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Revels 2012The FlareSECTION

BFRIDAYAPRIL 13, 2012

Special Edition

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See REVELS on Page 6B

.$6,�',&.(5621���-$60,1(�&+$33(//Staff Writers

They may not wear the red, white and blue uniform, but the

men behind the Rangerettes have a huge impact on the

organization’s success.

“Revels for Men,” honors the men who have contributed to the

Rangerette organization and have helped make them successful

through the years.

“I would like to say to all of our special men, ‘Thank you for what you

have done for us and we hope this show lets you know how much you

mean to the organization,’” said Rangerette Director Dana Blair.

Revels continues 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday in Dodson Auditorium,

with an additional 1 p.m. Saturday matinee.

Tickets are on sale in the Revels Box Office in the Rangerette Gym

located in the south entrance of the Rangerette Gym with hours from

8 a.m. - 4 p.m. Tickets are $20 and all seats are reserved. Students with

a valid KC I.D. can obtain one free ticket from the box office.

Sponsors and producers for the events include the Zwick Foundation,

Spirit of America and Rangerettes Forever.

The show highlights men who are important to the Rangerettes,

including dads, managers, Kilgore businessmen, faculty and those in

the drill team industry. Particular men like Archie Whitfield, Mike

Photo by Jamie Maldonado / THE FLARE

ON THE COVER: Freshman Haleigh Wright surprises in “Gimme Some Rhythm Daddy.”

R E V E L STHE FLARE FRIDAY, APRIL 13, 20122BPAGE

Shelley Wayne assistant director

From left:

Dana Blair director

Jacob PattersonKilgore

Capt. Rachel Keller

Pasadena

Lt. Katie CanantBeaumont

Julian BaraKilgore

Preston FincherKilgore

Lauren ChapmanVictoria

Lt. Mary Elizabeth Pennington

The Woodlands

Reid WeeksWhite Oak

Steven WoffordWhite Oak

McKenzie RobinsonTyler

Danual FountainArp

Rangerettes:

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R E V E L S 3BPAGETHE FLARE FRIDAY, APRIL 13, 2012

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Arlin Busano, Flint freshman, demonstrates a tilt jump at the Rangerette Showcase. She began dancing at a young age and later earned a scholarship from The Pulse, a

dance convention which includes members from “So You Think You Can Dance.”

Elizabeth Wisdom / THE FLARE

Dream come true

After that, Busano began taking hula and jazz classes.

“All of the girls in my jazz class were close friends since they were all on the same competition team,” Busano said. “I told my mom that I wanted to fit in with them so she made me tryout for the team, which then I became a part of.”

As a part of the team, students were required to take at least seven dance classes a week, including a tumbling class.

“My mom wanted to push me to the best of my abilities and signed me up for unlimited classes, which included jazz, ballet, hip-hop, hula, Tahitian, tap, modern, lyrical and even musical theatre which included acting, dancing and singing.”

After several years of dancing in her hometown, Busano moved to Texas.

“I moved to Texas the summer before my freshman year of high school because of my step-dad’s job,” Busano said.

She then began taking dance at Artistic Dance Concepts under the direction of Bonnie Hotman Phel.

“After I joined drill team, I no longer did studio dance and just took dance classes at school,” Busano said. “My dance teacher was Laura Miller.”

Busano was on the Robert E. Lee Southern Belle drill team in Tyler for two years and served as an officer her senior year.

“My favorite thing about drill team in high school was getting to compete at the Westwood Dance Classic in Austin,” Busano said. “I love the

atmosphere of being in Austin. There are such amazing and talented drill teams there, and it was great getting to know them and compete along side them.”

Busano also competed in the Gussie Nell Davis Dance Classic her junior and senior year of high school, where her solos won first place two years in a row.

“I don’t necessarily care about winning at all. I just love to perform in front of a crowd,” Busano said. “It’s a great feeling to me, as well as getting to hear such great compliments from people afterwards and knowing that it made them feel great.”

Throughout her dancing career, Busano has been awarded many scholarships for her talent.

“I love going to dance conventions to learn from the best choreographers in the dance industry today,” Busano said.

She was recently awarded The Pulse Protege Scholarship at the dance convention The Pulse, which includes faculty members from the hit show “So You Think You Can Dance.”

This scholarship allowed Busano to travel on tour and assist these choreographers for the following year of the tour.

“My favorite person I’ve worked with was Mia Michaels. She is a very inspiring choreographer that portrays stories throughout her movements,” Busano said. “She is very unique and has an amazing personality, so being able to assist her on stage for dance conventions for a couple of years was just an honor.”

