Quantcast

The DNAinfo archives brought to you by WNYC.
Read the press release here.

This Ain't Your Grandparents' Senior Prom — Wait, It Is.

By DNAinfo Staff on March 25, 2010 7:59am  | Updated on March 25, 2010 7:52am

By Nicole Breskin

DNAinfo Reporter/Producer

CHELSEA — It's usually an adolescent rite of passage, but a group of Chelsea senior citizens gave new meaning to the term "Senior Prom" on Wednesday.

Nearly 200 seniors turned out at the Hudson Guild's Fulton Center to dress up and dance the day away for “Senior Prom” — an event organized by students from the nearby Fashion Institute of Technology.

“I never had a prom, so I hope I win the title of prom king,” said Vicente Cabrera, a 95-year-old Ecuadorian immigrant, while shimmying side to side on the dance floor. “I haven’t had this much fun in awhile.”

The mambo, salsa and the waltz, Cabrera did it all in the hope of being crowned king at the end of the day.

Seniors at the senior prom.
Seniors at the senior prom.
View Full Caption
DNAinfo / Nicole Breskin

As part of the festivities, FIT students and staff decked out the seniors with makeup, ornate jewelry and gowns — provided through donations from the school and thrift stores across Manhattan.

“My great grandmother had a party just like this at her senior center,” said FIT student Ashley Juskus, who came up with the event and ran it with Baker scholars from FIT's School of Business and Technology. “I know how much she loved it and thought it would be great for the seniors here. It’s like being young again.”

For Naomi Lopez, 62, who works in the laundry department at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square, the chance to be pampered was a thrill.

“I love my dress,” said Lopez, who was wearing a gold dress and jacket outfit. “I got some sparkles on my eyes to add a little extra something.”

Some of the seniors at the center are down on their luck, poor and even homeless, said Yehudit Moch, Group Services manager at the Hudson Guild. She said the prom was a perfect opportunity to give participants a midweek boost.

“There’s an excitement that’s palpable here,” said Moch. “It’s really touching. The seniors are having so much fun and feeling special and honored.”