Florence Waren

Florence Waren (1917-2012), born Sadie Rigal, was a South African dancer who performed at the Bal Tabarin.

Biography Sadie Rigal was born in 1917.

She moved to France from South Africa in 1938, and was soon hired by the Bal Tabarin. In 1939, she was offered a place in the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, but World War II began before she could join.

Florence married Stanley Waren in 1949, who she met performing in New York City at the Copacabana with Frederic.

Documentary There is a documentary about her by her son Mark Waren, titled Dancing Lessons. He also made two documentaries about her friends, Romance and Resistance and The Count of Montmarte. Romance and Resistance is about Gisy Varga, a Hungarian-born nude dancer at the Bal Tabarin who had an affair with a Jewish doctor and hid him from the Nazis. The Count of Montmarte is about Mario Lembo, a gay Italian aristocrat-turned-performer and member of Josephine Baker’s touring company, who supported the resistance and aided Jews.