Try @ TXST

Giselle Kowalski:
Hi, everyone. My name is Giselle Kowalski and I am the digital content producer here at Texas State University, and you're listening to Try @ TXST. In today's episode, I sit down with Jillian Martin, the captain of the Texas State Strutters.
The Strutters have been around for 65 years, dancing around the world, and more importantly, bringing joy to all the Bobcats in the stands who watch them in awe. They're precise, sparkling, and incredibly kind young ladies, and Jillian leads them with an air of quiet confidence. We talked about her dance journey, the history of the Strutters, and everything in between.
So to start us all off, Jillian, can you please tell me what you do for the Strutters, and yeah, a little bit about yourself?

Jillian Martin:
Yes, so my name is Jillian Martin. I've been on Strutters for four years, and I am the head captain this year. I grew up in New Braunfels, Texas, and I'm majoring in dance education. So, dance has kind of always been a part of my life.

Giselle Kowalski:
When did you start dancing?

Jillian Martin:
So, my dance journey, it's a little bit different than most people my age. Most people start dancing whenever they're like two or three, and they grow up in a studio. But I actually taught myself how to dance in sixth grade because I wanted to try out for my middle school's dance team. So I worked super, super hard. I came home, my mom always said before I even did my homework, I was watching YouTube videos, trying to learn how to dance, and my passion and love for it was just so strong. And so, I taught myself how to dance in sixth grade, tried out for my middle school dance team, and then I've just grown, and here I am.

Giselle Kowalski:
And you made the middle school dance team, I'm guessing?

Jillian Martin:
I did.

Giselle Kowalski:
Yeah.

Jillian Martin:
Yes.

Giselle Kowalski:
We're going to backtrack a little bit. So you're in high school, you're a dancer.

Jillian Martin:
Yes.

Giselle Kowalski:
And dance takes up a lot of your life. I know this.

Jillian Martin:
Yes.

Giselle Kowalski:
It's your whole life, basically. So, how are you deciding to go to a college? What ends up becoming the fact, how did you even get to be a Strutter?

Jillian Martin:
So, I was looking at colleges and of course, since I grew up in New Braunfels, only 20 minutes away, I've always been a really big family person, so I wanted to stay close to my family. And so I looked at Texas State and so I decided to go here. I applied, got accepted, and then of course, I wanted to stay dancing. I knew that I was going to major in dance, and so I was looking up college dance teams, found the Strutters, and I tried out. So yeah, now I'm here.

Giselle Kowalski:
That's amazing. Do you remember being nervous for that audition?

Jillian Martin:
I was. So, I actually tried out during COVID.

Giselle Kowalski:
Oh, so you did the online one?

Jillian Martin:
Yes, my tryout was completely online, because now our tryout is kind of partially online and then you come in person, but my tryout was strictly online. So I had to fill out an application, send that in, and then once that went through, I got videos of all of my audition material. And so then I had to find an open space to film my audition, so I had a dance routine and then some kicks and some other skills, and then I had to do a little introduction video. And then once I sent that in, once they decided who made the team, I got an email. Yeah, and I was so excited but I was so nervous, just because it was all online and my high school dance team was so different than what Strutters is, because Strutters is very much a drill team with a lot of kicks and very sharp in precision. And my high school dance team was more fluidity and I guess more dance team based, instead of drill team. So it was super different, but yeah, I was overall excited, but a little nervous whenever I tried out.

Giselle Kowalski:
Yeah, and then your freshman year as a Strutter, how does that compare to where you are now?

Jillian Martin:
Oh, goodness. I actually try to think about that a lot and I can't even remember my first year on Strutters. It flew by, and I know everyone always says it, it's so cliche, but it really does go by so quickly. But yeah, I remember just being a little tiny baby. I came into this huge team not knowing anyone, and I ended up finding my little group of people.

Giselle Kowalski:
So, I'm going to kind of change our little route that we're going right now, and I want you to tell me a little bit about the Strutters. Who are the Strutters to Texas State?

Jillian Martin:
Yeah, the Texas State Strutters, we are the world-famous Texas State Strutters. We are the largest university dance team in the United States, and we were actually designed and built to keep fans in their seats during halftime at football games. And so from there we kind of just, we've grown. We've created shows, so we have our Christmas show, we have a fall show, we have a spring show, and then we also perform at basketball games as well, and then some baseball games now. But yeah, it's just we are like the entertainment, we like to keep people in their seats.

Giselle Kowalski:
Yeah. So, can you tell me a little bit about their history? Because I'm pretty sure that the Strutters, they've performed at inaugurations before, they've gone around the world.

