By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
The Sun City Poms have spent years being interviewed for print and TV outlets.
But now their story, although fictionalized, has hit the big screen in “Poms” starring Diane Keaton. The movie tells the story of a group of women who start a pom troupe at their retirement community. For the movie’s premiere, the Sun City Poms made the rounds of Harkins Theatres.
“They have our song ‘We Got the Beat,” that’s our signature song, and some of the lines out of the actresses are from many interviews,” says Janece Brown of the 40-year-old Sun City Poms.
“There’s just little things I can relate to.”
As a result of the film, Brown says, other women in communities have called to see how to start a pom group.
Brown became involved in the Sun City Poms after retiring five years ago. A dancer since the age of 5, she approached the group at a festival. They explained to her what it took, showed up at a practice and has been there ever since.
“There’s been an ache in my heart to dance once again,” says Brown, who worked as a hospital administrator in California. “This has definitely filled that void.”
The Sun City Poms’ calendar is filling up thanks to “Poms.” They’ve received calls from NASCAR, Laughlin and Netflix.
“We’ve had an amazing year,” she says. “So much stuff has happened that’s never happened before.
“We’ve been interviewed by Steve Harvey, the ‘Today’ show, NBC and ABC. One person wants us to do a reality show. I thought about it, but I think they want to portray us as divas and show us arguing and script us. We don’t want that portrayal of us. We’re always there for each other. My mother lives with us, she’s 95. We had a birthday party and all the poms showed up at the restaurant.”
“We bicker sometimes, like women of our age.”
The 70-year-old dancer’s perspective has changed since joining the group. Working in the hospital, she used to think 70 was old. Now she sees it as a fun age when she can accomplish anything.
