Texas State University Strutters

Last updated
Texas State University Strutters
StruttersTXST.JPG
"Once a Strutter, Always a Strutter"
History
Genre:Precision Dance Team
Motto:One Team, One Love
Year originated:1960
Originated by:Barbara Guinn Tidwell
College: Texas State University
City: San Marcos, Texas
Current
Director:Selina Flores

The Texas State University Strutters, more simply known as the Strutters, are an American collegiate dance team from Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas. They are the first American Precision Dance Team to be founded at a four-year university, and are currently the largest team of its kind in the United States. They have performed nationally and internationally in twenty-six countries spanning four continents, [1] and are the first U.S. dance team to perform in the People's Republic of China. [2] Other performances include three presidential inaugural parades, three Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parades, several NBA and NFL halftime shows, America's Got Talent , MTV's Total Request Live , and appearances in five movies. [3] [4] [5]

Contents

Brief history

The team was founded by Mrs. Barbara Guinn Tidwell in 1960. Even with nowhere to practice on campus, the team became popular immediately, with a photograph of the Strutters included in Mobil Oil’s 1962 calendar. In 1976, the team was selected to represent America’s Bicentennial in a national television commercial for Coca-Cola. [6] The Strutters have a strong and active alumni group [7] of over 3,000 who network well, assisting each other in personal and professional endeavors.

On September 8, 2012, the $2.5 million Linda Gregg Fields Strutters Gallery in the North Side Endzone Complex at Bobcat Stadium was opened. Mrs. Fields and her husband, Jerry D. Fields, are among Texas State’s most generous benefactors, donating more than $11.7 million to Texas State, including $1.35 million toward the construction and operation of the gallery which depicts the history of the organization at the university. [8]

Directors

Founder Barbara Guinn Tidwell (September 27, 1935 - May 30, 2022) served as director and choreographer from the team's creation in the fall of 1960 to her retirement in the spring of 1997. After high school graduation, she attended Kilgore Junior College where she was a Kilgore College Rangerette. After Kilgore, she and three other Rangerettes chose the University of Southern Mississippi to complete their Bachelor degrees, with Tidwell receiving her degree in history. Tidwell was teaching at Galveston High School in the late 1950s, when she applied for a position at Southwest Texas State hoping to teach history there. The School President, Dr. Jack Flowers, said he wasn’t looking for a history teacher but someone with dance expertise who could create a team to keep fans in their seats at halftime. [9] Tidwell came up the team name herself saying, "I wanted something that didn't end in 'ettes." Not all high schools in Texas had a dance team in 1960, so most of the original 300 young women who auditioned for the very first Strutter line were novices, with hardly any background in precision dance/drill.[ citation needed ] Like most good educators, Tidwell usually saw more potential in her girls then they saw in themselves.[ citation needed ] She served as the teams's director and choreographer for 37 years. Just before her retirement in 1997, she was presented with the 1996 Distinguished Alumnus Award, in recognition of her role in founding the Strutters.

Susan Angell-Gonzalez, a former Strutters Head Captain, became the team's second director in 1997. [10] As director, she created the Strutters Spectacular, an annual spring show open to the public, the pre-season show Meet the Strutters, and incorporated Jazz Elite and Pom Squad into the team. Angell-Gonzalez is recognized by her peers as an authority in the field of precision dance, and she is the President and CEO of Susan Angell Enterprises Inc., [11] which includes ShowMakers of America®. [12] Angell-Gonzalez was the first Strutter to be inducted into the Strutters Hall of Fame, has been recognized as one of Texas State University's "Top 100 Years of Women" for her achievements, received the Texas State Distinguished Alumnae Award in 2015, and received Texas Dance Educators Association Life Time Achievement Award and TDEA Hall of Fame. [13] Angell-Gonzalez held the position of director/choreographer for 17 years.

The Strutters' third director was former Strutter Tammy West Fife. Fife was the team's director on from 2013 to 2020, having previously served as Assistant Director of the team from 2002 to 2013. [14] Fife received a faculty service award from Texas State University in 2004, as well as the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Texas Dance Educators Association (TDEA) in 2008. In addition to being the team's director, Fife was responsible for the dance education majors, taught the "Methods of Teaching Dance" course, and supervised all dance student teachers. [15]

The current team director since 2020 is former Strutter Selina Flores. [16] [17]

Performances and appearances

Below is a list of major performances and appearances by the Texas State University Strutters. [18]

