Seniors’ Senior Prom June 25, 2010

Area senior citizens are invited to the 6th Annual Seniors’ Senior Prom titled, “A Tropical Summer Night,” from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday, June 25, at The Timbers of Shorewood retirement community, 1100 N. River Rd., Shorewood.

The Jay Mau Orchestra will provide the music of the Big Band era, and the evening will feature dancing, raffles, and all the prom trimmings. A special moment will be the crowning of the king and queen of the prom.

As a part of the South Pacific-themed prom, the Royal Polynesian Revue will present a special show with hula dancers accompanied by the drums and ukulele. The dancers will show off several costumes from the Pacific Islands, and audience members will be taught dances and songs.

For 20 years, the Royale Polynesian Revue has been performing in the Chicago area. The troupe is composed of musicians, dancers, and host Pesi Mauga who is from the island of Samoa. Mauga sings dances, plays the ukulele, connects with the audience with personality and charm. The troupe performs dances from Hawaii, Samoa, Tahiti, and New Zealand.

The Jay Mau Orchestra

This 10-piece band has been tempting couples onto the dance floor at about 35-40 gigs a year, The Timbers being a favorite.

“It’s a wonderful sight to see so many people enjoying themselves,” said Judy Malin, activities director at The Timbers of Shorewood. “Jay plans an interesting mix of music to dance to – foxtrots, waltzes, Cha-Chas, and all the rest.”

While World War II tunes and Broadway hits were heard over America’s airways, little Jay Mau was slicing through the air with pointed index fingers leading other five-year-olds as the director of his kindergarten rhythm band. The clatter of those crayon-colored xylophones, trumpets, kazoos and tin drums were music to the ears of Jay Mau who would later find his way to instruments, a seat in several bands, and his ultimate beat as leader of his own orchestra.

Mau played trombone and tuba in grade school. As a member of The Jimmy Stevenson Swing Band, he got fellow classmates hopping during school ‘sock-hops” at Lockport High School. The band always wore black slacks, white dress shirts and lace up shoes called “white bucks.”

After two-years in the US Navy, Mau got a job with a polka band, then with The Al Piazza Trio. Mau worked with Donna Rae and The Gentlemen four nights a week, and for a decade, with the Roy Gordon Orchestra. When Roy Carlos “Gordon” died in the mid-1990s, Mau purchased the orchestra, its name and music book. He merged Gordon’s book of ‘30’s and ‘40’s tunes to include dance hits from the next 30 years. Then, he renamed it The Jay Mau Orchestra.

The Timbers of Shorewood is a rental retirement community which provides independent and assisted living apartments and a full schedule of activities and services. Furnished apartments are also available for a short-term stay - a weekend, a week, a month or longer.

The prom is open to the public and admission is free, but space is limited. Reservations are required. For more information or to register, call Judy Malin at 815-609-0669 or visit http://www.timbersofshorewood.com.

Official Website: http://www.timbersofshorewood.com/calendar/2010/june/25/6th-annual-seniors%E2%80%99-senior-prom