Are you interested in a performing sport like dance, drill, or cheer? Well, tryouts for these sports are here! Dance is having their auditions for beginner, intermediate, and advanced dance on May 18-22, Drill is holding their tryouts on May 5-7, and lastly, cheer is having their tryouts for their JV and varsity teams this week, April 20-24.
These Tatar sports programs have been with our school for many years, with dance most recently getting added in 2022. All of these sports have performance opportunities in school and in competitions.
Dance recently had their annual dance show last week, with amazing performances from its beginner, intermediate, and advanced classes. Senior Joshua Colbert is an advanced dancer and describes the sport as an “art.” He says, “incoming freshmen should try out for dance, because even if you are a little bit afraid and don’t really know how to dance, it gives you a foundation to just be able to be creative, express yourself, and a lot of freedom.” Dance is inclusive for all, providing its students the freedom of expression and creativity. Dance is coached by professional dancer Essence Jasperse.
Cheer recently became just “cheer” this season after years of being “cheer & song.” This change for the team was a hard one, since Song had to be let go from athletics after not having funding for a coach. Nevertheless, the cheer team is still striving, recently getting second place in the Varsity Show competition. For cheer captain Kaylani Alvarado, cheer is special to her because “it’s taught me a lot of hard work, dedication, and a form of leadership that I will take on for the rest of my life.” Varsity cheerleader Jaiylene Hernandez thinks “freshmen should try out, because it brings you out of your shell, and it gives you a new experience that maybe they haven’t had before, and a sense of spirit.” The pep squad mainly cheers for football and basketball, but they do love to spread their spirit at baseball, volleyball, or water polo games. If you love stunting, dancing, and being in front of a crowd, cheer might just be for you. Cheer is coached by mother-daughter Torrance High alums, Lala and Maile Gutierrez.
Drill is commonly mistaken for cheer or dance, but it’s definitely a one-of-a-kind sport. Drill includes three styles of dance: pom, the most commonly known, military, and jazz. Our drill team won first place for pom and military, and 2nd place for jazz at the Sharp International State Championships. For junior Kumi Matsuda, she says, “I think the most unique thing about drill is that we’re pretty different compared to cheer and dance. It’s not like hip hop or anything, drill typically has really strong facials, I feel like that makes it pretty special.” Every year in February, Drill holds its annual showcase, where the team performs at the THS main gym for family, friends, and coaches. Drill is coached by Mellissa Ruszczyk.
Whether you’re drawn to drill, dance, or cheer, each program guarantees a welcoming space where you can express yourself, build your confidence, and show off your creativity.