Busano decided to take her dancing career to the next level by trying out for the Rangerettes.

“This time last year is what definitely made me want to try out,” Busano said. “After seeing them with my drill team, I knew I wanted to be trained in perfection, excellence and tradition.”

Throughout her first year as a Rangerette, Busano has been influenced by several new people, including Rangerette sister, Angela Lozzi.

“She has taught me everything I needed to know and is always there for me no matter what,” Busano said. “I am so blessed and thankful for having her in my life. I couldn’t have had it any other way.”

For Busano, performing a solo in Rangerette Revels is a dream come true.

“I was nervous at first, but really excited once I found out that I was,” Busano said. “Revels was the whole reason I tried out to be a Rangerette in the first place and dancing a solo in it feels like a dream that’s actually coming to life.”

With a solo and many other dances under her belt, Busano says her first year as a Rangerette was everything she could ever imagine.

“It was filled with tons of great events, performances and surprises,” Busano said. “I just love everything about being a Rangerette.”

Busano is majoring in dance and plans to attend Chapman University in California to further her dancing career.

“I hope to see myself in California, living my way through life with dance,” Busano said. “I just love to perform and tell stories through my dancing.”

ASHTON JOHNSON���Managing Editor

On the outside, freshman Rangerette Arlin Busano looks like any other student. But once you get past

her larger than life smile and radiant personality, you will find something much more. Busano grew

up in Honolulu, Hawaii, and began dancing at the age of 5.

“It was a birthday present for me from my mom,” Busano said. “She took me to a dance studio in our town and as

I was watching how much fun the other girls in a dance class were having, I knew that’s what I wanted to do.”

Elizabeth Wisdom / THE FLAREElizabeth Wisdom / THE FLAREJamie Maldonado / THE FLARE

R E V E L S 2 0 1 24BPAGE FRIDAY, APRIL 13, 2012 THE FLARE

RevelsforMen

Rangerette Revels continues 7 p.m. Friday and 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday in Dodson Auditorium. The show features the Rangerettes, Rangerette managers and the KC Twirlers. The show is sponsored

and produced by the Zwick Foundation, Spirit of America and the Rangerette Forevers.

Sophomore Amanda Nobles performs a jump in "It's a Man's World."

Host jon Fisher narrates the show through different skits.

The Rangerettes dance ^P[O�WYLJPZPVU�PU�[OLPY�[YHKP[PVUHS�OPNO�RPJR�ÄUHSL�Elizabeth Wisdom / THE FLARE

The freshman Swingsters honor trainer Victor Olowo in "Battle for the Beat."

Victoria Baker / THE FLARE

Sophomores Bethany Ford and Carson Latus touch up their makeup in the dressing room.

Briley Boren / THE FLARE

Kirstie Tullis and the Rangerettes thank managing assistant Derrick Oubre in "The Wiz."

Elizabeth Wisdom / THE FLARE

Kasi Dickerson, Katie Kuykendall, Jake Scarborough and Jamie Maldonado / THE FLARE

R E V E L S 2 0 1 2 5BPAGE

Sophomore Amanda Nobles performs a jump in "It's a Man's World."

Host jon Fisher narrates the show through different skits.

Elizabeth Wisdom / THE FLARE

The Rangerettes dance ^P[O�WYLJPZPVU�PU�[OLPY�[YHKP[PVUHS�OPNO�RPJR�ÄUHSL� Director Dana Blair instructs the Rangerettes during rehearsal.Elizabeth Wisdom / THE FLARE Elizabeth Wisdom / THE FLARE

Kasi Dickerson, Katie Kuykendall, Jake Scarborough and Jamie Maldonado / THE FLARE

R E V E L STHE FLARE FRIDAY, APRIL 13, 20126BPAGE

Bethany Phelps sings

a solo to honor men

who have contributed

to the Rangerette

organization, including

(YJOPL�>OP[ÄLSK��former director of

college relations.Elizabeth Wisdom / THE FLARE

Revels honoring male contributors

Revels: Men re!ect on ’Rette organization FROM PAGE 1B

Miller, Nick Zwick, Victor Olowo, Gary Gibbons and more are highlighted in the show.

Whitfield began working as KC’s director of college relations in 1995 and quickly became involved with the Rangerettes.

