On Friday, Oct. 18 , Warrior Pride and SunDancer members took over the band pad in a rush of sparkling costumes and stylized movement in preparation for the big Homecoming game. Working hard in the early morning rehearsals, both teams worked hard to prepare for their joint performance during halftime of the Homecoming game. 

The two dance teams combined to bring more spirit, and provide an energetic performance for both the teams and their audience. The collaborative element gave Warrior Pride members the opportunity to connect with SunDancers during the shared practice, and face some challenges of working with a bigger team.

“A challenging thing about practicing with the Sundancers is trying to coordinate our movements with them and making sure our timings match since when [we’re] combined we are such a big group of dancers,” Pride member Ava Fakhar ‘26 said. 

Despite the initial difficulties, team spirit and the approaching game encouraged the dancers to find success in their practice time. Ultimately, the early morning rehearsals came together into a cohesive performance. 

“We didn’t have a ton of time to clean the dance together,” SunDancer Caroline Johnson ‘26 said, “but I think everyone handled it really well.”

These early morning rehearsals were a rare opportunity for both teams to come together and rehearse in the same space. 

“It was really fun because we got to see the whole dance come together,” Anushka Anumalla ‘28 said. “Before we were practicing just with our team and the formations looked weird but with everybody together it looked really good.”

Warrior Pride’s part of the performance involved the stylized incorporation of the skirts of their costumes, which was a unique choice in choreography for the team. 

“I love using the skirts, [that’s] definitely an accessory you don’t use very often so it’s very special and awesome to have that experience,” Pride Leader Lucy Allison ‘26 said. 

Both dance teams worked together, and showed dedication to each other throughout the entire preparation process. The connection of both teams was strong, and team members celebrated the effort put into the early morning.

“It’s super cool to get to work with a team we don’t usually get to often,” Allison said. “I think it’s great to have these interactions so that we’re one big dance department and family, and that we’re not so alienated from each other.”

Homecoming is always something students in band look forward to. From the rehearsal itself to the breakfast after, the Westwood Warrior Marching Band worked hard to prepare for the homecoming game so their halftime performance could go smoothly.

The morning of the homecoming game was one of the coldest mornings of the marching season yet, so the band bundled up to stay warm during their early rehearsal. They practiced their usual routine for entering the field, as well as their halftime process for later that evening, which included playing the “infinimater,” a phrase the band coined to describe having to play the Alma Mater many times in a row without stopping.

“Playing the Alma Mater over and over definitely hurts my face a ton, but it made me happy to show some school pride while homecoming royalty was being announced,” Lilia Jones ‘28 said.

After rehearsing for an hour, the band was dismissed to enjoy a special breakfast provided by parent volunteers. It went above and beyond the usual Friday morning breakfast the band receives, and every band member walked away with more donuts, kolaches, and other breakfast treats than they could’ve asked for.

“The special Hoco breakfast was wonderful,” Charity Kao ‘26 said. “Our band parents are always so kind and hardworking to put together all the different foods that made that morning so fun.” 

As Homecoming approached, the SunDancers assembled onto the Band Pad for their extensive practices each morning. The team, accompanied by Warrior Pride, prepared for their highly awaited joint performance during the Homecoming halftime show. 

Working towards a performance incorporating both dance teams, the SunDancers and Warrior Pride had limited opportunities to practice together as a full ensemble. 

“We had practices every morning with just the SunDancers and then we practiced alongside Warrior Pride twice,” Suhani Srireddy ‘26 said. 

The two teams struggled at first because of their limited opportunities to practice together but were able to prevail through extensive coordination and support. 

“It was definitely hard to incorporate being with Warrior Pride while not always getting to rehearse with them but it was easy to overcome that challenge the more we practiced together,” Srireddy said. 

To strengthen the two teams’ bond and teamwork, the SunDancers and Warrior Pride shared dinner together before the game at Cabo Bob’s creating a relaxing atmosphere and time outside of practice to connect. 

“I think [the performance] is such a special experience because everybody has the same love for dance, Loghan Smith ‘25 said.”Being able to share the field with not only SunDancers but also other people who share the same passion [is] just really special.”

To further build community, each SunDancer was paired with various Warrior Pride members for a gift exchange to foster stronger relationships with each other. 

“We [would] get them a card and some candy before the game so that was really fun,” Smith said. 

After many rigorous morning practices, the SunDancers were finally ready and excited to perform. The two teams danced to the instrumental sound of Good Time by Owl City and Carly Rae Jepsen. The song’s energized beat alongside the technical choreography that showcased the spirit and talent of the SunDancers made for an unforgettable show. 

“We love Warrior Pride, [and] I really love getting to dance with them, they’re amazing,”  Srireddy said. “That was the most rewarding part [of the joint performance.”