YearDescriptionYearDescription
1961 John F. Kennedy's Inaugural Parade1962 Mobil Oil's Annual Calendar
1962 Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, Louisiana 1965 Lyndon B. Johnson's Inaugural Parade
1971Entertained the U.S. Troops in Vietnam 1976 Coca-Cola Ad for America's Bicentennial
1976 Charlotte Motor Speedway in Charlotte, North Carolina 1978 Charlotte Motor Speedway in Charlotte, North Carolina
1980Traveled to Aguascalientes, Mexico 1980 Charlotte Motor Speedway in Charlotte, North Carolina
1985The People's Republic of China1986 Japan, China, and Hong Kong
1988 Hong Kong, Thailand, and Korea 1990 Hong Kong, Thailand, and Korea
1994 France and Switzerland 1995 Russia, Finland, and Sweden
1996 China 1997 Parliament in London
1997 St. Patricks Day Parade in Dublin, Ireland 1998 Sydney, Australia
1999 Greece and Turkey 2000US Woman's Olympic Gymnastic Team's "Send off to Sydney"
2000 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York, USA 2000Kaufman's "Celebrate the Season" Parade in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
2000 Portugal 2001 Spurs game in San Antonio, Texas
2001 Rotary International Convention2001 Austria, Germany, and the Czech Republic
2002 Hawaii 2002 Spurs game in San Antonio, Texas
2002 Monterrey, Mexico 2003 Spurs game in San Antonio, Texas
2003 Hawaii 2004 Mexico and Hawaii
2005 Spurs game in San Antonio, Texas 2006 Spurs game in San Antonio, Texas
2006 Greece and Turkey 2007 Paris, France and Italy
2008Semi Finalist in America's Got Talent Season 3 2008 Tremaine Convention
2009 Chile 2010 Spain
2011 Spurs game in San Antonio, Texas 2012 Mariner of the Seas Cruise: Honduras, Belize, and Mexico
2012 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York, USA 2014 Transplant Games of America in Houston, Texas
2014 Tulsa, Oklahoma 2015Jan 16 Spurs game in San Antonio, Texas
2015 London, England 2015March 19 Disneyland Paris
2017Jan 19 Featured Performers at the Texas State Society
Black Tie & Boots Ball in Washington, D.C. 		2017Jan 20 Inauguration Parade for Donald Trump in Washington, D.C.
2017 Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade 2019Performed at Kyle Field for the Texas State University Bobcats vs. Texas A&M Aggies football game.
2019 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York, USA 2022 Walt Disney World's 50th Anniversary in Orlando, Florida
2022 Sun Belt Conference Men's and Women's Basketball Championship in Pensacola, Florida 2022Performed at The Munial de los Niñoa and The Liga Promerica Woman's National Final in Costa Rica.
2022Performed at McLane Stadium in Waco, Texas for the Texas State University Bobcats vs. Baylor University Bears football game.2023Performed at The Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, for the Texas State University Bobcats vs. University of Texas at San Antonio Roadrunners football game.

Strutters' Spectacular

The Strutters' Spectacular is the team's annual spring show-off, consisting of a variety of dances and styles, including guest performances and videos of the year. The event is usually the team's last performance of the year, concluding with a traditional high-kick routine in the Strutter field uniform. There are typically three shows during the program week, the last of which is on Saturday night.

Jazz Elite and Pom Squad

The Jazz Elite and Pom Squad are specialty groups within the Strutter's organization. Both groups have special performances in the Strutters Spectacular and throughout the year. The Jazz Elite is a group of highly technically skilled dancers who often perform the more difficult parts within a team routine. The Strutters Pom Squad is a group with high enthusiasm and energy, and are some of the most physically fit members of the team. The Pom Squad performs on the sidelines during football games, basketball games, and at spirit rallies put on by the university.

Officers

The Texas State University Officers make up the student leadership of the organization. To be eligible for an officer position, team members must have completed one or more years on the team. They are chosen by the director, outgoing officers, current team members, and Strutter Alumni. Officer uniforms differ from team uniforms in that they are solid white. The Officer's also carry a baton and perform a traditional 'Strut' during football games.

Managers

Strutter Managers are male students at the university, and are selected from those interested in assisting the team. They retrieve officer batons after the Strut onto the field, carry props and equipment for performances and practices, and accompany the team at all football performances. They also occasionally perform a comedic routine in the annual Strutter Spectacular. Managers with extensive dance background have also performed in the show as guest performers.

