Mr. Charlie Hanes
I have been a huge fan of the Rangerettes since I can remember. My fascination with them began when my cousin was a Lieutenant in the Rangerettes in 1956 and I remember we used to gather around the TV when games were televised and watch for her to perform. (I thought she was a TV Star!) Back in those days they used to show the entire halftime show. She also performed with them in a movie called "Cinerama" which featured the Rangeretes. In addition, we had a close family friend that was also a Lieutenant for two years and she performed with the Rangerettes on the Ed Sullivan Show (an old variety show in the 1950's). I was too young to see her performance, but the family always told me about it. She and I attend Rangerette functions frequently to this day. As I grew older, I was amazed at the perfection and precision of the team and have been in awe of their ability to entertain a crowd. I had several friends in high school who were in the drill team and they always strived to be like the Rangerettes. Through the years I have had several friends who were former members of the team and they always entertained me with the stories from their years at Kilgore. I love dance and particularly dance groups...and there are none better than the Kilgore Rangerettes! I have taped all their performances in the Cotton Bowl parade since 1980. I have also collected articles and photos through the years. Guess I really am a "Super Fan".
About Miss Gussie Nell Davis:
Describe your relationship with Miss Davis.I had heard about Miss Davis all my life and knew of the perfection she demanded of her girls. My cousin told me how much everyone loved and respected her. I only met her once when I attended a luncheon with several of my former Rangerette friends. We had gone down for the Spring variety show "Rangerette Revels". Miss Davis remembered the name of every single girl who attended. I could not believe she could recall that many names from so many decades! When I was introduced to her I told her about my cousin and our family friend and she remembered them as well and even remembered where they performed in the front line when they were officers!!! I always had a great deal of respect for her and was in awe when I met her. She started it all...every drill team, college dance team, and pro sports teams like the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders... they owe it all to Gussie Nell Davis and her dream of having a group of precision dancers to entertain fans.
Tell us something special about Miss Davis.
I got a kick out of Miss Davis "sassy, spunky" demeanor. She was very petite and just full of energy. At the luncheon I attended, the tables were arranged in decades so the girls could sit together and visit. She had all the girls from the 40's stand up, then the 50's, and so on until the current line stood. She looked at every one of them and said..."I am so blessed to see you all again and I'm going to outlive each and every one of you." She was just adorable. I was so pleased when she was inducted into the Texas Women's Hall of Fame, very well deserved.
About Yourself:
What dance experience do you have, as a dancer/teacher/director?
I took dance when I was young and always enjoyed it. The biggest regret I have is that I did not pursue it. If they had things like "So You Think You Can Dance", or "Americas Best Dance Crew" when I was growing up, perhaps I would have pursued it further.
What are some of the highlights as your time as a cheerleader/dancer or teacher?
I was a cheerleader at Henderson County Junior College (now TVCC) and at North Texas State University (UNT) but often wished I had gone to Kilgore instead of the junior college I attended. I would have loved to have been a Rangerette Manager.
What do you believe is the most important part of drill team?
From what my Rangerette friends and family tell me, it is the traditions, lifelong friends and being a part of a world famous team.
How did you get the title "super fan" of the Rangerettes?
I have always loved and admired them and when I was young I always said I wanted to marry a Rangerette. They were beautiful, talented and were genuine ladies. I do believe they are a Texas Treasure and my father who was a World War II veteran always talked about their beauty, precision, discipline and was very proud that Texas could claim the first and best drill team. He had a lot of respect for Miss Davis. So I suppose I was actually raised knowing who the Rangerettes were and learning to be proud of my cousin and all the "Rettes".
Why do you choose to follow the Rangerettes? What is your inspiration?
My inspiration to follow the Rangerettes was probably because of my admiration for my cousin and our family friend. I loved hearing about all the traditions and work that goes into becoming a Rangerette. That is where the interest first started but as time went on, I continued to be amazed at the sheer talent of what they do. As I mentioned I have always appreciated the art of dance and watching a group of so many doing exactly the same thing at the same time just amazed me (like Riverdance). I never get tired of watching that. It requires so much practice, precision, talent and determination to make it look so perfect. Miss Davis' vision of having a group "performing as one" was brilliant and the only other group that did that back then was the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes. Both teams are still the best and I do not know anyone who isn't mesmerized when they watch those two groups perform. I have four godchildren and I hoped and prayed that one of them would want to be a Rangerette. Only one took dance and I used to send her to Rangertte Mini Camp every year for her birthday. In high school, she lost interest in dance and I was crushed! There went my hopes for my own little Rangerette!
