Pepsi Bethel
Encyclopedia
Alfred "Pepsi" Bethel was a jazz dance
r, choreographer
, and leader of his own dance troupe, the Pepsi Bethel Authentic Jazz Dance Theater, which he founded in 1960.
, Lindy Hop
, and Charleston
at the Savoy Ballroom
in Harlem
, and worked with the Mura Dehn
Jazz Ballet and other companies before forming his own troupe. He is known for choreographing the Lindy Hop jazz routine Tranky Doo
.
Bethel worked as a consultant and choreographer on several shows directed by Vernel Bagneris, including two productions of "One Mo' Time," the 1987 "Staggerlee" and 1994's "Jelly Roll!" In 1980, his work as a choreographer was honored in "Celebration of Men in Dance" at the Thelma Hill Performing Arts Center in Brooklyn
. Four years later, he staged the revue "An Evening With Charles Cook and Friends" at Aaron Davis Hall
and was a production consultant for 1987's "Sing Hallelujah!" at the Village Gate.
Jazz dance
Jazz dance is a classification shared by a broad range of dance styles. Before the 1950s, jazz dance referred to dance styles that originated from African American vernacular dance. In the 1950s, a new genre of jazz dance—modern jazz dance—emerged, with roots in Caribbean traditional dance...
r, choreographer
Choreography
Choreography is the art of designing sequences of movements in which motion, form, or both are specified. Choreography may also refer to the design itself, which is sometimes expressed by means of dance notation. The word choreography literally means "dance-writing" from the Greek words "χορεία" ...
, and leader of his own dance troupe, the Pepsi Bethel Authentic Jazz Dance Theater, which he founded in 1960.
Career
He began his career with dances like the CakewalkCakewalk
The Cakewalk dance was developed from a "Prize Walk" done in the days of slavery, generally at get-togethers on plantations in the Southern United States. Alternative names for the original form of the dance were "chalkline-walk", and the "walk-around"...
, Lindy Hop
Lindy Hop
The Lindy Hop is an American social dance, from the swing dance family. It evolved in Harlem, New York City in the 1920s and '30s and originally evolved with the jazz music of that time. Lindy was a fusion of many dances that preceded it or were popular during its development but is mainly based...
, and Charleston
Charleston (dance)
The Charleston is a dance named for the harbor city of Charleston, South Carolina. The rhythm was popularized in mainstream dance music in the United States by a 1923 tune called "The Charleston" by composer/pianist James P. Johnson which originated in the Broadway show Runnin' Wild and became one...
at the Savoy Ballroom
Savoy Ballroom
The Savoy Ballroom, located in Harlem, New York City, was a medium sized ballroom for music and public dancing that was in operation from March 12, 1926 to July 10, 1958. It was located between 140th and 141st Streets on Lenox Avenue....
in Harlem
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
, and worked with the Mura Dehn
Mura Dehn
Mura Dehn documented African-American social jazz dancing at the Savoy Ballroom in New York between 1920 and 1940, a time that she referred to as the "Golden Age of Jazz." She also worked as a producer and documenter up until her death, and was co-artistic director of Traditional Jazz Dance...
Jazz Ballet and other companies before forming his own troupe. He is known for choreographing the Lindy Hop jazz routine Tranky Doo
Tranky Doo
The Tranky Doo is a Jazz Dance choreography. It was choreographed by Frankie Manning and first appeared at the Savoy Ballroom in Harlem during the 1940s ....
.
Bethel worked as a consultant and choreographer on several shows directed by Vernel Bagneris, including two productions of "One Mo' Time," the 1987 "Staggerlee" and 1994's "Jelly Roll!" In 1980, his work as a choreographer was honored in "Celebration of Men in Dance" at the Thelma Hill Performing Arts Center in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
. Four years later, he staged the revue "An Evening With Charles Cook and Friends" at Aaron Davis Hall
Aaron Davis Hall
Aaron Davis Hall is a Performing Arts Center in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City.Aaron Davis Hall was founded in 1981 and is located on the campus of the City College of New York, between West 133rd and 135th Streets on Convent Avenue. Convent Ave. is one block east of Amsterdam Avenue...
and was a production consultant for 1987's "Sing Hallelujah!" at the Village Gate.