The Texas State University Strutters, more commonly referred to as the "Strutters", are the first American Precision Dance Team to be founded at a four year institution, and are currently the largest university precision dance team in the United States. The Strutters have performed in twenty-six different countries across four different continents. Their performances include two presidential inaugural parades, several NBA & NFL halftime performances, Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, MTV's Total Request Live, a national television commercial for Coca-Cola, appearances in five movies, and "America's Got Talent." The Strutters were also the first U.S. dance team selected to perform in the People's Republic of China.
§A Brief History
The Strutters organization was founded by Mrs. Barbara Guinn Tidwell, a renowned legend in drill team history, in the year 1960. Knowing that Miss Tidwell was a former Kilgore College Rangerette, the Dean of Students asked her to create something similar on campus. Despite having no where to practice on campus, the team became an icon within the first 18 months of its creation. A photograph of the 1962 Strutters was included in Mobil Oil's calendar for the year. In the year 1976, the Strutters were selected to help represent America's Bicentennial in a national television commercial for Coca-Cola. The organization is the first precision dance team to be formed at a four-year university, and currently holds the title of being the largest in the nation. The Strutters have over 3,000 Alumnae that help them succeed in all their endeavors. The most notable donation that happened recently was the donation of a $2.5 million Linda Gregg Fields Strutters Gallery in September 2012.
§Directors
At 23-years of age, Mrs. Barbara Guinn Tidwell came to South West Texas University in hopes to become a history teacher. served as director/choreographer of the team for 37-years, and was presented with the Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1996 to recognize her role in founding the Strutters. The Dean of Students saw that she had been a Kilgore Rangerette, and asked her if she could start a drill team. He was only looking for the equivalent to a pep squad; something that would keep people in their seats during halftime. Tidwell dreamed up the name of Strutters herself: "I wanted something that didn't end in 'ettes,'" she says. At the time, most high schools in Texas lacked dance teams, so the original 300 young women who auditioned for the very first Strutter line were all novices, having hardly any background in precision drills. It's often said that Barbara saw more potential in her girls then they saw in themselves. After 37-years, she retired as full-time director of the Strutters in 1997. Tidwell is revered as the woman who almost single-handedly started the practice of high schools having dance and drill teams across the state.
Mrs. Tidwell bestowed the second director position to Susan Angell-Gonzalez, a former Strutter Captain. During her time as director, she created the Strutter Spectacular, an annual spring show open to the public. Susan Angell-Gonzalez has been recognized as one of the leading authorities in the field of drill and precision dance and currently presides as the President and CEO of Susan Angell-Gonzalez Enterprises Inc., which includes Showmakers of America®. Susan was the first Strutter to be inducted into the University Hall of Fame, and has also been recognized as one of Southwest Texas University's "Top 100 Years of Women" for her achievements, and has also been presented with the Distinguished Alumnus Award. Susan Angell-Gonzales held the position of director/choreographer for a total of 17-years.
The current director/choreographer is former Strutter Mrs. Tammy Fife. Fife previously held the position of Assistant Director with the Strutters from 2002-2013. Fife has 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 director for Strutters, Fife is also a head member of the Texas State Dance Department and presides over all Texas State Dance Faculty and Staff.
There have only been a total of three directors chosen to lead the team since it's beginning 55 years ago.
§Performances and Appearances
Below is a list of major performances and appearances by the Texas State University Strutters.
§Strutter Spectacular
The Strutter Spectacular is an annual spring show-off put on by the Texas State Strutters; a tradition started 14 years ago with former director/choreographer Susan Angell-Gonzalez. The show consists of a variety of dances and styles, including guest performances and video's of the year. The event is considered the teams last performance of the year, and is therefore seen as the most important performance. The show is concluded with a traditional high-kick routine in the Strutter field uniform. There are typically three showings in the week of the program, the last of the shows being 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 within the Strutter Spectacular and throughout the year. The Jazz Elite is a group of highly technical skilled dancers, and will often perform the more difficult parts within a team routine. The Strutters Pom Squad is a group of girls with high enthusiasm and energy, and are some of the most physically fit women on 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 prestigious organization. They consist of Strutters that have completed one or more years on the team and are chosen by the outgoing officers, director, current Strutters, and Strutter Alumnae. The Officer's uniforms differ from the team's uniforms in that they are solid white. The Officer's are also granted with a baton that they perform with during their traditional 'Strut' during football games.