Strutters Always and Strutter Giants

In 1998 Strutters Always became an official alumni chapter of Texas State University. The goals of the group include communicating events to all team alumni and supporting the organization. The Strutters Always Board of Directors assists with all alumni reunions and other team related events. [19]

Strutter Giants are a select group of men and women honored for their outstanding contributions to the organization. The current list of Strutter Giants includes: [20] [21] [8]

Controversy and Criticism

Like many other organizations, the Strutters have had controversy and criticism over their history. Texas State University did not integrate the school until 1963, and the team was predominantly white for the first 29 years of its existence. Since the 1980s, a wide variety of ethnicities have joined the team, many gaining leadership positions within the organization. The team selected its first African American officer in 1994. [22]

There are no height or weight requirements, although team members must have proper weight for their height, frame, and bone structure. Team activities require outstanding cardio-vascular conditioning, strength, and stamina. Body piercings, tattoos, brands, or symbols visible on the skin are not permitted, nor are distractions from the uniformity of costuming permitted.

The rules for the organization are many, and conforming to them can be difficult for dancers who prefer individual accolades over being part of a team. Other university students often state that the extensive list of rules takes away the identity and expression of the individual. The team defends itself by reminding others that the being part of the organization is elective, not mandatory, and that the rules are in place to insure a level playing field for everyone, and designed to bring out an individual's qualities within the constructs of a team. As ambassadors of Texas State University, the state of Texas, and the US, team members gladly adhere to the rules set forth by the organization. [23]

In December 2016, the organization drew criticism for agreeing to perform at the inauguration of Donald Trump. [24] The criticism was primarily from current students of Texas State, but other groups involved in the inaugural, such as the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, were also widely criticized for their participation as well. [25]

The Strutters have been on the television show MTV's Total Request Live, America's Got Talent, and in a Coca-Cola commercial celebrating America's bicentennial. [26] They are featured in five motion pictures and performed in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade three times.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drill team</span> Type of team

A drill team can be one of four different entities:

  1. A military drill team is a marching unit that performs routines based on military foot or exhibition drills. Military drill teams perform either armed or unarmed.
  2. A dance drill team creates routines based on precision dance movements rather than military drill. These teams usually do not carry anything, but may use props in field production numbers. They may perform to recorded music, or the live music of an accompanying marching band.
  3. A team that execute routines carrying either one or multiple flags or pom-poms. This team's movements are also based in dance and may also have a heavy influence of gymnastics as well. These teams also may perform to music, either live or recorded.
  4. A team that is mounted or advances some type of mobile object. May also include teams of dogs and handlers.

A dance squad or dance team, sometimes called a pom squad or song team, is a team that participates in competitive dance. A dance squad can also include: a jazz squad, ballet squad, or any kind of religion dance squad. Dance squads are a type of performance dance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of Texas Longhorn Band</span> College marching band in Austin, Texas

The University of Texas Longhorn Band (LHB), also known as the Showband of the Southwest, is the marching band of The University of Texas at Austin. The Longhorn Band was founded in 1900 by distinguished professor of chemistry, Dr. Eugene P. Schoch. The band is currently under the direction of Dr. Cliff Croomes. The band performs at all in-state football games, for various Texas Longhorn Athletics teams, and at special pep rallies and parades throughout the year. The band includes about 375 students, all of whom must register for a year-round course offered by the Sarah and Ernest Butler School of Music Butler School of Music .

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ohio University Marching 110</span> College marching band in Athens, Ohio

Ohio University Marching 110 is the official marching band of Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, founded in 1923. The nickname Marching 110 is a reference to the band's original number of members. The current band consists of ~225 members. It represents the university at various athletic functions and other events, including over 40 NFL halftime shows.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michigan Marching Band</span> Student band at the University of Michigan

The Michigan Marching Band is the official marching band of the University of Michigan. The band performs at all Michigan Wolverines football home games, select away games, and numerous concerts, pep rallies, and parades. A student musical ensemble, the MMB evolved from the original Michigan Band of twenty-two players in 1896 to today's band of over 400 members.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ohio State University Marching Band</span> American university marching brass band

The Ohio State University Marching Band (OSUMB) is a university marching band named for and a part of Ohio State University. The band, nicknamed The Best Damn Band in the Land (TBDBITL), performs at football games and other events during the fall semester. It is one of the few collegiate all-brass and percussion bands in the country, and sometimes deemed the largest of its type in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of Massachusetts Minuteman Marching Band</span> College marching band in Amherst, Massachusetts

The University of Massachusetts Minuteman Marching Band (UMMB) is the marching band for the University of Massachusetts Amherst known for its drum corps style and nationally renowned percussion section. The Minuteman Band is also known for its use of dance routines, vocalists, electronics, and overall showmanship.

