But don't you dare call them grannies.
Right at the start, we weren't very happy about being called 'granny cheer dancers,' says Fumie Takino, the bubbly, energetic 89-year-old who founded Japan Pom Pom - average age, 72 years - more than 25 years ago.
At a recent weekly practice, resumed after a year off, mask-wearing members checked temperatures before stretching, then moved into their dance routines - socially distanced, of course.
Though most wore sweatpants and t-shirts with a glittery Japan Pom Pom, for performances they don sequined, mini-skirted cheer costumes. For one routine, Takino wears a leather biker jacket and shades; in another, all sport silver wigs.
It's dancing; moving your body is nice, she said. And the costumes are unbelievably showy. Some people join just so they can wear them.
This story is from the May - June 2021 edition of Cochin Herald.
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This story is from the May - June 2021 edition of Cochin Herald.
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