Melody Hart came to America from China seven years ago. She captured the moral essence of this country in her voice and heart Friday night, singing “America the Beautiful.”
“I felt good singing that song because it’s about freedom,” said Hart, who lives in The Villages with her husband, Greg, and son Ben. She performed at the Showcase of Talent in La Hacienda Recreation Center.
Hart’s performance was a profound moment in a 90-minute show filled with patriotic songs and dances.
“I like America and living in The Villages,” Hart, 50, said. “Here, age and who you are doesn’t matter. In America, you can be what you want. I’m going to college, because I want to learn.”
Greg Hart had some butterflies watching his wife on stage.
“I was really nervous when she got up there,” he said. “But she was great and that song meant so much to her. It was very moving.”
It was almost as powerful when Frank Davis sang “American Trilogy.” Davis brought his own unique style to the song made famous by Elvis Presley.
Patriotic emotions were running high all through the event, hosted by Diana and Joe Arlt. It was the fifth anniversary of the Showcase of Talent. As part of the celebration, the Arlts made a donation of $6,000 from ticket proceeds to The Opera Club of The Villages.
“We want to do everything we can to help young performers here in all styles of music,” Diana Arlt said.
“Diana and Joe have done so much to support music in The Villages,” said Mary Boczkowski, vice-president of the Opera Club. “This will do so much to help students and young people here.”
It was a special night for Diana Arlt, who also celebrated her birthday. Ava and Dashiell Haga, her two grandchildren visiting from San Francisco, performed a song and dance onstage to “Wake Me Up” by Avicii.
Even the old-timers in the audience were digging the modern music – especially the dance moves by Dashiell. “They are my best birthday present,” Diana Arlt said of the duo.
America will soon be celebrating its birthday and the show took notice of the upcoming holiday.
Evolution Dance Company kicked things off with some swinging 1940s sounds on “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy.” Evolution Dance will hold its annual “Flags, Freedom and Fireworks” show July 1 at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. in Savannah Center.
John Muller brought vocal fireworks to a George M. Cohan medley of “Grand Old Flag,” “Yankee Doodle Dandy” and “Over There.”
Dick Steeves set the red, white and blue mood with “God Bless the USA.” Irene Pierce brought deep emotion to a special rendition of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” called “Hallelujah Veterans Version.” It was written by a female Navy veteran known as Sailor Jerri.
The Travelin’ Shoes Cloggers saluted the Armed Forces, as well as Uncle Sam and Miss Liberty, with a number called “The Great Defenders.”
Among the performers: Edna Lyle and Stanley Martin representing the Army; Armando Ocampo, Navy; Robert Grable, Air Force; and Thomas Lyons, Marines.
Things slowed down with Patrick O’Brien and His Sweethearts singing “Let Freedom Ring.” Juanita Doyle delivered a heartfelt version of “For All We Know,” while the Celtic Boys – Jim Boerman, Dan Howard and John Alnwick – strummed their way through such traditional American songs as “Bill Bailey Won’t You Please Come Home,” and “Baby Face.”
The Villages Drill Team offered another salute to the Armed Forces and closed their number with reverent hand gestures while signing the words to “God Bless America.”
That set the stage for an explosive exhibition of precision movement, baton twirling and drumming by The Villages Twirlers and Drum Corps. They marched in the room with drums banging and batons twirling and performed “Only in America” and the “United States Armed Forces Medley.”
Diana Arlt fittingly closed the event by leading the audience in singing “God Bless America.”