Pineapple Dance Studios
Encyclopedia
Pineapple Dance Studios is a dance studio complex based in the Covent Garden
area of central London
, England. It was founded by the English model and businesswoman Debbie Moore
in 1979. The studio is used for castings and rehearsals by dance companies
, record label
s, television network
s, film studios, West End shows
, cruise line
s, talent
and model agencies. According to BBC London
, it is "one of the world's premier dance studios". Ballet.co.uk called it a "mecca for dancers".
The studios are primarily a venue for dance training. Pineapple Dance Studios has an associated clothing brand. Pineapple Dance Studios are commonly referred to simply as Pineapple.
. Having retired from modelling, a sudden weight gain led Moore to be diagnosed with an underactive thyroid. After her first marriage ended, she gained three stone and started dancing to stay in shape. The Covent Garden dance studios she was attending closed in 1979 and she bought a former pineapple warehouse on Langley Street, in Covent Garden
, where she set up Pineapple Dance Studios.
, Moore was also experienced in clothing design and manufacture. During the early 1980s, she began developing her own line of dance-wear, most notably using Lycra, which at that time was not a widely used fabric. She sold her designs through a shop at the dance studios and this ultimately lead to the formation of the Pineapple clothing brand. The Pineapple brand now retails dance-inspired clothing through 12 sites in the UK and in 2000, Moore secured a deal with the Debenhams
chain of department store
s, who now retail Pineapple branded products worldwide.
Pineapple Dance Studios launched the Pineapple Eye-wear range of glasses in August 2010.
and Andrew Stone were first shown on 14 February 2010 on Sky1. With narration by ex-BBC newsreader Michael Buerk
, it was a documentary that included impromptu dancing and the promotional tag-line: "Pineapple Dance Studios: Where careers are made, dreams are broken, bitching is an Olympic sport and everyone is fabulous!".
Although the documentary series will not be returning, production company Pulse Films are currently shooting a follow up series which follows a broader spectrum of people as they attempt to break into the world of show-business. The new series is currently being recorded under the title Louie Spence's Showbusiness
and is scheduled to air in early 2011.
Covent Garden
Covent Garden is a district in London on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St. Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit and vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist site, and the Royal Opera House, which is also known as...
area of central London
Central London
Central London is the innermost part of London, England. There is no official or commonly accepted definition of its area, but its characteristics are understood to include a high density built environment, high land values, an elevated daytime population and a concentration of regionally,...
, England. It was founded by the English model and businesswoman Debbie Moore
Debbie Moore
Debbie Moore OBE , is an English model and business woman who is most noted as the founder of Pineapple Dance Studios and its associated clothing brand...
in 1979. The studio is used for castings and rehearsals by dance companies
Dance company
A dance troupe or dance company is a group of dancers and associated personnel who work together to perform dances as a spectacle or entertainment.-Members:*Artistic Director*Choreographers*Dancers*Board of Directors*Education administrator...
, record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
s, television network
Television network
A television network is a telecommunications network for distribution of television program content, whereby a central operation provides programming to many television stations or pay TV providers. Until the mid-1980s, television programming in most countries of the world was dominated by a small...
s, film studios, West End shows
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
, cruise line
Cruise line
A cruise line is a company that operates cruise ships. Cruise lines have a dual character; they are partly in the transportation business, and partly in the leisure entertainment business, a duality that carries down into the ships themselves, which have both a crew headed by the ship's captain,...
s, talent
Talent agent
A talent agent, or booking agent, is a person who finds jobs for actors, authors, film directors, musicians, models, producers, professional athletes, writers and other people in various entertainment businesses. Having an agent is not required, but does help the artist in getting jobs...
and model agencies. According to BBC London
BBC London
BBC London is the BBC English Region producing local radio, television, teletext and online services in London and parts of the surrounding area. Its output includes the daily BBC London News and the weekly Politics Show on television, the BBC London 94.9 radio station and local coverage of the...
, it is "one of the world's premier dance studios". Ballet.co.uk called it a "mecca for dancers".
The studios are primarily a venue for dance training. Pineapple Dance Studios has an associated clothing brand. Pineapple Dance Studios are commonly referred to simply as Pineapple.
Origins
Pineapple Dance Studios was founded by the English model and businesswoman Debbie MooreDebbie Moore
Debbie Moore OBE , is an English model and business woman who is most noted as the founder of Pineapple Dance Studios and its associated clothing brand...
. Having retired from modelling, a sudden weight gain led Moore to be diagnosed with an underactive thyroid. After her first marriage ended, she gained three stone and started dancing to stay in shape. The Covent Garden dance studios she was attending closed in 1979 and she bought a former pineapple warehouse on Langley Street, in Covent Garden
Covent Garden
Covent Garden is a district in London on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St. Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit and vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist site, and the Royal Opera House, which is also known as...
, where she set up Pineapple Dance Studios.
Clothing brand
Having been regularly employed by the clothing and textiles company CourtauldsCourtaulds
Courtaulds was a United Kingdom-based manufacturer of fabric, clothing, artificial fibres, and chemicals.-Foundation:The Company was founded by George Courtauld and his cousin Peter Taylor in 1794 as a silk, crepe and textile business at Pebmarsh in north Essex trading as George Courtauld & Co...
, Moore was also experienced in clothing design and manufacture. During the early 1980s, she began developing her own line of dance-wear, most notably using Lycra, which at that time was not a widely used fabric. She sold her designs through a shop at the dance studios and this ultimately lead to the formation of the Pineapple clothing brand. The Pineapple brand now retails dance-inspired clothing through 12 sites in the UK and in 2000, Moore secured a deal with the Debenhams
Debenhams
Debenhams plc is a British retailer operating under a department store format in the UK, Ireland and Denmark, and franchise stores in other countries. The Company was founded in the eighteenth century as a single store in London and has now grown to around 160 shops...
chain of department store
Department store
A department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...
s, who now retail Pineapple branded products worldwide.
Pineapple Dance Studios launched the Pineapple Eye-wear range of glasses in August 2010.
Documentary
A docusoap following Pineapple Studios and its employees such as Louie SpenceLouie Spence
Louie Spence is a dance expert, choreographer and television personality who is currently the artistic director at the London Pineapple Dance Studios...
and Andrew Stone were first shown on 14 February 2010 on Sky1. With narration by ex-BBC newsreader Michael Buerk
Michael Buerk
Michael Duncan Buerk is a BBC journalist and newsreader, most famous for his reporting of the Ethiopian famine on 23 October 1984, which inspired the Band Aid charity record.-Early life:...
, it was a documentary that included impromptu dancing and the promotional tag-line: "Pineapple Dance Studios: Where careers are made, dreams are broken, bitching is an Olympic sport and everyone is fabulous!".
Although the documentary series will not be returning, production company Pulse Films are currently shooting a follow up series which follows a broader spectrum of people as they attempt to break into the world of show-business. The new series is currently being recorded under the title Louie Spence's Showbusiness
Louie Spence's Showbusiness
Louie Spence's Showbusiness is a docusoap that is the follow-up series to Pineapple Dance Studios. It was announced by Louie Spence on Alan Carr: Chatty Man on 9 July 2010 and he stated that the series would be "the same, but bigger; if that's possible." It has a similar format to its predecessor...
and is scheduled to air in early 2011.