Jivin’ Jenny has the internet all shook up
A GRAN has become an internet sensation – thanks to her duet with an Elvis impersonator.
Gyrating Jenny Harkness stole the show when she joined a rendition of Suspicious Minds at her local day centre for the elderly.
The sprightly 90-year-old upstaged impersonator Stevie Cowan with a hip-wiggling routine she’s been practising for decades.
A clip of the impromptu performance at the Harlaw Hill Day Centre in Prestonpans, East Lothian, was uploaded to Facebook and has attracted four million views, along with praise from across the globe for showing that age is no barrier to the light fantastic.
And Jenny herself believes practising her slick moves has kept her healthy. “I live for dancing,” she said. “It’s a huge part of my life. I guess that’s why I am still fit at 90. “I started jiving when I was a teenager and haven’t stopped.
“Elvis changed the whole dance scene with his gyrating.
“He was by far the best.” Elvis remains one of the most influential artists of all time and has sold more than a billion records.
The King of Rock and Roll, who died in 1977, would have been 82 two weeks ago, days before Jenny celebrated her 90th.
One of Jenny’s dance partners at the centre is 97-year-old Maggie Blair. She came back from a serious illness in hospital last month to get back in the groove.
A video of the Harlaw Hill group dancing to celebrate Maggie’s 97th has also attracted more than a million views online.
Centre manager Fiona Mitchell said: “We feared the worst for Maggie and never dreamed she would be back on the dance floor so soon, but she has delighted us all.
“Some of our other members have suffered strokes and struggle to speak.
“But the words of The King flood back when we play his songs.
“Many of them met their husbands or wives at the dancing when jiving was all the rage.
“We switched to Elvis when they got tired of Jimmy Shand and accordion music.”
The centre’s impersonator Stevie leads the boogieing and admitted he was left All Shook Up by Jenny’s moves.
“Age is no barrier to talent as the good folk of Harlaw Hill prove,” said Stevie.
“What the staff and members do is incredible.”
The centre celebrates its 25th anniversary in June.