This Is Your Life: Madame Vacani

Madame VACANI (1895-1972)

THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Marguerite Vacani, dance teacher known professionally as 'Madame Vacani', was surprised by Eamonn Andrews as she arrived at the BBC Television Theatre.

Marguerite, who was born in London, began teaching dance in 1912 and founded the Vacani School of Dance in 1920. The school aimed to teach ballroom dances and social etiquette of the day to young ladies and gentlemen, while debutante ladies learned to curtsey for their presentation parties. During the First and Second World Wars, she taught blind veterans to dance and organised children's parties to boost morale.

After gaining Royal Patronage in 1921, she held weekly classes at Buckingham Palace for the young Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret. Her annual dancing matinees raised thousands of pounds for worthy causes, including many medically related charities and the Church of England's Children's Society.

programme details...

Edition No: 148
Subject No: 148
Broadcast live: Mon 23 Jan 1961
Broadcast time: 7.30-8.00pm
Venue: BBC Television Theatre
Series: 6
Edition: 19

on the guest list...

Rose Turner
Mrs Thompson
Victoria Thompson
John Rankin - son
Walter Millard
Miss Murphy
Lady Carolyn Howard
Lesley Howard
John Wilson
Betty - niece
Beverley Snyder
Henrietta Tiarks
Robert Morley
James Chatto
Janet Smith

production team...

Researcher: Nickola Sterne
Writer: Nickola Sterne
Director: Michael Goodwin
Producer: T Leslie Jackson

names above in bold indicate subjects of This Is Your Life

with thanks to John Wilson for his contribution to this page

related pages...

A Dancer's Life

from ballet to ballroom

Robert Morley

Photographs of Madame Vacani This Is Your Life

Series 6 subjects