Tag Archive | Wonder Women

Happy Birthday, Wonder Women!

Na Leo Lani members never cease to amaze. What’s our secret to gorgeous and graceful aging? Barbershop harmony, of course!! Whether we are soaring on the high notes or maintaining a strong foundation on those oh-so-low bass notes, Na Leo Lani’s commitment to a cappella music keeps us young, healthy and fit!

See our May, June, and July birthday girls —JoAnne, Charley, Arlette, Jojo, and Wally — who comprise just a few of our NLL wonder women!

If you are interested in seeing what Na Leo Lani is all about, come to one of our fun and lively rehearsals — weekly on Wednesdays from 6 to 9 p.m. Find out more here.

Lookin’ good, ladies!

The secret to long life? Singing!

The women of Na Leo Lani thrive well into our late years. Have a look at the photos below and you’ll see: our amazing Ruth turned 93 earlier this year, Vera turned 91 in April, Anna celebrated another excellent year of her 70s, and that’s just a few of our senior members!

What’s our secret? It’s simple: singing is like meditation, but way more fun. We practice breath support, we listen closely to each other, learn new music and master complex harmonies every week, and most of all, we enjoy our sisterhood of song at rehearsal every week — plus we perform for the public whenever we get a chance.

Hail to our March, April, and May birthday gals! (See pics below.) And keep those cycles ‘round the sun coming — singing with you is such a joy.

In addition to being a bass extraordinaire, Ruth recently won an acting trophy from her retirement community. Bravo, Ruthie!
April birthday gals Coralyn and Vera ham it up (and happy birthday also to Anna in absentia!)

An energetic evening of music and games

We were thrilled to welcome seven guests, including new faces and old friends, at this week’s Membership Night. From the ribbon twirling warmups to a spirited round of tags, it was a nonstop evening of singing, laughter, and fun.

In an interlude between working on our contest songs and a hilarious round-robin game of Betty Boop (and Popeye and Wolf!) (see pic below), members shared how they came to Na Leo Lani and what they love about it.

Rosie spoke of how singing with the chorus had been a source of solace and uplift after her mother’s passing and a long stint volunteering at Hospice Hawaii. Summer, April, and others said they loved the sense of community they have found at NLL. JoAnne — hands down our most radiant and glamorous member — described how singing with Na Leo Lani has kept her young. She is now 88, and her daughter tells her she should never quit! And proving that we are never too old to expand our skill set and build our résumés, Ruth, now in her nineties, imparted how being a part of Na Leo Lani for so many years had put her in line for a leadership position at her assisted living facility, where she now heads the hymn-singing group.

Young or old, singing in harmony is our secret to feeling connected and finding joy!

Thanks so much, ladies, for making our January membership night a success. Let’s continue to grow!

Kinetic warmups with ribbon dancing
Our Membership Night guests!
Playing “Betty Boop” takes stamina and attention! 😅

Singing Refrains with Rosie the Riveter

In honor of Labor Day, the ladies of Na Leo Lani channeled the spirit of Rosie the Riveter at our September 6 rehearsal. No heavy lifting for us, though — when singing barbershop, we strive to keep it light. 🙂 Enjoy the pics below of our enthusiastic Rosies. Three cheers for woman power!

What better representative of Rosie the Riveter than our very own Rosie?
The basses have got the biceps! And tenors, baris, and leads, too.