OHCA Spring/Summer 2019

The Oregon Caregiver SPRING/SUMMER 2019 www.ohca.com 24 Ethel Henry Touchmark in the West Hills RESIDENT Ethel Henry is a resident of Touchmark in the West Hills. In this interview, Ethel talks about her lifelong history with tap dance. In addition, Ethel’s daughter Jodi, and granddaughter, Kaila, share how tap has positively affected Ethel’s life and the lives of those around her. More of Ethel’s story is included in the feature article of this magazine. Where did dance start for you? Ethel: When I was young, my father was a district manager for Grayson’s, a lady’s ready-to-wear store, so we did a lot of moving around. I lived in Oregon when I was about 5 and after a few more moves we ended up in Oakland, where I spent most of my childhood. While I was there, I was a Megland Kiddie. Most of the old-timers know the Megland Kiddies School groomed youngsters for movies. So, I was a tap dancer with them and my first big show was at the World’s Fair in San Francisco in 1939 at Treasure Island. Were you ever in the movies? Ethel: When I was 4, I was offered a role in a movie that would eventually go to Shirley Temple. My father didn’t want me to be in the movies, so that ended my movie career. I stopped tapping though when I was about 12. How did you get back into tap? Ethel: I didn’t go back to tap until I was about 51. I was in a class with young girls and their parents and that was my first experience back. But my husband and I were still moving a lot, and I couldn’t always find a tap group. Eventually we moved to a senior living center in Las Vegas and we had a big tap group there. We performed on campus and at casinos and other senior homes. My daughters really started getting involved and my daughter Jodi would make our costumes and my daughter Julie would take photos of our shows. Tap has become a family affair for you. Can you tell me more about that? Ethel: Yes, my family now has four generations of tappers, including my great- granddaughter who just turned four. No matter where my husband and I lived we always came back to be with our family for Easter and Passover, and when we came together we’d have a family talent show. So, my son and his wife did ballroom dancing, but my daughters and I would do tap. That talent show is how my granddaughter Kaila first got into tap. What do you get out of tap and what do you love about it? Ethel: I personally get my family out of it. Kaila, my granddaughter, teaches our class now and she also taught my class at the place I lived before Touchmark. She’d bring my great- granddaughter Hallie, who was 6 months old at the time, and Hallie would start following the hand movements right from her car seat as soon as the music went on. Part of the class was the ladies bonding with Hallie. The beauty of the dance class now is really Hallie and Kaila. They bring us together. Kaila: I think the class is really unique. My co-teacher Leru has been a professional PROFILE This headshot of Ethel as a child was taken when she was being considered for the movies, one in which Shirley Temple would eventually star.