Fresh from last week’s spring break performance trip to Costa Rica, the Tyler Junior College Apache Belles are back on Texas soil and prepping for this year’s spring show, “Lone Star State of Mind.”
Performances are 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, March 22-24, with a 2 p.m. Saturday matinee, in Wise Auditorium on the TJC main campus.
Director of the Apache Belles is Jasilyn Schaefer, and artistic director/choreographer is Christy Evans. Special performance and recruitment coordinator is Victoria Pulley. Technical director is Bryce McWilliams.
Tickets are available at tjc.edu/belles or at the Wise Auditorium box office one hour before the performance.
During their week in Costa Rica, the Apache Belles performed at two national soccer games, interacted with and performed for several hundred university students, and collaborated on a performance with a local all-star cheer group.
“I strongly believe that travel opportunities are vital to our students’ educational experience,” Schaefer said. “Interacting with people from other cultures and experiencing other countries are important in expanding their knowledge, plus it helps them to better understand their own place in the world.”
Sophomore Apache Belle Madison Jantzen from Frisco said, “Our first soccer game halftime performance will go down as my absolute favorite performance of my entire Apache Belle career. The people of Costa Rica had never seen anything like our Texas high kicks and precision dance, and it was thrilling to watch the reaction of an audience seeing what we do for the very first time."
In addition to the performances, the group of 54 travelers also experienced authentic Costa Rican cuisine, zip-lining through the rain forest, the beautiful shoreline of the Pacific Ocean and conservation efforts for local wildlife.
Introducing the 2017-18 team
Apache Belles head dance captain is Bailey Miley of Caddo Mills. Dance captains are: Gracie Anderson of Tyler, Krista Buhmann of Forney, Madison Duvall of Sachse and Kaitlyn Peacock of Rockwall.
Sophomores and members of the 70th line are: Gracie Anderson, Tyler; Krista Bohmann, Forney; Janae Bryner, Tyler; Madison Duvall, Sachse; Kaila Ference, Arlington; Lupita Garza, McAllen; Kendall Hall, Lewisville; Ragan Henderson, Lewisville; Madison Jantzen, Frisco; Bailey Miley, Caddo Mills; Katie Park, League City; Kaitlyn Peacock, Rockwall; Mica Smith, Lewisville; Jasmine Stewart, Mesquite; and Destiny Wright, Arlington.
Freshmen and members of the 71st line are: Avery Beeler, Lindale; Brittany Birdsong, Lindale; Veronica Blue, Euless; Serenity Bolby, Longview; Kayli Brenner, Carrollton; Janya Cook, Paris; Victoria Dangerfield, Arlington; Alexandria De La Cruz, Euless; Bailey Feder, Navasota; Shelby Goldstein, Bastrop; Jenna Gonzalez, Corpus Christi; Amanda Hiles, Tyler; Kayla Hubbard, Chapel Hill; Arianna Joslin, Austin; Gabrielle Leal, Abilene; Victoria Meese, Plano; Kellie Morrow, Flower Mound; Molly Mosby, Rockwall; Jessica Rodriguez, Houston; Skylyr Sanchez, Plano; Kindall Spencer, Denton; Lexie Terry, Tyler; Savannah Tucker, Paris; and Kailyn Waters, Arlington.
Belle Guards are: Jacob Adams, Lake Jackson; Cody Brenner, Carrollton; Ty Landry, Louisiana; Darryn Madere, Fort Worth; Cesar Meza, Tyler; and Brandon Mullican, Bullard.
For more on the Apache Belles, go to tjc.edu/belles.