This hip-hop dance group is redefining what it means to be 50+

A hip-hop hit from the Billboard’s Hot 100 chart comes on the stadium sound system, and suddenly there are dozens of dancers —both women and men—getting down and shaking to the beat at center court. You’ve seen it so many times you don’t even give it a second thought.

But here’s the slight catch, these dancers are all 50+.

However, after a few beats, age feels irrelevant, a footnote at best. After all, good times are good times, and these dancers are clearly enjoying themselves.

This somewhat untraditional pairing—you might call it old(er) school meets new school—is not only generating a lot of excitement and buzz, but they’re also busting a move right through any societal barriers and stigmas about age and what a dance troupe should look like.

They are the Silver Classix Crew, a hip-hop dance group specifically designed for older adults, founded nearly a decade ago by former Atlanta Hawks dancer, Leslie Alison.

The ‘Crew’ performs all around the Atlanta area, often at major sporting events such as at Atlanta Braves, Atlanta Hawks, and Harlem Globetrotter games. They have also been featured on national news programs, and their skills are most recently being featured in an ad campaign for a dating app.

“What we really want to show is that you can actually improve with age,” says Leslie Alison, director of the Silver Classix. “I’ve seen them improve their health, flexibility, and memory. It’s been absolutely incredible to watch.”

See some of the dancers’ personal stories below:

After thirty years in law enforcement, Susan Faulkner settled into retirement without much of a plan. She soon developed back issues and needed to make a change. That’s when she discovered the Silver Classix Crew.

Lifelong fitness enthusiast Jann Wynn explains some of the issues with the fitness industry, and why she loves the dance crew.

Veteran dancer, Wendy Waddell, explains how she used the team to network with her peers when she was new to the Atlanta area.

Marci Nunnery touches on how the Silver Classix Crew helped her get over the grief of losing her brother.