The inexplicably bouncy Carpenters’ version of Neil Sedaka’s “Breakin’ Up Is Hard To Do” gets a dozen or so pairs of tap shoes moving out in tight formation across the gleaming parquet dance floor at the Pasadena Senior Center as Pam Kay’s Tap Chicks warm up for their upcoming Halloween Hoedown, Thursday October 24, 2:00 PM at the Pasadena Senior Center, which will celebrate its 65th birthday in 2025.
“More cow-bell!’ hollers Frannie McCartney from the sidelines. McCartney’s a vivacious Broadway belter who will sing and serve as guest host for Thursday’s cultural event. She’s not only tapped onstage with the Chicks but as one of the iconic Harlettes, she toured with the Divine Miss M. (Bette Midler) and has lent her pipes to Tanya Tucker, Bob Dylan and Barbra (nu, who else?).
“I’ve decided to sing ‘Delta Dawn,’ since I have a connection to both Tanya and Bette,” she says (Tucker and Midler both had hits with the song).
Here’s to Us, a Tap Chicks mini-documentary. Video: Chinet
The upcoming program’s kooky hybrid of cowgirl classics tethered to a graveyard smash or two captures the eclectic spirit of a troupe that’s been tapping for more than 25 years but refuses to take itself too seriously. And lest you think that these are merely go-go-grannies Tessa Backdraw swiffling, not to be confused with Swiffer-ing, Cincinnati-flamming and cramp-rolling (see glossary for definitions) their way down Memory Lane, catch the Tap Chicks in one of YouTube’s most-watched music vids, 2019 country rap single “Old Town Road” with Lil Nas X, Billy Ray Cyrus and Chris Rock.
They’re au courant, not creaky.
The troupe’s founder, Pam Kay, passed away early in 2024, and in her honor, the Chicks keep right on tapping,’ rehearsing twice a week for performances scheduled throughout the year.
Pasadena resident Janine Torre, age 64, who leads the rehearsal, says, “Joining the Tap Chicks has changed my life! I’ve found something I absolutely love to do! The other Chicks are my sisters and friends, and I cherish all of them. I got very depressed when Pam got ill. Not only the idea of losing one of my closest friends, but I thought it would be the end of the Tap Chicks. She told me one day she wanted us to continue performing, and everyone was excited about the challenge. I’m glad we were able to stay together after the death of Pam Kay and not lose each other as well.”
Some of the Chicks have formal training, although Torre does not.
Marcie Chan of Pasadena, age 57, has trained in tap, ballet, modern, hula, and Afro-Haitian dance and dabbled in hip hop, salsa, and swing.
Chan says, “It is very joyful being a Tap Chick. Learning all the choreography and patterns that change depending on who’s there that day is really fun and great for keeping our brains flexible. We miss our founder, Pam Kay, terribly but try to keep her spark alive in our dancing. Since she’s been gone, we’ve all stepped up to take on new roles in the group. Pam used to emcee, filling the breaks with jokes and virtuoso banjo-playing.
Different members are brushing up on or taking on new skills like telling jokes, doing solo tap dances, or singing when we don’t have a guest host. I’ve worked up the nerve to sing and play the ukulele while the others change costumes. I’ve also taught the group some new dances, where I adapted Pam’s choreography to other songs. But we could not do it without Janine’s tireless work. She has taken up Pam’s mantle and does the hard planning and coordinating all with patience and a great sense of humor!”
Pasadenan Gale Salisian, age 74, says, “My elementary school had a dance program, so I tap-danced for six years as a child, but no training beyond that. I have loved dancing with the Tap Chicks! I feel honored to be able to practice and perform with this special group. It’s great exercise for body and brain, besides being fun socially! Dancing as a Tap Chick has brought me much joy through some ups and downs in the last eight years of my life.”
Nancy Sharrett, age 82, lives in Los Angeles and says of her two years with the troupe, “I love dancing with the Chicks and enjoy friendships with all of them.” She’s had dance lessons beginning at age six.
Jane Yobaccio of Chino, age 76, says, “I have tap danced since I was 12 years old, on and off through my whole life.” She’s been with the Tap Chicks for about eight years.
