The purpose of the group's visit is not to show off singing and dancing talents, Fu said. You don't do it to get audience cheers and yells and screams. You're not going to get that. Instead, a major part of the performance is the constant interaction with the seniors. Brooks said the group will move into the audience and hold the senior citizens' hands, singing directly to them.
Physical contact is really important, a very humanizing thing.
When Fu first arrived at Stanford, she was looking for an activity that dealt directly with the older generation. Failing to find one, Fu said she decided to create her own, basing it on Rainbow Connection, a performance group both she and Brooks belonged to in high school. Although she did not receive the grant, Fu was awarded with the association's community service grant instead. Coming together for the first time last quarter, Young at Heart has spent many hours practicing songs and choreographing numbers. There are 14 students in the group, representing all undergraduate classes, and includes a graduate student.