Senior dancers shine onstage at Queens Korean Community Services

Queens' Korean Senior Dance Team radiates youthful vibrancy

In glittering costumes, a group of women aged 70 and up dance in styles from traditional to K-Pop. The members of the senior dance team at Korean Community Services practice in Flushing twice a week and perform at events citywide.

"They choose their own music. They also design and select their own fabrics," said Helen Ahn, the managing director of aging services.

The dancers say they make each other better.

"I'm not staying home. I'm active," Clara Kim said. "Whatever they're doing, I'm doing, too."

These days, they're memorizing steps for upcoming Lunar New Year celebrations, rehearsing with styled hair and makeup.

CBS News New York

"Especially when I have a ponytail, I feel very young, about 10 years younger," Jeehyun Kim said.

Beyond the walls of their church basement rehearsal space, the dancers have experienced hardship, from the loss of a partner to a cancer diagnosis.

"It's more than just a dance performance," Ahn said. "They heal each other."

Moodon Ha's child has noticed how radiant she looks since she joined the team.

"I'm so happy every day," Ha said.

After practice, the women come together to enjoy meals and play games.

"We share our life," Jeehyun Kim said.

You can email Elle with Queens story ideas by CLICKING HERE

Read more
f

We and our partners use cookies to understand how you use our site, improve your experience and serve you personalized content and advertising. Read about how we use cookies in our cookie policy and how you can control them by clicking Manage Settings. By continuing to use this site, you accept these cookies.