New York Liberty fans are eagerly awaiting whether the current WNBA champions will retain their title as the team heads to Phoenix to face the Mercury in the deciding third game of the first round of the playoffs.
If the Liberty win on the road, it will bring a lot of joy to the Big Apple – a blend of basketball and dancing creates a special atmosphere for the fans.
In New York’s attire – the famous black and teal-green palette – fans from Brooklyn will undoubtedly cheer as the Liberty take the court. But they will be just as anxious about what happens before the game – or during the break – as Timeless Torches, a troupe of dancers over 40, will perform in front of the audience.
With the oldest member at 88, the troupe demonstrates energy and warmth that inspire its fans.
Margaret Hamilton, a 56-year-old legal assistant and mother of two, has led the “Torches” for 20 years – but she has no formal dance background.
“In truth, her dancing experience was limited to going to clubs, dancing in clubs and at home – in many different houses – on weekends, birthdays, during cleaning days, when mom and dad played music,” she explains to CNN Sport.
– Margaret Hamilton
Celebrating the Anniversary and the Team’s Motivation
This year the Torches celebrate their twentieth anniversary. Some of the dancers have remained since the very beginning – along with Hamilton – but others joined through auditions over the years.
In 2005, when her younger children, basketball enthusiasts, were going through the audition for a children’s dance group, Hamilton was offered to stay for the audition to join the adult team. She passed the audition and since then has been an original member of the Torches.
“This has incredibly changed my life, because I never thought I would be considered a professional dancer,” she explains.
– Margaret Hamilton
Such feelings are reflected in many other dancers in the group, who enrich the show with different styles and with the personality of each member.
With experience in cheerleading, dancing and gymnastics, Phyllis Spencer, a fitness instructor, already knew: movement in daily life makes her stronger and happier.
“It keeps me in shape. It’s such an inspiring thing – to see dancers who are significantly older than me still doing it. When I’m 60, if they can do it, then I can too,”
– Phyllis Spencer
Spencer, who teaches kickboxing, gymnastics and aerobics at the YMCA, calls dancing a natural high and notes that for her it’s a real joy.
At 88, Shirley Keller is the oldest among the Timeless Torches. In youth she enjoyed ballet, jazz, and tap, but took a break after marriage. Later she learned about the group after seeing their performance at a Liberty game, and came to audition.
“I told everyone at first, ‘Oh, this seems easy. I can do this.’ And I forgot about it, but one of the women I used to sit beside called me and said: ‘By the way, auditions next Saturday,’”
– Shirley Keller
Dance group practices take place weekly: members learn and memorize the numbers they will perform before big games, and each season they re-audition for a place in the group.
Keller explains that it is the “sense of family” in the Torches that keeps her coming back again and again. “I used to look forward to it, because my daughter is married, moved out, my husband died – so this was my family,” she said. “When you go on stage, I sometimes forget what I’m doing, but the applause and the crowd’s cheers erupt – and I like thinking that I am there, performing for them.”
The blend of different styles and the character of each Torch is part of what makes the group so popular. “We have different body types, diversity, backgrounds and all,” adds Hamilton. “That’s why they can resonate and remember a lot – because within all of this, among our friends and fans, someone is bound to connect with you.”
While she radiates positivity, Spencer admits she understands how tough days can come. “Everyone has had their good days. They also have bad days. Sometimes they feel they can’t do it. And I try to encourage them to do at least something small.”
“Everyone has had their good days. They also have bad days. Sometimes they feel they can’t do it. And I try to encourage them to do at least something small.”
– Phyllis Spencer
“Do you really think you can’t do it? You should at least try.”
– Phyllis Spencer
According to Spencer, this is precisely why the Timeless Torches resonate so deeply with fans: they inspire people of different ages and experiences, and everyone can find something in their artistry.
“The best part is that we truly inspire people of different ages and experiences, and everyone can find something in our artistry.”
– Phyllis Spencer
That belief in the audience fuels the Timeless Torches: the team shows that sport can blend with art, and it inspires new generations who dream of dance and basketball. Paired with the Liberty’s play and the playoff atmosphere, these performances remain one of the most marketable aspects of the season, underscoring New York’s spirit and the team’s unstoppable energetic character.