"I just remember hitting that ending pose," she said, beaming. Not according to biology or history. [3], There is disagreement within the Rangerette alumni group and others in the dance team industry regarding the date of the first Rangerette performance. Just as I was ready to pack up and leave Kilgore behind, I caught a glimpse of the smiling blond vision down the street, a three-story cowgirl grinning and beckoning to me with all the friendship of sunny Texas. Ask anyone from this east Texas town what their community is known for, and they'll tell you oil and the Rangerettes, and probably not even in that order. Are scholarships available for Rangerettes? Each Rangerette has a roommate, and the two share a room many college students would kill for, plus a private bathroom. Katy Vine is a Senior Editor at Texas Monthly, in which she has covered the Kilgore Rangerettes. When was Daniel Kilgore born? texasmonthly.com: What are the major tenets of Rangerette femininity? His work has received recognition from the prestigious Alfred Eisenstaedt Awards for Outstanding Magazine Photography. XFL Week 3 preview: Can AJ McCarron, Battlehawks continue their fourth-quarter heroics? Davis is now a member of several Hall of Fames in Texas and was -- even back then -- known as an innovator. After high school, she attended University of Texas at Austin for one year until she decided to try out for the Rangerettes. "I'm sorry.". This is the Rangerette Showcase and Museum in tiny Kilgore, Texas, and it's dedicated to the women credited for being part of the first modern dance team, the Kilgore College Rangerettes. Many have come from high-level high school drill teams throughout Texas, not to mention years of intensive dance training. Certain offices have extended evening hours and/or Friday hours. "If you do something wrong three times," Davis would shout, "you'll never get it right!". For more information, visit www.rangerette.com. In 1939, Davis was hired away from Greenville High School by the Kilgore College Dean, Dr. B.E. She was sentenced to two concurrent 5-year terms and had to serve at least half of her 5-year sentence before she was eligible for parole. There are hamburger joints, a movie theater, a 16-lane bowling alley. Or with wet hair. There's an expectation of perfection that extends even to the Rangerettes' living space. Many of the codes stress good mannersfor example, they are taught to smile and to say please and thank youbut the girls also learn to become conscious of the way they present themselves in public. Requests for evaluations after July 15th will not be honored. KV: There's no height requirement, as some people have thought. The Rangerettes' dorm -- dubbed the Gussie Nell Davis Resident Hall -- is less a "dorm" and more a souped-up sorority house. Kilgore College Rangerette Abby Tirey talks about this year's first public performance, called "Showoffs," which takes place Saturday night at Dotson Auditorium. Maggie Ethington, right, of Nacogdoches points to her number Friday after being selected to be a Kilgore College Rangerette in Dodson Auditorium. Instilling heat endurance and general athletic excellence is just one part of the self-confidence Rangerettes gain while they're in Kilgore. This all takes a ton of agility and concentration and power. The expression in her eyes is one of comfort and familiarity; she's back at the foundation of the "best years" of her life. During the parade march, the Rangerettes will be in their traditional red, white and blue uniforms. The assailant kidnapped Blair's daughter, who at the time was a Freshman Rangerette. That's what the Rangerettes had been doing since the '40s. Jack Rhodes gives his sister Caroline, right, of . Rows of Rangerettes charge forward, arms entwined, steadily kicking their legs past their foreheads to the beat of the music. ", "I'm makin' it, I've got the chance, I'm takin' it (kick! Which travel companies promote harmful wildlife activities? Over and over and over again, they kick, kick, kick. A student at a Salt Lake City performing arts high school, Thompson took the only jazz class that was offered during her senior year and taught herself the rest of the Rangerettes' routines. The Rangerettes are an organization that is, undoubtedly, a paradox. Temple Foundation), CRRSAA Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II, Public Notices and Investment Disclosures, Workforce Development-Community Education, Information Technology, Business & Personal Services, Manufacturing, Transportation & Industrial Technology, Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics, Advertising and Graphic Design Technology, Cosmetology - Esthetician/Facial Specialist, Public Services & Industrial Technologies, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Technology, Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness Leadership, Occupational Safety and Health Technology, Culinary Arts Community Education Non-Credit Course, Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP), Report suspicious activity to authorities, Kilgore College Rangerettes select 32 freshmen for 81st line. Being