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Glowing under the blacklights, SunDancer Elliot Richards ’26 performs with immense school spirit. One of the most sought-after pep rallies of the year, the blacklight pep rally served to be a welcome break from the rigor of academics.
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Decked out with neon clothing, the cheerleaders energize the crowd. Cheer was one of the first performances to be spotlighted during the pep rally.
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Bright glow sticks and neon purple lights illuminated the gymnasium, revealing student’s eager faces as they awaited the commencement of the annual blacklight pep rally on Friday, Nov. 8.
Marking the beginning of what’s often considered the most popular pep rally of the year, Warrior Band’s booming beats echoed through the field house gym as students filed into the bleachers. While they performed an instrumental rendition of Runaway Baby by Bruno Mars, spirit organizations such as Cheer, the SunDancers, and the Warrior Pride Dance Team accompanied them with introductory dance segments in order to give students a hearty welcome to the event.
“The energy was really fun and just very hyped,” Megan Luo ‘27 said. “People are [usually a lot] more excited about this one than the other pep rallies.”
Following the band’s welcoming pieces, pep rally host Mr. Travis Dalrymple announced that the lights would dim, inducing an excited hush across the crowd. Followed by the darkening of the lights, numerous organizations’ energetic performances ensued, creating a hyped and spirited environment. The first performance under the glow-in-the-dark stadium, Cheer delivered their performance to Flashing Lights by Kanye West in neon construction worker costumes. Non-stop flips and stunts started off the pep rally with high energy.
“I decided to come [to the pep rally] because it was the black light [pep rally], and usually, that’s the most interesting,“ Kalia Wang ‘26 said. “This year, I thought the energy was a lot higher than usual, which I thought was great. All the performances were fantastic.”
After Cheer, the Warrior Pride Dance Team delivered a hype routine to a hip-hop mix. The team’s performance was heavily awaited by many audience members, since they had not performed at previous pep rallies. After their performance, K-Pop Club took to the stage, with sophomores Anandi Raj, Dhiya Reddy, Paige Chien, and Jillian Riethmiller dancing to Supernova by æspa as the auditorium erupted in cheers. Garage Band also made their debut performance of the year, performing to Head Like a Haunted House by Queens Of The Stone Age. Their performance consisted of members playing the drums, bass, and guitar, along with two featured singers.
“It was really exciting because we had tried to perform at pep rallies before, but there wasn’t enough space in the schedule,“ Garage Band Drummer Ella Braun ‘27 said. “We were just really excited to get to perform. I feel like black light pep rallies always feel really special, and I think people are always a little more hyped for those, so that was nice. I feel like the crowd was very energetic.”
The SunDancers gave the penultimate performance to another hip-hop mix. Matching the musicality of the tracks, their hard-hitting performance served to bring up the energy of the auditorium. Finally, students were ready for the most anticipated performance of the pep rally: Diabolo Club, formerly known as Chinese Yo-Yo Club. From launching glow-in-the-dark diabolos multiple feet into the air to spinning numerous diabolos at a time, all four members of the club delivered an energy-packed performance.
“It’s a great experience to perform in front of a supportive crowd like that,” Diabolo Club member Sam Yarbrough ‘26 said. “But sometimes, it can be distracting or nerve-wracking, so it’s good to focus on you and your teammates as you perform, and less on people’s reactions.”
For many students and staff alike, the black light pep rally served as a moment of relaxation from the stress of school. With it being the last pep rally of the semester, students and teachers came together and engaged in a lively showcase of school spirit and pride.
