Dinkie Flowers
Born: 00 . 05 . 1921
First Appearance: April 1973
Curtain Up: 23 . 06 . 2026
1973 programme entry Dinkie Stapleton [Dinkie’s stage name]
04/1973 – The Boy Friend – Lolita – Tango arranged by
04/1974 – An Italian Straw Hat – Clotilde, Wedding Guest – Front of House
04/1976 – My Fair Lady – Entertainer, Choreographer
12/1984 – Ring Round the Moon – Choreography
Ray Hopper wrote this for the Newsletter #88 August 2026
We heard of the death of this remarkable lady from an announcement in our church. She was the dance teacher to many generations of Shoreham children after she retired from professional dancing as Dinkie Stapleton, using the sprung floor of St. Mary’s Hall as her dance studio.
She had a few appearances with Wick in the 1970’s and 80’s, firstly as the exotic dancer Lolita in Barrie Bowen’s 1973 production of The Boy Friend. The publicity page of the Brighton Gazette had a piece by Walter Hix telling of Dinkie’s colourful early life as an acrobatic dancer, then an ice dancer. Appearing at the British Trade Fair in Baghdad on a specially constructed ice rink, a wealthy Arab gentleman offered to buy the rink, including Dinkie! She travelled widely as an ice dancer, teaching the art to King Faisal. In his review of the play Walter noted “A high spot of the evening was the Tango danced by Dinkie Flowers and Robert Bolt.”
She next appeared as Clothilde the maid in Nicky le Roy’s madcap production of An Italian Straw Hat in May 1974, and then choreographer for our 1976 production of My Fair Lady. Her final work for us was as choreographer for our award winning 1984 production of Ring Round the Moon.
She found further fame in later life when at 98 she appeared as a contestant on the BBC TV production of The Greatest Dancer, when her still amazing flexibility won much acclaim from the judges.
She was often seen in and around Shoreham, and always greeted you warmly without the faintest idea who you were. Pam and I last saw her last summer, parked in her wheelchair with her carer next to the Shoreham air crash memorial. As usual we were warmly greeted, this time with an invitation to visit her at her flat.
What an incredible force of nature she was, and a privilege for all of us to have known her.
She next appeared as Clothilde the maid in Nicky le Roy’s madcap production of “An Italian Straw Hat” in May 1974, and then choreographer for our 1976 production of “My Fair Lady”. Her final work for us was as choreographer for our award winning 1984 production of “Ring Round the Moon”
She found further fame in later life when at 98 she appeared as a contestant on the BBC TV production of The Greatest Dancer, when her still amazing flexibility won much acclaim from the judges.
She was often seen in and around Shoreham, and always greeted you warmly without the faintest idea who you were. Pam and I last saw her last summer, parked in her wheelchair with her carer next to the Shoreham air crash memorial. As usual we were warmly greeted, this time with an invitation to visit her at her flat.
What an incredible force of nature she was, and a privilege for all of us to have known her.