Golden Groovers: My Fair Lady
On a late-summer morning in Sarasota, the familiar strains of a musical can become an invitation to move.
By Edit Sarasota Staff
On a late-summer morning in Sarasota, the familiar strains of a musical can become an invitation to move. At Golden Groovers: My Fair Lady, the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall is turning one of Broadway’s most enduring stories into a lively, welcoming dance experience for older adults—one that favors pleasure, play and participation over polished performance.
Part of the Van Wezel’s ongoing dance class series designed especially for seniors, the program will draw on the wit and musicality of My Fair Lady. Participants will begin with a warm-up led by Van Wezel teaching artists Deb Lombard and Eric van Baars, then settle into original choreography inspired by the show’s themes. The class is not ballroom dancing, but it is an opportunity to explore rhythm, coordination and character through movement. Couples are encouraged to attend, though the spirit of the class is communal rather than formal.
That distinction matters in a city with such a rich performance culture. Sarasota is often celebrated for what happens on its stages, from orchestral concerts and theater productions to dance and circus arts, but the Van Wezel’s educational programs offer another kind of access: the chance to step inside the creative process. For seniors, a dance class can be both an artistic outlet and a way to remain connected—to music, to memory, to neighbors and to the body itself. The result is less about mastering a routine than discovering how much expression can live in a simple gesture, a shared beat or an unexpected laugh.
The Van Wezel, with its distinctive waterfront presence and long-standing role in Sarasota’s cultural life, has increasingly made room for experiences that bring audiences into the action. Golden Groovers continues that welcoming tradition, transforming the performing arts hall from a place where people watch into a place where they move together. And My Fair Lady, with its songs, transformation and playful social choreography, provides an especially apt backdrop for an afternoon of movement and imagination.
Golden Groovers: My Fair Lady takes place Thursday, August 27, 2026, at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. Whether arriving with a partner or on your own, participants can expect a class shaped by music, guided by experienced teaching artists and grounded in the simple pleasure of moving in good company.