Rivoli Ballroom facts for kids
The Rivoli Ballroom in 2008
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| Former names | Crofton Park Picture Palace |
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| Address | 350 Brockley Road |
| Location | Crofton Park, London |
| Owner | Bill Mannix |
| Type | Dance hall |
| Genre(s) | Art Deco |
| Capacity | 700 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 12 July 1913 |
| Renovated | 1957–1959 |
| Expanded | 26 December 1959 |
The Rivoli Ballroom is a famous dance hall in London, England. It is special because it is the only 1950s ballroom left in London that still looks the way it did back then. People love its original decorations, like red velvet, fancy wallpaper, sparkling chandeliers, and big Chinese lanterns.
This amazing place is often used for filming movies and music videos. It also hosts many exciting dance and music events.
Contents
A Look Back: History
The building we now know as the Rivoli Ballroom first opened in July 1913. Back then, it was a cinema called the Crofton Park Picture Palace. It had a simple, curved ceiling, like a barrel.
In 1929, its name changed to The Rivola Cinema. The last movie was shown there on March 2, 1957. After that, a local businessman named Leonard Tomlin turned it into a dance hall.
It reopened as The Rivoli on Boxing Day, 1959. It had a large dance floor made of Canadian maple wood, designed to be springy for dancers. More improvements were made in 1960, including a special bar for members. Today, Bill Mannix owns the ballroom.
What It Looks Like: Style
The Rivoli Ballroom has a very unique and interesting look. It mixes different styles, like old classical designs, Art Deco, and even some Asian touches.
Outside the Ballroom
The front of the building, facing Brockley Road, was updated in 1931 with an Art Deco style. You walk up a wide set of steps to reach a deep entrance area. Tall, decorative columns with plaster urns stand at the ends of the building. You can see two signs that say 'Dancing' and 'Tonight'.
Inside the Ballroom
When you step inside, you'll find a small entrance area with a sloped floor. It has cool wooden panels with a geometric design of curved lines. This design looks like it's from the 1920s, but it was popular again in the 1950s.
The entrance leads right into the main ballroom. It's a big room with a slightly curved ceiling. There's a raised area for people to watch, a stage, and a large, springy maple dance floor. The decorations are very bold and colorful. The walls are covered in red velvet with gold-framed panels. There are also fancy columns, shell-shaped lights, and French chandeliers. Big Chinese lanterns hang from the ceiling, adding to the exotic feel.
On either side of the ballroom, there are two bars. One was built in 1958 and the other in 1960. The 1958 bar has booths and tables with leather seats, like an old train carriage. The bar at the end of the room has tiles with beautiful, swirling patterns. The lighting comes from unique saucer-shaped lamps with mixed patterns. You'll see the same curved wood panel design from the entrance on many doors, like those for the ladies' powder room and the men's cloakroom. Some signs, like the one for the 'Buffet', look like they are from the 1950s.
Famous Visitors and Events
The Rivoli Ballroom is a popular spot for filming music videos and photo shoots. Many famous people have used it.
- Tina Turner filmed her "Private Dancer" video here.
- Bands like Oasis and The White Stripes have played gigs.
- Pop stars like S Club 7, Charlotte Church, and Martine McCutcheon have also used the venue.
- Fashion model Kate Moss has had photo shoots there.
- It's well-known for being in Elton John's 1983 music video for "I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues".
Florence and the Machine played a live show here in 2009, which was included on a special DVD. They returned in 2012 for a Radio 2 concert. In 2014, Damon Albarn performed with his band, and Kano even joined him on stage.
The ballroom often hosts jive, rock and roll, and swing bands. TV host Justin Lee Collins filmed his chat show Good Times here in 2010. Kings of Leon performed a set for BBC Radio 1 in 2010. The music video for Lana Del Rey's song "Burning Desire" was filmed at the Rivoli in 2013 by director Ridley Scott.
The Rivoli Ballroom has also been a location for movies. In 2014, it was used for a scene in the superhero film Avengers: Age of Ultron. Some parts of the 2016 film The Infiltrator were also shot here.
In March 2015, Noel Gallagher played a "secret gig" here for Absolute Radio. In August 2017, Martine McCutcheon filmed her music video for 'Any Sign Of Life'. The ballroom was also used for a dance scene in the final episode of season 3 of Killing Eve. Parts of the music video for "A Love like That" by Katie Melua were filmed at the Rivoli Ballroom too.
A Special Building: Listed Status
On December 21, 2007, the Rivoli Ballroom was given a special protection status called Grade II-listed. This happened because people were worried it might be sold and torn down. Being listed means it is an important historical building that must be protected.
The building was listed for these reasons:
- Special architectural interest: Its interior, from 1958, is very unusual and creates a luxurious, exotic, and dramatic feel.
- Special historic interest: It shows us what the era of American jive, swing bands, lindy hop, jitterbug, and rock 'n' roll was like. It also shows how popular traditional ballroom dancing continued to be.
- A rare surviving example: It's one of the few places that was once a cinema and then successfully turned into a dance hall.
In short, the Rivoli Ballroom is a very unique building. It's important for its amazing interior and because it's one of the last 1950s dance halls that used to be a cinema.
How to Get There
The Rivoli Ballroom is located at 350 Brockley Road. It's very easy to find, right across from Crofton Park railway station. Many bus routes also stop nearby.