“It is certainly an honor having been with the Rangerettes with some capacity since 1995. Some of the early people I worked with were Gussie Nell Davis, the first director, and Deana Bolton Covin,” Whitfield said. “I had been there about a year and the president came to me and said we need to do something to get Rangerette scholarships and from then on that was my goal. I retired in May 2000 and had 50 endowed scholarships.”

He also worked closely with the Rangerette Forevers.

Known for their high-kicks, the Rangerettes have traveled the world performing in halftime shows, parades and various celebrations.

“I had many opportunities to do a lot of travel with them,” Whitfield said. “My first trip was to California for the Shrine Bowl.”

Revels, one of the Rangerettes’ biggest performances, however, happens on campus.

Dr. Bill Holda, KC president, said Revels was once more of a campus talent show than a sophisticated production.

“Over time, Dana (Blair) and Shelley (Wayne, assistant director) have brought the performance into the realm of a highly technical, highly sophisticated production,” Holda said.

Dr. Mike Jenkins, vice president of student

development, is also honored at this year’s Revels.

“I feel honored to work with such an amazing organization, There’s nothing else like it,” Jenkins said. “From Rangerettes to choreographers, the dedication and talent involved in Revels is unbelievable. You won’t believe it without seeing it for yourself.”

The 2011-2012 Rangerette sophomores are also recognized.

“It is a bittersweet feeling knowing that this is my last show, but I am very excited for the show to finally be here,” said Rangerette Captain Rachel Keller.

Keller also performs a solo in Act “It is such an honor to be given the

opportunity to do a solo,” Keller said. “It really means a lot to me, and I hope everyone enjoys it.”

This year’s Revels features jazz, hip-hop, tap and other genres of dance along with solo dances, videos, singing and the KC Twirlers.

“I think the show has a great deal of variety in styles of dance and music selection, and I hope everyone enjoys the show,” Blair said.

Part of the program features men selecting what they like to watch on TV. The final number honors America’s troops.

“I think honoring men this year is appropriate because a lot have contributed to the organization with time, resources, money and more. We have to remember them all because they have played a significant role in the organization and its history,” Whitfield said. “I’m amazed how they (Rangerettes) keep coming up with new ideas. It seems they get better every year.”

“From the outside

looking in you

can’t understand

it; from the inside looking

out you can’t explain it.”

This quote sums up the

most incredible and biggest

learning experience of my

life: being a freshman World-

Famous Kilgore College

Rangerette.

I was skeptical to become

part of the organization

because I’ve

lived in East

Texas my

whole life.

Growing up

surrounded

by the

red, white

and blue,

I thought

I had it all

figured out

and that

my future needed to be far

from the simplicities of East

Texas and what it had to

offer.

In all reality, I had no idea

what being a Rangerette

was all about or how much I

would come to love my roots

and the countryside.

The decision to try out

came from a combination

of a disappointing letter

I received from The

University of Texas at

Austin and the goose

bumps I got when I

attended “Backstage Pass”

Rangerette Revels 2011.

I trained all summer,

attended mini-camp and

went to pre-training for the

week-long tryout process.

The goose bumps once again

filled my body when I saw

my number at sign drop,

and after pre-training week

I thought I was completely

knowledgeable about what

my year would look like.

Again, I had no idea how

wrong I was.

Football season came with

a shock. The intensity at

practice was everything

I had asked for in high

school. Panther Pride, my

high school drill team, was

relaxed and many girls didn’t

have the work ethic needed

to have a successful practice.

I am still in awe looking back

at how strong each ’Rette

is in her own right and the

amount of effort put into

every minute of striving for

performance excellence.

It is the first few weeks

that show you how much

you need the ones standing

with their hand raised high,

saying “yes ma’am, thank

you.” The support is endless,

and you become more

worried about the team than

the “I” aspect.

Everything comes with a

price, though.

Wearing a black leotard,

slicking your hair back and

plastering on bright red

lipstick for each practice

takes time to get used to,

especially when trying to

do it quickly because your

nap was a must-have. Not

R E V E L S 7BPAGETHE FLARE FRIDAY, APRIL 13, 2012

JESSICA

STOVALL

Staff Writer

Blessings in abundance

Calling All Kilgore College Students:

Cash For Textbooks!

Cherokee Pawn816 US Highway 259 N$ $

walking on grass can be

tricky, and remembering

whom you can and can’t talk

to is confusing at first.

The rules of practice

and everyday life are

hard to understand in the

beginning. It’s sort of like

believing in Santa Claus:

you never see his physical

presence but you believe

and it’s simple as that.

