Sally Rand (1904-1979) was a burlesque dancer, most well-known for her performances of the "bubble dance" and the "fan dance." Rand was born in the Ozarks of Missouri, her father was a corporal in the Spanish-American War and her mother was a Pennsylvania Dutch Quaker. Renowned ballerina Anna Pavlova inspired Rand to start learning dance. Rand began acting for a theater company during the 1920s. Rand became a burlesque performer shortly after the advent of sound technology for motion picture film in 1929, which stalled her acting career due to a pronounced lisp.

World's Fairs or International Expositions are large-scale exhibitions that highlight technology, agriculture and other innovations of national or cultural significance. These fairs are open to the general public and can run for three weeks to six months.

The Century of Progress International Exposition was held along Lake Michigan and Northerly Island Park in Chicago, Illinois, from May 27, 1933, to October 31, 1934. The theme was "Science Finds, Industry Applies, Man Conforms." The fair had more than 48 million visitors. A notable structure was the Sky Ride, and one of the highlights was the flight of the Graf Zeppelin airship.