TROUPE WOWS JUDGES MARY ELLEN DANCERS WIN THIRD PLACE.

Byline: Sharon Cotal Staff Writer

NEWHALL - The Mary Ellen Dancers of Friendly Valley wowed the judges at the recent sixth annual Senior Talent Show, taking third place and winning $300.

The talent show was held at Angelus Plaza Senior Activity Center in Los Angeles on Aug. 26, and was sponsored by Good Samaritan Hospital. There were 35 acts entered in the competition.

Mary Alvidrez, 82, took two of the best dancers from her troupe, The Mary Ellen Dancers, and entered the competition. The dance group started meeting in 1997 and has performed at several local venues, including Westfield Valencia Town Center and the Santa Clarita Valley Senior Center.

Alvidrez, along with Bonnie Chisholm, 78, and Olga Devlin, 80, danced to the Natalie Cole song ``Orange Colored Sky'' for the competition, and the audience loved them.

Five judges decided the winners, with first place and $600 going to a female singer, second place and $400 to a saxophonist and third place to the Mary Ellen Dancers.

``We were all on a high all afternoon,'' Alvidrez said. ``What a thrill!''

The thrill continued a few days later when Alvidrez got a telephone call from her son telling her about a preview of the program ``Life & Times'' that included the talent show. ``Life & Times'' aired Aug. 31 on KCET.

``Sure enough, we were shown three times during the last segment where they interviewed some of the participants,'' Alvidrez said. ``I called KCET, and they promised they will send me a copy of the program.''

Alvidrez teaches a tap class at the Senior Center on Tuesdays. To enroll in the class, call [phone]. To contact the Mary Ellen Dancers to arrange a booking, call Alvidrez at [phone].

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Mary Alvidrez, 82, Olga Devlin, 80, and Bonnie Chisholm, 78, all of Friendly Valley, won third place for their dancing efforts.

David Crane/Staff Photographer