Dance team tryouts attract 32

North Lake College now has a dance team.

The dance members will perform at all home NLC basketball games, as well as baseball and volleyball games, with four halftime pieces and several other end-zone pieces. The team will also perform for several on-campus and community events. The newly formed NLC Dance Team rehearses two to four times a week for two to four hours.

Amber Holt, 23, a NLC student who is now a member of the dance team, tried out because, “I love to dance and performing is my passion.” Deciding to try out last minute, she was the only girl in the auditions without leotards and shoes. Having a background in dance and in teaching ballet probably helped the shoeless prospect in her last-minute decision, and those same qualifications, as well as her own technique, most likely made her a shoe-in for the team.

Brenda Parker, director of NLC Dance Department, has taken the role of coach for the newly formed team, with 21 years under her belt at NLC alone. She received her masters degree in dance and fine arts from Texas Christian University and choreographed for the Tour De France dance team for five years.

At the NLC Dance Team auditions, on Sept. 6, 32 girls showed up to compete. After a few encouraging words spoken by NLC Blazers Coach Tim McGraw and Parker, the girls were shown a hip hop combo by adjunct dance faculty member Betsy Compton, followed by a kick line combination given by Parker herself. Parker served as a judge at the tryouts along with Dean David Evans, Executive Secretary Pat Henry, Sheryl Glenn, and Bridgette Cox.

When asked what it takes to be a North Lake dancer, Parker explained that “it takes dedication and commitment; it takes the ability to do everything that was on the required skills lists that was given at the audition and is posted on our Web site.”

There is a two-semester commitment for the dance team, and each of the 12 dancers picked for the team will receive a total of four credits.