The Awesomettes use sparkle, social connection to ease aging

“I turn 77 next week, and I’ll be wearing go-go boots and a tiara,” said Sabra Taylor, who was wearing an elegant, diamond-rimmed, blue evening gown.

A curtain rod slid out of Barbara Wishy’s fairy wing and clanged onto Lee Ann Walsh’s brick patio. Wishy, 84, said, “It’s never too late to start.”

I was sitting with Oakwood neighbors aged 54-84 who make up a majorette group called the “Awesomettes.” Jackie Twisdale, the founder, started something when, on a whim one Fourth of July five years ago, she pulled out her childhood baton and brought up the rear of the Oakwood neighborhood Fourth of July parade. She cha-cha-chaed down Bloodworth Street while doing a twirl called “around-the-world.”

“Everyone wants a reason to dress like the Rockettes,” Jackie said. Within a month, a group of women gathered in her living room to plan their debut act. Most didn’t know each other very well. The majority had never picked up a baton. Even imagining picking one up in public felt daunting and out of character, admitted Sharon O’Neill.

With Dee Penven-Crew leading costume design, the group quickly grew to 15. The requirements: 1) you had to be over 50; 2) female; 3) live in Oakwood; and 4) AWESOME. The schedule: once a week when there’s an upcoming performance, usually in Lee Ann’s “sweatshop,” to practice and make the elaborate (but economical and fun) costumes and once a month to perform.

“Somewhere along the way,” said Ann Robertson, 69, this became so much more than sewing and twirling and marching.

"It became really about taking care of each other, about loving one another,” she said.

“Not one of us,” said Ruth Sappie, “hasn’t faced something hard in the last five years. My favorite Awesomette moment was soon after my husband had a stroke and was lying in bed at WakeMed. I heard some commotion in the hallway and suddenly the elevator opened up and a group of women wearing tutus and trailing glitter behind them, spilled out.”

Several years ago, a writer for National Geographic, Dan Buettner, traveled to the four places in the world that had the densest population of people living healthily into their hundreds. He studied what set these communities apart. It wasn’t diet or genes or exercise. It wasn’t supplements or alcohol consumption or smoking. It was social connection. In places like Sardinia (Italy), Okinawa (Japan) and Loma Linda, Calif., people had as many as 20 “social touches” in a typical day. Most had at least six people who were considered intimate friends.

One-third of Americans have two or less people they can lean on. One quarter say they have no one to talk to. “The two highest predictors for a long, healthy life, have to do with face-to-face social connection,” said researcher Susan Pinker. “Social isolation is the public health risk of our time.”

The Oakwood Awesomettes, who go by names like “Twiddle Stick” and “Twirly Temple,” are onto something important. Every time they perform in the Christmas or St. Patrick’s Day Parades, at fundraisers or other events, women and children call from the sidelines, “I want to be you!”

Who wouldn’t? They are a travelling group of 15 best friends.

And while it’s certainly great fun to share a pre-event fireball toast before heading out to dance and twirl and make people laugh, the real treasure is spun back in the sweatshop over glitter, sequins, fur and fringe.

“These are my Sisters-in-Awe,” Dee said, with tears in her eyes.

Betsy Buford, “The Empress of Oakwood,” said, “This is not a one-size-fits-all group. Everyone is truly loved for what she can do.”

Doris Jurkiewicz raised her wine glass and said, “Ladies, one more day to sparkle!”