
The Dapper Dans

The Dapper Dans are a barbershop quartet that performs at Disneyland in Anaheim, California (since 1959), at the Magic Kingdom at the Walt Disney World Resort (since 1971), and at Hong Kong Disneyland in Lantau Island, Hong Kong (from 2005 to 2008). A quartet (from the UK) also performed at Disneyland Paris from the opening in 1992 until 1995 and were known as The Main Street Quartet.
Details.
While the group usually performs as a quartet, they actually have up to twelve singers at each park, plus occasional substitutes. This allows them to have multiple quartets performing separately or to combine and form a larger ensemble. Membership has changed over the years as various singers have retired or died and new ones have been brought in to succeed them. Several of the Dapper Dans are members of the Barbershop Harmony Society.
At the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, the Dapper Dans perform 9 sets a day, 7 days a week. They can be found on the horse-drawn trolley in the morning, and all over Main Street USA during the afternoon, where visitors can be serenaded by the Dans while having their hair cut in a barbershop. At 5pm, the Dans join the Main Street Philharmonic and the Magic Kingdom Security Color Guard for the Flag Retreat Ceremony.
The Dans at Disneyland can be seen on their custom four-seater bicycle and in various locations around Main Street. The Dans at Hong Kong Disneyland stroll up and down Main Street from Town Square.
Another unique part of Dapper Dans lore is the fact that they use Deagan Organ Chimes as part of the act. Each of the eight chimes has three octaves of a single note, comprising a C scale. The Organ Chimes were made by the J.C. Deagan Company in Chicago, Illinois, around 1901.
Notable members.
The Dapper Dans have seen many renowned members since their creation in 1959. Barbershop Harmony Society international gold medalists Roger Ross, Myron Whittlesey, Mike McGee, Drew Kirkman, Drew Ochoa, and Kevin Miles have sung with the Dapper Dans, as well as four-time gold medalist Tony DeRosa. Members of the Dapper Dans also have included the Barbershop Harmony Society international collegiate quartet gold medalists Aaron Stratton, Paul Hesson, Chad Bennett, and Eric Monson; film and TV actor-comedian Monty Jordan; and Grammy Award winning Audio Engineer Tom Knox. The original Hong Kong Disneyland Dapper Dans consisted of the Hong Kong a cappella group Metro Vocal Group.