Don’t mistake them for cheer leaders. It may be a football game and they may be wearing colorful outfits, but these ladies are members of the drill dance team. There’s a difference. Especially in Texas.
Look closely and count. That’s 35 girls wearing white hats and boots. And that’s not including the men in the back.
It’s halftime! Show time!
Someone’s got to make sure the school and fans remain active. Go ahead and buy food and what not, the drill dance team’s going to keep the energy going. And in most cases, even raise it!
Just look at how they make an entrance! The ladies march to a beating drum with military style precision. If the aim was to get all those eyes on the field, then they’ve done a wonderful job.
That’s a lot of guys and girls on the field!
School colors out, girls assembled, and the band is ready. They fall into their lines and assemble in front. The girls kneel with their heads bowed down as the drums stop rolling. You can hear a whistle in the back. That’s their cue.
Groovy energy!
The band is given the signal. Does the music sound familiar? Listen closely.
Arms up! And the ladies stand in unison. Big smiles all around as they begin to work the crowd. They take turns spinning, each line of girls going along with the drums and trumpets blaring to “Funky Town“.
Arms together and they shake those hips before launching into a series of kicks and leg extensions. That takes some serious flexibility and balance.
There’s even a full kick, then they take the raised leg down half a step into a folded knee, before dropping to the ground. Now the challenge is to execute those kicks all together, to the beat of the music. Can you?
What you’re looking at is a dazzling array of leg control.
For drill dance teams, it’s often a theme for each performance. There’s kick, prop, military, and pom. Drill dance teams were usually an all female affair but guys have been joining. They do have their uses!
Try outs are held in the spring or summer. Passing the basic try outs is already a challenge for many. And that’s not including peer pressure. And it’s not just about being able to dance. Students interested in joining the team need to show that they can pull off the teams movements as well as being able to move with them in unison.
No pressure.
Then there’s another challenge of being able to learn new routines quickly. Those kids need good memory and motor skills. All that while auditioning in front of the team members and coaches.
Seems like students love the drill teams though. In Texas, there are over 30,000 students participating every year. The white hat and white boots are also tradition, only to be paired with each school’s colors.
These girls break formation to the catchy drum beat while strutting their stuff into two groups. They execute more high kicks in sequence, not once making a single mistake. It takes a lot of practice and a lot of hours. They fall back and bow once the performance is over. Listen to that crowd cheer!
Watch this awesome drill team below!
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