After a week of pirouettes, turns, and leaps, sophomores Natasha Calixte and Reagan Rogers found their 10 members to form the Flawless Golden Wolves dance team.

The auditioning dancers underwent a week-long tryout process to learn the audition choreography given by Calixte and Rogers. The pair said they chose to teach the choreography themselves because they want the team to be almost entirely student led.

Sociology junior Amina Mahfouz said she auditioned for the team because she loves majorette culture and wanted the opportunity to bring that culture and representation to Loyola, and that the audition process was really fun, and everyone connected instantly.
“The tryouts were pretty intense, but we all just had each other’s back,” Mahfouz said.

Calixte and Rogers served on the judging panel alongside the club’s faculty advisor, Kyleah Bell, and guest judge Tia Teamer, assistant director of Student Life and Ministry.

They were looking for dancers who showed good technique, execution, and energy in their audition, Calixte said.

Rogers said despite wanting everyone who auditioned to make the team, that wasn’t the case.

“That was hard on us, but at the same time, we had to look at who is ready right now,” she said.

The duo said they were looking for people who could perform right now because the team has its first performance coming up on May 4.

The logistics are still being refined, but the team plans to perform at a field day event for intramural sports, hosted by Bell, with its founding members: Eniya Grayson, Amina Mahfouz, Kai DeSouza, Tori Johnson, Amber Muhammad, Ayana Thomas, Cassondra Johnson, Emani Leefort, Jariah Johnson, and Mia Saldivar.

Mahfouz said when she found out she made the team, she was elated.

“It’s an amazing feeling. I feel like we’re some trendsetters,” she said. “We’re setting the tone for a new culture, and it’s very exciting.”

After their first event in May, the dance team will hold tryouts again in the fall semester.

Calixte and Rogers encourage students thinking of auditioning to work on their technique in the summer and try out in the fall.

“For the people who didn’t make the team, we can still see them on the team if they take the critiques we gave them into consideration,” Calixte said.

Mahfouz said she’s excited for what’s coming in the fall, as the team will have their uniforms and will be performing at more events.

“The fall is going to be very exciting,” she said. “That’s when we’re gonna officially introduce the Flawless Golden Wolves.”

For updates on the team’s performances and events, follow them on Instagram @flawlessgoldenwolves.