The Georgettes are a drill team club in Sun City that incorporates marching and precision dance while using pom-poms as props.
The Sun City Georgettes do about two performances per month at gatherings like sports games and the Red Poppy Festival. The Georgettes also regularly perform at Sun City and in senior living facilities.
“Our goal is to defy stereotypes of what people think women can or can't do as we get older,” said Michelle Whitley, the chairperson of the Sun City Georgettes. “Yes, we live in a 55 plus community, but we're nowhere near ready to be put out to pasture.”
The Georgettes were founded in 1999 after Georgetown City Council approached a group of women in Sun City to march in a parade. They joined up with a high school drill instructor to create a routine.
The group decided to form a charter club, and became official in September 2000. There are now 43 members, 16 of which are freshmen who just joined in March and are in training.
Georgettes President Liz Blount said she believes the group is the “epitome” of the active, social life- style Sun City promotes.
Sun City is much different than what people may imagine a retirement community to be. She said that there were some surprised faces when the group performed during a University of Texas basketball game.
Jesse Smart is the group’s choreographer. She works at the Palace Theatre and keeps routines up-to-date with new music. A warm up routine incorporates ballet, balance work and yoga. There are two practices each week that are about two hours long.
The Georgettes have many different dance routines ranging from Britney Spears’ “Toxic” to oldies like “Sugar Sugar” by The Archies.
“There’s at least one dance from every decade since the 1950s,” Ms. Valdez said.
When the Georgettes perform at memory care facilities, they try to do older songs that the residents may recognize.
“It’s just amazing when you see somebody that probably doesn’t even recognize their spouse, but all of a sudden they can remember the lyrics to a song,” Ms. Valdez said.
“There was a lady at our most recent nursing home performance, and she was doing her pom pom right along with us,” Ms. Whitley said. “I’m guessing she had been a cheerleader in her much younger days.”
After joining the Sun City Georgettes, many members find memorizing the dance moves helps keep their mind sharp. The practices are also a great way to get in aerobic exercise, Ms. Valdez said.
Most Georgette members don’t have a background in dance performance, and members can join the club without committing to participate in actual performances outside of practices. Ms. Valdez herself joined as a complete novice.
“Nobody looked at me and said, ‘Oh, she’s gonna be great,’ ” Ms. Valdez said. However, she is now an instructor for the freshman Georgettes.
Ms. Smart can also modify the choreography for people of different abilities. There is a 30-year age difference between the youngest and oldest members.
“Our goal is to make everybody look good on stage.” Ms. Blount said.
The Georgettes are going to perform at the upcoming Sun City Live event at the Ballroom on June 27 and June 28 from 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Sun City residents who want to learn more about the Georgettes, or those with performance inquiries, can contact Nicole Smith at nicolesm4@gmail.com.