Texas Highsteppers hold annual Spring Show
Students embrace the theme of ‘When I Grow Up’ with occupation themed dances
Photo by Gracie Tucker
Texas Highsteppers reach for the sky in their contest novelty dance. They will perform a total of 30 dances throughout the night.
April 28, 2023
One last team stretch, one last team circle, one last eight to eight practice, one last day of corrections and running dances before the Texas Highsteppers present a year’s worth of hard work to their family, friends or anyone who accidentally took a wrong turn on Summerhill and wandered into the Sullivan Performing Arts Center at 7:00 PM on April 28 and 29.
Spring Show season is here. An undertaking far beyond what it may seem, it’s a chance for the Highsteppers to showcase over 25 dances they’ve learned since competition season and on.
“So really we start working on Spring Show in November because we do all seven contest dances in the show,” drill team director Amber Reynolds said. “So as soon as they start learning contest dances, that translates over into show as far as the rest of it goes along with squad dances, opener and finale.”
The team has been rehearsing all week, with every hour going into perfecting each aspect of the show whether it be dancing, lighting or stage queues.
“Last week we had practice every day until 6:30, and then this week, we call it tech week, we’re at school until we finish running the show,” senior lieutenant Lauren Roberson said. “And so we just put on all of our costumes and run it with lights and sounds and with the stage managers until around 7:30.”
The theme of this show is “When I Grow Up”, with each song and dance revolving around a future occupation or profession. With this being the last spring show for the seniors, this theme almost serves as a way to send them off into the next part of their lives.
“It really means a lot because it’s my last performance and I’m not going to be dancing after high school,” Roberson said. “It’s my last show with the Highsteppers as well as being able to dance with all of them and be together.”
To others, the show is a chance to hopefully inspire those watching and show them what being on the team is about.
“The show is an opportunity to bring smiles to little girls’ faces,” sophomore Laila Toubia said. “I remember watching Spring Show my first year when I found out I was accepted onto the team, and my face just lit up. It was amazing.”
The Highsteppers are also doing a raffle ticket fundraiser up until the day of the show. Two winners will be drawn at the end of the Saturday night show and they’ll get to choose between either a pair of Golden Goose sneakers or a blackstone griddle. Raffle tickets and Spring Show tickets can be bought at the door or from any Highstepper for $5.
“It’s just so awe inspiring to be able to dance on that stage,” Toubia said. “And it’s honestly just a really exciting experience.”
