New project brings Dawlish’s 1940s dancehall days back to life

Memories of dancing in the heyday of the 1940s—60s seaside music scene are the focus of a new oral history project and community event that has been launched with government funding.

At the Hop! will involve young people interviewing elderly folk and care home residents in Dawlish to capture their experiences and anecdotes of the dancefloor decades ago.

The interviews will be developed into a 30-minute audio programme which will be made publicly available to schools, museums and libraries with the aim of enhancing community cohesion and understanding between the generations. It will also inform a celebratory public event, set to be staged in the Devon town in January.

At the Hop! is being led by Dr Tony Lidington, Senior Lecturer in the University of Exeter ’s Department of Communications, Drama and Film, and Artistic Director of local arts organisation, Promenade Promotions (Prom-Prom).

“Dancing is a past-time that most people have enjoyed in their youth and the youthful experiences of care home residents today are from the 1940s-60s,” Dr Lidington said. “The aim is for these elderly residents to reflect on their experiences from when they would have been roughly the same age as their interviewers.”

Prom-Prom is a pioneering organisation, exploring heritage and popular performance, with 20 years of experience in delivering professionally-run, community projects. In recent years, the team has focused particularly on nurturing emerging local talent, with projects such as this year’s 'Sunshine Follies' seaside entertainment training programme, funded by Arts Council England.

With funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, through Teignbridge Arts Project, At the Hop! will offer training for three aspiring creatives, enabling them to develop new skills in oral history techniques and audio technology – as well as guidance in the ethics and protocols around interviewing.

During November, the trio will meet with the residents of two care homes, as well as attendees of a luncheon group, to gather audio clips of their stories and memories. They will then work with Teignmouth ’s Wandering Tiger Productions to edit a final piece.

“The project aims to develop pride in place, encourage social cohesion and intergenerational relationships, improve employment opportunities for young people and provide a celebration of the town in which we live,” added Dr Lidington. “Following the COVID pandemic, many young people shied-away from direct engagement with others and this project aims to address this need. Such inter-generational engagement rarely occurs in Dawlish, because local elderly folk don't often have the opportunity to meet younger adults.”

The finished recording will be publicly launched at a celebratory community event in The Strand Centre, Dawlish, on Saturday 25 January 2025. The event will be open and accessible to all and will feature dancing to live 1940s-60s music. Arrangements will be made to bring all of the contributors to the event.

At the Hop! has received £14,370 from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. The UK Shared Prosperity Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills.