View source for Pepsi Bethel

{{Short description|American jazz dancer and choreographer (1918-2002)}}
{{refimprove|date=October 2019}}
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'''Alfred "Pepsi" Bethel''' (August 31, 1918, [[Greensboro, North Carolina]] – August 30, 2002, [[New York City]]) was a [[jazz dance]]r, [[choreography|choreographer]], and leader of his own dance troupe, the '''Pepsi Bethel Authentic Jazz Dance Theater''', which he founded in 1960.<ref name="guardian1">Terry Monaghan, [https://www.theguardian.com/news/2002/sep/28/guardianobituaries.arts Pepsi Bethel, Lindy-hopping jazz dancer who choreographed the celebratory revue One Mo' Time], [[The Guardian]] September 27, 2002</ref>

==Career==
He began his career with dances like the [[Cakewalk]], [[Lindy hop]], and [[Charleston (dance)|Charleston]] at the [[Savoy Ballroom]] in [[Harlem]], and worked with the [[Mura Dehn]] Jazz Ballet and other companies before forming his own troupe. He is known for choreographing the Lindy Hop jazz routine [[Tranky Doo]].<ref name="nyt1">[[Jennifer Dunning]], [https://www.nytimes.com/2002/09/06/arts/pepsi-bethel-83-a-champion-of-american-popular-dance.html Pepsi Bethel, 83, a Champion Of American Popular Dance], [[New York Times]], September 6, 2002</ref>

Bethel worked as a consultant and choreographer on several shows directed by [[Vernel Bagneris]], including two productions of ''[[One Mo' Time (musical)|One Mo' Time]]'', ''[[Staggerlee]]'' (1987) and ''Jelly Roll!'' (1994). In 1980, his work as a choreographer was honored in ''Celebration of Men in Dance'' at the Thelma Hill Performing Arts Center in [[Brooklyn]]. Four years later, he staged the revue ''An Evening With Charles Cook and Friends'' at [[Aaron Davis Hall]] and was a production consultant ''Sing Hallelujah!'' at the [[Village Gate]] in 1987.<ref name="nyt1"/>

==Death==
He died the day before his 84th birthday in New York City.<ref name="guardian1"/>

==References==
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==External links==
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* {{IMDB name}}
* [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL02CEB0D49761E142 Pepsi Bethel], on YouTube

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[[Category:1918 births]]
[[Category:2002 deaths]]
[[Category:American jazz dancers]]
[[Category:American choreographers]]
[[Category:People from Greensboro, North Carolina]]
[[Category:Artists from New York City]]
[[Category:20th-century American dancers]]