Heartwarming Moment 102-Year-Old Dancer Watches Herself Dancing On Camera For The First Time Ever

There's something truly special about taking a trip down memory lane, especially when it takes you back over seventy years.

That's exactly what happened to Alice Barker, a former chorus dancer who lit up the stage during the Harlem Renaissance of the 1930s.

The Harlem Renaissance was a vibrant period of African American cultural revival, spanning from the 1920s to the 1930s in Harlem, New York City.

It marked a time when African Americans, migrating north from the southern states, sought both economic opportunities and a platform for their artistic expressions.

YouTube / Tenfresh

Harlem quickly became the epicenter for an explosion of Black music and arts.

Alice Barker was a standout talent in this thriving environment. She would live to be 103, and sadly passed away on April 6, 2016. 

Throughout her illustrious career, she graced the stages of iconic venues like The Apollo, Cotton Club, and The Zanzibar Club, and even shone on Broadway.

She shared the spotlight with legends such as Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra.

Yet, remarkably, she had never seen footage of herself performing.

This all changed during a poignant visit in 2015. 

YouTube / Tenfresh

David Shuff, a volunteer at her nursing home, and Gail Campbell, a recreational therapist, embarked on a mission to find Barker’s old performance.

With the help of jazz historian Mark Cantor, they unearthed some of Barker’s "soundies," which were essentially the music videos of that era.

Armed with these films, Shuff and Campbell presented them to Barker, now 102 years old, for her to see her own performances for the first time.

These moments were captured on video and uploaded to YouTube by the channel Tenfresh.

Watching her younger self dance, Barker was moved and offered commentary on her performances.

She even shared a charming anecdote about how she earned the nickname "Chicken Little" during her dancing days. 

"That's because every time we go somewhere, they say 'What do you want to eat?'" Barker recalled with a smile.

YouTube / Tenfresh

"I'd say 'Chicken', so they called me Chicken Little."

The nostalgia clearly overwhelmed Barker, who was visibly touched and requested to watch her clips again. 

"Don't mean a thing if you ain't got that swing," she commented joyfully.

When asked how it felt to see herself on film after so many years, Barker expressed a poignant wish: 

"Making me wish that I could get out of this bed, and do it all over again."

The footage resonated deeply with viewers online, stirring a mix of admiration and nostalgia. 

One viewer reflected on the unique aspect of Barker’s experience: 

"Young her didn't even know that her 102-year-old self would be watching, so cool to think about, what a pure soul."

Another viewer pointed out the uplifting nature of the video, saying: "Everyone commenting how sad this is but this video isn't sad at all.

"She is 102 with her wits still with her and she seems to have lived a long fulfilling life full of adventure and doing what she loved. This isn't sad this is a happy video."