Working double time for halftime

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photo credit: Emily Wrobel

Practice makes perfect \\ Band and colorguard work overtime to prepare their show, Dare to Dream. “I knew it would be amazing from the start,” said Kaitlyn Rasmussen, captain on the color guard. “We are pushing ourselves harder than we ever have, and we are definitely taking risks that we believe will take us to the next level.”

writer: By Katy Jones, Contributor

Marching band practices all summer for 2015 show, Dare to Dream

Hours, days, weeks, months. The Pride of the East marching band has dedicated all it’s time learning this year’s halftime show, Dare to Dream, since June in the hopes of performing it in San Antonio at the state competition that occurs once every two years.

“I knew it would be amazing from the start,” said Kaitlyn Rasmussen, captain on the color guard. “We are pushing ourselves harder than we ever have, and we are definitely taking risks that we believe will take us to the next level.”

The show is patterned after the well known fairytale, Sleeping Beauty, including music from Lana Del Rey, and the Disney movie Maleficent, such as Once Upon a Dream and Young and Beautiful.

“The music is exciting, uplifting, intense and memorable,” said band director Aaron Daniels, “We are using large props in the back and small props in the front to create the illusion of being in the woods by yourself.”

This year holds personal significance for the juniors and seniors of the band- or all of those who were in attendance at the last state year. In 2013, the band was beaten by Wylie High by a slim margin in prelims, for places fifth and sixth, and lost the opportunity to go to the state competition because weather problems interfered with finals performances.

“It was a tough experience,” said senior Anna Wygant , who was a sophomore during the last state year. “But we definitely look forward to making our comeback, so to speak.”

There will be four competitions before state in November, and more halftime performances. The band is practicing to get better, is getting better to perform, and hopes to perform all the way to the Alamodome in San Antonio.