§Managers
Strutter Managers are a select few young men in the Strutters organization that assist in the carrying of props and equipment for performances, retrieving the Officer batons after their Strut onto the field, handling heavy equipment to and from practice, and accompanying the team on away football performances. In the past, they have also been known to occasionally perform a comedic routine in the annual Strutter Spectacular. Some of the managers with extensive dance background have also performed in the show as a guest performance.
§Strutters Always and Strutter Giants
In 1998 "Strutters Always" became an official alumnae chapter of Texas State University. The goals of the "Strutters Always" include communicating Strutter events to all Strutter alumnae and supporting the Strutters organization. The "Strutters Always" Board of Directors helps to assist with all alumni reunions and other Strutter related events.
Strutter Giants are a select group of men and women honored for their outstanding contributions to the Texas State Strutters organization. Here is the current list of Strutter Giants:
- Bill Aldrich
- Michael and Dianne Hunt Bowman
- Cathy Cantu Cook
- Jerry D. and Linda Gregg Fields
- Jimmy and Tammy Fife
- Dr. Kathy Fite
- Joe and Stacy Chessher Fowler
- Alberto Gonzalez and Susan Angell-Gonzalez
- O.C. and Johanna Stallman Haley
- Diana Becker Hendricks
- Bobbie and Dottie St. Clair Hill
- Gerald and Donna Petty Hill
- Bill and Loma Hobson
- David and Julianne Hunt
- Larry Johnson
- Paige Lucking
- Jill Pankey
- Becky Prince
- Deanna Roberts
- Debbie Johnson Roberts
- John B. and Dedee Middleton Roberts
- Barbara Guinn Tidwell
- Sarah Aldrich Visel
- Craig and Gail Vittitoe
- June Blocker Whitney
§Controversy and Criticism
Like every organization, the Texas State Strutters have had their fair share of controversy and criticism throughout the years. One controversial topic was on race: Texas State University did not integrate their school until 1989, therefore the Strutters were a predominantly white team for the first first 29 years of its existence. Since the university's integration, the Strutters have had a variety of ethnicities join their team and gain leadership positions within the organization; their first black officer being elected in the year 1996.
In their 2008 America's Got Talent Performance, the Strutters were criticized for being boring, out of sync, and for having the dance routine off-balanced. They were X'ed by all three judges, saying that they lacked the ability to make it to the Top 20 and that they were too amateur of a performance group.
Though there are no height requirements, the Strutters must each be of proper weight for their size/bone structure. A uniform will not be issued to a Strutter who is not in proper physical condition at the start of the team year. This has been known to create a sense of worry in some girls who fear that they have to look a certain way and be a specific size in order to be on the team. The Strutters must each be in outstanding cardio-vascular strength and stamina to participate in the high difficulty level of performances, which is much harder than most dancers from high school are used to. Body piercings, tattoos, brands, or any symbol visible on the skin is not permitted within the Strutters organization, nor is any distraction from the uniformity of costuming permitted.The list of Strutter rules is several pages long, and can be very intimidating to those who wish to become a part of this prestigious team. There has been the argument from other university students that the extensive list of Strutter rules takes away the identity and expression of the individual, however the Strutters defend themselves by stating that the rules are set in place to insure that they are of the best qualities of themselves. The Strutters take pride in being ambassadors to both Texas State University and their country, and are more than happy to adhere to these rules set forth by the organization.
§Popular Culture
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. They have also been featured in 5 motion picture films and have performed in the Nationally televised Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade twice.
§See also
- Drill Team
- Dance Squad
- Texas State University
- Majorette (Dancer)
§External links
- TxStrutters.com
- Youtube Halftime Performances
§References
Interesting Informations
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