LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — On Oct. 8, Morning Pointe of Lexington resident and former professional dancer Eloise Terry will celebrate an incredible milestone — her 103rd birthday!
Born in Henshaw, Kentucky in 1915, Eloise began taking dance classes at age 8,
which instilled in her a lifelong passion for the art form. At age 14, she met her future husband, George Terry, at an audition and began dancing with him, eventually marrying him in 1948. Together, Terry and her husband rose to international prominence as a dancing duo, known for their graceful adagio performances. In addition, she was a local TV performer in the Louisville area and a regular on the WHAS children’s show, T-Bar-V Ranch. Through it all, she never stopped dancing. At the age of 92, she even danced as part of the 60th anniversary celebration of a theater at which she had performed on its opening day in the 1930s.
Over the course of her lifetime, Terry has received many awards. She was honored by the American Red Cross for 30 years of volunteer work, and she also received the Bell Award from WLKY-TV for outstanding community service.
In 1979, Terry founded the Young Hearts Theatre, a nonprofit organization that is designed to provide retired professional and non-professional performers the opportunity to dance and perform again, giving back to their community through the performing arts. Dancers for Young Hearts Theatre must be age 60 or older and must audition. The Young Hearts Theatre will perform as part of Terry’s 103rd birthday celebration at 2:30 p.m. on October 8 at Morning Pointe of Lexington.
According to Michelle Simpson, the Community Relations Director at Morning Pointe of Lexington, the entire senior living community is thrilled to be celebrating Terry’s special day with her. “Eloise has lived quite an amazing life! We are so glad to have her here with us at Morning Pointe of Lexington,” Simpson said.
