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Shaking pom-poms, SunDancer sophomores Elliott Richards and Suhaani Srireddy welcome the students as they enter the pep rally. SunDancers performed a jazz competition piece they would showcase the next day at a competition.
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Holding a steady rhythm, Alan McEwan ’25 plays the tenor drums as students enter the pep rally. Using the same piece from the fall pep rallies and football games, these routines are almost muscle memory according to players.
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Holding the “sko wood” sign, Principal Campbell and Coach Dalrymple signify the end of the pep rally. As the host of this pep rally, Dalrymple led games and addressed students.
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Beaming, Ella Popps ’25 and Siyona Agnihotri ’24 perform the SunDancers’ novelty jazz piece. The team had been practicing this routine since mid-November.
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Forming a pyramid formation, the Cheer team conclude their performance. Some members held the “sko wood” symbol, amplifying school spirit.
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Reading their music, Vishnu Dokka ‘24 and Kiarie Kimani ‘26 play the trumpet during the beginning of the pep rally. The two learned this piece during marching season.
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Energizing the audience, cheerleaders and flyer Erica Nielson ’27 smile. Cheer has been rehearsing this routine for a week.
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Hyping up the audience, the JV Cheer team performs a routine. In addition to SunDancers, cheer performed toward the beginning of the rally.
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Responding to Coach Dalrymple’s question, if she knew what “IYKYK” stood for, Sra. Llanos points to Coach Meyer. This pep rally included a competition of students against teachers.
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Holding hands, the Cheer team sings the alma mater. The first pep rally of 2024, performing groups look forward to the semester ahead.
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Among sounds of student cheers and drumlines, on Friday, Feb. 2, students were ushered into the fieldhouse gym during flex for the first pep rally of this semester.
“I think it was a lot of fun to support everyone and I’m excited that it was the first pep rally of 2024,” cheerleader Kate Ortego ‘27 said.
Performers, from band and cheer to SunDancers, spent two weeks rehearsing their respective music and routines.
“The best part of the pep rally was knowing all of our stunts were hitting and that everyone was doing well,” Ortego said.
Band performed “Land of a 1000 Dances” by Wilson Pickett for Cheer’s performance, in addition to songs such as “7 Nation Army” by The White Stripes and “Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond throughout the pep rally.
“We’ve been playing these pieces for a while because we play them for pep rallies, football games, spirit shows,” band member Soomin Oh ‘27 said.
Later into the event, SunDancers dazzled the audience with a jazz routine.
“SunDancers performed our novelty jazz piece, which is like musical theater jazz, and it was super fun,” SunDancer Elliott Richards ‘26 said. “We normally perform hip-hop so it was a new and somewhat stressful experience.”
The team would use the same routine the following day at the Leander Winter Dance Competition (LWDC) dance competition.
“As a student part of Warrior Pride, it’s always so fun to attend the pep rallies,” Anushka Gupta ‘26 said. “Getting to see the SunDancers’ new jazz competition piece was definitely the highlight for me.”
This pep rally also featured a student vs. teacher trivia game featuring AP/IB Spanish IV teacher Sra. MilyBett Llanos-Gremillion and Sumner Holland ‘26.
“I think a lot more teacher-student healthy competition should be incorporated into pep rallies,” Sra. Llanos-Gremillion said. “It makes it a lot of fun to have that ability to connect with students outside of the classroom through fun competitions.”
