERATION DANCE CLASSES

These past months through lockdown and beyond I have been hosting Generation Dance classes every Sunday at 11am ... The class is open to everyone that loves to dance.

It’s become a Generation family ! It’s international with dancers joining in from around the globe, Katy Harris Joins in at 6am in Miami!

It all started now four years ago with a reunion of Dancers who worked for Dougie Squires, coming together for a warm up and class ! It was so amazing, firstly we were all dancing together again and secondly the friendships that have been reunited and new friendships made ..It has become so special to so many many dancers .... as we were meeting every month at Dance Attic for a monthly class before lockdown .

It naturally opened up to dancers that didn’t even work for Dougie , but love to dance ...

I am so honoured to take the classes to such a great group of dancers &friends.

As a group they all appeared again at the London Palladium in Dame Vera Lynn’s 100th Birthday Celebration 90 of them!

Great to see them back on stage .

During lock down they raised money for the Royal Theatrical fund ( the classes are free but they wanted to say thank you ! See the kind of wonderful group they are ) also

Recorded a song by Jackie Travers “it won’t be long until we are together ‘ during lockdown raising money for Dame Vera’s children charity ...

Every week I get lovely messages which mean so much ...

So if you aren’t a member and would like to join in on the fun send a request to join I

Palladium generation dancers page

Its free...Classes Sundays at 11am

ON FACE BOOK

PALLADIUM GENERATION DANCERS PAGE

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO JOIN IN ON THE FUN

SEND A REQUEST TO PALLADIUM GENERATION DANCERS PAGE !

FRIENDS !

Fab weekend with my best friends …. so lovely to see them after the lockdown… we had lovely walks with my two favourite girls Molly and Bailey x

UP DATE 2019!

Its been a while since I last blogged, since April I think what with Corona Virus and everything else I also have had technical issues with website but now we are getting back on track with it all!

so my blog will be uploaded for 2019 as my last blog was 2018 on here lol

Well what a time its been, it all seems so crazy and unreal and don’t know where the time has gone, just flown past .

Just before the lock down Dougie had a spell in hospital and was a god send that he was released just before that I have able to look after him, bringing back to being Dougie !

Happy to say my family and friends have all stayed safe and well, It was very hard for everyone not being able to see family and friends but staying safe has been vital for everyone

I have to say that I have been lucky to be in this village where we felt quite safe,I had lovely walks enjoyed the garden and cooked and cooked and cooked and Dougie and I enjoyed our time together…

I have enjoyed actually having a breather from work, the pressure of work and all that goes with it ….

and I am sure we all have had time to reflect…. our little world here became so lush the air the trees the birds was a joy to see it felt like nature was having a fresh breath of air …

we’ve had our fair of watching tv and have caught up in things we never would have watched thank god for Netflix . All I can say is Dougie has become you tube mad …. and reading like there is no tomorrow …

I feel I dont seem to have stopped .. As I said earlier where the time has gone my day is so full as I am sure everyone else’s is … I have calmed down on the cooking as I felt I was in kitchen 24/7 to begin with, cleaning (which I love hahah) and gardening and looking after his lordship and having a hour walk a day the days flew by… did I feel guilty not working ….. No …..

I so enjoyed my first meal out after lockdown that was so special…. being waited on was just fabulous ….

The first times seeing family and friends has also been very special indeed, When it was safe to do so …Lovely to see my family the first time i saw them was celebrating my Mother’s 90th Birthday a glorious May day .

my best mates came down from Manchester which was just wonderful, seeing them and while late we did our first trip to see Dougie’s family Nottinghamshire and then to Manchester for a few days which was great fun.

With visits from friends down to our village has also been fantastic seeing the Georges , Jackie Travers the golden girls Joan,Lynda and Donna from LA Jeff & Robert, a lovely spread out lunch with the gang at the GreyHound in Stockbridge ( My new favourite place )

News on Generation dance class well during this lock down I started doing a class on line one Sunday to see how it would go, I put it out there and the response was amazing , I didn’t charge as I felt we were all in the same boat .. but we have been doing classes now every Sunday live on facebook for all to join in. been crazy ! I have been very touched that Lucy Greaves quietly arranged and raised over £1000.00 for the Royal Theatrical fund in tribute to the classes I have given

Also during the lock down one of the Generation Dancers Jackie Travers wrote a song It won’t be long until we are together” and all the Generation dancers with the magic of technology recored the track and Nick produced it and did an amazing video with proceeds going to Dame Vera Lynn’s children’s charity

so that has been very special …

So really thats it all I think in a nutshell Thats the quick lock down catch up… will post special events as well

but if anyone reads it … remember

Wash your hands stay inside….. thank you baked potato

only shop in grocery stores… thank you beaked potato

and if you want to have a better day …

listen to what Baked potato says …

that song drove us insane lol!

take care stay safe ….. love Antx

Horse show 2018!

Here at Olympia working on the annual Olympia Horse Show with the show Finale !

so Rehearsals are done open tomorrow … Thanks to all at Birds College … and all the team….!

GREATEST SHOW!


What a Party! Thanks to all at Trevor George Entertainment the fabulous Dancers, Arielists,Drummers,Jugglers and 40 Choir ! All the team at drp amazing creation of theme setting for event, in every area, the crew, lighting, sound . Stage management special Thanks to Holly Andrews producer of Event and to CEO of Drp Dale Parmenter for his vision and style !

Circus of Dreams

Always a pleasure to work with David and Tony of @IMPACT ARTISTS who have produced Party events all over the Uk for this festive season, multi Talented they have great Acts for every kind of Event and apart from that they ar the ACRO CHAPS who are just brilliant!

