>> AS AMERICA PREPARES TO CELEBRATE ITS 250TH ANNIVERSARY, A GROUP OF GRANNIES WILL REPRESENT WISCONSIN AT THE NATION’S CAPITOL. >> GERRON JORDAN CAUGHT UP WITH THE DANCING GRANNIES AHEAD OF THEY HOPE THEIR STORY WILL SPREAD ACROSS THE COUNTRY. >> ONE. TWO. THREE. >> WITH EVERY STEP, SHIMMY AND SHAKE. >> DOWN, PALMS DOWN TO YOUR SIDE. >> CLAD IN THEIR RED, WHITE AND BLUE, THE MILWAUKEE DANCING GRANNIES ARE GETTING READY FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF A LIFETIME. WHAT DOES THIS MOMENT MEAN TO YOU? >> WELL, WHO’DA THUNK THAT A GROUP OF WOMEN OUR AGE WOULD BE DOING SOMETHING LIKE THIS AND THAT WE WERE RECOGNIZED. >> AND INVITED TO REPRESENT WISCONSIN IN AMERICA. 250. PARADES IN BOTH THE NATION’S BIRTHPLACE, PHILADELPHIA, AND THE NATION’S CAPITAL, WASHINGTON, D.C. WHAT’S THE TOUGHEST PART ABOUT PREPARING FOR FOR THIS HONOR? >> THE STAMINA. I THINK GETTING EVERYBODY READY FOR THE STAMINA FOR THIS. GERRON GET BACK. EVEN THOUGH THE PARADE IS TO TWO AND A HALF MILES, WHEN YOU’RE DANCING, IT’S MORE LIKE TRIPLE THAT. >> AND WITH EACH SMALL STEP. >> THE GRANNIES WANT EVERYBODY TO KNOW THAT WITH UNITY AND WITH PERSEVERANCE AND COLLABORATION, YOU CAN DO YOU CAN DO ANYTHING. >> PROOF THAT AGE AIN’T NOTHING BUT A NUMBER. >> I NEVER IMAGINED MYSELF DANCING. SHOWING PEOPLE THAT RETIREMENT ISN’T THE END. IT’S THE BEGINNING. >> THIS 4TH OF JULY, THE GRANNIES WILL DEBUT NEW SUMMER UNIFORMS, THE ROYAL BLUE AND WHITE SERVING AS A TRIBUTE TO THEIR PAST WHILE CARRYING LEGACY INTO THE FUTURE. >> I THINK AFTER ALL THAT WE’VE BEEN THROUGH THESE LAST FEW YEARS, WE’VE COME TO A DIFFERENT PLACE. I MEAN, WE’RE TOTALLY A DIFFERENT GROUP NOW. >> I DIDN’T KNOW WHAT TO DO AND I AND I DIDN’T WANT TO FORGET THE FOUR INDIVIDUALS THAT PASSED THAT WERE PART OF THE GRANNIES BECAUSE THEY MEANT SO MUCH. AND THE LAST THING THAT I REMEMBER JENNY SAYING WAS, NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS DURING THE PARADE, KEEP ON DANCING. >> I WAS GOING TO ASK, HOW MUCH OF 2021 DO YOU ALL TAKE WITH EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOUR PERFORMANCES MOVING FORWARD? I MEAN, YOU LITERALLY CARRY THEM ON YOUR ARM. >> YES. AND I TALKED TO THEM ALMOST EVERY DAY. AND DURING PARADES, I KIND OF SAY A PRAYER AND SAY, WATCH OVER US, WATCH OVER US. AND THERE HASN’T BEEN MANY PARADES THAT WE’VE BEEN RAINED ON AND THE SUNLIGHT COMES OUT. AND I THINK THEY’RE WATCHING OVER US AND MAKING SURE WE’RE SAFE. >> A STAR SPANGLED EMBODIMENT OF THE AMERICAN SPIRIT, RESILIENT AND COURAGEOUS AT ANY AGE AND THROUGH ANY STAGE. >> YOU MIGHT HAVE ISSUES, YOU MIGHT HAVE HICCUPS. BUT NO MATTER WHAT, JUST STOP. TAKE A DEEP BREATH AND JUST FAST FORWARD. >> KEEP ON DANCING. >> YES. YES. >> IN MILWAUKEE, I’M GERRON JORDAN WISN 12 NEWS. >> AND MILWAUKEE DANCING GRANNIES WILL WALK IN PHILADELPHIA’S INDEPENDENCE DAY
‘Keep on dancing’: Milwaukee Dancing Grannies to perform in national Independence Day parades
The Milwaukee Dancing Grannies are preparing to represent Wisconsin in two major Independence Day parades this weekend, celebrating America’s 250th birthday in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. Clad in red, white and blue, the group is ready for the performance of a lifetime. Christine Maiorano, a member of the Milwaukee Dancing Grannies, shared her thoughts on the opportunity.”Who would have thunk that a group of women our age would be doing something like this and that we were recognized?” she said. The group will perform in Philadelphia’s Independence Day Parade on Friday and the National Independence Day Parade in Washington, D.C., on the Fourth of July. Preparing for the parades has been physically demanding.”The first one is 2 1/2 miles, and then the second one is a mile and a half,” said Diane Boston, a member of the Milwaukee Dancing Grannies. “Even though the parade is 2 1/2 miles, when you’re dancing, it’s more like triple that because you’re