Nearly 50 Years Later, Dancers in Iconic 1978 Photo Reunited
An exhibition in Wolverhampton celebrates a photograph that captured a moment of joy and community, finally giving names and stories to the faces.
A photograph taken nearly 50 years ago at Wolverhampton's Culture Centre has brought together the individuals captured on its crowded dance floor. The image, taken in 1978 by Chris Steele-Perkins, has become an iconic work, yet the people within it have remained largely anonymous until now.
Vivienne Dawes, who is prominently featured as the central dancer, recalled the atmosphere of the night, describing it as a time when "everybody was doing their own thing, was all dancing, and when the music hit us, we felt no pain." She emphasized the sense of joy and shared experience, stating, "At the end of the day, we're showing that we're black sisters enjoying reggae music."
For Winston Logan, who appears on the far left at the back of the photo, the image serves as a powerful reminder of a different era in Wolverhampton. Having moved to Britain five years prior to the photograph, he remembered a scarcity of opportunities for young Black individuals. "Life is hard, no entertainment, nowhere to go, no fun," he said.
The Culture Centre on Clarence Street provided a vital outlet, evolving into a hub for music, dancing, and community connection. Logan views the photograph as a turning point in his life, a transition from unemployment to gaining skills and professional development. "This is where it starts, [I] went from unemployment, went from there into training, went from there into industry, construction or whatever, and now I'm passing on my skills," he reflected.
Steele-Perkins, in a 2014 interview with The Guardian, explained that he was commissioned by the Sunday Times magazine to photograph Wolverhampton in 1978 as part of a feature commemorating the 10th anniversary of Enoch Powell's controversial "Rivers of Blood" speech. He admitted that he initially had reservations about the photograph but has since seen its significance grow, and it has become his best-selling print.
An event marking the launch of a Wolverhampton exhibition is set to bring together several individuals from the photo, including Macka B, now an international reggae artist, his brother Owen MacFarlane, Casa Simpson, Lisa Green, and Sharon Underwood. All still reside in or around the city.
The exhibition originated after staff at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre saw the photograph during a visit to "The Music Is Black: A British Story" at the V&A East. Curator Tonia Daley-Campbell noted that the image stood out, representing "a memory. It's captured in time." She described the photograph's ability to vividly recreate the energy of the dance floor, stating, "You can hear it, you can smell it, you can feel that image."
Daley-Campbell aims to center the stories of the young people featured, stating, "We want to put all of the young people that were in that photo dancing, vibing, standing by the sound system, whatever they were doing, front and centre." The exhibition, titled "Culture Centre: Dance Floor Memories," opens at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre's Encore Lounge on October 4 and runs until October 31. Admission is free.
