With the sun barely shining, crisp wind nipping their skin, 21 dancers arrived in pajamas and comfy clothes at 6:30 a.m. for a morning dance team practice at Rocklin, just one of the extra rehearsals and special arrangements made this week before the halftime performances from the dance team, cheer squads, marching band and color guard.

The dance team has been preparing for their combined performance with the Rocklin dance team, which has been a long-time tradition between the two teams. 

“Kendall [Warner] and I had the opportunity to choreograph the Whitney Dance portion of the routine where we combine with Rocklin for kickline,” Evelyn Young said. “Our team has been working hard to make our routine look as polished as it can be. We [had] a morning practice with the Rocklin dance team to set all of our formations and practice kickline together.”

Although the schools are sports rivals, both schools’ dance teams break this rivalry and instead work together as one to perform for the Quarry Bowl, this includes a team dinner at RHS before the evening’s games and halftime show.

“I’m always excited for Quarry Bowl because it’s a chance for Whitney and Rocklin dance to get together and perform together. It’s always nice to get to see our friends on the Rocklin team, especially those that we grew up dancing with,” Young said. 

Not only do the Quarry Bowl performances include the dance team, but all three cheer levels perform together as well. 

“I’m very excited to perform with all of them. It’s been a really long time since we’ve actually performed with all of us [together], so I think it’s going to be a great event,” Christianna Lewis said. 

Along with the football face-off, halftime performances are just as important as the game, so the cheer teams have been putting in extra work and practice to perfect their performance.  

“We’ve been preparing for about two weeks now with all the teams. We’re practicing individually with the teams like varsity and JV and then all of us together so we can get it done right,” Lewis said. 

Due to this performance being the frosh/soph cheer team’s first combined performance, most girls feel a mixture of nerves and excitement. 

“I’m excited to perform with varsity and JV, [however, I’m nervous] because [there’s] a lot of people [watching] and if I mess up then they will notice,” Samantha Dail said. 

While the dance and cheer teams have been preparing for the game, the color guard is also getting ready for the Quarry Bowl and will be performing with Rocklin’s team as well.

“We are actually going to do a conjoined performance for the game with Rocklin’s guard and band, so it’s going to be a big thing,” Gracie Morales said. 

Not only are they going to join Rocklin for their performance, but there are going to be middle schoolers that will be joining color guard and band on the field.

“Middle schoolers are also coming out, so it’s our middle school night and they will be out in the field with us, sitting in for Rocklin and Whitney,” Morales said. 

by FRANCHESKA PONTILLAS & NIKHITA TANDON

Additional reporting by KAITLYN EL-SAYEGH, SOFIA DUNMORE & KARIS WEISS