Back to school…and back in time.
Those of you who have been with us for a while know we rarely cover college dance teams. It’s not that we don’t care, it’s that there are SO many college teams in this country and we’ve already got our hands full with the pros.
However, when college teams start going retro, I’m all over it.
So that’s why this post is about the Louisiana State University (LSU) Golden Girls. I know next to nothing about Louisiana (except that the capital is Baton Rouge), but I can tell that it is a big deal to be an LSU Golden Girl. The Golden Girls perform with and are considered part of the marching band. From what I have observed, they dance exclusively to marching band music, and have that stylized, jazz-based choreography you find more often in a dance studio than on the field. (LSU also has a dance team, the Tiger Dancers, and their style is more like what you’d see in the pros.)
Every year, aspiring Golden Girls go through a rigorous audition process to join the group of 16 talented and beautiful dancers. There’s even an additional audition process to become team captain. From all I have read, the auditions are very competitive, and there is a lot of history and prestige that goes along with the position. Several former Golden Girls have gone on to join dance squads for NFL and NBA teams such as the New Orleans Saints, New Orleans Hornets, and Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.
I bring this team to your attention, because this year, the Golden Girls celebrate their 50th anniversary. Yep. The big five-oh. Their longevity exceeds that of any team in the pros. The current squad, on occasion, sports replicas of the uniforms worn by the very first Golden Girls in 1959. And where you find throwback couture, there you will also find Sasha.
Alas, there are no headbands involved. However, the outfits are very very very shiny, and that almost makes up for the bare foreheads.
This is the regular game day costume
At first I thought they were twirlers. But no.
This is what the very first Golden Girls looked like, back in 1959.
Back then, they didn’t have digital cameras, so you didn’t get to see photos until after they developed. I bet the girl 6th from the left was spittin’ mad when she realized her eyes were closed.
And here is the current squad, all vintaged up.
When I said “shiny,” I meant SHINY.
That sequins must wreak havoc on their hair.
(I expect that’s why the girls of ’59 put their hair up.)
And here’s what happened in between
Just for the heck of it, here are a few videos of the Golden Girls doing their thang.
