The Optimist

Issue date: 9/7/07 Section: News

Media Credit: Megan Lowe Meghan Dailey, senior pre-med major from Boerne, helps Shalesia

New blood is stepping into SHADES. Tryouts began Monday and have lasted throughout the week.

"We are looking for anyone who can catch on quickly and who has a great personality," said SHADES head captain Camari Carter, senior political science major from Los Angeles.

The first cuts took place Wednesday night, and the final tryout is Friday. Approximately 28 women and eight men tried out this year.

"We do not have a specific number in mind that we are looking to accept," Carter said. "We want to avoid adding any extra pressure."

Tryouts are only held once a year. Returning members of SHADES do not automatically have a spot on the team, therefore, they must go through tryouts like everyone else. Last year, the team consisted of about nine men and nine women.

This year's officers were elected last semester. In addition to Carter, officers include men's captain D. Jay Wells, women's captains Sara Eligado and Becca Schumacher and treasurer
Meghan Dailey.

The first big performance will take place during Lectureship,
where the team will be stepping to an a capella song similar to their performance at Sing Song. Also this fall, SHADES will
perform in the culture show and host a mini-show for the first time.

"Usually, we just have one show in the spring, but this year, we want to give everybody a little taste before that," said Carter.

The mini-show will take place in the Bean Sprout toward the end of November. In the spring SHADES will perform at Sing Song and at its big annual show is usually around April. The
SHADES team also participates in competitions, and the women of SHADES are scheduled to compete in Lubbock in October.

During the year, the team meets for practice twice a week. However, practice and performing are not the only things SHADES does.

"Stepping is the main thing that we do, but we also reach out to the community," said D. Jay Wells, senior missions major from Atlanta. "We try to make ourselves available to any requests for service within the community. For example, last year we did a show for kids at an elementary school."

For Wells and Carter, SHADES has become something more than just a group of students who perform together.

"The performing aspect and energy of SHADES is a lot of fun, but I love it because it's like a family," said Wells.

"The passion is great, and it gives us an opportunity to dance and provide community service. I love the fact that it brings all different kinds of people together," said Carter. "It's almost like
a support group."

E-mail Ballard at: optimist@acu.edu

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