Tuesday night I sang an after-dinner show at the Villa in San Ramon from 7:30 - 8:30 pm. The time seemed late, but when I asked the activity director about it she assured me that the late dinner ended at 7:15 pm and there would be an audience for me, and there was.
I was pleased to see many residents who regularly attend the show, but also a few new faces. There was one couple that had just moved in. A long time resident, Mary, came up to me while I was setting up my equipment and pointed out the newbies, she also informed me that they were dancers and that I might want to encourage them to get up and dance! I thanked her for sharing the news and when I started the show I welcomed the new couple.
Mary was right, this man and wife knew how to dance and they needed no encouragement from me. By the third song, "The Very Thought Of You" they were on their feet taking a twirl. Not only was it fun for the audience to watch, but it was fun for me as the performer to sing while others were swaying, I loved it! They continued to dance to various songs throughout the night and in doing so added excitement to the program. Everyone especially enjoyed watching them dance to "Whatever Lola Wants" a tango! Yes, they knew how to tango!!!! It wasn' the throw down on the floor version, but a gentle tango. We were all impressed.
After the program, the couple stayed to introduce themselves...Betty and Don. They were from Fresno and have been married for 63 years. They have a son in Pleasanton, so they moved to be closer to family.
Don began to share their story of how Betty was the high school's valedictorian and he the drop-out. He literally swept her off her feet during their first date when they headed from the central California farming area to the big city of Fresno. It was there he took her out to dinner, then to the city's ballroom where Tommy Dorsey was playing...it was very crowded and they danced shoulder to shoulder with other young people full of spirit and adventure. Betty piped in that they literally were bumping into other dancers, but it was exciting and she had never been to the ballroom before. Don shared that halfway through the evening "The Waltz You Saved For Me" started to play, he said he took Betty in his arms and they started to waltz. "It was a magical moment in the ballroom" he sweetly whispered, and as if it were yesterday he told me they both suddenly felt they were lifted on clouds above the other dancers and were alone, just with each other and the music. Nobody seemed to touch them or even dance near them and they fell in love at that moment.
Don pulled out a picture of Betty from his wallet and showed me, it was her high school senior grad picture. He said she's as beautiful today as she was then....Betty looked up into Don's eyes and smiled, then told me that she was the lucky one. My next show at the Villa is the Saturday before Easter and I am looking forward to seeing them again. I will learn "The Waltz You Saved For Me" and sing it especially for them. They are an amazing couple... Both are retired teachers and I'm sure they were wonderful educators!
I was pleased to see many residents who regularly attend the show, but also a few new faces. There was one couple that had just moved in. A long time resident, Mary, came up to me while I was setting up my equipment and pointed out the newbies, she also informed me that they were dancers and that I might want to encourage them to get up and dance! I thanked her for sharing the news and when I started the show I welcomed the new couple.
Mary was right, this man and wife knew how to dance and they needed no encouragement from me. By the third song, "The Very Thought Of You" they were on their feet taking a twirl. Not only was it fun for the audience to watch, but it was fun for me as the performer to sing while others were swaying, I loved it! They continued to dance to various songs throughout the night and in doing so added excitement to the program. Everyone especially enjoyed watching them dance to "Whatever Lola Wants" a tango! Yes, they knew how to tango!!!! It wasn' the throw down on the floor version, but a gentle tango. We were all impressed.
After the program, the couple stayed to introduce themselves...Betty and Don. They were from Fresno and have been married for 63 years. They have a son in Pleasanton, so they moved to be closer to family.
Don began to share their story of how Betty was the high school's valedictorian and he the drop-out. He literally swept her off her feet during their first date when they headed from the central California farming area to the big city of Fresno. It was there he took her out to dinner, then to the city's ballroom where Tommy Dorsey was playing...it was very crowded and they danced shoulder to shoulder with other young people full of spirit and adventure. Betty piped in that they literally were bumping into other dancers, but it was exciting and she had never been to the ballroom before. Don shared that halfway through the evening "The Waltz You Saved For Me" started to play, he said he took Betty in his arms and they started to waltz. "It was a magical moment in the ballroom" he sweetly whispered, and as if it were yesterday he told me they both suddenly felt they were lifted on clouds above the other dancers and were alone, just with each other and the music. Nobody seemed to touch them or even dance near them and they fell in love at that moment.
Don pulled out a picture of Betty from his wallet and showed me, it was her high school senior grad picture. He said she's as beautiful today as she was then....Betty looked up into Don's eyes and smiled, then told me that she was the lucky one. My next show at the Villa is the Saturday before Easter and I am looking forward to seeing them again. I will learn "The Waltz You Saved For Me" and sing it especially for them. They are an amazing couple... Both are retired teachers and I'm sure they were wonderful educators!