Jan Biferno of Arcadia, age 71, says, “I had many years of dance training growing up, including ballet, with five years on point, jazz, acrobatics, ballroom, baton, modern dance, and tap. My favorite class was always tap.”
“I really enjoy dancing with the Tap Chicks. I love the music and the routines, but most of all, I enjoy dancing with the other ladies who love tap as much as I do. None of us are perfect, but we all give it our best effort. I really look forward to tap class and also doing the shows. When we perform, especially at the assisted living facilities, I feel like I am giving back. The audiences really seem to enjoy our performances and it’s a great feeling to look at the audiences’ faces and see them smiling and tapping their feet,” she adds.
Deveron Shudic, age 64, lives in La Crescenta and says that joining the Tap Chicks is “…Saving my life! It is an honor and a privilege to dance with the Tap Chicks. But more importantly, they are important to me, to my life. The other Tap Chicks matter! When all is said and done, I’ve had a wonderful time dancing with them, and it’s been a pleasure to know them!”
Candy (just “Candy,” like “Cher”), age 68, says, “Tap Chicks are astoundingly welcoming. Good mental and physical workout. Challenging and fun.”
The Chicks don straw cowboy hats for a down-home choreography to the boot-scootin’ Kenny Loggins’ classic “Footloose,” then caper with skull masks, veiled top hats and long-stemmed raven-black roses to the original “Addams Family” sitcom theme, complete with requisite synchronized finger-snaps.
Dion Ferguson, Director of Operations and Classes for the Center, explains that Pam Kay’s Tap Chicks are one of literally dozens of programs offered to Pasadena Senior Center members and to the community at large. The current price for a one-year membership is $45. For individuals who are without income or are enduring other hardships, Ferguson says that the Center offers scholarships to defray the fee, which may rise to $50 in 2025.
Noting that the Center is located a short stroll down East Holly Street west of City Hall, Ferguson says, “Most people think that the City pays for us, but that’s not the case. The City does provide the building itself, which is significant, and pays our utilities. Everything else is dependent upon donations since we are a 501(c)3.”
The benefits of belonging are both tangible and intangible. Classes in navigating Social Security and Medicare, financial and computer literacy as well as talks and resources addressing dementia, diabetes, osteoporosis and other common health concerns, meet an obvious generational need. Next year, the Center will introduce a new program offering physical therapy visits with certified trainers at $15 per session.
“Every day, our members face financial challenges, many of them having to do with medical insurance,” explains Ferguson. “For instance, most plans will only cover a specific number of physical therapy visits, and an older patient probably will need more to continue improving after an injury. We are always looking for ways to innovate solutions that will serve our members.”
Many of the other benefits of membership are intangible, like the potential of falling in love. “They say it’s sweeter the second time around,” says Ferguson, noting that during his 15-year tenure at the Center, numerous pairs of “golden” (as in Bachelor/Bachelorette) lovebirds have found each other and tied the knot.
In addition to the chance of romance, the Center is also a source of another kind of love, namely the validation of feeling seen, known and appreciated in a world that increasingly treats anyone over the age of 50 as though they are invisible. “Right now, we have 2,316 members, and our team knows every face and every name. We notice when someone doesn’t show up for a while, and so we do what we call Telephone Reassurance. It’s a quick, friendly wellness check, just to see how they’re doing, how things are going, and if they might need help.”
Holidays are often rough for elders who are no longer part of local nuclear families. Unlike most similar organizations, the Pasadena Senior Center will be open on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day, and a healthy, festive meal is offered to non-members as well as members. Ferguson says, “We have a small food pantry, and we do embrace unhoused people and assist them with social services and other helpful resources. Overall, we provide more for older adults than anyone else in the San Gabriel Valley.”
A vibe of self-sustaining gratitude hums along as the Center’s unseen engine. Tap Chick Karen Sargent, age 86, a former professional dancer, tells me, “I’m the old lady here. I stumbled upon Tap Chicks when they performed at my new Pasadena senior residence. I joined up at Pam Kay’s urging a year and a half ago. Now I’ll tap ‘til I drop!”
To attend Pam Kay’s Tap Chicks’ Thursday afternoon performance, register online at www.PasadenaSeniorCenter.org or call 626-795-4331. The performance is free for members, $5 for non-members, and reservations are recommended.
