Senior women sparkle at this Colorado pageant
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DENVER — Watching Charlie Myers glide across the stage in a sparkly blue gown and bring a theater to its feet after a rousing tap dance performance makes it hard to imagine her being shy about anything.
As confident as she is on stage, Myers still cringes when she says her age out loud. But don’t worry, she’s working on that.
Myers, 78, competed in the 31st annual Ms. Colorado Senior America pageant April 26, along with 10 other contestants who are all more than 60 years old.
The Ms. Colorado Senior America pageant is a local competition that feeds into the national Ms. Senior America event, similar to how each state sends a representative to the Miss America pageant.
Video: Carly Rose, Rocky Mountain PBS
The Ms. Senior America pageant is the first competition of its kind. Contestants must be at least 60 years old, which the pageant describes as “the age of elegance.”
“Seniors are active and we have a lot going for us. I hate to see a woman get downsized and think, ‘That's the end of the world. I'll just stay home. I'm too frumpy to wear jewelry or a ball gown,’” said pageant administrator René Green. “Heavens, honey, get up. Get out there and do it. You will have so much fun.”
Green helps organize the Colorado pageant and serves as mentor and chaperone for the reigning Colorado queen each year. She competed in the pageant nine years ago and has since become an honorary queen.
“The biggest thing is seeing these ladies that were very unsure of themselves, [and] they just morph into these elegant ladies. You know they've always had it,” Green said.
On a sunny Saturday afternoon, about 350 people — many holding flowers, some wearing pins in support of their loved ones — gathered in the windowless theater at the Mizel Arts and Culture Center to watch the 11 contestants vie for the crown.
Contestants competed in three categories: talent, evening gown and philosophy of life. The day before the event, the pageant judges interviewed the contestants. Those conversations also factored into their scores.
The talent portion showcased a variety of art forms, from Myers’ tap dancing routine, to Diane Plassmeyer’s trombone serenade and Pat Feigin’s comedy routine about escaping a nursing home.
The “philosophy of life” is unique to the Ms. Senior America pageant. Contestants have 35 seconds to express the values most important to them or the way they’ve learned to approach life.
“These women have been through all different aspects of their lives,” Green said. “At 60 years old and older, you've been through life and you have wisdom. And that's what we like to impart to other people is our philosophy of life.”
Contestants don’t need to have any prior experience with pageants to compete. In the five weeks leading up to the pageant, the contestants work with members of the Ms. Colorado Senior America Club to prepare for the competition and rehearse their performances.
They met every Monday at a dance studio in Aurora. Some traveled from Colorado Springs or near the Wyoming state line to get there. Others, like Tracey Drayton, lived down the street.
Drayton, 65, said the weekly rehearsal sessions gave her the confidence to be herself on stage. They were also the place where she developed fast but meaningful friendships with her fellow contestants.
“The connection with everyone is really great. Just meeting new sisters of a lifetime and just having that friendship for always,” Drayton said.
The women bonded over shared experiences, like overcoming breast cancer, or their interests, like competitive Scrabble.
Once a contestant participates in the pageant, regardless of if she wins, she joins the Ms. Senior America club, which is a social club made up of former contestants with different chapters in 23 states.
Within the club, there are several dance and singing troupes who perform at assisted living homes and volunteer events. This social aspect of the pageant encourages women to stay friends long after the competition.
“Relationships at my age are important,” Myers said. “There are a lot of relationships that I made over the years that are no longer around. That part of my life is diminishing, but there's a whole new chapter that is opening up.”
During her reign, Ms. Colorado Senior America represents the state’s senior population at parades and charity events. She selects a charity that the club donates to and organizes members to volunteer with.
Andrea Kehmeier, 2024’s Ms. Colorado Senior America, chose Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver as her charity.
“I think traditionally, the female population over 60 has been the most overlooked in terms of what we're capable of offering to our society,” Kehmeier, 72, said.
“There is still some expectation that we'll just go and sit in our rocking chairs and knit and that we don't have too much to offer. But that is absolutely not the case.”
After Kehmeier made her final walk across the stage as reigning queen, the time came to crown Ms. Colorado Senior America 2025. Terrilynn Moore-Smith, 68, won the title.
Her philosophy of life focused on her passion for environmental conservation, and she hopes to use her title to support The Nature Conservancy.
“This means everything. I get to represent the state of Colorado as a woman, not only over 60, but over 65, and go out and show people that you can do what you put your mind to. I’ve learned not to give up any of my dreams,” Moore-Smith said.
Moore-Smith will compete in the national Ms. Senior America pageant in Atlantic City, New Jersey in October.
Type of story: News
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
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