Boys dance on pointe

Halftime Hotties jazz up the halftime performance

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1, 2, 3, 4 get the boys on the floor.

Each year, the varsity dance team puts together a dance with 20 guest performers.

The experienced dancers with years of technique take on twenty high school senior boys for a special mid-game routine called Halftime Hotties.

The boys volunteer, pair up with a dance member, and learn the dance in only two full practices.

Coordinating a group of boys whose dance portfolio consists of Homecoming and Prom and maybe Street Scenes presents a challenge, especially getting everyone to pay attention. 

“They’re really loud and don’t know how to dance at all,” senior Ali Kolb said.  

Even though some seniors like Emmett Graham have experience from dancing in Street Scenes, they still struggle.

“I think the whole thing is long and hard to memorize,” Graham said.

The senior girls mashed up a mix of songs and hoped they might help the boys match their movements to the beat in a style that they called “jazzy funk.”

“Every time the song changes, it’s a new wave of energy,” senior Will Hoffman said.

Choosing partners for the dance was kind of playground rules. Couples who are dating were paired, then good friends found a pair and the leftovers were put together according to their height.

Because the varsity team is not made up entirely of senior girls, some freshman girls had some awkward moments.

“If you’re a 14-year-old girl and have an 18-year-old guy kissing your hand you’re like ‘Oh my God,’” senior Hayleigh Nolan said. “They’re just not used to all these loud, big hairy guys.”

Excitement and nerves were high for the boys who don’t have a ton of professional dancing experience. The girls were calm and ready and more focused on the boys than themselves.

“At first I was reluctant because I was nervous, but they helped me push through that and work on my moves and get the technical aspects down,” senior Will Hoffman said.    

While Hoffman was confident in his moves, other felt they had some room for improvement, especially when it came to certain moves, like a basic shimmy.

“Will really struggles with it,” Clatch said.

Senior Matt Collins, though, was ready to show the world his talents.

“I’m very confident in my dance moves,” Collins said. “I hope there are no injuries.”

With first aid standing by, the boys had high energy moments before the performance. It’s a confidence that was shared by the girls.

“We all know at the end of the day that the guys will mess up more than us,” senior Hayleigh Nolan said.