NYC seniors participated in the city’s Talent Is Timeless competition, an event focused on the over-60 demographic. The competition concluded with a final performance at the United Palace Theater in Washington Heights. The program featured a variety of acts, including poetry and sea shanties, performed by individuals from this age group.
There were 22 acts in yesterday's competition, as reported by ABC 7 New York. Among them, a 91-year-old Thelma Ruffin Thomas, whose fiery spoken-word poem on Black history and the present nabbed the top spot.
As part of a larger city initiative aimed at addressing stereotypes about aging, the event was created following Mayor Eric Adams’ interest in a senior pickleball contest, according to The New York Post. Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez, Commissioner of the Department of Aging, described the contest as a way for seniors to maintain and demonstrate their abilities.
Adding an international element to the event, 77-year-old Gianvito Bottalico performed “That’s Amore” alongside a handmade prop juggling act. Thomas delivered a spoken word performance, while Bottalico’s act contributed to the event’s variety of talents. He told The New York Post that the song conveys themes of love, innocence, and universal affection.
An audience choice award was introduced this year, allowing the audience to participate in the selection process. Barbara Gray, a 70-year-old singer from the Bronx, earned both second place and the audience favorite award with her rendition of Patsy Cline’s “Crazy,” according to The New York Post.
