• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

Enid Goodwin Dance School

Thanks Owl. Here it is today. The modern building to the left wasn't there when I went there, but can't remember what was there before. Front door looks exactly as I remember it. Think the front wall is the same from the 1960s, although I thought it was higher. The single storey studio is to the rear. Viv.

ImageUploadedByTapatalkHD1394012105.545093.jpg
ImageUploadedByTapatalkHD1394012129.735181.jpg
 
Went there in 1970 to learn to dance so that we could do the first dance at our wedding. The quickstep was done to a non stop playing of Buddy Holly's "Browned eyed Handsome man". My mother in law Lily Palmer met her second husband Dennis Hall there.
 
Ahhh, so sweet Leonard! I always remember the quickstep dances as a bit of a crush. The place was so popular. viv.
 
I used to go to the Enid Goodman dance school, it was on the Birchfield Road.Enid and her husband ran it, as I recall she used to like dancing with the young guys. I went in the early 50'.
 
I used to go there too and enjoyed every minute. The craze was "In the Mood" there at the time and I remember Alan Redfearn, Derek Stockley, Albert and Bill Cotterill. Good days long gone
 
I went to Enids' in the late 40's early 50's when it was in Birchfield Road. Enid had pet names for some of the boys, one I fancied myself she called Bright Eyes. I went with my friend Barbara Jackson, she took her
dancing seriously and like you Viv she entered competitions. We were teen agers, such lovely memories of it.
 
Absolutely Di. I heard "Take good care of my baby" on the radio the other day and I was immediately transported right back there to Enid Goodwin's. She always mixed the music on Saturday afternoons to include classic dance pieces with popular tunes of the day. What a clever businesswoman she must have been. Viv.
 
Does anyone who went to GOODWIN'S late 1950's/1960's remember Pauline Stevens. She loved going there to dance.
 
Owl said:
Yes, I attended the Enid Goodwin Dance School very early seventies. I recollect it was located near to the Cinema mentioned. It was a large ground storey building.
I most likely drove to it so it was probably in Wilmore Road or Livingstone Rd. It was hidden beyond the two prominent high rise flats now recently flattened.

Hopefully, this is of some help.


Owl
Click to expand...
Hiya. I went to Enids from about 1972 and totally loved it, so much so i’m still ballroom dancing now. Met my first girlfriend there Sue Farneswoth. Happy memories.
 
My wife Pat and I used to go there on Saturday evenings in 1963/4 and loved it. Enid Goodwin did a great job and the place was always full when were there. The staple dance was the quickstep and we well remember dancing that to “Do you wanna dance”, (Cliff Richard), “Heartbeat” (Buddy Holly), “The Night has a Thousand Eyes” (Bobby Vee) and so many more wonderful sixties songs. Great memories.
 
A record I always associate with Enid Goodwins is Carole King's 'It might as well Rain until September'
I can just hear the quickstep instructions over it.....forward, side close side, step back, side close side, forward, cross and forward.... !
 
Last edited:
I was quite young when I went to Enid’s, about 8 or 9. I went on a Saturday (I think the afternoon session). My dad would drop me off on his motorbike.

I never went there with a friend or made friends while I was there. I was a painfully shy girl. So how did I find a partner to dance with? I just don’t remember anyone I danced with. Was this organised by Enid for the younger dancers ?

Viv.
 
Vivienne14 said:
I was quite young when I went to Enid’s, about 8 or 9. I went on a Saturday (I think the afternoon session). My dad would drop me off on his motorbike.

I never went there with a friend or made friends while I was there. I was a painfully shy girl. So how did I find a partner to dance with? I just don’t remember anyone I danced with. Was this organised by Enid for the younger dancers ?

Viv.
Click to expand...
Yes, I'm sure it was.
I used to go on my own sometimes, on a Saturday session like you and there was always someone for me to dance with, usually an older girl. I don't remember there being many lads there!
 
Thanks ASparks - maybe we even partnered ! I went to Saturday sessions from about 1961-1964. I don’t remember ever having to sit out a dance. And I remember we all danced in an anti-clockwise direction. It was always full too.

I also did medals. Was teaching for that on another day ? Viv.
 
I don't think I went for as long as you but it would have been during the bad winter of 62-63 when I was 12 (not the best time to start as I think I must have walked the distance from the Great Barr side of Perry Barr!).
Yes, I think it was a class were you could work for medals but I didn't stay long enough to get that far.
 
