You may have seen dancers raising their pom-poms alongside Ace Purple at University of Evansville men’s basketball games, waving to spectators at the West Side Nut Club Fall Festival parade, and cheering on runners at the Evansville Half Marathon. Dressed in glittery costumes and performing everything from waltzes to upbeat numbers, the Silver Aces take joy wherever they go.
Erin Lewis, Executive Director of UE’s Center for Innovation & Change and a competitive ballroom dancer, founded the club for members 50 and older in 2024 at Sylvia DeVault’s request. DeVault, UE’s Senior Director of Major Gifts, was impressed by a performance of the Bucks Grand Dancers while attending a Milwaukee Bucks basketball game in Wisconsin and felt the UE Dance Company could incorporate a similar group.
“I just love to dance and perform, and there are not many opportunities for older dancers,” Elissa Inez Bakke, 60, a senior project manager with Salas O’Brien, told Evansville Living in June, before the Silver Aces performed at the National Independence Day Parade in Washington, D.C.
Eight women practice once a week in a community room at SWIRCA & More. Many are in their 70s, proof that age is not a hindrance to joining the club, which welcomes newcomers as well as former dancers.
“Over the years, I have missed having an opportunity to dance, and I wanted to find a way to enjoy it again as an adult in a fun, relaxed, and noncompetitive environment,” says Jill Anne Hahn. The Vice President of the Vanderburgh County Council became a member three months ago. “Everyone is so friendly and welcoming, which makes the experience even more enjoyable.”
Lewis says the club has been beneficial for her mother, Diane Braun, 77, in combating isolation and keeping her mobile and active, especially after Braun experienced a stroke in late July. The coach plans to keep the club moving, including at UE basketball games at the Ford Center.
“We make sure it’s inclusive for whoever is here,” Lewis says.
