Because I’m ‘Happy’

This past month, Sun City received a challenge to a dance-off by a neighboring community. Kathy O’ Toole, Sun City Fitness Manager, responded to that challenge stating, “And we want to show them our moves.”

The email blast went out to residents. Clubs contacted their members, and neighborhood captains encouraged their neighbors and individuals got their plans together.

O’Toole said, “Turn it up, get creative, get silly, wear costumes, dance and record a 30-60 seconds video.”

There were over 35 entries with 70 Sun City residents that had some fun with this challenge. Some dancers coordinated in dress and moves, a participant doing the moves in a full hazmat suit, Wonder Woman and other superheroes, and some residents morphed into animals.

O’Toole said, “We were having so much fun watching all the video submissions, that we extended the deadline.”

O’Toole pieced all the video entries into one submission. Participants had to create their moves and also consider the restraints-imposed by the guidelines for reducing the risk of exposure to COVID-19.

Vito Benigno said “Several of our residents, of N19, got together to dance away! We regularly participate in various Sun City and neighborhood activities. We thought it would be great fun, and funny, to dance away! Mary Maniola, one of our residents, put together the dance moves and taught the line dancing moves to us! Not an easy task! Neighbor Dave Bishop, our N19 karaoke king, provided the “Happy” music. Unfortunately, because of the virus, we couldn’t have as many participants as we normally do for our neighborhood 19 events. We thought it would be fun to wear our Sun City 20th anniversary t-shirts, our ladies’ N19 scarves, and of course our face coverings.”

Another group considered the guidelines imposed with social distancing and went outdoors also.

Judy Scherer said, “We wore white shirts and jeans so the beautiful background scenery would show up, and the dancers also are highlighted. The moves utilized were a culmination of watching the official “Happy” video online, and consideration of the participants’ limitations. I wanted to keep it light and easy without too much movement. Bee’s knees are one of the most fun Charleston dance moves, the Jerk is a dance our generation grew up with and it has a decent amount of hand clapping. We stayed within guidelines for a 10-person gathering. We did have two gentlemen who were doing crowd control on the sides, Mike Ciffone and Al Petty. They stayed to the sides to keep our numbers correct for social distancing gatherings. My husband Richard Scherer was the videographer and photographer.”

Adrianne Kaplan from neighborhood 31 was of many who braved a solo act with a cameo appearance by Bob Taylor her partner. Kaplan donned a wig and her pink ladies jacket for her performance.

Kaplan, an expert in the Hand Jive routine has been teaching the routine for 30 years said, “When Bob decided to use his percussion talents with his clapping during the song, I decided to use an oldie dance, the Hand Jive. We both dressed as greasers with Bob wearing his bowling shirt.”

Marilynn Berendt performed as a duet; Wonder Woman with her Pet Tiger. Berendt, a member of the Sun City Board, said ”We love to dance and when Deanna gave us this challenge. Bill and I went for us. We had some experience; we met at a dance.”

Chuck Lambie summed it up best: “We had a blast making it.”

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