The Silver Spurs just returned from San Antonio after competing at Showtime International, and they brought in a slew of awards, for the team, the officers, an ensemble and soloist. Teacher and director, Robin Hicks, said her and her two-year assistant and teacher, Anna Hobbes, split up the dances this year and choreographed them.
“We each had three and three between officers and a team, and then we hired South Texas Strutters to choreograph our novelty number,” Hicks said. “We start competition season the moment football season ends, and so for us, we’re usually not starting until December.
“Some like to bring in a choreographer for every routine, but we still like to do it ourselves, and it’s artistic expression, I’d be sad to give that up completely.”
Evelyn Allen became the solo champion for the Junior Contest.
From left, Laikyn Bazan and Madelyn Rogers won the High School Small Ensemble category.
With 20 girls total on the team and five officers, everyone was in at least two team routines. The Silver Spurs went into the competition with four team dances, plus the officers had to have at least three dances. Hicks said the officers’ extra practice time was significant, because they clocked in by seven every morning, and then worked during the inclass practice as well.
“Sometimes we had team practice in the morning, but most of the time it was officer time,” Hicks said. “It was an extra commitment on their part because they had to be at school early and learn extra dancing with extra memory.”
Each officer also had the added responsibility to be in charge of their own line as well.
Laikyn Bazan and Madelyn Rogers won the high school small ensemble, while Evelyn Allen became the Junior Contest Solo champion. Hicks said Bazan and Rogers choreographed their own routine and competed against other ensembles to be chosen as the winner.
“That’s their baby,” Hicks said. “I’m really proud of them because both being officers, they put their own time in, in addition to morning and in-class practice.”
Allen, Hicks’ daughter, has been dancing for 14 years and worked on her solo since November. She said her solo win is still sudden to think about.
“People laugh because I forced dancing on her when she was little,” Hicks laughed. “I didn’t give her much of an option.”
Allen nodded. “When I was little, I used to be a whole eight-count behind.”
My, how things have changed.
When the team returned from competition, Hicks had a hard truth to share. She will be stepping down as director of the Silver Spurs and handing it over to Hobbes in order to work more with Showtime International. It was a difficult decision to make, she said, but just a step in a different dance direction.
However, it will not interfere with her teaching English, student leadership, and Student Council at Edna.
“Anna was one of my Spurs for four years, she was an officer and graduated as our Major,” she said. “She has a great relationship with the girls, and I think she’ll be great at it.”
Hicks, who’s been working with drill teams for 22 years, said Showtime International offered her a job when she was only 17, when she was a Victoria High Victoriadore (remember them?) She said she’d sold t-shirts, was in charge of checkpoint, she judged for them for many years, and when Showtime used to have college auditions, Hicks choreographed the routines and taught their audition for 12 years.
Recently she started tabulating scores for them, and she just finished her first season as a contest administrator.
“The contest was a great way to end, we’ve had dances score higher than I’ve ever seen while I’ve been here, so it was a very successful competition,” she said. “But Evelyn is still dancing so I’ll be at the football games.”
As for the Spurs, tryouts have already begun for the new school year.
“For me, my high school drill team was my favorite experience, so I want to give that to the girls, I want to give them this life experience,” Hicks said. “They learn life skills, leadership, responsibility and so much more.
“No matter what though, I always get more from them than they get from me.”
