The Silvertaps Carole Metcalf and Judi Grant.
Camera IconThe Silvertaps Carole Metcalf and Judi Grant. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Northern suburbs: Senior dancers keep moving with rhythm of life

Lucy JarvisWanneroo Times

SENIORS determined not to slow down are stepping onto dance floors across Perth.

Duncraig resident Carole Metcalf (73) has paired up with Judi Grant (70), of Como, as The Silvertaps dancing duo.

“We have been competing in local dance competitions and festivals in the mature and motivated tap dance division,” Mrs Metcalf said.

PerthNow Digital Edition.
Your local paper, whenever you want it.

Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE

Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.

READ NOW

The pair have danced under the banners Dance HQ and the James Luplau Dance Company and last month danced at the Mandurah Festival of Dance.

Earlier in the year, they won the West Coast Dance Festival at Sacred Heart College, the City of Bayswater Dance Festival, the West Coast Dance Festival held in Geraldton and the Star Search Festival held in Kwinana.

“We love to dance, and hopefully can encourage other seniors to take up dancing in one form or another,” Mrs Metcalf said.

“We also are happy to perform for charity and fundraising functions along with singers who accompany us.”

Another company for mature dancers, Momentum Dance will perform UNSTOPPABLE at Prendiville Catholic College in Ocean Reef on Saturday at 2pm.

The company has dancers aged 48 to 64, including former WA Ballet principal dancer Ron Vandenberg and former Tasdance and Buzz Dance director Phillippa Clarke.

The group meets once a week for three hours of rehearsal, and commissions choreographers to create dance works on older bodies.

This weekend’s show will be their first public performance, coinciding with the group’s first anniversary.

Member Liz Cornish, who has danced professionally in France and New York, said there were challenges for the part-time group.

“Three hours is not very long, and meeting only once a week makes it hard to generate continuity,” she said.

“Mentally it is difficult to remember movement when there are six days to forget it.

“Physically, there is a constant battle to find the balance between enthusiasm and injury, to build up stamina and strength without breaking.

“Emotionally, huge things happen in people’s lives away from the studio – marriages of children, births of grandchildren, graduations, engagements, deaths of parents.

“All these momentous occasions can leave little space in the head for retention of movement sequences.

“Momentum are finding a way to make it work; constantly evolving to find the best way to make it sustainable because we all just want to keep dancing.”

Book tickets for the August 5 show through www.trybooking.com .

MORE: Exclusive drone footage of new Mitchell Freeway extension

MORE: Bull mastiff responsible for Sue Lopicich’s death to be put down

MORE: Fire in Orelia cannabis house prompts call for vigilance