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Grannies to dance again in Milwaukee parade where tragedy struck

Milwaukee Dancing Grannies
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MILWAUKEE, Wisc. — The Milwaukee Dancing Grannies will perform at the same Wisconsin parade where they tragically lost four members when a driver plowed through the Waukesha parade last year.

Their first holiday parade of the season begins in Racine, where they are set to perform on Saturday.

In a video shared on Facebook Thursday, you can see the grannies smiling and shaking their pom poms as they get into the holiday spirit!

Racine's annual Downtown Racine Holiday Parade will kick off at 5:30 p.m.

The news of the ladies performing again during the winter holiday season comes a year after six people were killed during the Waukesha Christmas Parade when an SUV driven by Darrell Brooks struck them.

The Grannies lost members Ginny Sorenson, Leanna Owen and Tamara Durand, and the husband of another Granny, Bill Hospel.

Waukesha victims
Waukesha Christmas parade victims

An 8-year-old boy and a 52-year-old woman were also killed, the Associated Press reported.

In October, a jury convicted Brooks of all 76 counts against him. On Thursday, he was sentenced to life in prison.

Despite their pain, the Grannies proceed to dazzle crowds by continuing to dance. The grannies performed for the first time since the tragedy in this year's St. Patrick's Day Parade in Milwaukee.

Just last week, the grannies performed at St. Luke's Medical Center as a thank you to the medical team that saved one of the grannies injured in the attack. 62-year-old Betty Streng suffered a skull fracture and brain bleed.

An emergency brain surgery saved her life just hours after the attack. Hospital staff cheered the group on as they passed by.

WATCH: Dancing Grannies perform for caregivers that saved one of the grannies' life

Dancing Grannies perform for caregivers

The resilient group will lace up their shoes and return to perform in the 2022 Waukesha Christmas Paradeon Sunday, Dec. 4.

Below is the Milwaukee Dancing Grannies' Christmas/holiday parade schedule:

  • Cudahy: Saturday, Nov. 19, 2 p.m.
  • Whitefish Bay: Friday, Nov. 25, 6 p.m.
  • Grafton: Saturday, Nov. 26, 11 a.m.
  • Burlington: Friday, Dec. 2, 6:30 p.m.
  • West Allis: Saturday, Dec. 3, 4:45 p.m.
  • Waukesha: Sunday, Dec. 4, 4 p.m.
  • Muskego: Saturday, Dec. 10, 4 p.m.

The Milwaukee Dancing Grannies were formed in 1984 and perform in about 25 parades annually from Memorial Day to Christmas.

The grannies practice once a week year-round, with their ages ranging from the early 50s to mid-70s.

Learn more about the parade group on the Milwaukee Dancing Grannies' website.

Madison Goldbeck at TMJ4 first reported this story.