“Legacy In Motion” could not have been a more appropriate name for the team representing The Legacy Senior Communities in the recent Aaron Family Jewish Community Center’s version of America’s Got Talent, the “J’s Got Talent” competition. Seniors and staff members of The Legacy Willow Bend demonstrated just what being “In Motion” looks like as they danced to a lively selection of music. The team went up against dancers of all ages, including high school students, and they won the entire competition. The seniors’ energy, humorous approach and spunk truly demonstrated that there is life at The Legacy Senior Communities. They defied stereotypes by giving the crowd something to cheer about and enjoy. When watching them, the audience was engaged, clapping, laughing and full of energy. The team reminded everyone what it is like to feel truly alive.
“I had a blast putting together the choreography for our routine, and I was really hoping to capture what life is like in our community. The dance involved a combination of line dancing and Latin salsa and merengue with a little freestyle and a lot of just shaking and having fun,” described Alice Carpenter, wellness coordinator for The Legacy Willow Bend. “The best part was seeing the way the seniors really put their own personalities and animation into the routine. You couldn’t help but love watching it.”
One of the participating members, Irene Rosenberg, was a bit worried about how well the group would do when initially asked to join the team and perform. Only one or two had any real experience with dance, but Rosenberg decided to gather her courage and accept the challenge with the others.
“We learned small sections of the routine at a time, and I began to feel very comfortable with all the music and enjoyed the rehearsals. We were a cohesive group of cronies who supported each other completely,” said Rosenberg. “The music was so upbeat. It was energizing, and we were overjoyed at the fact that we had won — unbelievable!”
RIGHT: Pictured from left are Sherry Goldberg, Stuart Prescott, Myra Prescott and Alan Shor.
That was the same reaction that many in the audience had, including Staci Shapiro Rubin. She attended to watch her grandmother, Ann Zetley, perform with The Legacy Senior Communities’ team.
“It is not every day that you get to see your 92 year old grandmother performing on stage,” said Rubin. “The performance was so amazing. The excitement from the crowd was energizing. My ‘Nanna’ was having the time of her life, and I could tell how happy she was dancing and smiling.”
Rubin witnessed the way practicing twice a week and then performing with the group for this event gave her grandmother a renewed sense of purpose. She and her grandmother are very close, so being able to see her “Nanna” live out her golden years in a place of true community support has been extremely important.
“The way the team of seniors and staff members of The Legacy Willow Bend lit up the stage with their lively performance was a true depiction of the energetic and fun-filled lifestyle that exists in our communities,” said Andrea Statman, director of development for The Legacy Senior Communities. “We are proud of this honor, and we are thrilled that the spectacular dance routine made a lasting impression on the audience.”
The Legacy Senior Communities competed against teams representing Yavneh Academy, The Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas, Jewish Family Service and The Aaron Family JCC. By winning, the team earned a $1,000 donation to Legacy Senior Communities.
