The members either discovered tap at the center or returned to it after years-long breaks to raise families and start careers. And while the Peak Tappers are women of a certain age, they often seem to defy it.
Among them are a triathlete, a retired toy designer, several former North Penn School District teachers, and a woman who - at 69 - fulfilled a lifelong dream to audition for the Rockettes.
They perform at parades, senior centers, special events, and schools, member Pat Sellers said. They recently participated in a program affiliated with the Philadelphia Mural Arts initiative called Random Acts of Dance.
"Beside the exercise and the idea that at this age one can still learn things, it's the upbeat people," said tapper Dianne Spotts, 71, of Hatfield. "We're more than a class."
Elaine Seiler of North Wales and Maryanna Keller of Skippack discovered that when they joined nine years ago. The two friends and former North Penn teachers share a lot: Both have survived breast cancer and lost husbands who died young.
When they started dance classes after they retired, their teacher was a comparative youngster who didn't understand that seniors might have limitations. Seiler and Keller resolved to tap elsewhere.
At the Peak Center, Keller, who is 69, and Seiler, who won't tell, found women who not only share their senior status (more or less), but also offer a dose of inspiration.
Some have beaten cancer, including Joyce Schroeder, 87, of Lafayette Hill, who went on to win medals in Senior Games triathlon events at the county, state, and national levels.
Mary Anna Gilmore, 80, once designed teddy bears for a toy manufacturer. After she retired, she took a millinery class and won an international hat-design competition. She picked up her award four years ago in Lyon, France.
