Arriving in Paris in 1984 to join the legendary Bluebell Girls cabaret troupe, Jackie Parr, Alex Dendy and Lucy Fauchon were young, tall and incredibly excited to be entering a glamorous world of towering, feathered headdresses, sparkling costumes and the lights of the Lido Theatre.
“We got to do what we loved and got paid for it – all while building a completely unique sense of friendship and camaraderie,” says Jackie.
Four decades later, they are scattered around the globe. Jackie, 62, lives in Auckland, while Alex, 58, fell in love and settled in Italy. Lucy, 62, moved to Las Vegas. But when the dazzling trio reunited in New Zealand earlier this year, it was as if no time had passed.
The close-knit friends insist that what never changes when they catch up is the joy they get from “reminiscing, shared laughter and bubbly Champagne”.
Thinking back to where it all began, they recall auditioning for the Bluebell Girls’ agent Peter Baker in the ’80s.
Jackie, who was 19 at the time, says, “Initially, I viewed dance as my ticket to adventure, a vibrant way to travel the world and experience new cultures.”
Chasing a dream on stage
Lucy dreamed of becoming an actress and saw joining the troupe as a chance to get her Equity card, a credential that marked her as working professionally in the
theatre industry.
Her desire was so strong that, after her first audition wasn’t successful because of limited training, she devoted two years to dance classes before being accepted at 20.
Alex, who was just 16 when she joined, explains, “I was trained in classical ballet and wanted to become a ballet dancer, but grew too tall.”
Her height made her perfect for the Bluebell Girls, who were known for being statuesque, often standing around 180cm tall.
“Tall, elegant, disciplined and prestigious” is how Alex describes the dancers.
When the show must go on
But once they were living in Paris, the trio quickly discovered that the glitz and glory also came with plenty of hard work. Their schedule was relentless. They performed two shows a night, six nights a week. Show call was at 10pm, with the first performance beginning at 10.30pm, followed by another at 12.30am.
The dancers finished at 2.30am. There were also weekly rehearsals.
Then there were the glorious get-ups.
“We were so lucky to wear the most beautifully styled costumes,” recalls Lucy.
“But some of our outfits were absolutely brutal. We had capes weighing 20kg, super- heavy headpieces and on top of all that, we had to perform in shoes with
7cm heels.”
Sometimes heels broke, costumes came loose or props malfunctioned, but they knew that the show must go on – with a smile.
“In those moments, the dancers just continued as if nothing had happened,” says Jackie.
A legacy spanning 94 years
Adds Alex, “The biggest thing we learned, aside from getting ready to go out in record-breaking time, was to accept and embrace all that you are, honour your own beauty, and never forget that the choices you make today shape the world you walk into tomorrow.”
Founded in 1932 by Irish dancer Margaret Kelly, known to many as Miss Bluebell, the troupe saw more than 14,000 women perform aroundthe world throughout its 94-year history.
While Jackie, Alex and Lucy all started dancing in Paris, their careers took them far. Jackie performed with Bluebells from 1984 to 1990, travelling through Europe, Japan, South America and the Caribbean. Alex spent five years, from 1984 to 1989, performing in Paris, Geneva and Monte Carlo, while Lucy’s Bluebell career lasted an incredible 22 years in Paris, Japan and Las Vegas until 2006.
But the biggest reward wasn’t the travel, the costumes or the applause.
“We became family,” Lucy says simply.
A reunion decades in the making
Despite eventually settling on opposite sides of the world, their bond has never wavered. All three have become proud mothers. Lucy and Alex pursued careers in education, while Jackie became a travel agent.
Social media has helped them stay connected over the years, but nothing beats being together in person. Their reunion in New Zealand gave them the chance to revisit old memories and create new ones. And perhaps that is the greatest legacy of their Bluebells years: three women who took a chance on adventure and found a friendship that lasted long after the curtain came down.
“We’re still ready for a world full of new adventures and meeting up to travel wherever the wind blows us,” smiles Jackie.
