By MICHAEL BOYLAN
Weekend Editor

There is a school in Tyrone, the Doris Russell School of Performing Arts, where people of all ages gather to learn the secrets of dance.

Doris Russell, the school's namesake, was a dancing legend who was the youngest of the 12 original Radio City Music Hall Rockettes. Her love for dance is transferred to all of the school's highly successful groups.

One such group is the Georgia Gold Adult Dance Troupe. The group's age ranges from 30-something to 70-something, averaging around 50. The group is made up of business people, working mothers, retirees, students and homemakers, and they live in the counties throughout the Southern Crescent.

Georgia Gold won the Dance Educators of America National Championship in Las Vegas in July, performing two specialty numbers, “All That Jazz,” choreographed by Stephen Ball, and “In The Navy,” choreographed by Angela Tally. They took home gold medals and first place national championship awards in their category. They also performed in the Applause National Talent Competition, receiving first place in their category and their division, as well as the Applause Award, naming them the Most Entertaining of the Group Competition.

Linda Robinson and Mary Lou Weibel won gold medals and a first place national championship award for their tap specialty number, “Jump-Shout Boogie.”

Their successful summer run began in June with a first place finish at the Showbiz National Championships. At the Applause National Talent Competition, Robinson and Weibel won first place in their category and division, as well as the Applause Award naming them the most entertaining of the solo-duet-trio competition, which included dancers ages 8 to 57. Robinson and Weibel's average is 56.

The Georgia Gold Adult Dance Troupe performs throughout the Atlanta area; in WSB's Salute 2 America parade, at Fayetteville's July Jam and Tyrone's Founders Day Celebration. The troupe also has performed in ABC's made for TV movie “Memories of the Last Confederate Widow” and at the opening ceremonies of the Centennial Olympic Games.

The one male member of the troupe, a Fayette County resident and an air cargo business owner, joined the class because he had coronary artery disease and his doctor said he needed to make some lifestyle changes.

A Fayette County business woman says the sense of pride and deep satisfaction she finds at dance enhances her pursuit of personal development as well as her handling of business stress.

One lady, who is well past 70 years old, says, “It's impossible to concentrate on learning complex new dance steps and worry about my problems or heartaches at the same time."

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