We have to admit, we were cheering along as we watching this video of three senior citizens giving one heck of a performance at their retirement community in California.
It’s got everything you need – people with a good sense of humor, entertaining moves, great music, and enough laughter in the background from the stunned and delighted audience to be contagious. Seriously, when you watch this video, see if you can help yourself from laughing along with the crowd!
Of course, what they’re laughing about is a fabulous dance routine from three 70+-year-old residents of the Leisure World Seal Beach Retirement Community – the “Awesome Threesome” are Bert Carroll, 81, Frank Tripoli, 77 and Kurt Bourhenne, 71.
Now seen by over 15 MILLION people since it was posted back in 2009, the rockin’ seniors get their groove on to Michael Jackson’s famous “Billie Jean.” (And we know, Jackson has been and has become an even more complicated figure in the last few years – but in this case, it’s about the music, not the man.)
The gentlemen emergy shyly from behind a curtain to an intro song. Technically titled “Also Sprach Zarathustra” and composed in 1896 by Richard Strauss, it’s better known as the title song to the film 2001: A Space Odyssey.
As they hobble out on stage, the audience has no idea what they’re in for, but they sound a little skeptical.
When the performers finally make it over to some folding chairs, it’s clear they’re putting on costumes, but no one knows yet what’s about to go down.
That is until we see they’ve donned the famed sequined gloves that Jackson made famous!
“It wasn’t until we flashed the glove that people caught it,” Carroll told the Orange County Register. “People didn’t know what we were going to do.”
Next, they don fedoras and the high water pants make sense – we’re about to get a Michael Jackson performance.
There’s even a butt grab for good measure as the opening beats of “Billie Jean” start up and everyone knows they’re in for a treat.
If you thought the butt grabbing was shocking, just remember that Jackson was also famous for – the crotch grab!
Carroll’s daughter, Shawn Julian, who helped choreograph the routine said:
“The practices…were the funniest thing I’ve ever seen.”
They were a little worried that the crotch-grabbing might be too much, but hey, you only live once!
“I thought, ‘Are they going to be offended?’”, she said. “But everyone was just hysterical.”
The men got the idea for their performance after seeing Jackson perform the song on television and their rendition took the Leisure World Texas Hold ‘Em party and its 50 audience members by storm.
It looks like the thrice-weekly practices for over a month paid off! And even the wives got involved, sewing sequins on gloves and altering costumes.
Hilariously, after all the dancing and hip-thrusting – and even an attempt to moonwalking! – the three exited the stage the same way they came in – hobbling and holding their backs.
The gentleman clearly have some performing skills. In fact, according to the newspaper, Tripoli was an avid ballroom dancer in his younger days while Bourhenne enjoyed swing dancing. Carroll was a songwriter and pianist who learned to dance in the 50s as part of a singing group – he even wrote the song “Wear My Ring Around Your Neck” for Elvis Presley!
And they’re thrilled with the comments they’ve received:
“We’ve gotten comments from people saying thank you and people took the time out to laugh,” Carroll said. “That makes us feel happy.”
Research has found that dancing can improve strength and muscle function in older adults and increase balance and flexibility. It can also help improve cardiovascular health. So maybe it’s time to get your groove on!
Make sure you scroll down below to see the moves of the Awesome Threesome and perhaps get some inspiration for yourself!
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