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Disrupting demographics – it’s all about pensioner power!

The changing structure of our population means it's no longer all about the young ones - viva la revolution!
Leili Gilchrest, 71, dancer with the Hip Op-eration crew

Picture this: it’s the world hip hop championship in Las Vegas and a group take the stage in hoodies, baggy pants and trainers. But when they take off their hoods they’re no youthful group moving to the beat of the gangster music they’ve grown up with. They’re old, their wrinkles revealing the years they’ve lived. And when they finish, the crowd goes wild. “We’re inspirational, you see,” says 71-year-old Leila Gilchrest.

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“We’re not great hip hop dancers, well, you’re never going to be at our age, but we go out there and do it as well as we can.”

It seems there’s life left in the retired yet. Latest studies show we’re now outliving our predecessors, with the help of healthier lifestyles and medicines more effective against the ailments of old age. This means we have an ageing population on our hands.

Because we’re living longer, a recent study from the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis and Stony Brook University has revealed those in their 60s should no longer be considered old, but middle-aged. That’s right – 60 is the new 50. And it seems baby boomers have already got the message.

They’re not sitting in their armchair reading the TV Guide and counting their days till the end. No, they’re out there, living their long life to the fullest. It’s the age of the groovy granny.

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The groovy grannies prove they can still bust a move.

Hip Hop Hooray

It was in 2012 when Gilchrest, then aged 68, was handed a pamphlet looking for elderly dancers for a flash mob. Her first thought was ‘for goodness sake’ but she decided to give it a go anyway. The 22-strong hip hop group she now belongs to, aptly named the Hip Op-eration Crew, evolved from that flash mob and have been together ever since.

Based on Auckland’s Waiheke Island they practise every fortnight at the Morra Hall for two hours at a time, making sure to stop for a cup of tea and a chat in the middle. With members ranging from 68 to 96 (the average age is 80), they’re the Guinness World Record holders for oldest dance group on the globe, and although they’re certainly not your average hip hop crew, what they lack in technique they sure make up for in spirit.

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They’ve had gigs all around the country, not to mention in Taiwan and Vegas – and they’re hoping to get to the Bronx in New York next year to perform for low-decile schools. They’ve even had a documentary made about them, Hip Hop-eration, which Gilchrest says has been known to get standing ovations all around the world. But it’s not just about the dancing, it’s also about being actively involved with the world around you.

“It’s easy to sit at home and do nothing. But we’re like a little family and we’re all good friends. There’s nonstop talk from beginning to end. We just enjoy each other’s company and have fun.”

Ann McGrath, a former nun still helping those in need in Eritrea.

Intrepid at 80

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Ann McGrath, 79, may not be breaking out any hip hop moves but she certainly isn’t sitting around either. A former nun who did missionary work in Africa in the 90s, this year she’s made it her goal to get back to Eritrea, which borders Ethiopia, to help fund a much-needed well.

“It was always my dream that I would go back if I could, to continue to help. There are some wells but it’s difficult terrain so they’re limited. And there aren’t a lot of places that have clean water because if you get it from the wrong place, it will be salty water from the Red Sea.”

Logistically it’s a lot of work. There are visas and paperwork to sort out before she leaves later in the year – not to mention the fundraising initiatives she’s speaking at in order to get backers on board. And that’s all before she even sets foot on the ground there, which is when the real work will start.

A marathon effort

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The first time McGrath went to Eritrea she worked with the Daughters of Charity in their medical clinic and was there over two years with no communication to the outside world due to the conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea and the subsequent famine. It wasn’t the safest place to go to then, and though it’s improved, it’s still a third-world country. But McGrath isn’t worried, she’s just happy she can return to help, resolving to stay as long as she’s needed.

Even though she’s nearing 80, McGrath shows no signs of slowing down. Last year she completed the Auckland marathon, another long-held goal. She’s an adventurer at heart and feels there are lots of adventures waiting for her out there. As for her age, McGrath is nonchalant.

“For me there aren’t any ‘sunshine years’ as they call them. It just continues. Age makes no difference. If you have a vision or a goal then life is never dull.”

For Gilchrest, a mother of two and grandmother of four, her involvement with the Hip Op-eration Crew has been life-changing. “I’m a different person now. When I first joined the group I was a very quiet person but I found my voice along the way. I’m very happy; it’s the best thing I’ve done in my life. I think I’ve found who I am after 70 years. I mean I’ve had open heart surgery, I’ve had a stroke and I had to have a knee replacement. Recently I broke a bone in my pelvis. But they’re all fixed so there’s no excuse. You just have to get on with it I say. If I last till I’m 100, I’ll still keep going.”

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Mercy Brewer – advanced age style icon.

Advanced style: The older model

She may not have her gold card yet but Mercy Brewer is certainly showing us age is but a number even when it comes to one of the most highly scrutinised jobs – modelling. In the past few years the 55-year-old has been gracing our catwalks and magazines and despite being a model in her 20s and 30s, it still caught her by surprise.

“Five years ago if you’d asked me if I’d be modelling again I would have said ‘no way’. But now that I’m older, the older look is sought after.” She’s right.

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The ‘older look’, as she calls it, has been trending of late. Think of Karen Walker’s sunglasses campaign from 2013 that used women aged between 65 and 92 as the models. Or New York fashionista Iris Apfel, who was chosen to be the face of MAC Cosmetics at the ripe old age of 90.

Looking older is no longer frowned on; instead it’s celebrated. When Brewer hits the runway these days, people sit up and take notice. She’s even been known to get standing ovations.

“I don’t think it’s me per se people are cheering for, it’s that I’m an older woman. They cheer for someone who has wrinkles when they smile, who has grey hair and a bit of a tummy,” she says.

That said, Brewer is no stranger to the catwalk. Originally from Scotland, she moved to London at 24 and began strutting her stuff for big names like Karl Lagerfeld, Dior and Moschino. She even starred in a music video for Sting. But while it was something she was naturally good at, it wasn’t a role the mum-of-two was totally comfortable with.

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“I always felt like a fish out of water.” Moving to New Zealand she briefly dabbled in modelling before changing tack and working as a stylist, but it wasn’t long before a fashion editor approached her to model again.

Although she took some convincing, Brewer is happy about her decision to return to the modelling world. “Funnily enough, I feel less shy these days. When you’re my age, the pressure is off. Before, I thought ‘I can’t smile because I’ll get lines around my eyes’. But now I get booked for jobs because people want to see the lines!”

Words by: Sarah Murray

Photos: Leila Phillips, Karn Mercy, Emily Chalk, Antony Nyberg.

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