When the annual Highlandette spring show opens Friday night, senior Nicole Jeske predicts you’ll be tappin’ your toes from the get-go. “I think the crowd will like the opener, ‘Life’s a Jungle Gym.’ It’s an upbeat song and it fits with the theme of the show. The entire line is in it.” Nicole will head to UT in the fall, so she knows her final Highlandette Revue will be bittersweet. “Taking the stage for the last time will be exciting but sad. After the Saturday night finale, all the seniors will be bawling.” And what will she miss most? “We love afterschool practices, they’re so much fun and relaxing.” I was dubious, so she qualified her answer. “They’re better than 7 am practices.” Enough said.
According to First Lieutenant Abbey Smith, there are also a few surprises in store. “Normally, the crowd likes the hip hop or finale best, but this year we have the Highlandudes, which is something new. It’s a group of senior guys plus the Bell Boys performing, and I think our audience will like it.”
“I’m old-fashioned,” senior Amelia Lewis told me. “I like our traditional finale high kick in our Highlandette field uniforms. It will be great walking out on stage in that uniform – especially for the last time.”
“My favorite is the dance team number to ‘Earth’ by Imogene Heap, said senior Havilland Voss. “It’s a small group and it’s one of the most technically challenging dances in the show. I’m excited because it’s my first year to be on dance team.”
“The high kick will be a real crowd-pleaser,” predicted senior Allie Beth Buchanan. “It’s to ‘Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious’ from Mary Poppins, and it incorporates the dance we learned in New York. I think the audience will like it – we spent a lot of time on it.”
If you’d like tickets to see the award-winning LHHS Highlandettes along with guest performers including student bands, the varsity cheerleaders and the Wildcat Wranglers, you can buy them at the door for $8 (general admission) or $10 (reserved seating) or go online here. Showtime is 7:30 pm April 23 and 24 in the LHHS auditorium. “It will be emotional dancing for the last time,” Abbey admitted. “Saturday, there will be some tears for sure.”
