MARVIN RIDGE MAVERICKS DANCE TEAM HEADED TO ORANGE BOWL 

By: K.J. Brent- Junior M.R.H.S.

Marvin Ridge High School is only in its third year of existence and already their athletic program is top-notch as if it was a school with decades of experience. If you need an example take the Marvin Ridge Varsity Dance Team. There was not a dance team program at the high school level until Christine Brent was offered a job  with the school .  She has years of experience in the dance world from dancing as a Dukette at James Madison University to dancing in musicals like Bye-Bye Birdie and Chicago.  Coach Brent  came to the school having coached in Virginia and Missouri. She meant business and started to build a program full of spirited, dedicated and talented dancers.  

 Is the program on its way to success? Let’s see, they placed first in the pom division of the Carolina Dance Championships in 2008 and in March received an invitation to perform in the half time show of the 2010 FedEx Orange Bowl. You might say she’s got this dance team in check.  

The Dance Team is made up of 8 Marvin Ridge students .  The team begins their season in May practicing throughout the summer and attending camp in July. They practice Tuesday through Thursday morning getting all routines learned before the school year even begins. Once the year starts they perform at halftime or post game of each home Varsity football game. Before they even have a chance to take a break the basketball season comes around and their schedule really gets crazy. There may be two home games a week and every routine they perform is brand new. They perform everything from pom routines to jazz to hip hop. Who is performing with smiling faces at half time every game? The Marvin Ridge Dance Team is.  

The Orange Bowl invitation was an exciting one as top choreographers from around the country would be there to run dance clinics and choreograph the half time number. Shane Sparks, Cris Judd and Mandy Moore (not the singer) are just a few of the many choreographers the Mav Dancers, as they are called, would get a chance to learn from. The invitation was the easy part. Now they had to raise $15,000 to take the squad and coach to Miami, Florida in January. They have spent the last 5 months fundraising every way they could think of. They held carwashes and sold Auto Bell carwash tickets and Dunkin Donuts coffee. 

  "I am so proud of our team for being invited to the Orange Bowl. I was excited to hear it! Fundraising is going great for us as well." said co-captain Savannah Schoenborn. They have an ongoing Dancing for Dollars donation drive that has raised the majority of their funds. Not only can they dance, but they have creativity too!

To date the team is less than $2,500.00 away from their goal. They are still looking for sponsors and accepting donations.  Anyone interested in supporting the M.R.H.S Dance Team can donate by sending a check written to MRMABC and addressed to M.R.H.S Dance Team c/o Christine Brent 2825 Crane Road Waxhaw, N.C. 28173. You can also contact Coach Brent at Christine.brent@ucps.k12.nc.us