part of the Rangerettes is a lifestyle, and it often sets the trajectory for the rest of the women's lives. Imperfection is not tolerated. They started performing at halftime of the Kilgore College football games and were an instant sensation. texasmonthly.com: Why do you think the Rangerette traditions have endured for so long? I watched and listened to them repeat that exact same phrase about fifty more times during their practice, to the point of it becoming slightly alarming, or at least disconcerting. The organization created a unique combination of dance moves and precision drills that quickly earned them the reputation not only as the originators of dance/drill teams, but also as the best in the world. But if being a part of the Rangerettes' bubble of perfection means following a laundry list of rules, getting a rewards card at Sephora and putting much of your social life on hiatus, then so be it. Privacy Policy. Masters brought Davis, who had established the "Flaming Flashes," a high school girls' drum and bugle corps in Greenville in 1928, to Kilgore and gave her a free hand in setting up the team. Within this sweltering box of toiling emotions that is the Rangerettes' gym, a sign that seems bigger than the Texas sky drops with 36 numbers written on it. Wrought-iron tables and chairs surround a trickling fountain. It would be safe to say that without the Rangerettes, modern dance teams might not exist. The costume has remained unchanged, except for a slight shortening of the skirt length. Coming to see the Rangerettes is largely why anybody would come to Kilgore, period. ", "That's really the big one that outsiders say, like, 'Why do you say that?'" Its first African-American member joined the squad in 1973, and its first black officer joined the fold in 2012. All Rangerettes must enroll for fourteen (14) hours and successfully complete, twelve (12) semester credit hours of classes each and every semester, and maintain a 2.50 grade point average (GPA). Kick!" Some special unit of woman combatants who could shoot and ride and who defended the great state Texas from evildoers and lawlessness? I imagined, entering the museum with a wide-open mind. Associate editor Katy Vine, who wrote this month's cover story, "Alive and Kicking," talks about getting inside Rangerette culture. Shirley Arredondo is the "dorm mom" giving the tour; she actually lives here, too, in a furnished apartment within the building. "This is ridiculous! The Rangerettes are the Alabama football, the Kentucky basketball, the Yankees of dance teams, and the expectations of perfection match. "It was always a mass exodus at the beginning of the third quarters," said McGregor's co-worker, Dicky Joyner, who was also the Kilgore College mascot in 1976. We'll send you a couple of emails per month, filled with fascinating history facts that you can share with your friends. Masters wanted something different than the traditional women's drum and bugle corps. You don't want to be the person to let that tradition fall.". We need your support because we are a non-profit organization that relies upon contributions from our community in order to record and preserve the history of our state. texasmonthly.com: What do you think attracts young women year after year to join the Rangerettes? Each one meets with a personal trainer to determine what weight range she should shoot for based off her body type. Founded by Gussie Nell Davis in 1940 and now preparing for its 66th straight performance at the Cotton Bowl, the Rangerettes give Kilgore (population: 15,000) a reason to have a museum. "We're the example. An affectionate, yet unsentimental and occasionally irreverent portrait, Kilgore Rangerettes beautifully conveys the timeless quality of this unique subculture of young American womanhood. Lots and lots of tissues. Because if you're a Rangerette, it's rare you have time to do anything but maintain the tradition of the organization anyway. A 1973 graduate of Oak Cliff High School in the Dallas area, Evans was the Co-Captain of the Pivoteers Dance/Drill Team her senior year. It's currently managed by the Zwicks' company, Zwick Management, but will be handed over to the college in 2016. And if they are fakin' it, while Naughton croons in the background, assistant director Shelley Wayne, a former Rangerette, will tell them so. Normal cardio is useless. Cross your legs -- little etiquette things I grew up with.". You have to drive at least 20 minutes to get to a mall. Being a Rangerette forces a woman to push herself past the point she thought she could reach, to find a version of self-esteem that may have been lacking before. This museum at Kilgore College is the best place to learn about the Rangerettes' storied history and how they truly changed . He has also been profiled in Southern Living. Bungee cords come to mind as the women kick, kick, kick -- their smiles never wavering as they bounce on their toes and throw their legs toward the rafters. Join us in our First Annual "Rette White & Blue" Virtual Race! "Other dance teams get lost in the inertia that is major college and pro sports," Hale said. ", "I've