Story: Jazz and dance bands

Saturday night dance, Dunedin, 1950s

The enormous popularity of public dancing is evident from this photo of a Saturday night dance at the Dunedin Town Hall, probably in early 1955. Large and enthusiastic crowds like this kept numbers of musicians in regular employment and encouraged the development of a thriving jazz scene.

Using this item

Otago Daily Times

Reference: Evening Star

Permission of the Otago Daily Times must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

All images & media in this story

How to cite this page

Chris Bourke, Jazz and dance bands – Early New Zealand jazz bands, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/44944/saturday-night-dance-dunedin-1950s (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Chris Bourke, published 8 April 2014.

Comments

Coral Kerr
09 April 2021

In Dunedin c1959 1961. those about 16 and 17 went to St.Johns dance. Then we moved on to the Town Hall. Many of us met our life partners this way. What happy nights we had. No alcohol, no smoking. The streets were safe at 11pm . What wonderful nights and great memories. My husband aged 80 died last year. We had such lovely nights at Joe Browns.