Saturday, April 24, 2010

I WANT TO BE SINGING AND DANCING AT 92. DO YOU?

I had the wonderful opportunity to see the group, Young @ Heart perform in the American premiere of the musical END OF THE ROAD by the No Theater company at St. Ann's Warehouse in DUMBO, Brooklyn, New York! I know that that is quite a mouthful but I hope you will remember the group from their wonderful movie/documentary entitled: Young @ Heart. And don't think that the audience was comprised only of seniors because it wasn't! It was truly a multi-generational audience where everyone was rocking out especially when the group sang Sly and the Family Stone's "I Want To Take Yhou Higher!"

This is a chorus of over 30 dynamic people whose average is 80. Please take the time to read their story here! You'll love them, and get some good ideas for your own life!

Corporate America could learn a few things...the group doesn't focus only on songs from their generation .,..but also sang Dylan, Springsteen, BLONDIE, and Kurt Cobain and when they sang Only The Strong Survive...all I could think was--these people have definitely rewired..and continue to do so!

In fact I would recommend that you learn more about the group and a lot about life--- check out the full movie story. The chorus is entertaining, and much more! You'll learn who they are and I hope you'll begin to reflect on your life...or rather your own future.

The Young@Heart Chorus was created in 1982, and all of the original members lived in an elderly housing project in Northampton, Massachusetts, and only one original member is alive today. Bob Cilman, the Chorus Director is brilliant...a true leader who stretches his team. He is demanding of his singers; he doesn't do the expected and he even gets on stage with them. He is the best coach ever!

Bob Cilman gets everyone, including the audience, to think out of their comfort zone. Recognize that the group has set changes, costume changes, and they have to memorize I don't know how many songs---so when an assumption is made that seniors can't learn something new, give me a break! I write that line for both seniors and society! We all have to change our thinking! We can all rewire and learn new things---if we want to! The group Young at Heart is living proof of what is possible when you try!

Part of my future rewiring will be to sing with this group! I'm serious! So in preparation for the future--I am going to take singing lessons now. I'm pretty rusty, and definitely an alto and I know that you have to prepare for what you want in life! so what do you want to do when you're 92?

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