A middle-aged man wearing a U.S. Navy zip-up sweatshirt and jeans, standing outside near a house with white siding in clear daylight.

2:22

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel 28K views Save

His balance stinks, but this WWII vet can dance

Name: His balance stinks, but this WWII vet can dance
Uploaded: 2017-12-14T21:54:45Z
Duration: 2 min 22 s
Description: Chuck Franzke keeps his dance plan simple. “Music starts playing and I start bouncing around,” he says. When it stops, he goes back and sits down.

Chuck Franzke keeps his dance plan simple. “Music starts playing and I start bouncing around,” he says. When it stops, he goes back and sits down. more

Chuck flew for the Navy in World War II. At 95, his dance floor is the front of his house, the one with the white siding. He wears a U.S. Navy zip-up sweatshirt and jeans. The song is Justin Timberlake's “Can't Stop the Feeling!” and Chuck takes the title at its word.

This is the sequel. A year earlier, someone from the Stars and Stripes Honor Flight who has known Chuck for a long time came over to film a thank-you message for the group's volunteers. Knowing he enjoys dancing, they asked him to dance to some Christmas music for the end of it. People loved watching him, so this time they came back for the 95-year-old version.

Chuck isn't one to brag. “I like to dance, but my balance stinks,” he says, adding that he's lucky he can stand up without falling over. He calls himself just an average guy, one who has been married to a wonderful woman for 79 years.

A middle-aged man wearing a U.S. Navy zip-up sweatshirt and jeans, standing outside near a house with white siding in clear daylight. The headline runs in white letters across the lower third. — Chuck Franzke keeps his dance plan simple.

One of the people there is just happy for him. “It's special for him,” they say. Chuck gave up over three years of his life, and it is nice for him to be recognized.

As for the moves, Chuck says he has a few steps in the back of his mind and goes from there. The older he gets, the more attention he gets. People he meets tell him they saw him on TV, and he thanks them.

When the song ends, there's talk of doing another one, and someone says he must be all tired by now. Chuck doesn't think so. He calls this the most fun he has ever had, then offers a bonus. “What do you want, a little handstand or something?”

#dancing