The Belles’ Spring Show was April 2-4 with four shows in total. This year’s theme was “From Here to There… From Then to Now” and honored Mrs. Ruth Flynn, the Belle’s director for the past 25 years.
“This is our directors 25th year to be with the belles and so the 2nd act of the show is about her…I think that’s really cool,” Callie Ingram, dance captain, said.
With performers ranging from the cast of Star Wars to Prince and Michael Jackson, the show kept the audience guessing who was going to come out from behind the black curtain after every routine.
“We performed all different types of dances; jazz, tap, clogging, contemporary and hip-hop,” Ingram said.
The first half of the show kicked off with an engaging Star Wars routine, complete with Storm Troopers and Yoda, continuing to a swift game of Checkers. Later, type writers were brought in and ended with a performance by Harmony And Understanding singing and dancing to wrap up the beginning of the show.
After intermission, the show was dedicated to Mrs. Flynn and the work that she has done for the Belles. Slide shows took the audience back in time 25 years, when Flynn started, showing pictures of the Belles and band at that time and different routines that were done during the halftime when TJC and Kilgore College played against one another. When the Belles and the Kilgore Rangerettes are sharing the same field, it has been called “the best halftime performance in Texas,” because of the competitiveness and skill of both of the lines. Also, a game of “Flynn-isms for $600” was played, modeled after Jeopardy, and included questions about TJC, the Belles, and of course, Mrs. Flynn. An emotional performance by Head Dance Captain, Lindsay Lowery, was an exceptional way to honor both Mrs. Flynn and Lowery’s mother, who is a former Belle and danced under Flynn.
The ending number came with red lipstick and white hats, staying true to Belle fashion. With the sophomores smiling through the tears streaming down their faces as they danced to “Last Dance,” and high-kicked their way off stage, leaving the line to their “littles,” the freshman, and ending their Belle career.
“My heart fell apart when I hit the final pose Saturday night and knew that my freshman would now be taking my spot and I was officially ‘gold’ Amanda Pierce, Sophomore Belle, said. “I trust those girls and believe with all my heart that they will be great sophomores, but I just didn’t want my time to be up already.”
After the last routine, Mrs. Flynn walked back onstage to take a bow, the passion and love that she has for the Belles and the young women that are on the line was obvious.
“Mrs. Flynn is an amazing woman- everything about her. She has taught us so many life lessons, how to be great women, and that anything is possible if you just believe in yourself and the Lord,” Pierce said.
The Belles will be holding try-outs for aspiring future Belles April 22 and 26 and then again later in the summer during June.