got looks, I've got brains, and I'm breakin' these chains (kick! Her years in Kilgore were the best of her life and helped her become the woman she is today. According to Barbara "Pill" Harmon, a 1965-67 Rangerette and a former assistant director, that standard was set by Davis. Photos of young college women posing with celebrities and dignitaries -- Prince Charles, George W. Bush, Dwight D. Eisenhower -- clutter the walls. Heres why each season begins twice. Sonic's happy hour draws the young crowd. They've congregated in their gym, nestled in the middle of this quiet junior college campus. "We set the bar and we can't let that fall," said Beverly Tallent, a 1960s Rangerette. They were required to wear their hair in a ponytail on top of their heads. She was responsible for turning the Rangerettes into a company that executed perfect routines by holding to the concept that the Rangerettes "don't make mistakes.". In fact, they were the very first dance drill team in America, founded in 1940 at Kilgore College to keep fans in their seats. Daniel Kilgore was born in Kingsport, TN. Shelley is a former Rangerette Lieutenant and Swingster (1985-1987) originally from Houston who returned to Kilgore College after directing the Westfield High School drill team (Houston, TX) for one year. Nothing's been the same since. KV: Theres no height requirement, as some people have thought. Why wetlands are so critical for life on Earth, Rest in compost? I cant imagine that someone would try out if she didnt want to follow long-standing rules. Said Emily Wendt, a member of the 2013-15 lines: "You can't expect your leg to hit your face every day and not have any repercussions. The Rangerettes are the world's best-known collegiate drill . [1] According to the Texas State Historical Association, Davis said she would "be receptive when a qualified black tried out. The Kilgore College Rangerettes, also known simply as the Rangerettes, are an American precision dance team from Kilgore College in Kilgore, Texas, created by Gussie Nell Davis in 1939. Can we bring a species back from the brink? To Teresa Kaelin Shore, whose daughter Catherine was on the 2014-15 line, the benefits of Rangerettes stick with her today -- so much so that she speaks about her involvement in present tense. Luckily, it has a . I had traveled to Kilgore to see the East Texas Oil Museuma fascinating tribute to the petrochemical wealth of East Texas and the boom that sprung serious life into this corner of the state. "No one else in the family understands," she says. The 'extreme cruelty' around the global trade in frog legs, What does cancer smell like? Her work has appeared in Best American Sports Writing 2005, Best American Sports Writing 2006, the Oxford American, the Texas Observer, and on the radio program This American Life. Regardless of who makes the squad, they all join with the knowledge that how they look is judged -- whether it's via a weight limit, or a reprimand for not wearing enough mascara. Katy Vine: I love writing about subcultures, and any institution that has a lengthy history and its own set of rules is a cultural jackpot. Jimmy Carters Peanut-and-Egg Taco Made Quite the Impression on San Antonians. Surrounded by hopes, dreams and years of tradition, 32 young women became the newest members of the world-famous Kilgore College Rangerettes dance and drill team this morning. She started Walk Strong, a 3K event. Texas State Historical Association (TSHA) There are sidewalks for a reason, they say, and cutting corners is a no-no. Many of these women were good at drill team or dance team or cheerleading in high school and had an itch to pursue drill team at Kilgore College for the same reason a basketball player might want to pursue basketball at a Big Ten or Big 12 university. [51], On July 1, 2021, Judge Alfonso Charles ordered Motes to pay Blair and her daughter $400,000 in compensatory damages and $175,000 in punitive damages. [46], Some critics have "expressed dismay at the emphasis on physical attractiveness and rigorous and authoritarian training. "That sounds really pretentious, but [it's] just the way we carry ourselves. When out-of-towners flock to AT&T Stadium each year, says Dana Blair, they get a "little bit of Texas" when the Rangerettes perform, white-tasseled cowboy boots . Kilgore College Rangerettes select 32 freshmen for 81st line Facebook Twitter Print HTML Forward Surrounded by hopes, dreams and years of tradition, 32 young women became the newest members of the world-famous Kilgore College Rangerettes dance and drill team this morning. Normally sixty-five students make up the team, but only forty-eight members actually perform at one time. KV: A drill team is a group that performs to music, usually as halftime entertainment at football games. I doubt any Texas Rangers, be they policeman or baseball players, could perform such a physical feat. Dec 2011 - 70th Anniversary Pearl Harbor Memorial Ceremony, Jan 2009 - Texas State Society Black Tie & Boots Ball, Washington, D.C. for the, Jan 2005 - Texas State Society Black Tie & Boots Ball, Washington, D.C. for the, Jan 2001 - Texas State Society Black Tie & Boots Ball, Washington, D.C. for the, This page was last edited on 3 February 2023, at 15:22. Although constantly looking put-together and beautiful is held at a premium within the organization, it might actually take away from their athleticism. