Rock the House performs at new level
By Alicia Collier

Since this is my first year on the Rock the House dance team, I am looking forward to all the challenges and opportunities I am going to face. The dance team is rising to a new level with new routines, new dancers and best of all, new uniforms.

This year is the fourth for the ORU dance team. In the first three years of its evolution, dancers like Priscilla Flagg, Valerie Hawkins, our coach Sharita Bent and Director Paige White helped pave the way to our current excellent level of performance. This year, the majority of the team are first-time members, and the team is smaller with only 18 members.

"Something unique about us is everyone comes from a different place and has different background," co-captain Candace Marshall said. "But we can still all come together with our individualities and perform as one." We also are very excited this year to have uniforms, which add to the new flavor Rock the House possesses.

I have found that commitment is an integral part of being on the team. We usually practice three times a week. We train twice at a dance studio called "Cheernastics," and once in the practice gym in the Mabee Center. Practices usually consist of warming up and rehearsing routines or learning new routines taught by many talented choreographers. Some of the dancers, including Marshall, also choreograph the dances.

"We like to get a different variety of dances so the crowd is always seeing something new," Marshall said.

I believe that what Rock the House is all about is praising His name in dance (Psalms 150). Our heavenly Father is the One who gives us all our ability. We also strive to represent ourselves well wherever we go because we never know when someone might be watching. One example of this occurred during our dance camp in August. We went to the food court at the mall and while we were ordering drinks, an employee gave them to us for free-just because that person knew we were on the team. So in everything we do whether it is walking down the hall, hanging out in our dorm rooms or performing at a game, we do it all for the glory of the Lord.

The Rock the House Constitution defines our mission. The ORU Rock the House program aids in developing the student participant into a responsible, mature and independent adult. We, as students, are provided with leadership training, develop the ability to make decisions, enhance the ability to respond and react to life's situations in a proper manner and build interpersonal relationships.

Generally, the program provides an opportunity for student growth, change and maturity. The dancers find their primary purpose to be members of a team whose goal is to support the athletic events at ORU. Also, the goal is to serve as public relations ambassadors of the ORU athletic teams and to uphold, reflect and project the goals of ORU.

With Bent and White leading the way, Rock the House will be better than ever. But don't take my word for it. What you see at the games this year will speak for itself!

Finals Schedule