Inside Broadway, a borough-wide non-profit theater company that has been in operation for over 40 years, has been sharing the joys of music and movement with older adults across senior centers in Queens for about two decades.
Better known for bringing performance art programs to NYC public school children, Inside Broadway has expanded its programming to help seniors stay active, exercise, strengthen their cognitive memory and explore the arts.
The theater company has been providing programming to seniors since 2007, working collaboratively with the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs and city council members to share its work. The company serves seniors in a number of communities, including Ridgewood, Elmhurst, Kew Gardens, Howard Beach and Far Rockaway.
In Ridgewood, Inside Broadway brings Broadway Zumba Classes to the Ridgewood Older Adult Center. The Broadway Zumba classes incorporate Broadway music into dance choreography to stretch participants’ minds and bodies.
The company said the classes come to Ridgewood courtesy of funding provided by Council Member Robert Holden, who represents a portion of Ridgewood in City Council District 30. He also helped bring Broadway Zumba to the Newtown Italian Senior Center in Elmhurst.
Residents at the Bayswater Senior Center in Far Rockaway and Kew Gardens Community Center in Kew Gardens have been treated to free art classes via Inside Broadway, which have allowed them to enhance their artistic skills and unleash their creativity.
The program concluded recently with a final showcase at each location, displaying a vibrant array of talent and imagination. Council Member Selvena Brooks-Powers funded the art programs at Bayswater Senior Center and Council Member Lynn Schulman supported the Kew Gardens program.
In southern Queens, participants of the Howard Beach Older Adult Center embraced their love of musical theater through song, staging and discussion. The program culminated in an exciting showcase for the center and community, which is funded by Council Member Joann Ariola.
In addition to the Inside Broadway senior citizen programs, the nonprofit provides in-class residency programs, after-school workshops, summer theater camp and the popular “Creating the Magic” series for New Yorkers.