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. The Kilgore College Rangerettes were founded by Gussie Nell Davis, a physical education instructor from Farmersville, Texas who had previously taken an all-girl's group called the "Flaming Flashes" from being a simple high school pep-squad to an elaborately performing drum and bugle corps in Greenville, Texas. "We really have to watch our smile and watch everything we do and just be aware that we can be on that huge screen at any point.". The revenue generated by the shows make it one of Kilgore College's highest grossing events. However, your first year is spent as a freshmen Rangerette regardless of your college grade classification. We do not kick at waist-level!" Put simply, being pretty is important. What is the Rangerette practice schedule? (Photo by Andrew Evans, National Geographic Traveler), Can we bring a species back from the brink?, Video Story, Copyright 1996-2015 National Geographic Society, Copyright 2015-2023 National Geographic Partners, LLC. The lower, the better yall! yelled Dana Blair, director of the Rangerettes since 1993 and a former Rangerette herself. Each lyric of David Naughton's "Makin' It" that's blasting through the Rangerettes' sweltering gym is punctuated with 72 women chanting "Kick! DeHoyos is leading the way to the Rangerettes' gym on a bright day in Kilgore; the east Texas sun is borderline scorching. The assailant, Nancy Alice Motes, was arrested on a charge of aggravated kidnapping and released on $500,000 bond on December 30, 2016. New freshman members of the 2020-21 Rangerettes, listed by hometown: Kilgore Campus 1100 Broadway, Kilgore, Texas 75662 | (903) 983-8209KC-Longview Campus 300 South High Street, Longview, Texas 75601 | (903) 753-2642. His photo essays have appeared in Texas Monthly (which first published his Rangerettes photographs), American Photo, Photo Review, LensWork, People, and Gourmet. It's the kind of perfect living room your grandmother dreamed of, complete with silver candleholders, throw pillows and luxury you can almost smell. ", No matter, the Rangerettes have a perception issue: Nearly every piece of their literature depicts white Rangerettes. "We pride ourselves on looking a certain way and acting a certain way, so if we're in public, usually people know us by our behavior or by our looks," Bergen said. In addition to teaching photography at Kilgore College, Lovett works as a fine art and editorial photographer. Rangerette Showcase and Museum. "You have a weekend coming up, and I suggest you use that time to figure out how you're going to get your kick endurance up. We haven't found any reviews in the usual places. "When we say 'Yes ma'am, thank you,' we take that criticism and apply it to ourselves. This is the room where many Rangerettes tried on those uniforms for the first time. texasmonthly.com: What got you interested in writing about the Rangerettes? The no-grass rule is just one of many that Rangerettes live by. 2023 Kilgore College RangerettesAll Rights Reserved. An icon of Americana, the red-white-and-blue clad Rangerettes have drawn the attention of numerous photographers and writers seeking to understand the enduring appeal of a group that some might view as anachronistic. There's something to be said for wanting something or training for something, then going out and fulfilling that effort in the biggest way possible. Requests for evaluations after July 15thwill not be honored. There is one African-American, one Indian-American and five Hispanic performers on the 76th line. People are standing in line waiting to get pictures with them during football games, because they've come from all over just to see the Rangerettes perform.". No. For a change of pace, discover the distinguished history of the legendary Rangerettes at the Rangerette Showcase and Museum. We're going to need tissues. There are party dresses and murals so bright that the 1960s would be jealous. [5] The Rangerettes have performed in 71 Cotton Bowl game halftimes in a row (1951-2021),[5][6] and make regular appearances at NFL pre-game and half-time shows for the Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans. They're a cult without the Kool-Aid. Said Blair: "I think the football team would watch us practice and say, 'Yeah, that looks hard.' With her training and 26-hour drive, Thompson had already proven to herself she could do whatever the heck she put her mind to. Founded in Kilgore, Texas, in 1939-1940 by the incomparable Gussie Nell Davis, the Rangerettes have performed for national and international . Can I receive an evaluation after pre-training. What if she was the one to mess up? The Kilgore College Rangerettes will kick, kick, kick at the Cotton Bowl for the 66th straight year while cling, cling, clinging to values that date to the 1940s.
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