The Dolores High School Dance team got a taste of fame this school year, performing in front of tens of thousands of spectators at a Denver Nuggets pregame show and at halftime of a University of Colorado football game.
The young team’s hip-hop, jazzy style caught the eye of event organizers, and they joined other top dance and cheer talent at the high-profile sport arenas.
“It was basically my best weekend ever,” said senior Kyerstin McNutt, of the Nuggets game experience. “We performed well and the crowd was huge. We saw John Elway at the game!”
Coach Deb Hager said the girls were assigned a routine for the Nuggets event, and had just two weeks to interpret and perfect it.
“They worked so hard,” she said. “I’m really proud of what this team has been able to accomplish this year.”
During the CU Buffalo halftime show, the Dolores team performed their competition dance routine to “Uptown Funk,” by Bruno Mars, and “Five More Hours,” by Chris Brown.
Sophomore Krystle Hager seems destined for the performing arts, and embraced the pressure of the big stage.
“I feel like I perform better in front of a lot of people,” Hager said. “The crowd seemed to like our style. We combine fun hip-hop moves, with the sassy, more emotional feel of jazz.”
While the team dances competitively, the performances at the Jan. 23 Nugget game and Sept. 26 CU game were just for crowd entertainment.
“When we were invited, we said it is not all about competition,” Coach Hager said, “it’s about going to something special that they will remember in 25 years.”
The four-person team, made up of McNutt, Hager, Tayonna Gallegos, and Taylor Cook, will be performing their Nuggets game dance routine at the Dolores boys varsity basketball game Feb. 13. Their competition hip-hop routine will be on display during the home game against Mancos on Feb. 19.
Hager said the team needs more dancers. Contact her about tryouts at hagerfambiz@gmail.com
jmimiaga@the-journal.com