Christine Webster, Murray Pioneer
A Waikerie dance group featuring 12 women over the age of 60 is entertaining the community and keeping physically and mentally fit by taking part in weekly classes.
The Waikerie Golden Girls Dance Troupe was formed after retired dance teacher Pam Tink started running classes for seniors at the local CWA Hall about three years ago.
Ms Tink taught mostly jazz and tap dancing to children and adults for about 45 years, and moved to Waikerie 26 years ago.
She taught first in Adelaide, and then ran classes in Waikerie for more than 20 years.
After retiring about four years ago, Ms Tink, who is in her 70s, decided to run a class for seniors and received an enthusiastic response.
“The participants are all over the age of 60, and the eldest is 91,” Ms Tink said.
“I teach them a milder form of jazz to cater for some of them who may have issues such as bad knees or hips,” she said.
The Waikerie Golden Girls enjoy sharing their talents with others and perform especially during the Christmas festive season to community organisations that include the Waikerie Senior Citizens Club, Waikerie Red Hatters, and the local Probus Club.
They also have performed at the Waikerie Lifestyle Village.
Among the dances they perform are The Charleston, and an item to Puttin’ On The Ritz.
Ms Tink is happy to see how her classes have evolved into regular sought-after performances by the women.
“They love dressing up, putting makeup on, and getting out there to perform,” she said.
“They have costumes for every dance they do.
“It started off as an exercise class with dance steps for them to remember.
Ms Tink said teaching dance as a form of exercise, instead of just running a class with exercises for people to follow, ensured participants used their memory.
“It is like a memory class, they need to remember what I teach them and then I will add another step to that same dance the following week,” she said.
“They must love it because they never stop.”
Ms Tink said it ensured this group of women were using their brain regularly.
The dance teacher usually travels to the northern part of Australia for three months when the weather turns cold and her dedicated students still continue with their dances.
“They practice and send me videos and tell me what they are doing and surprise me with their dances when I come back,” Ms Tink said.
Ms Tink’s exercise dance classes began again for the year last week and are held every Tuesday from 10am at the CWA Hall at Waikerie.
For more information phone 0413 124 754.
This article appeared in the Murray Pioneer, 29 January 2025.
