On Pointe Dance Team Speaks about the Fall-Out Dance Competition

Story by Jasmine Maddux
Copy Editors: Brooke Goldman, Daniel Cohen, Bryan Salter, and Meredith Boggs

On February 1, 2007 the dance team competed at Fall Out, Hussle Hard Entertainment’s first annual hip-hop dance competition. Toni Capri of E93, Savannah’s Hip Hop and R&B leader, hosted the event. Tickets went on sale for $10 in advance and $15 at the door.

Statesboro High School students and college students came together to share a first on Georgia Southern University’s campus: a hip-hop competition. The Georgia Southern Performing Arts Center‘s (PAC) did not have many seats open before the show started that evening.

When this lights came down in the PAC, the crowd screamed in anticipation for what they were about to witness.

Throughout the show there were performances by Hussle Hard’s own talent and the entertainment group was even able to pull out a special artist, The Alliance. “Tatted Up,” The Alliance’s latest single that is playing on hip hop stations all through Georgia, helped keep the crowd enthused during the show.

The competition had dance teams from Florida, Alabama and all around the state of Georgia, but On Pointe was one of the only two teams that represented GSU.

On Pointe Dance Team is an organization that strives to showcase various forms of dance through each performance by showing styles of hip-hop, ballet, jazz and modern dance.

Even though they did not win, the crowd at the Georgia Southern Performing Arts Center received them well.

“It was very creative and I could tell they put a lot of thought into their performance,” Brittany Hardy, a junior at GSU said.

Some members of On Pointe shared their experience on what went in to practices and how they felt about the results.

Brittany Padgett, vice-president of On Pointe, expressed what their many practices were like before the competition. Practices got very demanding because each team was allotted a 10-minute block to dance, and they really wanted to take advantage of having all that time to impress the crowd and the judges. On Pointe worked around the clock to try to create a surprising routine, and if they weren’t in class, they were at practice.

“While at practices with the team, I loved all the girls and the atmosphere because it was laid back and fun, but the girls were serious when they needed to be,” said On Pointe’s manager Heather McWhirter.

When asked to do the competition, the team was really worried because they are not a hip-hop team. The team consists of mostly classically trained dancers, and they wanted to be able to showcase their talents. On Pointe danced to mostly hip-hop music that night but they used ballet, jazz, lyrical, modern and hip hop styles because they did not want to compromise who they are as a dance team.

Brittany Padgett said On Pointe is nervous before every performance, but something happens when the team gets on stage. For those few minutes, that nervous energy disappears, adrenaline hits and they just focus on pleasing the crowd.

On Pointe used their 10-minute block differently than the other dance teams. When they were announced to perform, the lights dimmed and On Pointe took the audience on a time travel. The team performed in front of a huge screen during the entire performance. Pictures of black rappers from the past appeared while playing rapper Nas’ “Hip Hop is Dead.” They then took the audience to the past with pictures of old R&B artists like The Supremes and Stevie Wonder while playing India Arie’s “I Am Not My Hair.” Their last dance took the audience to Africa, and it made the audience aware that is was the first day of Black History Month by doing a tribal dance.

The president of On Pointe said the idea of the show came together at the last minute. The team knew they wanted to do something that showcased black music, but they just were not really sure how to do it. Being that it was a hip-hop competition, they decided to honor black music from over the years by showing pictures of those who paved the way as the team danced and honored black history month at the same time.

“They did Georgia Southern proud, and I was shocked at how well they actually did,” said a member of the Hussle Hard Entertainment Group.

After the performance On Pointe’s secretary Brenda Bridges said the Fall-Out Dance Competition was a great experience. It allowed the team to compete against teams from different areas and network with other dancers.

“I just love dancing at any opportunity, and this was a great one," said Bridges. "I felt hype at rehearsal, but it was nothing compared to the feeling with the crowd as an added element! It was fantastic!”

On Pointe felt honored to be a part of the Fall-Out Dance Competition, and they cannot wait to dance again. The team has an audition coming up soon to recruit new members.