L. A. Knockers

LA Knockers: Marilyn, Jennifer, Yana

June 22, 2010

Miracles of the Internet age!

Yesterday, I searched Google for LA Knockers and found 4 wonderful videos on You Tube, of this amazing dance group, lovingly edited by Marilyn Corwin, the curly hair blond bombshell I fondly remember.

I logged on to Facebook and found her email, I wrote her a message and she CALLED ME!

Not only that, but she put me in touch with LA Knockers creator and choreographer, my old friend Jennifer Stace.  She is now living in Baja California, close to the other stunning dancer, Yana Nirvana!

I used to photograph these wonderful girls in all kinds of fantastic attires and dance poses, when I was a photo-journalist living in Hollywood, starting from 1976 until 1984.

I will now edit all these images, select my favorites and post them on this blog.

I hope lots of old and new fans will find this and leave their comments.

Thanks!

Elisa Leonelli, photographer (see About LA Knockers page for more info)

And now enjoy the first LA Knockers video (more to come as  you scroll down)

L. A. Knockers first photo session

Yana, Jennifer, Marilyn

June 24, 2010

I first saw the LA Knockers perform live at the Starwood in 1976, and I was – literally – knocked out by their exciting dance energy.

So I immediately asked Jennifer if we could do a photo sessions, because I had just started working as a photo-journalist and I was contributing to the theater section of the Italian magazines TEMPO and ESPRESSO. They wanted me to send photographs and text about visually interesting and risqué performers.

I didn’t even have a studio yet at the time, so a borrowed the space from my photographer friend Ave Pildas, and we did various set-ups for the layout: red tutus against a huge dark grey backdrop, white leotards against white, black costumes on red, also, in an outdoor location by the fire-escape, a cheerleaders theme, with football helmet and pom-pons.

Jennifer, Marilyn, Yana

Jennifer, Marilyn, Yana

Yana, Jennifer, Marilyn

Jennifer, Marilyn and Yana even posed for me in the costumes for their movie CINDERELLA, as the stepmother and stepsisters Marbella and Drucella.

We want to know if you’re checking us out, log on to our blog, so leave a comment with your email and we’ll send you the Cinderella photo!

L. A. Knockers in motion

Jennifer, Patti, Becky, Lisa, Eileen, Yana

July 9, 2010

In November 1980 we did another photo session in my Hollywood studio to create updated publicity shots for the new line-up.  Some of the costumes are familiar, a few of the dancers have changed.
Kim Blank and Kimberlee Carlson are gone (don’t worry, they will be back, as will Marilyn Corwin), but Yana Nirvana is once again in the L.A. Knockers.
Two new dancers have been added.  Spot them in the revised costumes for the “Women” song by the Village People:
Jennifer Stace as Boxer, Patti Nelson as Military Cadet, Becky Jordan as Cowboy, Lisa Durazo as Sailor, Eileen Molloy as Military Police, Yana Nirvana as Baseball player.

This is the description with the You Tube videos, and Part 2.

The L.A. Knockers – a dynamite female cabaret dance ensemble of the 70’s – 80’s toured the U.S., Japan, and Canada appearing on stage, in films, commercials and videos. Street dances- locking-waacking-disco-funk-ballroom-jazz choreographed and stylized by creator and director, Jennifer Stace and featured Yana Nirvana, Marilyn Corwin, Kimberlee Carlson, Kim Blank, Lissa Kastin, Denice Polk, Joan Wulfsohn, Becky Jordan, Susan Lonergan, Eileen Molloy, Lisa Lecover, Lisa Durazo. Editing by MARILYN CORWIN

L.A. Knockers and Joan

Patti, Eileen, Yana, Lisa. Becky, Jennifer, Joan

July 9, 2010

Here are the L. A. Knockers in their trademark black tights and fishnet tops for the notorious dance number “It ain’t the Meat, it’s the Motion”: Patti Nelson, Eileen Molloy, Yana Nirvana, Lisa Durazo, Becky Jordan.
Sitting in front choreographer Jennifer Stace and artistic advisor Joan Wolfsohn.
In her upcoming autobiography, “The Philosopher’s Daughter”, Jennifer talks about meeting Joan, then a ballet teacher at Dupree’s Dance Academy, in the early 70s; Joan introduced Jennifer to one of her students, the striking Yana Nirvana, and the L.A. Knockers were born.  We can’t wait to read the whole exciting story when this book is published.

And here’s the line-up, look at those legs!

Patti, Eileen, Yana, Lisa, Becky

L.A. Knockers act out

Eileen, Yana, Jennifer, Lisa, Patti, Becky

July 9, 2010

In this set-up “Acting Out” in the back row: Eileen Molloy, Yana Nirvana, Jennifer Stace in white leotards and feathered boas for the dance number  “Vision Aurora”, in the front row: Lisa Durazo, Patti Nelson, Becky Jordan in pink leotards for “Love Vibrations”.

One last set-up.  Standing in the back:  Eileen Molloy, Yana Nirvana, Becky Jordan, in black costumes for the dance number “Have a Cigar”.  Kneeling in front with wigs: Lisa Durazo, Patti Nelson for the punk number “Rock Lobster”.

Eileen, Yana, Becky, Lisa, Patti

Patti, Lisa

Yana Nirvana

Yana as Valkyrie

July 12, 2010

Look at this photo session we did with Yana Nirvana in October 1983, read what I wrote to accompany the layout!

“Who is this Valkyrie let out of a German mythology comic book? It’s Yana Nirvana doing her takeoff of a female bodybuilder.
Aerobic dancer, stand-up comic, health and fitness writer, bodybuilder … Ms. Nirvana is performing at GIO’S Cabaret in Los Angeles with the L.A. KNOCKERS, the outrageous all girls dance group.

Yana

Yana

L.A. Knockers on Melrose

Jennifer, Lissa, Yana

July 21, 2010

Today I was editing my early photos of theater performances, and found snapshots of the L.A. Knockers attending the first Melrose Street Festival organized by Theater Row, May 16, 1976.
This is actually when I first met them, liked what I saw, and we organized that studio session that I talked about in the beginning.
See Lissa Kastin, one the five original Knockers, standing between Jennifer Stace and Yana Nirvana.  Marilyn Corwin was also there, and so was Denise Polk.