For more than 15 years, the Varsity and JV drill team have held the Lancer Dancer Clinic to show prospective drill team members what it means to be a Lancer Dancer and raise money for the program.
The fundraiser is for girls grades K-8. The girls spend two and a half hours in the East gym playing games and learning dances. The cost is $35 which includes a t-shirt. This year the clinic was on Monday, Jan. 5. They are given the opportunity to learn a new dance, as well as what it means to be a Lancer Dancer. Throughout the day the girls learn and improve their dance techniques, although no experience is necessary.
The next day during halftime of the girls basketball game, both the Lancer Dancers and Little Lancer Dancers perform the dance.
The experience is educational and fun for the young girls, as well as current drill team members. They take frequent breaks from dancing to play games around the gym. In years past the clinic has been longer but this year it was shortened to make it more enjoyable for everyone and make things run more smoothly.
“It was a lot different for me,” varsity Lancer Dancer Tinka McCray said. “But overall I think this year went really smoothly with all of the girls and such.”
The dancers get assigned a grade level of girls to teach. Last year as a freshman McCray had fifth graders, but this year she had first graders.
The money raised helps pay for costs of Drill Team, including their annual trip to the National dance competition in Orlando and costumes. The only other fundraiser the Drill Team hosts is a pancake breakfast at the beginning of the year.