Dance+Team

 Summary- **
 * Belleville West Dance Team by Danielle Wolf & Mary Dain

The Belleville West Dance Team has had a rich history of excellence since its founding in 1958. While it started out as drill and flag team, the team then transformed into a pom-pom squad, and then to how it is today as the Belleville West Dance Team. Throughout its half a century worth of existence, the team has performed at Varsity Boys’ Football and Basketball halftimes, and competed at regional, state, and even national levels. From the pom-pom squad to the competitive team it has become today, the dance team has a rich history here at West.


 * History-**

The Belleville West Dance Team began as the drill and flag team in 1958 with its founder Mrs. Merle Guthrie. Mrs. Guthrie wanted to start a squad that combined school sprit with precision, and she began the drill team. The very first year the team began with an outstanding 60 members, who practiced every Wednesday to get their moves perfected to Mrs. Guthrie’s standards. For the next four years, the team worked in combined effort with the Marching Maroons and Bellevillettes. Sometimes using flags, the team worked hard to look perfect at all performances. Their performances usually occurred at the half time of football games, although they also marched in parades and took part in assemblies. After 1961, the team disappears from the yearbooks until 1976 when it returns as a flag and pom-pom group. Still lead by Merle Guthrie, the team worked hard to succeed at all levels. In 1988, Mrs. Merle Guthrie retired from her teaching position and in 1990, a new coach took over, Ms. Laurel Heddens. That same year, the team began competing at regional competitions. In 1992, the pom-pom squad split from the flag team and Marching Maroons, and went on to become more focused in dance. In 1994, a new coach took over, Mrs. Lisa Quandt, who led the team to higher levels than they had ever reached before. In 1996, the pom-pom squad was changed to the Belleville West Dance Team, as the name is today. In 2008, there was no dance team, but a new coach took over in 2009, and the team began again. The dance team resigns at West still today as an outstanding team with an even more outstanding history. Timeline of Events- **
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1958- Drill team; 60 members, performed at halftime of all football games, Mrs. Merle Guthrie as coach

1959- Drill team; 64 members, Mrs. Merle Guthrie as coach

1960- Drill team; 63 members, adopted name “Bellevidears”

1961- Bellevidears; 39 members, performed at all football and basketball halftimes and parades

1962-1975- no team for these years

1976- Pom-pom squad; 11 members, Mrs. Merle Guthrie as coach, flags used occasionally

1977- Pom-pom squad; 14 members, Mrs. Merle Guthrie as coach, worked with Marching Maroons

1978- Pom-pom squad; 19 members, Mrs. Merle Guthrie as coach, began working on routines

1979- Pom-pom squad; 18 members, Mrs. Merle Guthrie as coach

1980- Pom-pom squad; 21 members, Mrs. Merle Guthrie as coach, named as one of the groups of the Marching Maroons, performed routines at halftimes of football and basketball games

1981- Pom-pom squad; 21 members, Mrs. Merle Guthrie as coach, went to summer camp intensive as ISU and won top honors

1982- Pom-pom squad; Mrs. Merle Guthrie as coach

1983- Pom-pom squad; Mrs. Merle Guthrie as coach

1984- Pom-pom squad; Mrs. Merle Guthrie as coach

1985- Pom-pom squad; 19 members, Mrs. Merle Guthrie as coach, danced in parades around the area

1986- Pom-pom squad; 21 members, Mrs. Merle Guthrie and Mr. Ralph Schlesinger as coach, practiced every day after school as well as everyday during 7th hour in the cafeteria

1987- Pom-pom squad; 21 members, Mrs. Merle Guthrie and Mr. Ralph Schlesinger as coach

1988- Pom-pom squad; Mrs. Merle Guthrie and Mr. Ralph Schlesinger as coach

1989- Pom-pom squad; Mrs. Merle Guthrie and Mr. Ralph Schlesinger as coach

1990- Pom-pom squad; 24 members, Ms. Laurel Heddens takes over as coach and girls begin to compete, girls competed at University of Illinois and Illinois State University

1991- Pom-pom squad; 23 members, Ms. Laurel Heddens as coach

1992- Pom-pom squad; 24 members, Ms. Laurel Heddens as coach, pom-pom squad breaks off from the flag team and Marching Maroons, focus is put more on to dancing

1993- Pom-pom squad; Ms. Laurel Heddens as coach

1994- Pom-pom squad; Mrs. Lisa Quandt takes over as coach, girls perform at halftimes of boys basketball games as well as competing, team takes home second and third place at regionals in Edwardsville and Althoff and they go on to compete at Bradley University for state, name changed to dance team

1995- Dance team; Mrs. Lisa Quandt as coach

1996- Dance team; 16 members, Mrs. Lisa Quandt as coach, team takes 1st place at IDTA regional’s

1997- Dance team; 15 members, Mrs. Lisa Quandt as coach, team begins to go under “sports” in yearbook instead of “activities”, varsity letters are given out to the team for the first time, exceptional year, made it to state

1998- Dance team; 24 members, Mrs. Lisa Quandt as coach, team gets 1st at all three regional competitions, takes home second at state at University of Illinois in AAA dance

1999- Dance team; 20 girls, Mrs. Lisa Quandt as coach, team gets 2nd place at state for AAA dance and 1st at state for AAA funk

2000- Dance team; 18 girls, Mrs. Lisa Quandt as coach, team gets 6th place at University of Illinois for state

2001- Dance team; Mrs. Lisa Quandt as coach, team gets 1st at IDTA state

2002- Dance team; Mrs. Lisa Quandt as coach, team continues its success and qualifies for state

2003- Dance team; Mrs. Lisa Quandt as coach, team wins state for AAA dance

2004- Dance team; Mrs. Lisa Quandt as coach, team wins state for AAA dance, team travels to Disney World in Florida to compete at the national level

2005- Dance team; Mrs. Lisa Quant as coach, team wins state for AAA dance and AAA pom (the first time the team has won two state titles), team travels to Disney World in Florida to compete at the national level

2006- Dance team; Mrs. Lisa Quandt as coach, team wins AAA state, team travels to Disney World in Florida to compete at the national level

2007- Dance team; 9 members Mrs. Lisa Quandt as coach, team wins 1st in AAA pom at state, team travels to Disney World in Florida to compete at the national level, team gets into semi-finals

2008- No team for this school year

2009- Dance team; 9 members, Ms. Lauren Bridgewater and Mrs. Linda Jones as coach

2010- Dance team; 13 members, Mrs. Lauren Bridgewater and Mrs. Linda Jones as coach