Jillian Martin:
Yes.

Giselle Kowalski:
Have you gotten to be a part of those kind of monumental moments as a Strutter?

Jillian Martin:
I have not, unfortunately. While I've been a Strutter, we've gone to Disney and performed at Disney, we've gone to Costa Rica. So, whenever Strutters go on trips, it's not necessarily mandatory, so you have to pay for your trip, and that just kind of wasn't in my life right then. So I haven't gone on any Strutter trips, but while I've been a Strutter, Strutters have gone to all of those places.

Giselle Kowalski:
I see, I see.

Jillian Martin:
But Strutters, it's awesome. We've been around for 65 years, and so Strutters has gone to do a bunch of different crazy things like inaugural parades, Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, they've gone to Paris, and a bunch of other really cool places.

Giselle Kowalski:
So with that being said, you've mentioned a lot of different performances, like from this Christmas special to all of your games. How do you balance being a student while also being a Strutter?

Jillian Martin:
It took me a little bit to figure out. My first year on Strutters, I had to kind of just go with the flow and see how I needed to manage everything. But it does take a lot of organizational skills and time management skills, and that's just kind of something that you have to learn. But it did help being a dancer all throughout middle school and high school, because I was already kind of learning that balance between dance team and school, and my schoolwork and homework and stuff. Of course, college is a lot different, you kind of just have to see what works best for you.

Giselle Kowalski:
Yeah, you're definitely full-time working, it sounds like, to me.

Jillian Martin:
Yes.

Giselle Kowalski:
While also being a student. So with that being said, what are game days like for you? Run me through that. What's a day in the life being Jillian as a team captain of the Strutters and going to game days?

Jillian Martin:
So for football games, or I guess football games and basketball game days are a little bit different. So for football games, we come in the mornings to the stadium. We get there around 7:00 a.m., and we do a full run through of the game. So we'll go through our entire pregame show, and then we kind of wait for band to show up. Then once band gets there, they'll kind of warm up, and then we go out and we practice our halftime performance with band. And then after that, we can either stay at the stadium and get ready or we have a little break to go eat lunch, get ready at home.
And then once we come back, we have what we call game day stations. So we'll either be at gates, passing things out, we'll be taking pictures. We have a Strutter gallery, so some of us will be in there kind of touring people around and just mingling. And then once our game day stations are over, we go back to the locker room, get ready for pregame, and then we kind of just do the rest of the game there.
And then again, I'm on Pom Squad, so I have our pregame outfit that we put on. I go, I change into my pom uniform. I go out, do pom for the first half of the game, and then I go back and change into my field uniform, go out for form halftime, and then go back and change into my pom uniform again. So for me, it's a lot of back and forth. It takes a lot of stamina, but it's awesome. It's so fun.

Giselle Kowalski:
Wow. That's... you made me tired just listening to that whole thing. But what about being a dancer do you think is most rewarding for you? Because it sounds like you're doing a lot of these things, and as an outsider, I'm looking at you and I'm like, wow, you do so much. But what about it is so enticing to you to keep going? Because I feel like an average person can't keep up with that.

Jillian Martin:
Yeah, it is definitely a lot of hard work. And of course, I'm tired after a game or after a show and stuff, but what makes it worth it for me is making the audience feel something. So, as long as I make the audience happy, that's what fuels me to keep going.

Giselle Kowalski:
Yeah. So, that's a great lead into my next question. What do you think is the most fan favorite performance of the Strutters? Is there one that you guys do that you realize like, oh, this gets the crowd going?

Jillian Martin:
I would have to say, so we have a traditional routine, we do it every single football game, or every single football season, and it's called September. It is a traditional dance that we always do, it's like a fan favorite for all of our alums because they all know it, and yeah.

Giselle Kowalski:
Oh, like the Strutter alums?

Jillian Martin:
Mm-hmm.

Giselle Kowalski:
Yeah, they all know and they can do it.

Jillian Martin:
Yes.

Giselle Kowalski:
Did you ever see them in the stands doing it with you?

Jillian Martin:
I've never seen that.

Giselle Kowalski:
Or like marking.

Jillian Martin:
But we do have a Strutter Yell, and—

Giselle Kowalski:
Oh, I heard that.

Jillian Martin:
Yes.

Giselle Kowalski:
We can add that in right here, because we heard the Strutter Yell and it's very high-pitched.

Jillian Martin:
Oh, it is, it is.