taking all those small steps.” Kathi Schmeling, another member of the group, highlighted the message they hope to send.”The grannies want everybody to know that with unity and with perseverance and collaboration, you can do anything,” she said. This Fourth of July, the group will debut new summer uniforms in royal blue and white, serving as a tribute to their past while carrying their legacy into the future. Reflecting on the challenges they have faced, one member shared how the group honors the memories of four members who died in 2021.”I didn’t want to forget the four individuals that passed that were part of the grannies because they meant so much,” she said. “And the last thing that I remember Jenny saying was, ‘No matter what happens during the parade, keep on dancing.'” She added, “During parades, I kind of say a prayer and say, ‘Watch over us. Watch over us.’ And there hasn’t been many parades that we’ve been rained on. And the sunlight comes out, and I think they’re watching over us and making sure we’re safe.” The Milwaukee Dancing Grannies embody resilience and courage, proving that retirement is not the end, but a new beginning.”You might have issues, you might have hiccups, but no matter what, just stop, take a deep breath, and just fast forward,” Schmeling said. “Keep on dancing.” Their performances in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., will showcase the American spirit, resilient and courageous at any age.
The Milwaukee Dancing Grannies are preparing to represent Wisconsin in two major Independence Day parades this weekend, celebrating America’s 250th birthday in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.
Clad in red, white and blue, the group is ready for the performance of a lifetime. Christine Maiorano, a member of the Milwaukee Dancing Grannies, shared her thoughts on the opportunity.
“Who would have thunk that a group of women our age would be doing something like this and that we were recognized?” she said.
The group will perform in Philadelphia’s Independence Day Parade on Friday and the National Independence Day Parade in Washington, D.C., on the Fourth of July. Preparing for the parades has been physically demanding.
“The first one is 2 1/2 miles, and then the second one is a mile and a half,” said Diane Boston, a member of the Milwaukee Dancing Grannies. “Even though the parade is 2 1/2 miles, when you’re dancing, it’s more like triple that because you’re taking all those small steps.”
Kathi Schmeling, another member of the group, highlighted the message they hope to send.
“The grannies want everybody to know that with unity and with perseverance and collaboration, you can do anything,” she said.
This Fourth of July, the group will debut new summer uniforms in royal blue and white, serving as a tribute to their past while carrying their legacy into the future.
Reflecting on the challenges they have faced, one member shared how the group honors the memories of four members who died in 2021.
“I didn’t want to forget the four individuals that passed that were part of the grannies because they meant so much,” she said. “And the last thing that I remember Jenny saying was, ‘No matter what happens during the parade, keep on dancing.'”
She added, “During parades, I kind of say a prayer and say, ‘Watch over us. Watch over us.’ And there hasn’t been many parades that we’ve been rained on. And the sunlight comes out, and I think they’re watching over us and making sure we’re safe.”
The Milwaukee Dancing Grannies embody resilience and courage, proving that retirement is not the end, but a new beginning.
“You might have issues, you might have hiccups, but no matter what, just stop, take a deep breath, and just fast forward,” Schmeling said. “Keep on dancing.”
Their performances in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., will showcase the American spirit, resilient and courageous at any age.
