An older adult male with gray hair and glasses wearing a dark turtleneck shirt indoors; background includes white walls, skylight, plants, and a group of women in white tutus and ballet shoes suggesting a dance class or performance. 3:44
80odd yearsofhappy channel icon 80odd yearsofhappyOriginal creator 13M views Save

"Shake It Off," retirement village style

The residents of the Julia Wallace Retirement Village in Palmerston North, New Zealand, have an average age of around 82. They also have a favorite pop star. more

So about 50 of them set out to remake Taylor Swift's "Shake It Off," copying the moves of the original as closely as they could. Village staff pitched in. So did the residents' own grandchildren. Between them, the cast has nearly 4,000 years of living.

The fun starts early. A woman in glasses leans forward with her arms stretched out, smiling wide.

An older woman with glasses smiles and leans forward with her arms stretched out in front of her. A headline runs in white letters across the lower third.Save
Early on, a resident leans into the routine with her arms stretched wide.

One resident takes the Taylor part, and she has it down cold. Her lip-syncing is sharp, and her dance moves track the original beat for beat. One fan joked that Taylor Swift must have gone time traveling.

The costumes do plenty of work too. There are white tutus and ballet shoes. There's a woman in a leopard-print jacket and gold jewelry who claps along like she has front-row seats.

An older woman with glasses, a leopard-print jacket and gold jewelry claps her hands while looking ahead. A headline runs in white letters across the lower third.Save
The costumes go big, and so does the clapping.

There's also a bit people keep mentioning. Clever editing makes it look like the grandpas are doing gymnastics. Later, a white-haired dancer in a gold quilted jacket and big mirrored goggles stands out against a dark backdrop.

A person with white hair wears a gold quilted jacket and large reflective goggles against a dark background. A headline runs in white letters across the lower third.Save
Later on, a white-haired dancer stands out in gold and mirrored goggles.

The sweetest moment comes near the very end. One grandma takes a tumble, and a kid is right there to help her back up.

An older adult male with gray hair and glasses wearing a dark turtleneck shirt indoors; background includes white walls, skylight, plants, and a group of women in white tutus and ballet shoes suggesting a dance class or performance. The headline runs in white letters across the lower third.Save
The residents of the Julia Wallace Retirement Village in Palmerston North, New Zealand, have an average age of around 82.

Plenty of younger fans came away with a new picture of retirement. One said they had never wanted to be old until now. Another decided they want to retire right there.