Josephine Bradley facts for kids

Josephine Bradley MBE (born March 24, 1893 – died February 16, 1985) was a very famous ballroom dancer and dance teacher. She was born in Dublin, but grew up in London from a young age. Josephine was one of the first professional ballroom dancers for the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD). She helped set the standard techniques for popular dances like the foxtrot, tango, quickstep, and waltz. These are now part of the International Dancesport category. Because of her important work, she was often called "The First Lady of the Ballroom."

Early Life and Dance Beginnings

Growing Up

Josephine's father was very strict and didn't like dancing or the theatre. He passed away when she was ten years old. Later, her older sister became very ill, and the family worried Josephine might also get sick. So, they moved from London to Chorleywood, which was a quiet village back then.

Becoming a Ballroom Star

In 1924, Josephine danced with an American named G.K. Anderson in a competition. She was the professional dancer in their team. They won that competition and then went on to win the Daily Sketch Foxtrot competition. They also became World Foxtrot Champions in 1924.

That same year, Josephine Bradley opened her first dance school. It was located in the Knightsbridge Hotel. The Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD) asked her to join a special group. This group's job was to create clear rules for dances and develop a teaching plan for other dance teachers. Josephine was a very important person in the British ballroom dance world. She was the Chairman of the ISTD Ballroom Branch for many years, from 1924 to 1947. She also traveled to places like Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa to examine dancers. One of her students, Eveline Burchill, even started her own dance school.

Her Marriage

In 1927, Josephine married Douglas Wellesley-Smith. They had met in 1919. Douglas was a Captain in the army and had been hurt during World War I. He needed some light exercise while he was getting better, so he came to Josephine for dance lessons. They became regular dance partners in 1925. Sadly, their marriage only lasted four years because Douglas passed away at age 35. Josephine later found another dance partner, Frank Ford, but she never married again.

Leading a Ballroom Orchestra

Josephine Bradley was one of the few top dancers who also led a band. Victor Silvester was famous for his "strict-tempo" music, which was perfect for dancing and teaching. Josephine wanted to create her own music for dancers too.

She became one of the few women to lead a British band between 1920 and 1950. In 1935, she started her own group called Josephine Bradley and her Ballroom Orchestra. They mostly recorded music for Decca. Before that, in 1930, she had also directed the New Mayfair Dance Orchestra. Between 1937 and 1945, she recorded over 200 songs. Her recordings sold very well and are still considered some of the best ballroom music ever made.

Other Achievements

Josephine also appeared in the British film Let’s Make a Night of It in 1937. This movie showed the first-ever "formation dance" sequence. In it, she and Frank Ford danced with Victor Silvester and his wife, along with two other couples. They danced to the music of Jack Jackson and his band.