Salieri Cuts a Rug (Part 2)

Dear Friends and Gentle Readers: 

This is Part 2 of a longer piece that I have written. If you missed the first part, there's a link to it down below. I think it wise to break it up into sections, fear easier consumption. Come along with me as I share my journey through the world of dance and as I navigate the new territory of serial blog entries. It'll be fun! 

Salieri Cuts a Rug (Part 1) 

Salieri Cuts a Rug (Part 2)

In the eighth grade after much diet and exercise, I had lost 40 pounds and decided that I was going to try out for the freshman cheerleading squad. Why not? I could do a split and I was thin(ner). Surely, I could make the squad. I had these great plans of wearing my cheerleading uniform with KISS makeup to the following year's homecoming game. (I was REALLY into hair metal back then. In hindsight, Alice Cooper makeup may have been more appropriate.)

On the other hand, I rather like this look. (Photo from ESPN)

So, tryouts come and I go to the camp for a whole week. I thought we were going to learn flips and cheers and all that sort of "Totally - Fer Shure!" crap. Nay nay. The tryout mostly consisted of learning and performing a choreographed dance routine. Since when did our cheerleaders dance? I thought to myself. The answer was "Never". It turned out that the year I decide to try out was the same year CCJSHS got a new cheerleading coach. 

She was a thin, blond, birdlike woman who in perpetuity became known as "The Evil Blond Bird Bitch". Having been a cheerleader in college or something, she had plans to turn our rag tag group of misfit cheerleaders into a well oiled "Bring it On" caliber dancing and cheering machine. I had never taken a dance class in my life and I had no idea what I was getting myself into.

At least Sue Sylvester has personality. And Moxie.

The first day, The EBBB ran through the whole dance routine and I'm sure as I watched my eyes were bugging out of my head. "You expect me to learn that in a week? Surely, you jest." 

For the next four days, I was committed to learning those dance steps. Every day after school all of the cheerleading hopefuls met in the gym for an hour - maybe longer - to learn this routine. I think we broke it down section by section, but it all went by so fast. I kept thinking, "Wait! Slow down! Can't I take some notes? Draw me a picture, or something!" No such luck.

The only ace I had up my sleeve was the fact that I was friends with the current cheerleading captain and she was in my gym class during the day. With her help and kind encouragement, I thought maybe I could pull it off. 

I tried so hard to learn all the steps. I don't even remember what the song was anymore, but I still remember being in my back yard every night that week with my boombox blaring Duran Duran's "Thank You" album trying to master that routine.


Friday came, and I had my tryout. I did my very best. It's actually one of the last times I remember working so hard for something. I was proud of myself. I was truly hopeful that I would make it.

Check back tomorrow for Part 3 of Saliri Cuts a Rug!