WESTMINSTER : U.N. Day Festivities Delight Seniors

It started with a folk dance from the mountain people of Vietnam and ended with a Turkish belly dance. In between, there was a rich lesson in cultural diversity that about 70 senior citizens lustily applauded.

The event was the United Nations Day celebration Friday at the Westminster Senior Citizens Center, where dances and music from six countries were featured as part of an effort to bring senior citizens from various ethnic groups together.

“We should do this thing more often,” said Maria Bayar, 57, a native of Germany, who has been a Westminster resident for the past 17 years. “We get to know more about each other and appreciate each other’s culture.”

In addition to the Vietnamese and Turkish dances, there were dances from Mexico, Korea and the United States. An American Indian, Dwight Howe, sang a war dance song from the Omaha Ponca Indians of Oklahoma.

Dancers were from varying age groups--children, teen-agers, adults and senior citizens. Senior services supervisor Betty Goyne said that younger people are being encouraged to join activities with senior citizens.

It is part of an intergenerational program that will bring young and old together to learn from each other, Goyne said.

Seven high school girls from the Lam Ti Ni dance company in Orange County performed “The Rosy Umbrella Dance,” a traditional dance of the Meo and Man tribes in the north of Vietnam. It’s performed during weddings and festivals, showcasing the girls’ flexibility and hand movements.

“It was fantastic,” said Loretta Keely, echoing what many in the audience said. “I’ve never seen a Vietnamese dance before.”

Keely, 62, was herself a performer. Dressed in Western garb, including cowboy boots and hat, she choreographed a number by 12 senior citizens that drew repeated cheers from the crowd.

Keely, who retired as system analyst for Bank of America in Orange five years ago, said she teaches as many as 90 senior citizens, and Friday’s performers were some of her best students.

“It’s great exercise and you meet a lot of nice people,” she said.

But it was Maruja Echart, born and raised in Spain, who brought the house down with her energetic Turkish and Moroccan belly dance. Several senior citizens later joined her on the dance floor, gyrating their hips to the music as those watching them howled with delight.

“As you can see, this dance is a lot of fun,” said Echart, who said she learned belly dancing at age 13 when her family lived in Morocco in the 1950s. She said she teaches belly dancing in Westminster and performs in private parties.

“I usually wear more sexy clothing, but I covered myself today. These are senior citizens,” Echart said with a smile.

Still laughing at the end of the two-hour show, several senior citizens said the serious side of the program must not be forgotten.

“It’s wonderful that older people can enjoy it like this,” said Vicki Scott, 76. “But the city is changing. We must learn to live together.”