Over 50 Dance Group tutor Val Bolter (left) helps her dancers get into character for a police-themed comedy number. They are (from second left) Carole Coull, Heather Barrett and Lyn Sheehan. Photo / Judith Lacy
Chasse this way and you will hear Val Bolter is caring.
Twist that way and you will hear she is talented.
Palmerston North’s Over 50s Dance Group is celebrating its 40th anniversary, and Bolter has been involved for 36 years.
Talking to members of the group for women, it is impossible to ignore their praise for Bolter, their tutor, choreographer and technician.
Joyce Chettleburgh has been a member for 25 years. She says Bolter is the most lovely person she has met.
“She encourages us all so much. I don’t know what we would do without her - we’d be lost.”
Due to health challenges, Chettleburgh has hung up her performance dancing shoes with offshoot Spring Chickens, but she takes part in classes as much as she can. She plays the ukulele and mouth organ for Plucky Chicks, a singing offshoot.
Chettleburgh says there is a wonderful atmosphere within the group, the members of which are like one big family. She attributes this to Bolter.
Pam Peters says Bolter can read and understand people, has lots of talent and is compassionate and caring.
The group has 13 members, who range in age from 71 to 86 and dance for exercise and enjoyment.
They perform a wide range of genres - ballet, tap, flamenco, jazz, comedy and hip-hop.
Evelyn Strugnell is an original member of the group, which she says was the first of its kind in New Zealand.
“I was a bit of a cheek because I joined before I was 50.”
Strugnell has stage four breast cancer that has travelled to her spine.
While she can no longer dance, she puts on her magician’s hat to entertain audiences in between the other performance groups.
When Strugnell can no longer stand, she plans to make up an act she can do on a scooter. Her partner Ian Mowat, AKA the “Spring Rooster”, assists her during the magic shows.
Lyn Sheehan says most of the members have health issues, but they don’t stop them from enjoying themselves and bringing pleasure to people.
Bolter says the members are defying age and what they can do is incredible. They are courageous and staunch.
Tania Kopytko started the group as part of her PhD research with the support of the Aged Persons Council.
It was keen to find ways of promoting health and vitality in older people that used the skills and talents they had accumulated over their lifetimes, Kopytko says.
It was decided 50 was a good starting age as at the time, many women retired at 50.
The first class on September 22, 1983 was attended by 25 women.
Kopytko left Palmerston North in 1985, but when she returned the following year, she continued as the group’s tutor. Bolter joined as another tutor in 1987. When Kopytko moved to Australia in 1996, Bolter took over the management and teaching of the group.
Kopytko says the group not only brings joyous dance and wellbeing to the participants, but the dancers go out to a wide range of groups in the region and have people singing, moving and laughing. These visits create community and celebrate life through dance and performance.
In 2020, Bolter received a Palmerston North Civic Honour Award.
The Over 50s Dance Group meets on Mondays and Thursdays from 2pm-3pm at Red Star Dance. The cost is $7 a class. Contact Val on 021 0592 157 for more information.
