The Track - E043 - Marge Takier

The Track with Ryan Swift

In this episode, I am joined by Balboa legend, Marge Takier. Marge began dancing in Southern California in the 1950’s and soon after met her longtime husband and dance partner Hal Takier. Hal and Marge became a dance partnership that was looked up to by generations of dancers to follow, both in person to young dancers in California, and around the world through video clips of their dancing. Marge and Hal were inducted into the California Swing Dance Hall of Fame in 2000.

Marge joined me at Camp Hollywood to talk about learning to dance at the Lido Ballroom, dancing to big band greats like Count Basie and Benny Goodman at Disneyland, the start of the now-legendary Big Band Sunday dances at Bobby McGee’s, and unwittingly becoming a swing DJ icon.

She also paid tribute to her late husband by sharing stories of his dance legacy, including meeting and dancing with him for the first time, his unique dance style, and his filmed work during the Swing Era in Soundies - the original music videos.