A student at the Sammy Dyer School of Dancing, Shirley Hall Bass became an original Dyerette when the chorus group was formed in 1950 by choreographer Sammy Dyer. When he died in 1960, Hall Bass took over directorship of the school and established a cultural exchange program between students there and at the Bahamas Dance Theatre. She served in this role until her death in 1998.

 

These photographs and programs were saved by Shirley Hall Bass and shared with CDHP by her niece, Cristin Carole. They depict life touring as a Dyerette, an African American female chorus act formed by Sammy Dyer, and include promotional shots and backstage photographs with performers such as Nat "King" Cole and Sammy Davis, Jr. The collection also includes several programs from the Sammy Dyer School's annual productions.