About Us
We began in Spring 2023 with a class led by music director Manoj Padki at the Northborough Senior Center in Northborough, MA. Fifteen of us performed our first show there as singers and dancers.
As word spread, more joined us, united by a love of classic old-time rock and roll—the songs of our youth. With each performance, our group grew, and our concerts remained uplifting and inspiring. We are now fifty members strong in 2026, ages 63 to 86.
Our members come from 15 towns across central Massachusetts: Bellingham, Berlin, Framingham, Grafton, Hubbardston, Hudson, Leominster, Marlborough, Medway, Northborough, Rutland, Shrewsbury, Upton, Westborough, and Worcester.
In December of 2024, we became an official 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization. All donations to our group are tax-deductible.
Our Mission Statement
Rocking the Boroughs Senior Show Choir was formed in order to enhance the life and health of area senior citizens and enrich the cultural life of area communities.
Rocking the Boroughs is more than just a group of seniors singing and dancing. It's a vibrant community that celebrates the potential of aging and inspires all those on life's path. Our “Golden Age” will be a time for growth, creativity, improved mental health, and joy. We bring this joy to our communities through several live performances a year.
Our audience has said that we are “inspirational”. By coming together to sing and dance, we're not just entertaining ourselves; we're tapping into our human potential - as well as inviting and inspiring other seniors to join us. We're showing the world that age is just a number and that everyone, regardless of age, has the power to make a difference.
Meet the Team
Founder & Music Director
Manoj Padki
Manoj is a 33-year member of the Barbershop Harmony Society. He is known affectionately among barbershop singers as the “Prince of Tags”. He sings baritone in Fireside (male) and Mixed MetaFour (mixed) quartets. He is a prolific tag-writer and arranger. He directs 3 mixed choruses in the MetroWest area of Boston. Manoj lives in a cohousing community in Berlin, MA, with his wife Manisha. He has wide-ranging interests - from roller-skating and hiking to travel, happiness & longevity. He considers singing in choruses (in particular barbershop) to be his personal “happiness machine”, and his article about that topic was the feature article in the July-August 2021 issue of The Harmonizer magazine of the Barbershop Harmony Society.
Managing Director
Sally Wilson
Sally joined Rocking the Boroughs in our second month, as a singing senior, and has never looked back! She has always wanted to sing rock and roll! She retired from running her own interior design business in 2021, and brings all that creativity, marketing and business skills to Rocking the Boroughs. In addition to singing, Sally has studied classical piano since the age of nine, and continues to study to this day with a former concert pianist. In her retirement, music has become the love of her life (along with her husband of 42 years, and design business co-owner, John Kelsey.) Sally lives in Northborough, MA, and enjoys reading, cooking, baking, and singing each week with Rocking the Boroughs. Sally and her husband have one son, a daughter in law, and two grandsons who live nearby in Shrewsbury.
Choreographer
Mary (Shanley) Dragon
Mary was born into a military family where traveling allowed for dance instruction (tap, ballet & jazz) at various studios in Germany and along the US East Coast. Mary made the switch over to line dancing in 1994. In 1996 she joined The Country Kickers Dance Team, representing the Bay Path Barn in Boylston, MA. She became the manager, choreographer & dancer with the team. They performed all over New England for 22 years, until they retired in 2018. Since 2001, Mary has taught at many local senior centers and other venues, including Assabet's After Dark/ACE Programs (since 2007). She is currently holding classes at local venues, including two retirement communities. Mary lives in Northborough with her husband, Jeff. They have one son, Matt, recently married.