TEAMWORK: For the first time, Matthew Gage Middle School’s Song & Dance team promotes their Poly pride alongside Poly’s Cheer & Song.
By Kate Santoso, Staff Writer
High school football games are naturally the best time to express school spirit and pride. As the football season gradually came to an end, students, parents, and administrators cheered their hearts out in the stands. It was an extra special night for seniors from both football and Cheer & Song, who were all recognized at the beginning of the game. On Friday, November 6, 2015 despite all the usual action of the varsity game, Poly’s Cheer & Song team became a major hit, accompanied for the very first time by Gage’s new Song & Dance Team.
The Song & Dance team at Gage was initiated by the current dance coach, Lindy Schive. One of the purposes of the Gage team is to provide students with a strong dance foundation and prepare them for any team that they decide to be a part of in their high school experience, specifically Poly’s Cheer & Song squad. “Being a part of the dance team at my middle school and high school was a huge passion of mine, and I wanted to give my students the same opportunity,” Schive expressed.
The formation of the team began with Lupe Avila, Poly’s Cheer & Song Adviser, whose daughter, Brianna, approached Schive with the idea of beginning a dance team. An eighth grader at Gage, Briana informed Schive her mom was the adviser at Poly and would be more than happy to help form a team at Gage. Schive followed through and contacted Avila when the time was right to start a team at Gage. “Gage’s dance team contains an amazing group of girls who are full of talent, school spirit, and support for one another that is so inspiring for me to watch and lead,” Schive announced.
Before the performance on November 6, the Gage Dance team collaborated with Poly’s Cheer & Song in learning two numbers. The first was the usual “time out” dance that Poly’s varsity team performs at games to the tune “Shut Up and Dance” by Walk The Moon. In addition, our Song leaders learned a dance known to the Gage team, choreographed to the song “Love Myself” by Hailee Steinfeld. This second piece was performed at the beginning of the third quarter. “Although I was bit nervous at first, that night was really fun because the Poly girls were very inviting and welcoming. To be there and do something I love and perform in front of my friends and family was probably the best part,” Gage Song & Dance team member Jasmine Carter (7) said.
Alongside the routines above, Gage’s Song & Dance learned some of Poly’s most prominent cheers like “Green Machine,” “1-We are the Bears,” and “Riverside Poly High.” “All of the girls were so on top of it and so appreciative of what we were able to teach them. I would be more than happy to go back and teach them,” Varsity Song Captain Cassidy Ballard (11) said.
Cheer & Song at Poly is an eleven-month sport with a schedule so grueling that it requires tremendous dedication. As the team has grown, more experienced tumblers, stunters and dancers have continued to join and strengthen the team. Having programs like the Song & Dance team at Gage Middle School will help maintain the incoming flux of talent in the coming years and make Poly’s Cheer & Song a standout program within Riverside Unified School District (RUSD). “We look forward to continuing and growing a relationship with Gage’s Song & Dance squad and providing them with more opportunities to perform with us in the future,” Avila said.