Nowadays, everyone is walking around with video cameras.
Chances are, you probably donโt even remember the first time you saw yourself on film. Even so, seeing yourself on film is always exciting!
Imagine if you had danced for years, but had never seen yourself on film, it would probably blow your mind.
For this 102-year-old dancer, thatโs exactly what happened when someone brought footage of her dancing to the hospital.
She danced during the Harlem Rennaisance, but had never actually seen herself dance.
Alice Barker was a chorus dancer in the 1930s and 1940s.
For Alice Baker, her time as a dancer was long ago, a distant memory of the past. She never imagined she would be watching herself on a screen all these years later, it was like she was actually there again.
They spelled her name wrong as โBakerโ instead of โBarker, something Alice said they frequently did back then. You can see Aliceโs eyes light up when she first the footage, sheโs so happy.
The first video they watch is called the โSepia Steppersโ from 1943, you can see Alice to the right.
The dances were performed in live clubs, they were choreographed and complex routines. Alice and the other dancers, mimic each other step for step in beautiful outfits.
Alice tries to hide the smile that you can see is illuminating her face, she even tells us how and why she got a special nickname from the other dancers.
Alice was given a nickname back then by the other dancers,โChicken Little.โ
Most of us hear โChicken Littleโ and think of the popular kidโs movie, but Alice is the original โChicken Little!โ the nickname was given to her by the other dancers, simply because she loved chicken.
โBecause every time weโd go somewhere theyโd say โwhat you want to eat?โ And Iโd say โChicken,โ so they called me chicken little,โ explained Alice.
They even found footage of Alice dancing with superstar, Bill โBojanglesโ Robinson
Thereโs loads of footage they have to show the 102-year-old, from full-scale dance routines to just looking pretty for the camera and showing off a little leg.
One of the videos is of legendary Bill โBojanglesโ Robinson performing, you can see Alice in the back round. At one point, Robinson called the group of dancers over and there Alice is, right in the front.
Watching herself on film for the first time, made the 102-year-oldโs heart sing with joy
At the end of the video, Alice tells us how she feels about seeing the footage, she explains how it felt to be paid to do something you love.
โItโs just fabulous to see those and remember all these things that were happening. I used to often say to myself, Iโm being paid to do something that I enjoy doing and I would do it for free. Because it just felt so good doing it, because that music you know, I get carried away in it,โ said Alice.
What an amazing video capturing Aliceโs reaction seeing herself for the first time so long ago.
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
