Dancing with the Masonettes

By Broadside Staff Writer Brian Chan
Photos by Broadside Photography Editor Courtney Erland

The Masonettes play an important role at each home game by entertaining the crowd with a halftime performance. The Big Dance, also known as March Madness, is no exception. It takes a huge amount of effort from each team member to make this a success.

Led by head coach Michelle Chin, the Masonettes and their halftime shows are a popular attraction. Chin, a former Masonette, remembers her experience before Mason’s surprising Final Four run.

“I remember that we’d be excited when the Patriot Center was half-full,” Chin said. “It’s so great to see the student involvement and the seats filled at every game.”
For the Masonettes, to be part of excitement at Mason is a grand experience. Their performances are enhanced by popular and current music. Old school and ‘80s music has been a big hit with the crowd.

In the past, the Masonettes have been involved in other venues including Washington Wizards games and the Virginia Special Olympics Opening Ceremonies. With Mason athletic teams progressing into CAA contenders, the Masonettes have also accomplished great things at the national level.

Every January, the Masonettes compete at the UCA/UDA National College Championship at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla. The Masonettes placed in the hip-hop category of approximately 30 Division I teams.

The team is led by seniors Erin Hughes, Leslie Culin and Krystle Aidif.

“As a whole, they are the most dedicated and hard-working group that I’ve had in a very long time. I especially enjoy watching the girls mature each year,” Chin said. “It’s refreshing to see my seniors graduate, ready to take on bigger and better things and think back to when they were freshmen. It makes me proud to see how much they’ve accomplished and grown over time.”

Dancing also requires plenty of work from the Masonettes, as well as every other college dancer. There are the expenses of shoes, costumes and travel. In addition to that, choreography takes time to master.

All of the sacrifices are well worth it when their final product is a top-notch performance.

There are usually about 50 people trying out at the Masonettes’ audition. Every current member is required to try out again for the following year. The tryout prep clinic is on April 5 and tryouts for the 2008-09 season will be April 19 and 20.