COLUMBUS, Ohio / Columbus Local News / October 5, 2009
JOLLY GOOD
Grandview's Jollysteppers keep active through dance
By Donavon Campbell
Ask Mary Lou Wright to tell you how old she is and she'll give you a straight answer:
"Can't do that."
Wright is one of the Jollysteppers, a Grandview-based group of line-dancing senior citizens who travel throughout Central Ohio, showing off their ability to cut a rug at festivals, celebrations, senior centers and other venues. "Senior citizen," however, is the best clue you're going to get when it comes to Wright's age.
"I don't even tell my kids how old I am," she said.
Mary Ervin has been directing the group since 1981 and said the group was started by Grandview resident Mary Madison, now in her 90s, sometime in the 1970s. Ervin, a Grandview resident herself, grew up as a dancer and has been teaching dance to all ages for the last 28 years. Ervin said she's often amazed by the group she refers to as her "kids."
"I think the seniors are my most gratifying," Ervin said. "Some of them take heart pills or have knee replacements, but they're still out there dancing."
SNP photo by Donavon Campbell
Ervin, who said most of the group's members are between 69 and 90 years old, explained that the Jollysteppers generally practice twice a week at the Grandview Center and have choreographed dances to a wide variety of songs from the 1980s, '90s and even more recent than that. "Whatever's popular," she said. "We're working on some Michael Jackson since he passed away."
During summer or around the holidays -- the busy season -- the Jollysteppers will perform as often as two to three times a week, Ervin said. "I work them hard," she said, "but honestly, some days they have more energy than me."
Ervin said the Jollysteppers probably perform as many as 100 times in a given year. Rosella Holly, a north Columbus resident who has been involved with the Jollysteppers at least part time for nine years, said there are a variety of reasons to be a part of the group. "It's great exercise, it's great companionship," Holly said. "Since I've retired, this is just a way of life. It's wonderful."
Other members of the Jollysteppers include Sue Cremean, Gloria DePietro, Alice Early, Dina Hively, Betty Lahr, Bill Molengraft, Dianne Monroe, Sabatino Pallotta, Tony Petrella, Nancy Rogers, Ginnie Scheltz, Dick Sheeran, Rose Shifflet, Thelma Sibio, Dorothy Spiva, Lori Storin, Sophia Vernon and Dee Williams. The Jollysteppers have performed at the Mayor's Cookout, the Lazy Daze of Summer arts festival, St. Christopher's Church festival on Grandview Avenue, the Ox Roast, Oktoberfest and a number of other local events over the years.
The group also performed once in Washington, D.C., in 2002. Ervin said the group brings a lot of joy to others through its performances, but the greatest value of the Jollysteppers is most often to its own members. "I think it keeps their mind going and the cardio is so good for them," Ervin said. "I just think it keeps them going." Ervin said anyone is welcome to join the Jollysteppers. [rc]
Source: SNP
