In 2016, following a painful divorce that left her battling depression and searching for a renewed sense of purpose, South Side of Chicago stay-at-home mom Pamela Robinson turned to a childhood pastime she had not thought about in years: Double Dutch jump rope.
For many, particularly African American women who grew up in the urban neighborhoods of the 1950s, ’60s, ’70 and ’80s, this synchronized jump rope activity evoked memories of summer days on sidewalks and playgrounds, perfecting their coordinated footwork and rhythmic movements with friends until the sun went down.
Robinson’s personal effort to reclaim her joy quickly struck a chord with other women who longed to reconnect with the carefree days of their youth. And in 2019, the 40+ Double Dutch Club she formed with good friend Catrina Dyer Taylor went viral after it was featured on a Chicago TV station.
In less than 48 hours, its Facebook group jumped from 30 area ladies to over 1,000 women across the nation, as well as in other countries. Among the 16 Illinois statewide “subchapters” is the Aurora-Naperville club – captained by Oswego resident Kimberly Ball-Williams, who first heard about this nonprofit from a grade school friend leading the Glendale Heights jumpers.
As Ball-Williams recalls it, one Sunday while her husband “was watching football and I had nothing planned,” she attended a Double Dutch meetup — mostly because she thought it would help her mother become more socially active, and even take advantage of some of the less strenuous activities the group also offered, such as Hula Hoop or hand games.
It didn’t take long for Ball-Williams herself to jump right in.
In 2021 she launched the 40+ Double Dutch Aurora-Naperville Sub Club at a fitness center in Aurora, which eventually moved to the Fry Family YMCA in Naperville, where a larger meeting room was offered at no cost. Today, between 40 and 50 women from communities that also include Oswego, Montgomery and Plainfield gather every Saturday, not just for the high-energy exercise but for the fellowship and the service that often extends beyond these meetings.
Members – some as old as 80 and 90 – share resources, make connections and help one another navigate life’s challenges, noted both Robinson and Ball-Williams. And donations collected during 40+ Double Dutch performances are funneled into the organization’s No Sisters Left Behind fund, which helps others in the group facing financial hardships.
The women also take that rich cultural mission of fun, fellowship and service into their communities, performing and interacting with audiences at a variety of events. For example, the flagship group will make an appearance at the official opening of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago to the public on Friday, said Robinson.
Locally, the club keeps a full calendar as well – from headlining Black History Month with a performance in downtown Aurora in February to taking part in the annual MS Walk in Naperville. Members also visit schools, nursing homes, detention centers and shelters, including Hesed House in Aurora, where Ball-Williams and crew serve meals to the residents on a regular basis.
The Aurora-Naperville chapter will also bring that high energy to area Juneteenth activities, performing at the Scheketa Hart-Burns Flag Raising Ceremony at 2 p.m. Friday at Aurora University, and again that evening at Kendall County’s Juneteenth event, which runs from 4-8 p.m. at Congregational United Church of Christ in Yorkville.
The jumping crew will also return to Aurora on Saturday where the African American Men of Unity will be hosting its annual Juneteenth Celebration from 2:30-6:30 p.m. at Martin Luther King Jr. Park.
Although an 11-member performance team handles the jumps, tricks and crowd-pleasing routines, the entire chapter often shows up at these events, either to perform the less strenuous activities or “just to be there to encourage and inspire,” said Ball-Williams.
The experience has certainly transformed this 56-year-old telecommunications analyst, who “never imagined one day” she’d be performing jump rope tricks in front of crowds. But the group has taught her other valuable lessons as well.
“I never thought I’d be in a position to be a mentor. I thought I’d just do Double Dutch and play with the ladies,” she told me. “But this has evolved me into a leader. I learned so much about myself, about us as women who go through different seasons in our lives.”
More Top Picks Ergonomic Desk Setup To Prevent Eye Strain
For Robinson, who describes the Aurora-Naperville subchapter as “excellent performers who truly give back to the community,” these words of empowerment confirm that the movement she launched during one of the most difficult periods of her life has grown into exactly what she envisioned.
The ropes may bring the women together, she said. “But it’s the sisterhood,” and the opportunity to lift one another up, “that keeps them coming back.”