By Maisha Hasan, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Syncopated clicking of heels tap along the baseboard of the stage, moving in tandem with the noise of show-tune tracks, taffeta skirts blur into a vibrant mesh of colour, creating the joyful spectacle that is The Burlington Footnotes.
On Tuesday, June 17, The Burlington Footnotes will bring their lively showcase, Gotta SING, Gotta DANCE!, to the Burlington Performing Arts Centre (BPAC) at 2 p.m. and again at 7 p.m.
The group is an enthusiastic ensemble of performers, spanning decades in age, knowledge, skill, and even gender: the Footnotes have their own male quartet. This year marks the first time they have welcomed younger members; prospective dancers can now join The Burlington Footnotes from the age of 18.
The visionary behind the group is Rosemarie Maurice, the sole founder and lead director since 1995. Maurice has worked with senior groups since the ‘80s, starting backstage as a choreographer.
“I didn’t have grandparents around growing up, and I just sort of gravitated to that age group… It motivates me, [the dancers] are very inspirational, so it’s kind of like they’re the fuel on my fire,” Maurice said.
After years of observing and teaching at seniors’ centres, Maurice noted that the only entertainment pushed toward seniors was cards or knitting, and other activities of that sort. Seniors seemed to her to be the forgotten part of the community, and Maurice was more than willing to offer more active opportunities that she saw were not otherwise offered to them.
“Studies have shown that dancing and learning choreographed routines significantly reduce the risks of dementia. And I say to them, I kind of think of you taking a class is like upgrading your mental Wi-Fi because it does allow for new brain cell growth, it helps to boost your memory, it improves your spatial awareness and balance…the additional side benefit, is the socialization and the friendships that are formed,” she said.
Burlington Footnotes hosts a variety of classes for different levels and styles, tailoring them to be accessible for each attendee. Attendees come to their first classes with varying levels of experience: there are some who used to dance in their youth, and newcomers who are just starting to learn to dance, picking up advice from the older dancers.
Now that the age restriction has been lowered, there is even a mother-daughter dance routine.
“I even have a men’s group, the Spice Guys, and believe it or not, they get up there and they get out, shake their tush, and they do some choreo and open their shirts up and the crowd goes wild. I mean, these are men in their 60s,” she marvelled.
Since moving their shows from high school gymnasiums to theatres like BPAC, it adds a level of professionalism, elevating the experience of both the audience and the performers.
Carefully chosen venues, choreography, and costume design are all vital aspects that empower the performers.
“They feel so young, I’ve gone to a dancer who was in her 80s, but she said ‘I feel like I’m 18! I can’t move like that, but it’s how I feel,’ so it’s great that they feel that way…there’s more of an awareness now, but to be able to be a part of that, creating the awareness in the community about older adults and their abilities — I just think that’s a great thing to do,” Maurice said.
One of the people touched by Maurice’s work is Susan Pritchard, a performer and a board member of The Burlington Footnotes.
After retiring from her long-standing career in special education, Pritchard returned to dance via the Burlington Footnotes as per a suggestion from her daughter.
“As a kid, I did ballet lessons, and then as an adult, I took the ballet class. I just have always enjoyed dancing and movement and that sort of thing. Performance is something I got into with the Footnotes. …I used to teach and you sort of expect your students to get up and do things outside their comfort zone, and then you think, ’Well, then I should do that too!’” Pritchard explained. “Before you go on stage, you think ‘Oh my gosh, what have I done?’ and then it’s the best experience ever.”
When she first joined, she lived in Burlington. Now, even from her home in Etobicoke, Pritchard finds time in her schedule to attend classes and meetings.
She appreciates the variety of dance and the range of classes available for each age group, including some for people with specific medical conditions, allowing her to learn to tap for the first time.
“It’s also a very high level of wanting you to achieve beyond what you think you can do in terms of performance or, you know, ‘Let’s try this, how did that feel?’ And the technique classes are really good, and then just the opportunities to learn more. So I had never taken tap, for instance, and then I started taking tap dancing lessons, and it’s so different from any of the ballet training that I’ve had. It [the Footnotes] is just wonderful for that,” she said.
For Pritchard and other performers, the stage has become a second home, a place to go beyond their expectations of themselves.
“I’m not a big extroverted person that craves all sorts of people all the time, [but] I love going to dance classes and meeting with people that are new to dance or people that have been dancing for years and years, because we’re all there for the same purpose, which is to learn something and put it together. And the social aspect…as we age, it’s really important to remember not to just sit inside and do something we’re used to doing,” she continued.
“I really miss it when I don’t do it!” said Pritchard.
On June 17, Pritchard and the other Footnotes will light up the stage as the showgirls and showmen they have become through the year, despite age and expectations. For more information and to buy tickets, visit the BPAC website or the Burlington Footnotes’ website. The Burlington Footnotes are always looking to expand their membership.
