Evelyn Courturier is inspiring. She follows the music and, in the manner of a wind-up doll, Evelyn instantly turns that motion to dance.
In another month she will celebrate her 88th birthday. Many people would be slowing down by now, but she has not put down that constant motion. In September she won two gold medals at the Nevada Senior Olympics.
In fact, she was the only contestant in her age group, so she was moved to the next lowest age group and still won for Jazz and Tap categories.
She was on stage recently at the Arizona State Fair Senior Day and will return to Las Vegas for a demonstration for a Senior Health Fair.
Evelyn's story begins a long time ago. Back in Canton, Ohio, while in high school, Evelyn attended a dance school, the largest in the city, with a student body of 500.
Her family wasn't rich, and the two male teachers were young and not married, so her mom cleaned their clothes and Dad cleaned out the studio. That paid for the regular dance classes that she loved.
Since her birthday is in December, she graduated at 16-years-old.
One month later, she headed directly to New York City to put those well-trained feet in motion. That was the place to be.
It didn't take long for Evelyn to be part of a chorus line. She danced in the line at Radio City Music Hall, which still shines, and also at the Roxy Theater, which was demolished in 1960.
But her thrill was dancing for the troops. Members of those lines fell in line, as the war was blazing in Europe but the United States was still not involved.
In 1940, Evelyn became part of the very first 16-member touring troop for the USO. The tours went back and forth across the United States, stopping at camp sites in small towns everywhere.
Evelyn took three tours and became the team captain, responsible for the line's activities.
"We got to see the country and entertain the troops. We were all young and everyone was helping out," she says. "We made minimum wage and had to pay for room and board and for our makeup. They paid for the costumes.
"We would get off the train and run for the Traveller's Aid to find a room to rent for the night, what might be called a Bed and Breakfast today. Whoever got there first got the best digs. There were a lot of parents on the road to visit their sons at camps and hotels were too expensive."
"The train carried 96 people, we had the orchestra, wardrobe people, stage hands, who built stages and then we would pickup the stars, on the west coast. Some of the stars would be with us overnight. Others, like Rita Hayworth traveled with us for six weeks. She was fabulous and would help us out. She had been a chorus dancer herself."
"A lot of the stars people would not remember today. There was Connie Bennett of the Bennett Sisters and the Ritz Brothers. They were better than the Marx Brothers but didn't get the accolades."
After a while they couldn't get enough Pullman cars because the troops were the priority. The two guys who owned the dance studio back in Canton got hold of Evelyn and asked her to come back and run the studio since they had been drafted.
She recalls that was a tough decision, but she agreed and got off in Cleveland as the train was passing.
Evelyn taught everything for three years, until the guys returned. She says there was tap, jazz acrobatic dance and even baton twirling.
When Evelyn married, she had still intended to keep active in dance, but it was the twins that slowed her down.
She and her husband moved to Phoenix in 1956, to Pinewood and eventually to Cottonwood.
When she came to Cottonwood, those dancing feet were still itching for a stage and Evelyn became an institution with the Happy Hoofers for 17 years.
She recalls that there were a number of senior dance troops at that time. But many have fallen to the wayside over the years, including the Hoofers.
She has recently been asked to join a new group, one of the last remaining.
And Evelyn is ready. She has kept in shape. She even rents the Cottonwood Civic Center for her personal use twice a week to practice.
That's why at 88 life continues as a constant dance.
"I like to entertain people. I will dance at the drop of a hat."
Reader Comments
Posted: Monday, November 09, 2009
Article comment by:
Lyn Carlson
Your nephew, Roy, passed your article to us, Evelyn, and we're so glad he did. What an exciting life you've led and what an inpiration you are! If you ever get to Fort Myers, please visit us. We're a senior dance team called the Calendar Girls. Happy feet always! www.CalendarGirlsFlorida.com
Posted: Saturday, November 07, 2009
Article comment by:
Mark O.
"Mom" - we couldn't be more proud of you and inspired to bring the same level of enthusiasm and commitment to our lives! Rock on!!!
Posted: Friday, November 06, 2009
Article comment by:
We are proud you
Congratulations for being a "winner"!! We are proud of you!!
Niece in Colorado
Posted: Thursday, November 05, 2009
Article comment by:
Phoenix TAG
Great publicity Babe. Maybe you'll get a gig out of it... Nephew in Phx.
Posted: Wednesday, November 04, 2009
Article comment by:
Martha Edwards
Bravo! What a fabulous article about a dancer who keeps dancing, because that is what you do! You are a true inspiration to everyone to keep doing what makes you happy, becuase what you do is what you are. I've seen you dance Evelyn (at Good Morning Sedona a couple of years ago) and you are wonderful. Thank you.
Posted: Wednesday, November 04, 2009
Article comment by:
Way to go Evelyn
Way to go Evelyn. You're the same age as my father would have been had he not passed away 20 years ago from lung cancer. You're an inspiration to all of us. Keep up the dancing!!!
