By Craig DeSilva
The spotlight shines on Rocky Brown when she’s singing on stage. But off stage, the true stars are the senior citizens in her exercise class at the Kahala Nui retirement community, where she volunteers once a week.
Brown greets each of them by name as they enter the room and helps them to their chairs. Some have walkers or canes, while others are in wheelchairs. After talking story with them for a little bit, Brown begins her 30-minute class, starting with basic breathing exercises and stretches. She later introduces other body movements for the arms and legs. It’s gentle enough for them to do while sitting down, but strenuous enough to get their circulation and bodies moving.
For Brown, seeing the physical improvements the residents have made from the class is more satisfying than any standing ovation. “It’s a good feeling when you see them moving better and breathing properly,” says Brown. “I feel blessed to be able to do this.”
Brown realizes the benefits of physical activity – regardless of age – and is happy to share them with others. She used to volunteer at United Cerebral Palsy in New York, teaching kids to swim.
Her interest in promoting physical fitness comes from a lifetime of taking care of her own body. Growing up in the Philippines, Brown took dance lessons as a child. She learned traditional Filipino folk dances and later took ballet, jazz, freestyle, and other modern dance forms.
After graduating from high school, she moved to New York City and received an education degree at St. John’s Unwiversity. Instead of becoming a teacher, Brown pursued a singing career, and was hired for the original cast of the popular musical Miss Saigon on Broadway. She has made recordings in Hawaii and the Philippines, and has sung with the Honolulu Symphony and at Carnegie Hall. She moved here in 1994, and now calls Hawaii home. These days, she performs in Waikiki and jazz clubs and composes music.
Brown works out at the Honolulu Club for 30 to 60 minutes every day, walking on the treadmill and lifting light weights. She still dabbles in dance, most recently taking a belly dancing class, and shoots hoops with husband DeShannon Higa, a trumpeter with the Royal Hawaiian Band.
“As I got older, I understood the importance of being in shape, not just for looking good. It also helps me vocally as well. It helps with my breathing and stamina,” she says.
Brown also does Pilates, which she says helps alleviate back problems that began while working on an inclined stage while wearing high-heel shoes for her role in Miss Saigon. “[With Pilates], the center is on the stomach,” she says. “They say if you exercise your stomach, your back gets better.”
The 43-year-old Brown has always been slim, but notices that the older she gets, the easier it is for her to gain weight. So she changed her eating habits by cutting down portion sizes. To boost her metabolism, she eats smaller meals throughout the day instead of three big meals. “I would eat a huge plate of rice before,” she laughs. “Not anymore. And if there’s ice cream, I have a little bit. I don’t make it into a meal.”
Brown believes that keeping fit is a lifestyle that can help you feel good, both inside and out. “I think how you look comes from within,” she says. “If you know that you’re healthy, you’re eating right and exercising properly. The looking good comes after.”
Now that’s something worth clapping about.