Speaker 3:
[inaudible 00:09:18] Texas State with the Texas State Strutters.

Giselle Kowalski:
That's so loud, that's awesome. I didn't expect that. That's awesome. [inaudible 00:09:28].

Jillian Martin:
We Strutter Yell whenever we're coming out to the field about to perform, and then we also Strutter Yell while we do our first set of kicks, and so whenever we Strutter Yell, sometimes the alum Strutter Yell and that's kind of just a traditional thing that we like to keep up. And it's so special getting to hear and see all of our alums do that, and it just makes us feel like we're a part of something so big.

Giselle Kowalski:
Yeah, no, you definitely are, because I mean, it's lasted for 65 years and everybody knows exactly who... People that aren't even from Texas State or go to Texas State know the Strutters. So, it's kind of crazy to be part of that huge community and just one of very few that get to do that too.
So with being the team captain, which you definitely handle with a lot of grace, what has that taught you, being the team captain about? I mean, you're showing different people how to lead and you're also dancing at the same time. What has that taught you so far?

Jillian Martin:
It's taught me so many life lessons, and I will forever be grateful for my opportunity and my experience on the Strutters. Again, it's taught me how to work hard. It's taught me time management skills. Just taught me how to be a better leader and a better person. And of course, we have the largest university dance team, so there's a lot of us. And so it's taught me also how to be a really great friend and just a teammate and just person in general, and kindness. We pride ourselves on being very classy, kind, young women. And so that's something that I would've never learned unless I was on Strutters, I think. And so, yeah, I'm just super grateful for all of the life lessons I've learned.

Giselle Kowalski:
We came to go film with you guys, and whenever we met y'all, you guys were very friendly, welcoming, open, and very willing to do the video, first of all. But I mean, I feel like it's the typical thing with girls, it's hard to always keep those friendships because I feel like, I mean, being a dancer in the past, I found that hard too. How do you guys keep that harmony all the time?

Jillian Martin:
Oh, I honestly don't know, because I understand what you're saying. In high school, we definitely, it was kind of like the high school girl bickering and stuff like that. But I think that since we're all just women now or young ladies, it's a little bit easier to kind of keep the peace with each other. And I think we all just have genuine love for one another and that makes it so much easier. Of course, we may get a little tired and our tone may not come across as nicely to each other, but then we automatically realize it and we fix it. But yeah, the team, I have some of my very best friends on that team, and yeah, we just love each other so much.

Giselle Kowalski:
That's beautiful. What would you tell someone who is freshman Jillian, who's trying to become a Strutter, what would you tell her?

Jillian Martin:
Oh, I actually get this question a lot whenever we get our new rookies every single year. And my biggest piece of advice is to surround yourself with positive people, because Strutters does take up a lot of time, having that with schoolwork and then also possibly having a job on the side. There's a lot of responsibilities, and so it's really easy to become negative and feel down. And so just surrounding yourself with other people that are positive and enjoying the experience will make everything so much easier in the long run.

Giselle Kowalski:
Yeah, I mean, that's a great piece of advice for basically anything that you do, is to surround people that actually support you and are happy when you're happy as well.
So Jillian, this kind of wraps up what we're talking about, but what's next for you? Are you a senior right now?

Jillian Martin:
So, I am in my fourth year here at Texas State, but I extended my graduation because, so, since my major is dance education, I have a semester of student teaching, but I wanted to dedicate a full four years to Strutters, and I can't student teach and do Strutters at the same time, just because of practice times. And so I extended my graduation date a little bit, but once I'm done with Strutters, of course, I'm going to be so sad because it's taken up so much of my life, but I am just going to finish out school. And then once I graduate, hopefully become a dance team director. That's the goal.

Giselle Kowalski:
I can see that for you. I feel like you're definitely the kind of person that makes things happen.

Jillian Martin:
Yes.

Giselle Kowalski:
So, good luck to you.

Jillian Martin:
Thank you so much.

Giselle Kowalski:
And thank you for coming on the podcast with me.

Jillian Martin:
Thank you for inviting me. Thank you.

Giselle Kowalski:
Of course. Thanks.
And thank you for listening to this episode of the Try @ TXST podcast. Make sure to tune in next time to learn more about something else you can try on campus at Texas State. And also, remember to follow us on our social media @TXST. This podcast is a production of the Division of Marketing and Communications at Texas State University. Podcasts appearing on the Texas State University Network represent the views of the hosts and guests, not of Texas State University. Again, I'm your host, Giselle Kowalski, and I'll see you next time. Bye y'all.