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Pat's School of Dance team performs tonight in Holiday Bowl

Mackenzie Sullivant rehearses the Holiday Bowl routine.

By Ashley Elder, Published: December 23, 2015

Excited energy filled the studio Thursday night as 36 dancers moved in unison to Elton John’s “Saturday Night’s Alright.”

The Pat’s School of Dance team will join performers from 25 other studios and clubs on the field for the halftime show during the Wisconsin-Southern California Holiday Bowl game in San Diego on Wednesday, Dec. 30.
Choreographer Dustin Phillips, 37, said the theme of the seven-minute halftime show is “Clash of the Classics,” including songs from the Moody Blues, the Beatles, Elvis Presley, Elton John and Frank Sinatra.
This is Phillips’ fifth time coordinating a performance like this, but his first as head choreographer, giving direction of all 325 dancers on the field.
Clad in a black Pat’s School of Dance V-neck, Phillips gives the girls tips as they go through the routine he created just for the halftime show.
“It’s not the hardest choreography,” he said. “I wanted to make it so that all groups from 10 to 18 can do it and perform it on stage with no problems and no hesitation, while having a good time.”
Phillips, who relocated from Raleigh three years ago to work at Pat’s Dance Studio as a hip hop choreographer, recently married Sheraton Shepherd, owner Pat Shepherd’s daughter.
Shepherd choreographed the Orange Bowl in 1996 and is now the national vice president of Dance Educators of America.
“I try very hard to teach the children that the most important thing is to do our best,” she said.
Phillips, Sher and assistant choreographer Brittany Roland created an instructional video to teach the girls the routine.
“The kids have been learning it here in the lobby,” Shepherd said.
The video was sent all over the United States and the dancers were expected to learn it on their own so they can perform it when they show up in San Diego.
“It was kind of interesting. Have they learned it off this video? And yes, they did. It looks very good so it obviously worked the way they did it,” Shepherd said.
Thursday night was the first time any of the choreographers had seen them do the routine together.
“They took the video and they really tried to do it correctly, and they’re proud of themselves for perfecting this,” Shepherd said. “It’s not all about dancing. It’s about having self-esteem and determination and having coordination and working toward something together as a goal.”
Hendersonville High School senior Taylor Wright said, “I think it is going to look amazing with all of us on the field.” A dancer for 13 years, Wright began dancing at a young age when her mother encouraged her to try something new.
Fellow dancer Lindsay Cloer, 17, said, “It is my first big trip away from home and I am going to get to go somewhere I’ve never been before. Being able to perform with everyone on TV will be cool too.”
This is Cloer’s 13th year dancing. She plans to travel to San Diego with her friend Elizabeth O’Donnell of West Henderson High School.
O’Donnell, who also runs cross country, said, “I like being with my friends. It’s like a stress reliever. It’s lots of fun and I love it.”
Shepherd and April Freeman are going to California as the dance directors for their team.
“It’s just my life, it’s just what I do. I really love children,” said the veteran studio owner. “I love seeing kids perfect and do something like this tonight, it really did my heart well.”
At 10 a.m. on game day, the Pat’s team will be at the front of the Big Bay Balloon Parade dancing to “Saturday Night’s Alright.” The parade will be nationally televised on USA Network.
“I can hardly wait to see them in the parade and see it all happen,” Shepherd said.

The Holiday Bowl will be televised at 10:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 30, on ESPN.