'We Did Not Break', Dancing Grannies To Perform In 2022 Parades

WAUKESHA, WI — The Milwaukee Dancing Grannies continue to heal since losing four members in the tragedy at the Waukesha Christmas parade on Nov. 21.

A driver plowed through barricades and entered the parade route, killing six people and injuring more than 60 others.

The group has a new member who will debut this year, and they have begun been practicing with prospective "Grannies."

The first parade of 2022 will be the St. Patrick's Day parade, March 12 in downtown Milwaukee.

The troupe is excited to get started for the 2022 season "of rebuilding, practicing and focusing on the future, while always remembering our past and the ones we tragically lost," the group's Facebook post said.

In December, they appeared in the Franklin Christmas parade. The Dancing Grannies wore matching sweatshirts included the names of Virginia Sorenson, Lee Owen, Tamara Durand and Wilhelm "Bill" Hospel, all of whom were killed in the Waukesha parade. Hospel is the husband of the one of the group's members who survived the incident.

The Dancing Grannies have been marching at local parades for the better part of 40 years and the group is determined to keep moving forward despite the loss of four lives in Waukesha.

"We so enjoy performing for all ages, seeing the smiles, hearing the cheers, the roar of the crowds, this warms our hearts and brings smiles to our faces. As this will be a difficult parade it will be exciting. There may be tears through our smiles," the post said.

While they are practicing and preparing for 2022, the group said they will forever be thankful for all the love, comfort and support so many expressed, shared and continue to this day within the community, state of Wisconsin, country and around the world.

"We have been through a lot, but we did not break," the post said.