The rules aren’t always

understood, but they aren’t

meant to be understood, so

you follow the rules. It’s as

simple as that.

The experiences I’ve

been exposed to and the

friendships I’ve attained are

forever life changing and

ones that I wouldn’t give up

for the world.

Being in the first-ever

“Christmas Extravaganza”

and going to Hawaii were

indescribable, especially

knowing that I was able to

represent such a tradition-

rich and prestigious

organization.

It is now Revels, and it

could easily be the most

bitter-sweet time

of my life.

These

past few

weeks have

been long

and hard.

Practice

consumed

afternoons while

extra practices

would sometimes

go until dinner time.

Meetings to correlate which

props needed to be painted

and who would be helping

take the platforms offstage

would go into the night, and

somehow school still stays

in a spot in your brain that

is accustomed to a quick,

efficient work ethic.

Even through the long

days the memories created

have fulfilled lifetimes of

happiness and growth as a

team and as individuals. I’ll

never forget the continuous

Wal-Mart trips, the dinner

dates, “cosmo” parties, late

night snacking and heart-to-

hearts or all of the surprises

that the sophomores create

for the freshmen to have the

best year. But most of all,

the breath-taking feeling of

putting on the uniform and

performing with an humble

grace will never leave my

thoughts.

The directors have

instilled such beauty in

each Rangerette. The best

way I know to describe it

is by saying they use the

process that the Karate Kid

goes through. He does not

have the slightest idea that

the teachings he’s being

given all come with multiple

meanings, and one day he

becomes a master of his

craft without realizing it.

That’s sort of

what we go

through, and

I couldn’t be

more thankful

to the two

amazing

women

who lead us

through it all.

The little

things in life

have found a new place in

my heart. Bonds with girls

that will be in my wedding

and being accountable for

my own actions have been

placed at the forefront of my

internal priority list.

The disappointing letter

I received from UT and the

goose bumps have been the

two greatest blessings in

my life, and I can’t imagine

having it any other way.

Jessica Stovall is a freshman mass communications major from Lufkin.

Visit us online

at

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Staff Writer

Flare Magazine and Ranger YearbookComing in may!

R E V E L STHE FLARE FRIDAY, APRIL 13, 20128BPAGE

Elizabeth Wisdom / THE FLARE

Freshman Haleigh Wright (right) and sophomore Hope Boyd swing to “Gimme Some Rhythm Daddy.”

Jamie Maldonado / THE FLARE

Sophomore Swingster Logan Roesle grooves in “Rock On.”Randi Vinson / THE FLARE

-YLZOTHU�(YSPU�)\ZHUV�YLÅLJ[Z�on her character in “Man in the Mirror.”

Kris Dobbins / THE FLARE

Sophomores Kate Basinger (left) and Elsie Smith declare Kimberly Hookanson the knock-out winner in “The Fight’s About to Begin.”

Briley Boren / THE FLARE

Sophomore Sydne Miller claims she doesn’t need a man in her song soulful “No Man.”

Jamie Maldonado/ THE FLARE

9HJOLS� (YTP[Z[LHK� [^PYSZ� three batons in “It’s Raining Men.”

Act by ActACT II

“Take It Away Boys”

Glitz and Glamour - Video“Love in Three Acts” - Rangerettes

“The Wiz” - Skit“The Music Master” - Video

“Gimme Some Rhythm Daddy” - Rangerettes

“Hit Me With Your Best Shot” - Rangerettes

“Faithfully” - Rachel Keller“Fast Like A Nascar” - Rangerettes“The Fights About To Begin” - Skit

“Country Girl” - Rangerettes “Total Eclipse of the Heart” -

Arlin Busano“Rock On” - Sophomore Swingsters

“No Man” - Sydne Miller“Ain’t No Other Man” - Rangerettes

“Extravaganza” - Rangerettes

ACT I

“Let’s Hear It For The Boys!”

“Let’s Hear It For The Boys” - Rangerettes

“Dance With My Father” - 9HUNLYL[[L�6MÄJLYZ

“Daddy” - Skit“Man In The Mirror” - Rangerettes

“Working Day and Night” - Managers“Battle for the Beat” -

Freshman Swingsters“Special Recognition” - Bethany Phelps

“It’s a Man’s Man’s World” - Sophomore Rangerettes

“It’s Raining Men” - KC Twirlers“A Tribute” - Ashley Cupples

“Gone Too Soon” - Memoriam Video“Celebrate!” - Freshman Rangerettes

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