NEW GLARUS - Since its inception 71 years ago, the Wilhelm Tell Pageant has featured dancing from the Usherettes during the play's intermission.
It's become a time-honored tradition people who attend the play look forward to.
High school girls, from freshmen to seniors take part in traditional Swiss dances in brightly decorated costumes from each of the cantons in Switzerland.
For directors Jamie Doeseckle, Kay Gmur and Tiffany Schwoerer, the performances are a culmination of two months of direction and practices with the 25 girls who take part.
Doeseckle understands how much work goes into organizing and performing the Swiss dances. She, Gmur and Schwoerer danced at the pageant when they were in high school.
So did many of the performers in the pageant.
"We have people in their 40s and 50s who tell us they remember how much fun they had dancing," Doeseckle said.
For the veterans, taking part in the dances is like riding a bicycle, Doeseckle said. The older girls help the new girls learn their steps and what is expected from them.
The Usherettes use seniority to decide which canton from Switzerland they want to represent. They wear the costume associated with their own canton and they also learn about the canton so they can answer questions from guests who attend the annual pageant.
"They find out that some of the more beautiful costumes also are the most uncomfortable to wear," Doeseckle laughed. "So they get to choose which costume they wear."
Whitney Buesser, 16, New Glarus, has danced in the past two pageants and was ready for another performance Saturday.
"It was something I wanted to do," she said.
Her family has long been involved with the Wilhelm Tell Pageant. For her, being involved was just something she always wanted to do.
"I love it," she said of the dancing and the pageant.
It's become a time-honored tradition people who attend the play look forward to.
High school girls, from freshmen to seniors take part in traditional Swiss dances in brightly decorated costumes from each of the cantons in Switzerland.
For directors Jamie Doeseckle, Kay Gmur and Tiffany Schwoerer, the performances are a culmination of two months of direction and practices with the 25 girls who take part.
Doeseckle understands how much work goes into organizing and performing the Swiss dances. She, Gmur and Schwoerer danced at the pageant when they were in high school.
So did many of the performers in the pageant.
"We have people in their 40s and 50s who tell us they remember how much fun they had dancing," Doeseckle said.
For the veterans, taking part in the dances is like riding a bicycle, Doeseckle said. The older girls help the new girls learn their steps and what is expected from them.
The Usherettes use seniority to decide which canton from Switzerland they want to represent. They wear the costume associated with their own canton and they also learn about the canton so they can answer questions from guests who attend the annual pageant.
"They find out that some of the more beautiful costumes also are the most uncomfortable to wear," Doeseckle laughed. "So they get to choose which costume they wear."
Whitney Buesser, 16, New Glarus, has danced in the past two pageants and was ready for another performance Saturday.
"It was something I wanted to do," she said.
Her family has long been involved with the Wilhelm Tell Pageant. For her, being involved was just something she always wanted to do.
"I love it," she said of the dancing and the pageant.