Sunday, September 1, 2024
Gatesville High School is home to a dance team known as the Dazzlers and is under the guidance of Director Helen Gonzales, who began her journey with the Dazzlers 11 years ago and has continued to transform the team in many ways.
Gonzales teaches the Dazzlers very early on that wearing the uniform is a personal time and energy investment as well as a privilege that carries a great deal of responsibility.
“Our uniform is a great source of pride for every member of the team,” she said.
There are currently 13 members on the team this year with three seniors, five sophomores, and five freshmen. There is no preset number, so team size varies from year to year.
“This year's team is very young and inexperienced but extremely eager to learn and excited to be a part of the Dazzlers,” Gonzales said. “Their enthusiasm is something that gets me excited for this year.”
The process to become a Dazzler entails a two-week training period that is hosted by current members hoping to gain an officer position. Tryouts are held annually in the spring, during the end of the school year with judges from different areas.
Once the team is selected, season preparations will begin. In July, the Dazzlers began their season with an Encore Team Camp held at the high school. The team worked hard during multiple days of intense workouts that included stretching, conditioning, dance and kick technique, team bonding activities, and four dances.
“My goal every year is to provide the girls with an opportunity to be part of a team that they take great pride in and to guide them toward our common goal of producing great halftime and pep rally entertainment for our school and community,” Gonzales said.
In the beginning of June, Gonzales took two Dazzler officers to an Encore Officer camp in Frisco. The ladies spent over four days learning two full routines, participated in technique workshops, attended Master Dance Classes, worked in leadership sessions, and were evaluated and given verbal critiques on both dances learned at camp.
On July 1-2, Encore sent two staff members, who are both former Kilgore College Rangerettes, to host a private camp for the Dazzlers.
Encore has been a key part in halftime performances for the Dazzlers each year since Gonzales has been with the team.
“Over those two days, we learned one pep rally and three field routines that we will be doing for game day performances this season,” she said. “I select music, and they choreograph custom dances specifically for us.”
Since July 8, the Dazzlers have been practicing and will continue learning more dances under the leadership of their officers.
“By the time we start on Aug. 30, we will have learned a total of nine dances to use throughout the season. We will be doing Jazz, High Kick, Pom, Stylized Country Western, and Hip Hop. We will use both streamers and large hoops,” she said. “Our goal is always to present a precision performance where the group of 13 dances as one. My favorite part of directing the team is working them toward that goal.”
A typical football season practice schedule includes morning marching practice and a Monday night marching rehearsal on the football field. Dazzler practices are held three days a week along with “run through” practices after school on Fridays before football games.
When football season concludes, the Dazzlers will perform at the Christmas parades in Gatesville and Salado. During the spring, the team will travel and compete with surrounding high school dance teams in several competitions.
“I do hope to take the team into contest season this year. Dance competitions run from the last week of January through the month of February,” she expressed. “In order to compete, we will need to have three competition routines learned and ready to work on, clean, and get competitive before Thanksgiving.”
After the Feb. competition season, the Dazzlers immediately begin the tryout process to choose a team for the next year.
“I strive to make this a confidence- and character-building organization where responsibility for themselves and to their team is a character trait learned quickly and becomes second nature,” she said. “I expect a great deal from every member of the team, and we get to create high school memories they carry with them for a lifetime.”
