Some play volleyball or join theatre in high school, but some brave souls become members of the drill/dance team. The drill/dance team world is filled with choreography, sequins, hard work and grand jetés. Here are 20 things that only people who've been in drill/dance team will understand:
1. In drill team, you use hairspray for every problem. Got a fly away hair or a “whispy"? Hairspray. Is that a snag in your tights? Hairspray. Your shoes are too slippery? Hairspray. When in doubt, hairspray it out.
2. You still might have the crazy tan lines from practicing half-time routines in the summer sun on the football field.
3. While everyone else goos and gaws during a dance performance, you watch and critique every move. “Oh, their formation is way off." “She isn't pointing her toes. EW!"
4. People who think dancers don't eat are sadly mistaken. When you're dancing everyday for three hours (or at dance camp for eight hours a day), you are eating all the time. Trust me when I say dancers eat more than normal people.
5. You had major FOMO at football games because you had to sit in the dance team section while your friends socialized without you in the student section.
6. Dancing uses every muscle, which means you, have muscles in uncommon places like your lower back, ankles and foot arch.
7. You used to do quick changes on buses, in crowded rooms, side stage, and many other places so changing in public discreetly is one of your specialties.
8. You still have nightmares about high kicks and kick lines.
9. There is a box or a drawer of old dance stuff in your house that you cannot bring yourself to throw away or donate. Let us all be honest with one another, no one wants our old jazz shoes or competition costumes, but throwing away all our dance memories seems too harsh. So until we make that hard decision, all those memories will sit in a drawer awaiting their destiny.
10. You wore red lipstick way before Taylor Swift declared it in “Style".
11. It is a tad strange that you can't find remember where you put your keys, but you can still remember choreography from four years ago.
12. Thanks to dance/drill team, you know how to do three hairstyles perfectly; the slicked-back ponytail, ballet bun, and hair poof.
13. Sometimes when listening to music, you find yourself counting the beats. “5, 6,7,8…"
14. Being sore isn't an excuse to you because you have performed with every muscle aching. Oh, you're too sore to walk let alone dance? Perfect, now dance for five hours straight. Oh, and don't forget your smile.
15. The constant jumping, sliding and falling on the hard dance floor left you with bruises from head to toe. Bruised legs gave every one of your homecoming dresses the perfect touch.
16. Every now and then, you relive your "glory days" by watching your old dance videos. While watching, you notice every minor flaw and immediately wish you could have a "re-do".
17. Your ears still ache from the fake large diamond performance earrings you were forced to wear. You are surprised your ears aren't permanently tainted blue.
18. You have a collection of lonely foot paws because the same side always went missing.
19. Jump splits don't make you cringe. You want me to jump in the air doing the splits and then land still in the splits? Okay, no problem.
20. You've accepted that your back and knee pain will be a part of your life forever. The popping sounds from your achy joints will be a constant reminder of your short-lived dance career in case you ever forget.
