Ruby Flipper

Ruby Flipper were a multiracial, mixed-sex dance troupe who performed dance routines to songs in the UK Singles Chart on the BBC television series Top of the Pops in 1976.

The original Ruby Flipper line-up consisted of four female dancers and three male dancers:

The troupe made their TOTP debut on 6 May 1976, performing a dance routine to The Stylistics' version of "Can't Help Falling In Love".

As a replacement for Pan's People, choreographer Flick Colby decided to put together a new troupe which would feature both male and female dancers. In a BBC interview, co-manager Ruth Pearson added, "Pan's People had been around for about eight years and it felt like it was time for a concept change."

Auditions for the troupe took place at the Dance Centre in London's Covent Garden following press advertisements. The final line-up was chosen in March 1976 and began a period of rehearsal before their first appearance on Top of the Pops.

Colby and Pearson chose the name "Ruby Flipper" for the new team, a supposed combination of their personal names (RUBY FLIPPER = RUth PEaRson + FLIck colBY +P). Former Pan's People members, Cherry Gillespie and Sue Menhenick, were invited to join the new TOTP dance troupe.

However, the troupe were not retained as the resident dancers on Top of the Pops for long. Haigh recalled, "They didn't really give a clear reason why, but they just said that it had been decided that 'Ruby Flipper will be coming to an end and that they'd be looking for a new group'."

According to Colby, Bill Cotton advised her and Pearson to disband Ruby Flipper in favour of a new all-girl company: "...He said he didn't like the concept and that he wanted a girl group back on the show. I was told to reform an all-girl group - or quit."

Changes to the line-up of Ruby Flipper occurred during their time on Top of the Pops. Trace last appeared as part of the line-up on 15 July 1976; his final routine being Tavares' Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel. Gillespie also left the troupe in September 1976; her last performance was The Ritchie Family's "The Best Disco in Town" on 30 September 1976.

...
Wikipedia