The annual Bob and Sue dance is a tradition for the last football home game of the school year. It is a way to celebrate the Pioneer Gold Dance Team and how hard they’ve worked to support our team and amp up the school spirit.
The dance began as a father-daughter routine, but this has since been adapted for all family types. Anyone from a dad, brother, uncle, or whomever you love can be the “Bob” to one’s “Sue.”
“I’ve been dancing with my brother the past three years,” junior dance chaplain Zailey Martinez said. “He says he doesn’t like it, but secretly we all know he does.”
Coach Amy Hurst brought over the tradition from her time in high school and wanted to share the experience.
“It’s one of my favorite practices because, you know, some dads can’t dance very well, but it’s a really cool bonding experience,” Hurst said. “We actually do it with our JV team as well, so both teams are one the field with someone they want to share that moment with.”
The tradition is prepared over the weeks leading up to the game, with both dancers and their “Bobs” coming in after school and working on the routine. The performance is only part of the fun, and rehearsal is where many memories are made.
“I guess [we] really just laugh. We laugh a lot, like a lot,” Martinez said. “I think I punched my brother in the throat one time by accident. It was pretty funny, but it’s a lot of laughing and a lot of just happy vibes.”
Many dancers look forward to the tradition, with seniors especially seeing this as a bittersweet time. Senior dance president Kylie O’Hara has danced all four years and considers the Bob and Sue tradition a treasured memory.
“It’s definitely a big moment. It’s the last time I’ll be dancing with him, and it’s my last home football game ever,” O’Hara said. “So, it’s like a fun way to close out my high school football career.”
The memories of being a “Bob” and “Sue” are a part of what makes the Pure Gold dance team a popular part of the high school experience, and one leaves with fond memories.
“It’s just really nice to be dancing and seeing everyone dance with their families, especially the seniors,” Martinez said, “a time for them to really show off with their families and just, I guess, enjoy their last times on Pure Gold.”