Southampton Circus of Dreams

GENERATION DANCE CLASS DECEMBER !

A great day with the Generation Family so to speak! At Dance Attic in the studio! not only the monthly class but it was filmed for finger crossed a pilot Tv Programme… they would so love that xx they worked so hard today ! bless em and love them all it very special ….

Rehearsals for HORSE SHOW 2018!

Had a great day at Birds College for auditions and rehearsals for the Horse Show at Olympia 2018!

THE CURRY AWARDS !

Always great working with the lovely Debbie Astell of TIMES TWO PRODUCTIONS on her

CURRY AWARDS Event! We go back a long way to the old All England Days Dance CHAMPIONSHIPS… Happy Days…

RGDA CHRISTMAS WORKSHOP!

FUN ACTION PACKED DAY !THE students were amazing, creating a performance in the day and performing to parents and friends in the afternoon... everyone worked their socks off... The talented students were knock out .. and I was so impressed by the high standard the students are lead by the fabulous Jade Emma Greaves great teacher ( we all missed working with her as a dancer !) and her fab team the lovely Chow Helen Ip and the hysterical Danielle Carson Smith ( very special lady we go back a long way !!! and the best Snow White ever !!! I give them all a mighty 10 !Thank you for inviting me it was a honour ... Thanks to everyone for your help and support Dougie Squires and Reece Campbell

Don't mind if we do!

Its getting to that time of year ! when the festive season starts and its a busy one…

starts off this week with DREAM CIRCUS Christmas party nights in Southampton, Then a rush up to the lakes to RGDA ACADEMY for a Christmas Masterclass Day, Then next week we have the Not Forgotten Association Christmas Part at St James’s Palace, the Generation Dance Christmas Class ( and being filmed for a pilot series) A Major private party in the Midlands with lots of dancers singers acts and choir and musicians before starting on the Olympia Horse show !

THE JOURNEYS BEGIN!

Arrived home for the day and tried to sort out as much as possible in the unit .. with hires etc

Had a lovely visit by Barbara Ferris and Una Stubbs they came down to the cottage went and had a lovely lunch, then the next day meetings at Windsor re the Horse Show… then drove to see my brother who arrived from Denmark for dinner ..

Next morning drove to Teignmouth to put on for Adam Sternberg Trevor Georges Showcase

it was a hard 2 days with some great acts and hosting was the fabulous talented BEN LANGLEY … Amazing energy ! a great treat to work with him…

Then had to drive home after the show at 11pm ! As the next day was a farewell to my fathers wife Joan, and to support my father with my brothers Richard and Paul.

then if I wasn’t crazy drove to Sheffield to give a masterclass afternoon.! how far!!!

Drove home shattered … then next day went to see my sister and brother and had a lovely dinner with them in Titchfield, worked at the unit getting costumes ready for some hires … next day back on the motor way AGAIN ! to Birmingham well Wolverhampton for a meeting of a show I am doing in the next few weeks , but my sat nav took me to Dudley … miles away and actually it was in the middle of nowhere ! so was an hour late !!! but all was okay will be an impressive show .

next day again back on the motorway to Kingston for a meeting with Steve Bor re the Ships,

then again back on motor way to Swindon to WILKES to pick up costumes !

again the next day back again on motorway to Cobham to deliver costumes for a hire and then to Old Woking to pick up costumes from an earlier hire !

I think I have caught up… yesterday went to unit and today Wimbolden to deliver some costumes ! no rest for the wicked !!! as they say !!



plus a throw back picture in the Brighton Argus paper from 20years ago with me in Panto! where have the years gone !






CRAZY MONTH!

Since the class on November 4th… My feet haven’t touched the ground seem to be on a journey everyday ! Felt like i lived on all motorways….

On the 5th got on plane to Genova to board ship MSC ORCHESTRA to check on costumes etc… For Steve Bor of Bor Productions

My first few days I had a balcony cabin… makes all the difference … its a vast ship and you must walk miles each day… Great theatre on board … and the shows are very good…

something i wrote about the shows …


Variety at its best on board the MSC Orchestra with Steve Bor's Bor Productions Viva show, Talented cast, of amazing Artists . Superb Balance trio , Artisque Straps, Ultra fast Latino Duo , Great Singers, Stylish Flamingo Dancers and Steve ’s All Star Fabulous dancers ... congrats to Cast and Crew and all at Bor Productions ... Great to see audience Loving it !!! All success for your South American Voyage !

The ship docked at Marseille, Didn’t get off !!! Barcelona forgotten what a beautiful city it was, been a long time since I have been… had a great time walking the Ramblers …Had a great lunch which was a treat …. so camera was in hand and had a lovely day…

Loved getting up early as I do and watch the sunrising i think i got some good shots…

It docked in Valencia, there again I didn’t get off as weather was rain…. and then Cardiz which I got off and walked about … interesting architecture … so camera in hand walked for hours done interesting cobbled lanes … and a nice lunch in the square ..

next port of call was Lisbon and my time to leave ship… RAIN RAIN oh boy did I get soaked … my flight wasn’t until the evening… went to airport far to early… and it was terminal 2 which is very small and nothing there.. so not knowing to do for 6 hours checking the airport hotel.. best thing I ever did…. got dried and had a sleep… shower and ready for getting home…

Travel has changed so much not for the better, although it accessible for everyone … the queues for everything…. the whole checking in and security….. is stressful, how parents do it with children I just dont know… arrived in Uk at 11pm and fab service of car parking at Gatwick.. great when something works .. glad to get home and see Dougie …