Growing older does not mean putting away your boogie shoes.

And one Maryland senior living community wanted to make sure its residents had a chance to show off their best dance moves.

So, they thought, why not throw them a senior prom?

Atrium Senior Living Community pulled out all the stops for the residents, some of whom had never been to a prom before.

Like Joyce Melvin, who lives at the center with her husband. Sixty years after graduating, she finally was able to go to a prom with her guy.

“The special thing that my husband did was to walk,” Melvin said. “He is 94 years old, and escorting me to the prom on his own and dancing with me like we were lovers and in love and all of that.

That was very special to me.”

Joyce Melvin arrives with a hand from driver Patrick Ramsey. Photo by Jamey Simpson

The prom came complete with a limo, red carpet, makeovers for the residents and even dance lessons before the big event.

Dena Schreier, the resident director at the center, organized the prom. She said she wanted to give the residents a reason to spend time together, and add some joy to their “social calendar.”

“It’s important to look forward to something for these residents. It’s something fun, something special, something that’s out of the ordinary,” Schreier said. 

“The residents that are maybe a little bit more timid, they were able to come out and enjoy themselves and have a glass of wine or dance with a song,” she added. “Those little moments were really special to me.”

There were plenty of activities leading up to the dance. There were “promposals” as well as dress shopping. One resident, Ray Pitz, got creative with a sign to ask Claudette “Cookie” Cook-Womack to the prom. He made a poster board that read “Don’t Make Me Crumble,” a pun for Cookie’s nickname.

Pitz, who is in a mobilized wheelchair, didn’t let that stop him from leading the conga line with the help of a physical therapist.

I spent more time on my feet that evening than I have in quite a while, probably since I’ve moved here,” he said. 

Melvin said that the dancing was the most amazing part of the entire night.

Ray Pitz’s ‘promposal’ to Claudette “Cookie” Cook-Womack. Photo by Christopher Prosser

“To see everyone get dressed up and maybe even pull some of the dresses out that they never thought they would have a reason to get in again, and to see them dancing and to feel the high level of energy and to feel the joy and the excitement — it was fantastic,” she said. 

“We should have more dancing, more music, more putting on those dresses that no longer fit!” she said.

To watch these seniors in action, check out the video below!

Sources: People