The Miami University Marching Band (MUMB) is the marching band of Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Founded in 1935, the band is an organization which fields 220 students enrolled in the Miami University system. The band is a part of the College of Creative Arts and the Department of Music, representing the students of the college at all home football games, as well as at various away games, bowl games, parades, and marching band festivals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marching Mizzou</span> Marching band for the University of Missouri

Marching Mizzou, M2, or The Big 'M' of the Midwest is the performing marching band for the University of Missouri, founded in 1885 as a college military band. Originally consisting of only 12 members, it is now the largest student organization on the MU campus, drawing students from nearly every major. Marching Mizzou performs at all home football games of the Missouri Tigers football team, in addition to other university events; and expanded Mini Mizzou travels to two away games per season, while the entire band regularly follows the team to conference championship games and bowl games. Marching Mizzou's signature drill "Flip Tigers" has been a well-known tradition of its pre-game show since 1960. It is instructed by University of Missouri School of Music faculty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Texas State Bobcats</span> Intercollegiate sports teams of Texas State University

The Texas State Bobcats are the sports teams that represent Texas State University. Currently, they compete in the Sun Belt Conference in NCAA Division I. The Bobcat has been the mascot of Texas State University since 1921, when the university adopted the name from the recommendation of a committee formed to raise school spirit. Though considerably smaller than mountain lions, bobcats are known for their stubborn fierceness and great courage. The football squad used the bobcat for the first time in 1921 and went undefeated with a 7–0 season. Texas State had several officially recognized live bobcat mascots until the 1970s. In 1964, the Texas State Bobcat was given the official name of "Boko" by Beth Greenlees, a sophomore from Luling, Texas, who beat out about 100 other students in a "Name the Bobcat" contest. Her winning submission earned her a $5 prize and the honor of being the person who named the Texas State mascot. Boko has twice been named “USA National Champion” mascot. Texas State had no official fight song until 1961, when Paul Yoder was commissioned to compose "Go Bobcats." The song is the rousing "call to arms" for all Texas State athletic games and competition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tulane University Marching Band</span> College marching band in New Orleans

The Tulane University Marching Band (TUMB) is the marching band of Tulane University. It performs at every Tulane Green Wave football home game in Yulman Stadium, bowl games, and some away games. It is also marches in New Orleans Mardi Gras parades each year, having appeared in Le Krewe d'Etat, the Krewe of Thoth, the Krewe of Bacchus, and the Krewe of Rex, among others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carolina Band</span> Marching band of the University of South Carolina

The Carolina Band, or the Mighty Sound of the Southeast, is the official marching band of the University of South Carolina. With an average membership of 360, it is the largest ensemble associated with the university's School of Music. The marching band performs at all South Carolina Gamecocks football home games played at Williams-Brice Stadium, as well as neutral site games, bowl games, and all games against Clemson, where both the Carolina Band and Clemson's Tiger Band both perform at half time regardless of which school is hosting on a given year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Texas State Bobcats football</span> Football program at Texas State University

The Texas State Bobcats football program Texas State University in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) level. They play in the Sun Belt Conference. The program began in 1904 and has an overall winning record. The program has a total of 14 conference titles, nine of them being outright conference titles. Home games are played at Bobcat Stadium in San Marcos, Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Texas State University</span> Public university in San Marcos, Texas

Texas State University (TXST) is a public research university with its main campus in San Marcos, Texas and another campus in Round Rock. Since its establishment in 1899, the university has grown to be one of the largest universities in the United States. Texas State University reached a record enrollment of 40,678 students in the 2024 fall semester, continuing a trend of enrollment growth over several years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UFCU Stadium</span> Football stadium at Texas State University, San Marcos

UFCU Stadium is a football stadium on the campus of Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas. It opened in 1981 and was expanded in 2011–2012 to its present 27,149-seat capacity. UFCU Stadium has been the home field for the Texas State Bobcats since 1981. In November 2003, the field was renamed Jim Wacker Field in honor of the former Bobcats football coach and director of athletics.

Tino Villanueva is an American poet and writer. His early work was associated with the Chicano literary renaissance of the 1960s and 1970s, and Villanueva is considered to be a primary figure in that literary movement. More recently, Villanueva's work has treated themes from Greek mythology.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kilgore College Rangerettes</span> Precision dance team from Texas, US

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. The Rangerettes have performed in 74 Cotton Bowl game halftimes in a row, and make regular appearances at NFL pre-game and half-time shows for the Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans. The Rangerettes perform at Kilgore College football games, and in many other athletic and special events, including the Cotton Bowl game, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and five presidential inaugurations. They have taken several world tours since the 1970s, including South America, the Far East, Romania, France, Canada, Japan, Italy, Switzerland, England, Scotland, and Ireland.

