First and foremost, we at ImaSortsphile want to apologize for the video quality at the start of this video….albeit does straighten out midway through the program….as with this video along with all 3000 others currently posted on our site….were all taped on Sony BetaMax cassettes some 35+ years ago….when we weren’t even a gleam in our daddy’s eye.
The 1985 MoTown 25th Year Anniversary Show leads off with The Lester Wilson Dancers performing a choreographed adaptation of the MoTown’s Martha + The Vandellas popular hit….Dancing In The Streets….as America’s favorite disc jockey, Dick Clark, introduces the incredible list of superstars who will grace the stage at this celebration of MoTown providing the world with The MoTown Sound for the prior 25 years.
Lester Wilson (April 13, 1942 – February 14, 1993) was an African-American dancer, choreographer, and actor….who attended the Juilliard School….when Bob Fosse cast him in a 1963 revival of Pal Joey at the New York City Center. Wilson toured London with Sammy Davis, Jr. in Golden Boy….and his choreography is best known for the 1977 movie Saturday Night Fever….in which he coached John Travolta. Wilson also choreographed for Diana Ross, Dalida, Gladys Knight, Billy Crystal, Liza Minnelli and Ann-Margret, in her Las Vegas stage spectaculars. He also choreographed the 1992 movie Sister Act.
Martha and the Vandellas were an American all-femal vocal group formed in 1957….who achieved fame in the 1960’s with Motown….with a string of hits that included “Come and Get These Memories”, “Heat Wave”, “Quicksand”, “Nowhere to Run”, “Jimmy Mack”, “Bless You” and “Dancing in the Street”….which became their signature single. During their nine-year run on the charts from 1963 to 1972….Martha and the Vandellas charted over twenty-six hits….and recorded in the styles of doo-wop, R&B, pop, blues, rock and roll and soul…..as ten Martha and the Vandellas songs reached the top ten of the Billboard R&B singles chart….including two R&B # 1 in Heat Wave and Dancing In The Streets….and six Top Ten Pop Hits on the Billboard Hot 100.
