Although traditionally the band’s yearly shows have been themed after a movie or a play, this year the show is ‘El Tango,’ an homage to Spanish music and dance. After weeks of hard work and practice, the band performed at this year’s halftime Homecoming show, and the featured dancers danced an actual tango.

“I think we were trying to be more modern… to have a more modern style of acting,” said senior Jacob Barry, one of the featured dancers.

“Last year’s ‘Star Wars’ show was our fun show, so this [show] was more technique,” said sophomore Mackenzie Powell, another featured dancer.

Those two dancers had a wide gap in between their dance training and education.

“I have had zero educational experience [with dancing, but] I love to dance,” said Barry.

“I’ve been dancing since I was two, if that gives you an idea of my talent for putting my leg above my head,” said Powell. “I choreographed all of it… I had to figure out how to mix my classical training with Jacob.”

As they took the field at the Homecoming game at halftime, with the crowd watching them, it was an experience that would be hard to forget for either of them.

“My main feelings were, terrified, terrified, and just a little bit of happiness that [the band directors] chose me out of all the other kids who could dance,” Powell said.

“It was awesome and it was very different,” said Barry. “It couldn’t compare to a lot of feelings. [One thing it could compare to is] scoring a goal in soccer. I play soccer and it’s a very overwhelming feeling and this was a very overwhelming feeling, in a good way.”

The band put in many long hours to prepare for the show. Journalism 1 Broadcast cub reporters Ian Wilson and Taylor Buenaflor talked to the director.