Rockingham seniors step to the beat

Rockingham County seniors strutted their stuff Friday afternoon at the Rockingham County Senior Games SilverArts competition at Osborne Baptist Church in Eden.

The Mamas & the Papa, a line dancing group from the Eden YMCA, won first place in the performing arts category. They got the audience in the summer vacation spirit with their dance to “Sea Cruise.” The nine women in the group, the “mamas,” danced in Hawaiian shirts while Duane Best, the “papa,” wore a white sea captain outfit. Duane’s wife Gloria Best, one of the “mamas,” said the group wanted their cos-tumes to be as “colorful” and “happy” as the dance was. Debbie Smart, business director for the Eden YMCA, is the instructor and choreographer for the Mamas & the Papa.

“She picks out things that are really energetic,” said Gloria. She said Smart has told the dancers that she wakes up at night choreographing the dance numbers. Smart will be 55 years old next February, so she will be able to perform with her group of dancers.

“I’ll choreograph the routine and dance it with them, too,” said Smart. She said performing the dance routines is “very fun, but it’s also very competitive.”

Duane said the group puts in “lots of hours” in preparation for a performance such as the one at the sen-ior games competition. The Mamas & the Papa will represent Rockingham County at the state senior games competition. Four out of the past six years, the line dancing group has won the performing arts competition in the Rockingham County Senior Games, said Smart. Along with competing in the senior games, The Mamas & the Papa often perform in the community.

“We perform at the Fourth of July [celebration] at Fair Funeral Home and at several retirement homes around the county,” said Duane.

“We consider the dance such a social form of exercise,” said Gloria. She said dancing is much better than other exercise alternatives such as lifting weights. Smart said learning the various dance routines keeps the seniors mentally sharp as well as physically strong.

Coming in second place in the performing arts category of the Rockingham County Senior Games SilverArts competition was the Show Stompers of Western Rockingham. The group donned show tune style outfits and danced to “Broadway Medley.” Arleen Duggins, 86, of Mayodan, is a member of Show Stompers.

“I’ve been performing probably 10 years,” she said. She does line dancing and tap dancing. She was dis-appointed that Show Stompers didn’t win the performing arts competition this year but looks forward to going to Raleigh in September to compete in the statewide senior games. This year, Duggins received 11 gold medals for the Rockingham County Senior Games in categories such as running long jump, basketball, softball throw and horseshoes.

“We have a great weekend (in Raleigh). We have a great time. You’re with seniors from everywhere,” she said. Duggins does the senior games because she wants to “be with other people and be active.” She enjoys the fellowship of other seniors.

Honky Tonk of Reidsville wore western-style outfits and danced to “Stagger Lee” at the SilverArts com-petition. The line dancing group won third place in the performing arts category.

Other performing arts numbers included an improvisational jam to “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown” by Molly Williams and Sam Hill, a martial arts number by John Canny, and solos by Sue and Sarah Elledge and Molene Johnson. Sue Elledge dedicated her solo “Come Spring” to the late Thelma Hines of Reidsville, whom Elledge said was the “first-place soloist for the last few years.”

“She was a great inspiration to me,” said Elledge. “She told me last year, ‘Keep up the work.’”

Along with the performing arts category, seniors participated in the literary arts, heritage arts and visual arts categories in the SilverArts competition.

“I was so impressed with the talent that we have in Rockingham County,” said Carla Huffman, director of the Garden of Eden Senior Center and SilverArts Coordinator. “I was really in awe of what they did.”

This year, 255 senior citizens participated in the senior games. That’s the highest number of participants ever, according to Huffman. At the age of 55 and beyond, many seniors are still able to get out and partici-pate in activities in their community.

“It’s such a booming population of seniors, and they’re active,” said Huffman.

Baines can be reached at or 349-4331, ext. 35.