Strutting their stuff

SUN CITY – If there’s one thing you can say about The Sun City Strutters, it’s that they definitely have some spring in their step. And that’s not just limited to spectacular choreography or high energy (both of which their shows boast) but their entire annual spring performances.

First at 2:30 p.m. and at 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 24 at Drendel Ballroom, and then again at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 27 at Huntley High School, The Sun City Strutters will host “Dance~Dance,” their annual spring showcase.

“Dance~Dance” features three dance ensembles, jazz, tap, and ballet, with a special appearance by the Sun City line dancers.

Each ensemble is introduced by a brief presentation on the style of dance and its musical accompaniment, said Strutters’ Artistic Director Mary Wyatt of N.7.

Rehearsals for the spring performance begin in September of the preceding year, Wyatt said. But their spring performance is hardly the extent of the Strutters’ yearly activity.

The Strutters is a highly active group, performing not only at various Sun City events and shows but around the Huntley area as well, including performing for community-wide events, senior events, and at nursing homes, among other venues.

“Our biggest pleasure,” said Wyatt, “is when we go to nursing homes.”

Approximately 80 members (ages ranging from 55 to 82) comprise the Strutters, which is separated into the three ensembles (jazz, tap, ballet) that will be featured at “Dance~Dance.”

Strutters’ Instructor/Choreographer Val Stroud, N.27, said that member participation and commitment is phenomenal and that everyone has fun.

“We laugh a lot,” Stroud said during a recent tap rehearsal. “The girls are fantastic. They are so committed to doing this, and people don’t realize the work that they do. I can’t say enough about them [the dancers]. I’m so proud of them.”

Both Wyatt and Stroud said they enjoy watching all the hard work come together and seeing all the dancers in sync.

“The joy it gives us is unbelievable. They’re going to get the applause,” Stroud said.

“After watching my ballet girls,” said Wyatt, one of the Strutters’ original members, “several times I’ve been teary-eyed.”

Wyatt and Stroud said that many, if not most, of the dancers haven’t danced since childhood or have never danced at all, which makes seeing their progress even more enjoyable.

The Sun City Strutters’ spring performance has become a widely popular Sun City event, drawing upwards of 1,000 audience members in previous years.

“One thing we want to convey to people,” Stroud said, “is that we’re not just sitting around…. This is a very active Community, and we are a very active group. And vibrant and youthful and young at heart.”

---