Homewood High School (HHS) is a public high school, serving grades 9–12, in the Homewood, Alabama suburb of Birmingham. It is the only high school in the Homewood City School System. The principal is Joel Henneke. In the summer of 2007, the front of the school was remodeled, and a new building, Pathways Alternative School, was constructed in the upper level of the student parking lot. The front office and lobby were also remodeled in the summer of 2008. In the summer of 2018, construction on a new fine arts wing began.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle for the Paddle</span> American college football rivalry

The Battle for the Paddle is an American college football rivalry game played between the Texas State Bobcats and the Nicholls Colonels. The rivalry began between the two schools as an in-conference rivalry, first in the Gulf Star Conference and then the Southland Conference. The name for the rivalry originated as a result of a game postponement during the 1998 season. Prior to the game, heavy rains flooded San Marcos, Texas and the field at Texas State. Athletic directors and coaches from both schools decided to postpone the game and coined the annual contest the "Battle for the Paddle," joking that fans and athletes needed to use a boat and paddle to get to the game. The game eventually took place on November 28, 1998, with Texas State prevailing 28–27 to win the Paddle Trophy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 Texas State Bobcats football team</span> American college football season

The 2021 Texas State Bobcats football team represented Texas State University as a member of the West Division of the Sun Belt Conference during the 2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Bobcats were led by third-year head coach Jake Spavital and played their home games at Bobcat Stadium in San Marcos, Texas.

References

  1. ↑ "Strutters – History". Texas State Bobcats. Retrieved October 5, 2014.
  2. ↑ "Strutters History". txstatebobcats.com. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  3. ↑ "Strutters advance in 'America's Got Talent'". San Marcos Daily Record. July 31, 2008. Retrieved January 19, 2012.
  4. ↑ "Texas State Strutters To Perform At Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade". KGNB 1420 AM. November 15, 2012. Retrieved November 22, 2012.
  5. ↑ "Texas State Strutters Perform At Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade". San Marcos Daily Record. December 1, 2019. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
  6. ↑ "Texas State University Strutters". txstate.edu. 19 April 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  7. ↑ "Fields' latest gift to fund Texas State's Strutters Gallery – San Marcos Mercury – Local News from San Marcos and Hays County, Texas". smmercury.com. Archived from the original on October 5, 2014. Retrieved 26 February 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  8. 1 2 "Texas State University, Office of Media Relations, Regents name Strutters Gallery in honor of Linda Fields". txstate.edu. 8 June 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  9. ↑ "American Dance/Drill Team®". danceadts.com. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  10. ↑ "Texas State University, Office of Media Relations, Texas State Alumni Association honors outstanding faculty, staff, alums". txstate.edu. 8 June 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  11. ↑ "Showmakers of America – Staff" . Retrieved September 12, 2020.
  12. ↑ "American Dance Company – About Us" . Retrieved September 12, 2020.
  13. ↑ "Distinguished Alumni". Texas State University Alumni Association. Retrieved 12 August 2018.
  14. ↑ Tammy Fife, Director of Strutters, Athletics Dept. Accessed October 1, 2014
  15. ↑ "Texas State Athletics – Staff Directory". txstatebobcats.com. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  16. ↑ "Strutters History". txstatebobcats.com. Retrieved August 15, 2022.
  17. ↑ "Texas State Faculty Search". txst.edu. Retrieved August 15, 2022.
  18. ↑ Performance Plaque in the Linda Gregg Field's Strutter Gallery, San Marcos, Texas. Opened September 2012.
  19. ↑ "Official Texas State Strutters Always: A Giant Tradition". Facebook . Retrieved 28 January 2017.
  20. ↑ "David Hunt's Obituary on Houston Chronicle". legacy.com. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  21. ↑ "Texas State University, Office of Media Relations, Five honored as 'Giants' by Strutters dance team". txstate.edu. 7 June 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  22. ↑ "Texas State Athletics". txstrutters.com. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  23. ↑ Barbara Guinn Tidwell, Finishing Touches for Success, August 1, 1983, ISBN   978-0840330437
  24. ↑ "Texas State Strutters under fire over plan to perform at Trump's inauguration \publisher=Dallas Morning News". December 23, 2016. Retrieved December 25, 2016.
  25. ↑ "Mormon Choir Performance at Trump Inauguration Draws Ire". Associated Press. December 23, 2016. Retrieved December 25, 2016.
  26. ↑ AmericanThrowback (19 September 2012). "1976 Coca-Cola Commercial "Bicentennial"" . Retrieved 26 February 2017– via YouTube.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.