NEW ORLEANS — Ordinary Men with Extraordinary Moves meet Granny Strong part two.
New Orleans 610 Stompers are joining the Milwaukee Dancing Grannies in Wisconsin to march in 6 parades in five days over the July 4 holiday.
Our relationship with them is so much fun because we both enjoy the dance side of it,” 610 Stomper Kris Sekinger said. “We’re guys that just like to get out there and dance, have a good time, enjoy ourselves and so forth. With the Grannies, they are exactly the same way.”
The Stompers invited the Grannies to participate in this year’s Mardi Gras celebration in New Orleans.
They both had so much fun marching together in the Krewe of Thoth parade, granny co-leader Jean Knutson said she knew a reunion was inevitable.
“Fun, and craziness, just nobody parades like they do,” Knutson said. “This will be very nice for Milwaukee, and I hope that a lot of people come out and share our fun, just as New Orleans welcomed us.”
Three of the Grannies and one of their volunteers were killed when an SUV plowed into a Wisconsin Christmas parade, they were performing in two years ago.
Out of tragedy, a beautiful friendship was born with the 610 stompers.
“When we had them down for Thoth, it was just a realization of how much tremendous amount of support and love our city has for the Dancing Grannies, 610 Stomper Louis Saubat said.
“It’s going to be very fun seeing everybody up there, to go up there and bring them what we got here,” 610 Stomper Randy Galliano said. “All the love, compassion, and joy that we bring to everybody.”
And, yes, there will be another dance-off between the Stompers and the Grannies. It will take place at the Milwaukee Brewers-Chicago Cubs on July 3.
“We’ll be doing a little dance-off in the stands with them,” Sekinger said. “That will be a great moment as well.”
The women won the first contest in NOLA.
“Who are the better dancers? I guess time will tell,” Knutson said.
Jokes aside, the Grannies are counting down the days until the Stompers’ arrival.
“We have the beer and the cheese waiting for them,” Knutson said.
The 610 Stompers will be performing in the Milwaukee area June 30 through July 4.
► Get breaking news from your neighborhood delivered directly to you by downloading the new FREE WWL-TV News app now in the IOS App Store or Google Play.