If you saw them walking together on the street, you might not give a second glance to this group of seniors. But when these 17 women, members of the Twilight Tappers, perform one of their exuberant Broadway show routines, they can and do ... stop traffic. Ranging in age from 50 to 90, they are taught by Judyth Nilsson, who also choreographs all the routines.
Nilsson, who works for Yale University as the assistant director of fund-raising, has been dancing since the tender age of 3. A student at the American Ballet Theatre, she eventually owned her own studio in Hamden where she taught ballet, jazz, tap and acrobatics.
The current Twilight Tapper's team captain, Sheryl De Mott, attended Nilsson's studio as a little girl. Although the studio closed some time ago, Nilsson never lost her love of dance. So, when a small group of women approached her to inquire about tap lessons, the Twilight Tappers, now in its 20th year, was born.
The group rehearses twice a week and strives to live up to the highest professional standards. They had been so thoroughly drilled to never react if something happened during a performance that true to their training, they never looked down but kept right on dancing around one member who had the misfortune to take a fall onstage.
Tap dancing is an especially healthful activity for seniors, according to Nilsson. It combines an aerobic workout with rhythm, uses most major muscles of the body and also engages the mind in memorizing a variety of routines. Lillian Angelo, whose 90th birthday was celebrated by the group with a big party where she was both toasted and roasted, is a shining example of the benefits of dancing.
As a matter of fact, the entire group may have found the next best thing to the long sought after fountain of youth.
Tap originated as a mixture of English clog, Irish step dancing and African drum rhythms. Some of the earliest best-known tappers were "Bojangles" Robinson, the Nicholas Brothers and Peg Leg Bates. Later, Kelly and Astaire added movements from ballet and modern dance. More recently, Gregory Hines and Savion Glover, producer of "Bring in the Noise, Bring in da Funk," the story of tap, have brought new attention and popularity to this dance form.
The current members of the Twilight Tappers come from New Haven, Hamden, North Haven, Wallingford and Shelton. They are Lillian Abbate, Lillian Angelo, Doryce Blake-Coon, Celia Bretko, Madalyn Caputo, Barbara Celotto, Sheryl DeMott, Valia Fusco, Audrey Giaquinto, Lyn Hurd, Lillian Jetmar, Marilyn Larolo, Jane Pallman, Gloria Raccio, Marcia Reiter, Jean Warner and Helen Yutenkas.
* For information about forthcoming performances or to arrange a performance for your club or group, contact Sheryl at sheryltoo@snet.net or call (203) 269-8270.
Jean Cherni
is founder of Senior Living Solutions, a retirement advisory
service. Contact her at jeancherni@sbcglobal.net or
15 The Ponds, Branford 06405.
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