Photo by Lloyd Engen The 2008 Antonito High School state runner-up pom pon dance team, from left, front row, sophomore Chelsey Dupont, sophomore Alicia Llanez, sophomore Moriah Barela, freshman Shaney Ruybal; back row, sophomore Amber Garcia, sophomore Crystal Romero, junior Patrick Garcia, junior Amber Abeyta, and junior team captain Moriah Romero.

Trojan program one of best

in state



By LLOYD ENGEN

ALAMOSA — There’s no telling what the Antonito High School pom pon dancers will be performing tonight (weather permitting) when they take center court at halftime of the Arby’s Senior All Star boys’ contest.

The only sure thing is that the performance will be terrific, drawing vigorous applause from close to 1,200 basketball fans packing Plachy Hall for the 22nd Annual Arby’s All Star Games.

And there really is “no telling” because the dancers and their coaches, Darlene Garcia and Lynette Trujillo, and their choreographer, Jon Garcia, aren’t telling what they have come up with for this special occasion.

The dance team decided on its new routine on Monday, and has been working hard all week to polish the performance that is designed to give the audience something new and special for this special night.

Not many dance teams would take on such a challenge.

But the Antonito dancers are no ordinary team — and they have the trophies to prove it.

The idea to start a dance team at Antonito High School was formulated by Angela Garcia, Darlene Garcia and Lynette Trujillo about 10 years ago, with student Jon Garcia joining in with some choreography ideas.

Jon Garcia graduated in 2000 and went to the University of New Mexico where he took classes in modern dance, jazz and hip-hop dancing. When he returned home, Jon brought with him an array of dance show routines, and in the fall of 2001 the coaches decided the team was ready to enter the Class 2A State Championships after watching the Sanford High School dance team win the state title in 1999 and take second place in 2000.

The Antonito dancers gained instant recognition, taking second place in the 2A State Championships while Sanford again won the title, making Conejos County a hotbed of pom pon dance team excellence.

One year later, it was Antonito on the top of the awards stand, winning the 2002 State Championship and performing at halftime of the Class 2A boys’ State Tournament championship game at the State Fair Events Center in Pueblo.

The remarkable state-level rivalry between the Antonito and Sanford dance teams in towns less than 20 miles apart continued from there. Sanford took third place in 2003 while Antonito was sixth.

Then Antonito won the 2004 State Championship, setting up another Valley showdown in 2005 as Sanford won the title and Antonito was the runner-up.

Antonito has rolled right along to the awards stand ever since, taking second place in 2006, 2007 and now 2008.

Meanwhile, a third area dance team, Centauri, has been enjoying Class 3A state success, as well, taking fourth in 1999, third in 2000, fourth in 2001 and second in 2004.

All in all, that’s a great tribute to the dance programs in Conejos County’s schools.

The Antonito dancers further know that they can compete with anybody. At last December’s 2A State Championships, Colorado High School Activities Association event coordinator Rhonda Blanford-Green congratulated the Trojan dancers once again, and told Jon Garcia what a pleasure it is to watch the team perform, noting that Antonito also would compete very well with the large Class 4A and 5A teams.

“She (Blanford-Green) said how much she looks forward to watching our team compete and that a lot of people come to the state meet to watch our performances,” Jon Garcia said on Wednesday as the team was having its official souvenir photo taken in Plachy Hall for the Arby’s All Star Games.

He also reiterated how much work it takes for a dance team to remain at this high level of competition year after year.

“We practice two and a half hours Monday through Thursday and then put in some long Fridays that include performing at our home basketball games,” he said.

Garcia noted that the routines are built around the music selected each year.

“We mix things up with jazz and the dancers like funky music, such as hip-hop, music with a beat,” he said. “Then we add certain moves to the routines that make the performances more unique. If I like it (the music) and if they like it, then we go with it.”

Garcia also has to tailor the choreography around what each dancer is athletically and artistically capable of doing, trying to give everyone a chance to be in the front at some point in the routine.

“It takes a lot of work, but in the end it’s worth it,” he said. “Sometimes some of them (the dancers) might not be getting along so well with each other, but they leave it all outside when they go into practices two and a half hours a day. They all come together.”

Add to the long hours of practice such details as designing the striking, colorful costumes, and the little things that judges look for such as hair, makeup and even fingernails, all done to perfection, and one can see how involved the whole process can become.

Junior Moriah Romero is the captain of the team, wrapping up her third year in the program. She knows what she needs to do as the team’s captain.

“My job is to keep everyone motivated,” she said Wednesday evening after the team had eaten a free meal at Arby’s. “I try to keep them from getting frustrated with the practices and the long hours. It’s very easy to get frustrated trying to get everything right.”

Moriah’s motivational talk to her teammates this week is very clear.

“I remind them that we are the No. 1 dance team in the San Luis Valley and that all those people are coming to see us perform,” Moriah said. “We are putting together a special new show for the Valley in just three days, practicing three hours a day. Jon put the routines together and each of us contributes moves and creativity. We hope the people will find it fun and exciting.”

This year’s Trojan state runner-up team has both returning members and newcomers — without a single senior. That makes Antonito a formidable squad to go after the State Championship again next December.

“I’ll be a senior, and it sure would be nice to bring home the state trophy,” Moriah said.

Also returning juniors on this year’s team are Amber Abeyta and Patrick Vigil.

The three are joined by five sophomores — Chelsey Dupont, Amber Garcia, Alicia Llanez, Crystal Romero, and another “Moriah” — Moriah Barela. Getting her first varsity dance experience is freshman Shaney Ruybal.

The Sanford dance team also had an excellent year, finishing close to the leaders in the state competition.

And now all those dancers have something else to get excited about. Adams State College has increased its Spirit Squad for next year and added an ASC Dance Team. That opens the door for San Luis Valley dance team members to become part of the ASC dance program. Tryouts for ASC’s Dance Team are scheduled for Saturday, April 25, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Plachy Hall.

The new ASC dance program won’t have to look very far to find excellent dancers because they are located just down the road a few miles — in Antonito, Sanford and La Jara.