The Silver Steppers dress in dazzling attire to dance for the residents of area nursing, assisted living and memory care facilities, bringing smiles to their faces and causing them to tap their bedroom slippers or fingers in time to the music.

With graceful moves, couples from Tyler and the surrounding area – Whitehouse, Jacksonville, Palestine, Mineola, Winona and Longview – perform, individually, their favorite dance, such as the tango, Cha-cha-cha, samba and swing. The show’s grand finale is always four couples dancing together the choreographed, beautiful Viennese Waltz.

For the waltz, women wear long, colorful, flowing evening gowns and men don tuxedos with long tails, white gloves, white vests, bow ties and shirts.

“We go all out with beautiful costumes just like you would see on Dancing with the Stars on TV,” said Jenny Norris, who, with her husband, Darrell, are spokespersons for the Silver Steppers and coordinate bookings

“When we go perform, we surprise people. They are surprised by what we put into it. We are a lot more than what they expected,” Darrell Norris said.

Each routine is about three minutes long, to keep the attention of spectators, Jenny Norris said.

The Norrises, of Winona, dance the East Coast Swing, involving some lifts and pull-throughs.

Withell Hall, 87, watched the Silver Steppers at the Prestige Estates memory care unit in Tyler recently.

“I enjoyed it thoroughly. I liked the extremely beautiful gowns. The men in tuxedos looked dignified,” she said.

The Silver Steppers are composed of about 14 dancers, mostly in their 50s and 60s, although one couple is 28 and 30 years old.

Members of the group met socially through dancing, became friends and has been performing together about two years.

The Silver Steppers are nonprofit, pay for their own costumes and do not charge for their 30-minute performances.

“Anybody that calls us, we will come dance for them,” said Jenny Norris.

“If we can make people smile, that’s all we care about,” she said. “They enjoy it, and in return, (the Silver Steppers) enjoy it too. We just love to dance.”

The Silver Steppers were touched when a woman in a memory care center, who had been a famous opera singer, started singing with the music in a foreign language.

The performances bring memories to the spectators when they recognize songs dancers dance to, Darrell Norris said.

It gives them entertainment and something different in their routine, said Tom Lyons, of Tyler. He and his wife, Mindy, dance the American tango and put on Bavarian clothes to dance the polka. Mrs. Lyons wears a polka outfit in honor of her late mother, who bought the material.

“When we come out and dance, it puts smiles on everyone’s faces. It’s worth a million dollars,” Mrs. Lyons said.

Larry and Jan Rosenfield, of Tyler, present a Latin dance, the rumba. The performances “help us practice, so, we become better dancers and we think it’s a nice thing to do for places where the clients appreciate some diversion,” he said. She added, “I know it means a lot to people, who don’t get out as much.”

The Silver Steppers have camaraderie, fun and work together on routines while doing something positive in the lives of residents of nursing homes, said Jim Cook, of Palestine, who with his partner, Ann Watson, dance the Cha-cha-cha.

“We are giving back the love of dance,” said Maurice Green, of Palestine. Bill Cox, of Whitehouse, said, “We are giving a little joy in their (spectators’) life. They are so happy to see us, it makes us feel good.” Cox and his partner, Dr. Susan LaVoy, dress in sparkly 1950’s and early 1960’s outfits to perform a swing dance to the tune of “Peggy Sue.”

To reach the group to schedule a performance, call 903-705-2302.