03-07-2025
Riverdale woman, 85, gets to achieve 'golden dream' of dancing after loss of her leg
Shirley Johnson, 85, with a new prosthetic leg, never imagined she'd dance again.
She hadn't danced since the 1980s, yet her love of dance never faded. Her home had always been filled with music and movement. She recalled dancing with her husband of 54 years in their kitchen, and nights out on the town, twirling under the lights.
Her passion extended to her family. Her three daughters grew up immersed in dance, taking ballet and jazz classes through childhood.
'[Dance] means everything to me,' Johnson said. 'I always kept it part of my life. My husband and I just dance around the house, going out to events and dancing. We were always there. There was a dance going on — we were there.'
On Wednesday, July 2, RiverSpring Living in Riverdale, where Johnson has lived since 2019, gave her another shot at the dance floor in White Plains.
A Golden Dream proves to be 'Unforgettable'
Johnson has faced a lot in recent years. For nearly a decade, while living on Manhattan's Upper West Side, she endured surgeries, medications and countless medical appointments in an effort to manage blood dyscrasia, a condition that causes abnormal blood clotting.
In June 2019, after exhausting all other options, she underwent a life-altering surgery that led to the amputation of her left leg below the knee. Though devastating, it was her only option.
Dancing looked to be a memory.
But RiverSpring Living has a new program called "Golden Dreams," the goal of which is to help residents achieve long-delayed dreams — 'bucket list' experiences. One resident recently got to attend college at the age of 97, while another got to meet New York Rangers goaltending legend Mike Richter.
Johnson's dream was to regain her strength and return to the dance floor.
Johnson was only recently fitted with a prosthetic leg. Thanks to the dedication of her physical therapist, Trini Pateno, Johnson spent two weeks practicing balance, rhythm, and movement, all aimed at the moment she could dance again.
That moment arrived on Wednesday at the Arthur Murray Dance Studio in White Plains. Wearing a floral top and flowing white pants, Johnson beamed with joy. Studio owner Michael Powers-Innocenzi, dressed in a sharp suit, took her hand and led her in a ballroom slow dance to the classics 'Unforgettable' by Nat King Cole and 'Chances Are' by Johnny Mathis.
'They showed me I can dance again," Johnson said. "The physical therapy there helped me tremendously. "So now, I'm gonna start dancing all over the place."
Johnson's husband, William Jackson, died in April 2021, but she said she felt his presence as she danced.
RiverSpring Living helps residents achieve bucket list goals
Wendy Steinberg, chief communication officer of RiverSpring Living, which offers several forms of senior living, described the Golden Dreams program as an opportunity for residents to prioritize themselves in pursuit of a dream.
'We've created this program to grant their bucket list wish items, because there's so many things that they never had the chance to do,' she said. 'We found that each golden dream is as unique as the person.'
David Pomeranz, the CEO of RiverSpring Living, said many of their residents spent their lives providing for their families and not focusing on their own desires and goals. He said that Golden Dreams opens a door for them to put themselves first.
'Sometimes people have sacrificed a lot of their life to raise their children, and they haven't always taken care of their own needs,' he said. 'This gives them a chance at the end of their life to be able to fulfill wishes that they always had that they sacrificed to raise their children.'
Powers-Innocenzi expressed deep gratitude for the chance to help fulfill Johnson's dream. He admitted he felt emotional during their dance. Johnson told him, 'I'll never forget you ever in my life.'
When he asked if she was tired from dancing, she simply smiled and said, 'I'm dreaming.'
'Our mission is to help people find their joy through dance, one step at a time,' Powers-Innocenzi said. 'They come to the studio and use dance as a vehicle to get something they want, whether it's to find community, to get over the loss of a loved one or to build confidence.'
Following their performance, Johnson had one more request: a dance with Pomeranz.
Powers-Innocenzi offered him a quick lesson. Then Johnson danced again but this time with the leader of the place she calls home. She grinned ear to ear, grateful for the community that made her dream come true.
Pomeranz said his dance with Johnson reaffirmed his purpose in elder care.
"To see that there is so much that they can still do and fulfill so many of their dreams, it's a blessing,' he said.
