Signe Paterson

Signe Paterson (May 6, 1890 – August 15, 1963), sometimes written as Signe Patterson, was a Swedish-born American vaudeville dancer, celebrated both for her solo performances and as one-half of the jazz duo Hale and Paterson alongside Frank Hale.

Paterson introduced the shimmy — a dance known at the time as the Shimmy-She-a-Wabble —onto the American stage. She is also credited as the first non- Hawaiian to introduce the Hula to the United States, in the 1920s, raising awareness of the Hawaiian national dance on American shores.

Early life Paterson was born in Stockholm, Sweden in 1890 as the eldest of eleven siblings, including one brother and six sisters. As a teenager, Paterson performed around Sweden, including as the principal dancer of King Gustav V of Sweden, reportedly his favorite performer. At age 14, she left her hometown of Sundleyberg to become an Actor in America.

Career After leaving Sweden, Paterson moved to Rhode Island to live with family friends while studying English and dramatic arts. While still a young teenager, she joined the chorus of the Chicago production of Prince of Tonight, touring the US and Canada.

Soon after, Paterson joined the Chicago chorus of the show A Modern Eve, where she met her longtime dance partner Frank Hale. Due to the female lead's illness, Paterson was promoted to perform alongside Hale on opening night. Her debut was received enthusiastically by the audience, and Hale and Paterson went on to perform 300 shows in Chicago, a record for the era. She mingled in upper class and high society circles and was friendly with Grand Duke Boris of Russia, who regularly came to see her perform, as well as Alexander Montagu, the Duke of Manchester. Back in America, she taught society figures to dance in Newport, Palm Beach, and New York City, including Edith Rockefeller McCormick, who she taught to tango. and the London Opera House, and participated in numerous touring productions around the US, including the George M. Cohan Review, which toured in 1918. At the height of her fame, she appeared on the cover of Variety in January 1917, with five photos on the cover, including solo portraits as well as photos together with her partner Hale. While performing the Hula, she was backed by The Royal Hawaiian Orchestra. In addition to the Hula and the Shimmy, she is credited with introducing the Tango onto Broadway. and "Goddess of the Dance" president of the Port Tampa Women's Club, and helped organize the Port Tampa Library and Port Tampa Blood Bank.

Paterson contributed to war efforts on multiple occasions. During World War I, she served in the Women's Service Division in New York, also performing in training camps to entertain American troops. In Tampa, she helmed the Red Cross Canteen during World War II.

She had two children, a son named James A. Gervers and a son named Albert Gervers. Paterson died August 15, 1963, aged 73.