By Shavonne Potts
spotts@salisburypost.com
“I think it was simply the best performance I’ve ever seen.”
Sounds much like something former American Idol judge Paula Abdul would say, right? Too bad she wasn’t at the Senior Idol talent competition Tuesday at the Salisbury Mall, where that comment was overheard. The competition was part of the Senior Expo.
Dozens of performers sang and danced during this first-ever competition. Contestants’ performances were videotaped. The videos will be posted on www.salisburypost.com. (Click here to watch the videos.) The winner will be chosen based on the number of times each video is viewed online by Sept. 29.
The winner will be announced Sept. 30 in the Salisbury Post and on salisburypost.com. The winner will receive $100.
The women of Nani Tutu e performed a hula dance. The group ó Ilene Smith, Dallene Dillard, Susan Eastwood, Malli Plowman and Carolyn Crisco ó have been dancing together for five years at festivals and events. The group began when a few members learned to do the hula during a luau at a senior center.
“We had an instructor teach us and it just took off from there,” Smith said.
The Concord-based group won two gold medals last year at the Cabarrus County Senior Games, where 39 acts competed. They have also traveled to Charlotte, Cleveland, Washington and Hawaii.
The Silverliners dancers also performed as a group. They are Teresa “Peanut” Lambert, Betty Hill, Mary Caudle, Louise Mitchell, Carolyn Crisco and Dallene Dillard.
“I think it’s great to entertain people here,” Mitchell said.
The Silverliners perform at parties, nursing homes and the Cabarrus County Fair.
Other performers included Carroll Mullis, who sang Elvis Presley’s “Blue Hawaii.”
The mall food court was filled with area businesses and agencies with services that cater to seniors.
Jeffrey Pomerleau, a hearing instrument specialist for Miracle Ear, displayed different hearing devices and explained new technology that can improve seniors’ hearing.
For instance, Bluetooth technology can allow a person to hear at the click of a button with a remote control connecting the person’s hearing aid and any Bluetooth device. A phone with Bluetooth capability enables a person to hear sound clearly in both ears with the click of the remote, Pomerleau said.
Ruth Leigh and friend Mary Neely, both of Salisbury, heard about the Expo at their church.
“We’re getting a lot of good information,” Leigh said.
Helen Eddelman, a member of the Red Hatters, and her friend Brenda Swanson enjoyed being at the event and watching the Idol competition.
“I liked all of it,” Eddelman said.
She said there were about 15 Red Hatters from two groups.
Dennis and Cindy Sipp recently moved from New York to Granite Quarry and were at the event to discuss their business, Health Solutions Unlimited.
The couple sell steel cookware that promises to cook food quickly and without the aid of any oils or fats. To demonstrate, Dennis prepared chili, pizza, collard greens and a pineapple upside-down cake and other dishes. The cake took 12 minutes to make.
The product helps people who are diabetic or have other health conditions and need a way to cook healthy, Cindy said.