I used to go on Saturday evenings when I was 16/17, in 1963. Originally with a pal who lived nearby, later with a girl-friend who is now my wife. The place was always packed, very popular. It seems odd now that we were listening to great pop-music while dancing the quickstep, at a fair rate of knots! This only occupied a few months of my life, but never forgotten, treasured memories. This photo of me was taken in September 1963, in Havelock Rd, a few yards from Enid’s. I would have been there later that evening!1210F729-916D-4280-94E7-2894421DBCBC.jpeg
 
A Sparks said:
I don't think I went for as long as you but it would have been during the bad winter of 62-63 when I was 12 (not the best time to start as I think I must have walked the distance from the Great Barr side of Perry Barr!).
Yes, I think it was a class were you could work for medals but I didn't stay long enough to get that far.
Click to expand...
I started the medals, got as far as Silver and stopped. After school I worked at-a butchers shop, the manager there was a competition ballroom dancer who new Enid very well. She asked him to help out sometimes after work usually Friday and Saturday evenings.
 
I too did just IDMA bronze and silver Richard- exams taken in 1961 and 1962. Yet again I don’t remember a lot about the exam, but I do remember going to the presentations of medals. Very glitzy. Had special frocks for the occasion. Think I must have stopped when I started Grammar school - forced to focus on studying. But at least I had the opportunity.

Still dancing today, but not ballroom, more a combination of dance exercise. Our teacher sometimes drops in an old Bobby Vee track from the 1950s/60s and I’m transported back to that time dancing at Enid’s moving anti-clockwise. (“Take good care of my bay...be!”). Still can’t visualise who I danced with all those years ago - as I was shy, maybe I never plucked up the courage to look at my partners !

I bet a few of us rubbed shoulders there in the 60s - literally.

Viv.
 
I do not remember any of these dance school's. In the 60's did go to Betty Fox school of dance a few times as a guest of my friend, her dad paid, I did ballet and tap dance. Think he wanted me to go to keep her company. It wasn't really my scene I would rather be out scrumping or riding a bike. I was a bit of a tomboy growing up. I remember after going to these dance sessions I used to have a sleep over at hers, her dad used to give us very strong egg nog as a night cap, think it was to send us to sleep, bizarre I know I was only about 8 years old.
 
Vivienne14 said:
I too did just IDMA bronze and silver Richard- exams taken in 1961 and 1962. Yet again I don’t remember a lot about the exam, but I do remember going to the presentations of medals. Very glitzy. Had special frocks for the occasion. Think I must have stopped when I started Grammar school - forced to focus on studying. But at least I had the opportunity.

Still dancing today, but not ballroom, more a combination of dance exercise. Our teacher sometimes drops in an old Bobby Vee track from the 1950s/60s and I’m transported back to that time dancing at Enid’s moving anti-clockwise. (“Take good care of my bay...be!”). Still can’t visualise who I danced with all those years ago - as I was shy, maybe I never plucked up the courage to look at my partners !

I bet a few of us rubbed shoulders there in the 60s - literally.

Viv.
Click to expand...
I remember the anti clockwise dancing, they did the same at the Plaza on Rookery Rd, at least some of the time
 
coleighf said:
I used to go on Saturday evenings when I was 16/17, in 1963. Originally with a pal who lived nearby, later with a girl-friend who is now my wife. The place was always packed, very popular. It seems odd now that we were listening to great pop-music while dancing the quickstep, at a fair rate of knots! This only occupied a few months of my life, but never forgotten, treasured memories. This photo of me was taken in September 1963, in Havelock Rd, a few yards from Enid’s. I would have been there later that evening!View attachment 177042
Click to expand...
I used to go to Enid Godwin’s Saturday afternoon from about 1965. I lived just around the corner in Burton Wood Drive in the Maisonette’s. I remember when it was someone’s birthday they would partner you up and you danced the Birthday Waltz with a little kiss at the end !!- very happy memories there.
 
I went to the dance school I went as far as a first gold bar IDMA in ballroom and as far as a silver in Latin My cousin Linda Salt and myself went Saturday and a night in the week. I remember getting my dancing shoes from Stead and Simpsom in town my favourite pair was white with multi coloured sparkles. I remember Enid being very strict on no out door shoes on the dance floor and your shoes had to have a leather or a smooth sole.
 
Out in the sticks Brummy said:
I went to the dance school I went as far as a first gold bar IDMA in ballroom and as far as a silver in Latin My cousin Linda Salt and myself went Saturday and a night in the week. I remember getting my dancing shoes from Stead and Simpsom in town my favourite pair was white with multi coloured sparkles. I remember Enid being very strict on no out door shoes on the dance floor and your shoes had to have a leather or a smooth sole.
Click to expand...
 
Vivienne14 said:
The opening of Enid's (I think her first) school at 290 Birchfield Road, a few months before the end of WW2. Viv

View attachment 181891View attachment 181890Source: Birmingham Newspaper Archive
Click to expand...
That’s where I went on Friday and Saturday night and when the Plaza opened on Rookery Rd, we would go there on Saturday! Great times and all were within a meager apprentices budget!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top