Michelle y Michi: National Dance Competition and More

Naturally, it took going to another country to have the traditional American high school experience.

"Arriba, arriba, abajo, abajo!" (Up, up, down, down!) yelled our head cheerleaders. Today, everyone in the stands was a cheerleader. We pumped the yellow and blue pom-poms in the air to the sound of the Spanish pop music blaring at its highest volume as we yelled our school name, jumped up and down, and tried to out-dance and out-shout the other schools in the National Stadium of Chile.

Above: Screen that featured scores and live footage of athletes on the field.

This weekend was the first day of "Interescolar," a day where many high schools in the country came together to compete in sports like javelin, relay race, and sprinting. This three-day event is broadcasted to millions on television and hosts thousands in the stadium.

Above: Here I am with a new friend on the bus.

In the morning, hundreds of students from school woke up early as if it were a school day to arrive to school and board tour buses with our classmates. We ate breakfast, sang popular Spanish songs, and chanted various school sayings along the way. When we descended the bus in front of Gate 18 of the stadium, I was met with roars of voices and crowds of students dressed in their school colors. Waves of students in bright pink t-shirts passed us. Then, other school groups of students in blue, white, and a myriad of other colors followed, waving their fists and school flags in the air while shouting at the top of their lungs to show their school spirit. My school group, dressed in blue and yellow to symbolize our mascot of bees, shouted along as well. It became a dance of voices; shouts from one school followed by song and more shouts from the other school as we became engrossed into this competition. Imagine how many series of shouts there were, considering that 19 Chilean schools were represented!

Under the intense heat, we entered into the stadium to our school's section of red seats, my peers and I organized our blue and yellow pom-poms, florescent green flags, bright yellow balloons, and pink streamers. The head cheerleaders stood in front and began dancing with the pom-poms and shouting our school chants, like "Your chants do not make sense because we will win!" and "Who are we? The bees!" I was absorbed into the mass of blue and yellow, becoming just another person dancing to the beat of the song, shouting at the top of my lungs, and waving the flags and pom-poms left, right, up, down. A drone flew over our heads and the stadium quieted down. It was time for the minute "barra" (“block”) competition; which school showed the most school spirit in one minute?

The school on the right performed first, with an array of pom poms, shouts, and flag-raising. My school was called after. I had spent all my life looking at photos of university football game crowds with painted faces, intense cheering, and matching bright outfits. I had thought "this chaotic, noisy experience is not for me," but I was wrong; I had much fun with the right group of people and a fun, dance-like routine created by the coordinators. There was an art to this strange yelling fest; schools that chose bright-colored pom-poms and used creative instruments like fans and umbrellas gave them an advantage to create a unique scene. I was most impressed that people could make that much noise; one school's screams, stamps, and pounding on the chairs could be heard half a stadium away.

The rest of the day was relatively calm. We cheered for our classmates who competed and cheered the loudest as they neared the finish line. My friend, who is a discus thrower, even won for her sport! It was fun to see and interact with other students and admire their creativity and spirit. After twelve hours in the stadium, I returned home exhausted but proud and excited.

Above: It was so helpful to have the head cheerleaders telling us what to yell. If not, I would probably have forgotten all the chants!

The next morning was the same experience in the stadium competing to show that we had the best school spirit in the stadium. In the afternoon, practically everyone from our school piled into the changing room to change into our costumes. For the last two months, for nine hours a week, we had practiced this dance as a part of the dance competition against the other schools. The rules were simple: be coordinated, choose any theme, be creative and stand out, and keep the performance under ten minutes.

Our school's theme was based on the Sound of Music; we divided into groups based on the characters in the movie: Liesls (the eldest daughter), soldiers, Marias (the protagonist), puppets, children, and so on. Previous years’ themes include Don Quixote, The Little Prince, and a Spotlight on Females.

Above: We waiting outside alongside several other schools, yelling and singing. It was a massive, enthuasiastic, and competitive crowd.

Above: Here I am with a friend (left and right, respectively). I am dressed as a soldier while she is one of the Von Trapp children. We are waiting to be called to dance.

After laughing at our ridiculous-looking costumes, chanting against other schools, and singing our school anthem, we raced into the huge grass field in front of a stadium of thousands of people. I became a part of the mass; my waving arms matched the hundred waving arms by my side; the swooshing of the flag was just one of eighteen in the climax of the dance as the people are encircled by the soldiers. We gave our hearts into this dance; our bodies knew what to do. As we waved our white handkerchiefs to the crowd and gave our final bow, I looked around at the faces of my classmates and stared out into the public, knowing that it was a job well done. Apparently the judges agreed as well because, hours later, they announced that we won first place!

Above; This is where we entered and exited from the 'cancha' (field).

Above: The dance begun! The first sequence began with the nuns, then the children pictured in blue skirts above. Soldiers can be seen sitting in the background.

Above: This is one of the dance sequences I participated in, forming the climax of the dance.

Above: The puppets that the people playing marionette used. How adorable are they!

On the bus home, everyone celebrated, cheered, and congratulated each other. This two month journey of preparation and continual practice was finally over; one part of me did not even want to see it end. It was an unforgettable experience to be with new friends taking part of an 80 year Chilean school tradition of competing in the country’s largest stadium!