Grinning, Sophia Huang ’24 raises her hands with grace in the pom dance.
Looking to the left, Vaishnavi Dhurjati ’25 enthusiastically performs a contagion in the routine.
Posing at the end of the dance, Warrior Pride members smile as proud parents take photos of the team.
Taking the field for the first time this year, Warrior Pride brought their rejuvenated spirit and energized choreography to the JV football game on Thursday, Sep. 7 at the Warrior Bowl. A much awaited moment for the entire team, this halftime show marked not only the first performance of the year, but also the first team performance for new members and directors.
Performing to “Hot Stuff” by Donna Summer, Warrior Pride not only spotlighted a refreshed style of choreography but also portrayed a seamless mix between the experienced returning members and the eagerness of the new ones. In addition to setting the stage for the rest of the school year, dancers were able to establish goals and further develop relationships within the team.
“The game was really fun, and being out on the field dancing was one of the most rewarding things after practicing in the studio,” Shivali Sahu ‘26 said.
For new members, becoming a member of Westwood’s JV dance team not only introduces them to a larger group of fellow performers, but also urges them to push themselves to become better dancers through budding relationships with their peers and directors.
“Being a new member, I thought that it’d be hard to adjust or find my place, but I’ve seemed to have found my place on the team,” Sahu said. “It’s like a close community of people who all love dancing, and the friends I’ve made through Pride are genuinely the nicest people ever.”
Many of Pride’s returning members, while feeling similar sentiments about this upcoming season, also find themselves taking this opportunity to reflect on their former Pride experiences and their rejuvenated hopes for this school year.
“Ever since I joined last year, Pride has been like family to me, especially because I was a transfer,” Anamitra Ghosh ‘26 said. “It was a place for me to do what I love with some amazing people.”
As the first performance of the year kicked off many more to come for the school year, Warrior Pride gears up to create another memorable and productive year, this time with their even larger dance community.
“Our team has gotten so much larger, and there are so many amazing people I can’t wait to bond with,” Ghosh said.
Warrior Pride will next perform at the Warrior Bowl during the halftime of the JV football game on Sep. 28.
