Dance Revolution

by Nimal Sedera

The life in the west is far different from the east. The west begin to enjoy life after retirement and the east

 begins a spiritual life after retirement. Which one of these is more correct is a matter that no one knows.

In a city that entertainment is the priority among the happy living people, in a newspaper I found the information about a dance group consisting of old women. Believe it or not, in this dance group there are women who are Ninety five years in age actively engaged in dancing.

This wonderful dance group is in USA Las-Vegas in the Sun city Summerlin. On the 23rd of March 2007 in the "Las Vegas Journal" in Arts and Style page was a full page article about this group with several colour photographs. The dance troop in their dancing costumes looked pretty and young. But when reading the article I found that their average age is SEVENTY SEVEN YEARS.

Sun city dance Company, a non profit group was formed in the year 1990 with dance loving twelve women. It has now grown to more than fourteen times in size and the membership stands at 177. Only the ladies over sixty five years are enroled in to the dance group and they mainly do TAP dancing.

One need not know dancing to join the team. They have regular practice and training and physical exercises are done to train the ladies. The head of the dance troop says "Ladies in their sixties have enough time for recreation.

They have time for fun and they need activity to keep them going. It's bad to spend time seated and watching television. To work together is fun we have a wonderful time in our dance practises."

Members of the group meet twice a week for dance lesson. They have regular performances at the Star Bright theatre. In addition to it they perform to raise funds for social service organizations, and schools. The most

popular places for their performances are the elders homes. All fund they raise is for CHARITY.

THE OLDEST MEMBER IN THE DANCE PERFORMING GROUP WAS 95 YEARS. SHE IS ESTELLA MORN AND SHE RETIRED FROM THE STAGE LAST FALL.

Winne Campbell is 86 and is a original member who is active in the dance group. She relates a wonderful story "I loved dancing as a kid.... but my parents could not afford the fees. I had to abandon the idea. I began after sixty five years and here I am on stage fulfilling my life dream of becoming a dancer...?"

Liz Burky joined the dance group at the age of seventy after her husband passed away... "I didn't have anything to do after my husband was gone... I was looking for a way to spend my time and be happy... I learnt dancing so fast... and I have lots of friends and happy I am"

We think learning at old age is difficult. Majority of these dancers have never ever done Tap dancing before. They begin after 65 and become masters of the dance. One lady at 83 said.. "It's all mind game... If you think you can you can... It is a matter of attitude... One is never too old to learn.."

My wife and I paid a visit to the Sun city Summerlin club and to the complex where only people above 55 are allowed to own house. The facilities provided to the community and the landscaping of the vast complex and the high standard of cleanliness maintained gave us the impression that it was "The heaven on earth"

No wonder these ladies though old look live like angels.