Music is more than just something we enjoy; it’s an integral part of us from a young age. Just observe a baby when the music begins to play—they start moving and grooving even before they can walk.
Dancing is a joyful activity we can engage in from early childhood all the way into our senior years. While not everyone may dance to entertain, there are certainly exceptions, like 88-year-old Nana Ester Feole.
Despite being in her late 80s, Nana Ester couldn’t resist the urge to dance whenever Motown tunes filled the air. Thankfully, her granddaughter Chelsea was there to capture the moments on video, allowing everyone to share in the joy.
It all began when Chelsea went to pick up her Nana for lunch, and a song started playing. Out of nowhere, Nana began dancing on the front porch to one of her beloved tunes, and when Chelsea shared the moment online, it garnered over 1.4 million views.
If you haven’t had a chance to smile today, this delightful video is sure to bring a grin to your face. Thankfully, this is just the beginning of the series!
Chelsea didn’t stop at just one video; she continued with parts 2, 3, and 4 of the ‘Dancing Nana’ series. It’s incredible to realize that despite having only five videos on her channel, she has amassed over 8.7 million views.
Each week, she would pick up her grandmother for a lunch outing. Upon arriving, she would roll down the windows and play her grandmother’s favorite tunes.
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It was a joy to see Nana dance her way to the car. You can check out part of the video series along with the next installment as well.
Currently, over 17,000 people are subscribed to Dancing Nana on YouTube, while more than 16,000 follow her on Facebook. Her online success has been so remarkable that Ellen DeGeneres reached out to invite her onto the show. Naturally, her granddaughter also received tickets to attend.
Her dancing has brought joy to countless people. Sadly, she passed away in August 2016, and her granddaughter shared the news on Facebook.
“Dear fans of ‘Dancing Nana,’ I apologize for the long silence since my last update. My heart is heavy this morning as I share that Nana passed away peacefully in her sleep last night, just as we had hoped. As some of you may know, in her later years, Nana battled severe dementia and was residing in a nursing home where she received the care and attention she needed. She moved into the nursing home only three days before her YouTube video went viral. While I wanted to keep you updated on Nana’s journey after her rise to fame, I also aimed to protect her privacy and avoid exploiting her situation due to her illness. Even though Nana may not have fully grasped what was happening to her, I want you to know that her viral video brought immense joy to our family, more than you can imagine. Most importantly, it spread laughter and hope to millions around the globe—something Nana would have cherished deeply. I will forever treasure the memories of our day with Ellen DeGeneres. Dementia or Alzheimer’s can take so much from our loved ones, but I can assure you that Nana was vibrant, joyful, and full of life during our time at Ellen. Thank you all for your love and support over the years. Nana was an extraordinary person in my life, and I feel privileged that you all got to experience a glimpse of her with me. Remember, when life feels like an uphill battle, Nana taught us to dance through the pain and laugh in the face of our fears.”
