CLEVELAND — Inside a studio on Cleveland's West Side, a group of performers is gearing up to captivate a crowd of thousands. Behind the sequins and choreography, these 19 dancers prove that age is just a number.
They are the Wine and Goldies, the Cleveland Cavaliers’ senior dance team and a fan favorite at Rocket Arena.
A few times each month, the Wine and Goldies take to the court during Cavs games, dancing to all kinds of music from classic hits to today’s top music. Debuting in 2018, the group quickly became one of the most notable game-day performers.
The dancers come from all sorts of backgrounds; some, like 61-year-old Sherry Michalak, have spent time in the spotlight before joining the team.
Michalak grew up dancing and even taught at her studio, but once she got married and had kids, she said performing was put on the back burner.
That is, until she discovered the Wine and Goldies.
"I was like, oh my gosh, this is such a way to get back into dancing, and they look like they were having so much fun,” Michalak said.
While watching a Cavs game last year, Michalak was fascinated by the Wine and Goldies’ performance, prompting her to audition, and she’s now in her rookie season with the dance team.
“I just moved up to Cleveland a couple of years ago, and some neighbors that we just met invited us to a Cavs game. My husband and I went, and they were performing,” Michalak said. “I went and auditioned, which was last summer, and we spent almost six hours there auditioning, and then I made it, so I was so excited.”
Others on the team found their passion for dancing later in life, like 66-year-old Denise Aboud.
Aboud is a seasoned veteran of the team, joining after watching the Wine and Goldies perform during their first season.
“They came out on the court to perform, and I looked at my friend and said, ‘Who are they, and why am I not one of them?'" Aboud said.
Despite not having a background in dance, Aboud auditioned, made the team and is now a key member of the Wine and Goldies.
Seven years later, Aboud still finds herself learning and building her confidence through dance. She said that she sometimes struggles with her internal body awareness and spends time writing out steps to learn the routines.
“I find that it gives me some confidence,” Aboud said. “I'm kind of a raging perfectionist, and so it's nice to be able to do something that I struggle with, and accept myself that I'm going to struggle with a little bit.”
But mistakes are just a part of the process, and with a team as benevolent as the Wine and Goldies, they pick each other up when struggles arise.
“[The team is] very much willing to help each other, very much willing to go the extra mile,” Aboud said. “Have a little extra practices on the side at each other's houses, and always answer questions for each other.”
Evenings leading up to a performance are spent at their studio space, where music, counting and laughter echo through the room.
The team has three rehearsals before they hit the court, putting in up to three hours at each practice.
“By the third rehearsal, we've got the whole dance learned, and then we're just working out all the little kinks to it and everything,” Michalak said.
Then comes game night, and the Wine and Goldies are lined up in the tunnel, mentally running through the routine, shaking out any nervous jitters and waiting for their time to shine.
When that moment comes, the team files onto the court where they’re met with thousands of screaming fans, bright lights and the familiar tune of their performance song.
“You go out on that court and find your spot, and you have just like a few seconds there to kind of look around and just see all the people and all the lights, and they announce the Wine and Goldies,” Michalak said. “And you're like, oh my gosh, this is amazing. And it just makes it so worth it, just so much fun.”
But beyond the rehearsals and performances are 19 people with a passion.
“People look at us and say, ‘They're everyday people,’” Aboud said. “To be able to look and say, wow, there's real people out there, and they put uniforms on, and they're dancing, and they're having a great time.”
For the team, routines are just part of it. It’s the joy, connection and chance to do something they love that keeps them coming back.
“Honestly, I get a little choked up; this team is amazing. All of the entertainment team members are. It is a family of people,” Aboud said.
The Wine and Goldies are more than a game-day act. They’re performers, teammates and proof that passion has no age limit.
“When we're out here doing this, we don't feel like we're older people. We don't feel like we're the senior dance team,” Michalak said.