As a flight attendant, I flew with so many former Rangerettes and they were amazed at how much I know about the group. I can name just about every officer from every year and even have most all the Kilgore yearbooks. I get a special thrill when I see those wonderful All-American Red, White, and Blue uniforms as they are performing. It makes me feel so pround that right here in Texas, a phenomenon was created when Miss Davis brought her vision to life in the form of the first dance drill team...The World Famous Rangerettes. Since I love dance so much, and boys could not be a part of dance groups back then, I just enjoyed being around my Rangerette friends and hearing all the wonderful stories of their years at Kilgore.
What is your role with the Rangerettes?
I support the Rangerettes by sending money to KICKIN' In., which helps provide for travel expenses when they travel. Additionally I am a member of the DFW Friends of Rangerettes which is a part of the DFW Rangerette Forevers. Forevers_DFW is an organization that was formed to support the World Famous Kilgore Rangerettes. The group is dedicated to the promotion of the Rangerette Organization and the current DFW area Rangerettes, providing assistance and encouragement. Additionally the group meets four times a year providing a social opportunity for former Rangerettes now living in the DFW area and any friends and family members that love and want to share the experience, memories and history of the Rangerettes. Members include Dallas - Fort Worth area "Rangerettes Forever" and "Friends of the Rangerettes". We recently provided snacks to the current Rangerette Line during their practice for the Cotton Bowl performance. When I was on the Miss Texas Pagent production staff and Board of Directore, I was instrumental in getting the Rangerettes to be in the production twice.
Any additional comments that you would like to share?
While I was a flight attendant for American Airlines, my best friend was a recruiter for the new flight attendants. He was from California and had heard of the Rangerettes, but was not as familiar with them as I was. I quickly informed him of their history as the first dancing drill team ever. However, what he did know was that his boss told him that if ever a Kilgore Rangerette came in for an interview, hire her on the spot because they were professional, presented a good appearance, had great discipline and incredible work ethic. American Airlines is headquartered in DFW and the recruitment office was well aware of who the Rangerettes were and knew they were getting a top notch employee if they hired one.
I am grateful for any opportunity to promote the Rangerette organization. I very much appreciate the work you are doing on this project and I am looking forward to seeing the final product. If I can ever help with anything else, please let me know. I have several Rangerette photos on my Facebook page. Look me up...Charlie Hanes.
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About Miss Gussie Nell Davis:
Describe your relationship with Miss Davis.I had heard about Miss Davis all my life and knew of the perfection she demanded of her girls. My cousin told me how much everyone loved and respected her. I only met her once when I attended a luncheon with several of my former Rangerette friends. We had gone down for the Spring variety show "Rangerette Revels". Miss Davis remembered the name of every single girl who attended. I could not believe she could recall that many names from so many decades! When I was introduced to her I told her about my cousin and our family friend and she remembered them as well and even remembered where they performed in the front line when they were officers!!! I always had a great deal of respect for her and was in awe when I met her. She started it all...every drill team, college dance team, and pro sports teams like the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders... they owe it all to Gussie Nell Davis and her dream of having a group of precision dancers to entertain fans.
Tell us something special about Miss Davis.
I got a kick out of Miss Davis "sassy, spunky" demeanor. She was very petite and just full of energy. At the luncheon I attended, the tables were arranged in decades so the girls could sit together and visit. She had all the girls from the 40's stand up, then the 50's, and so on until the current line stood. She looked at every one of them and said..."I am so blessed to see you all again and I'm going to outlive each and every one of you." She was just adorable. I was so pleased when she was inducted into the Texas Women's Hall of Fame, very well deserved.
About Yourself:
What dance experience do you have, as a dancer/teacher/director?
I took dance when I was young and always enjoyed it. The biggest regret I have is that I did not pursue it. If they had things like "So You Think You Can Dance", or "Americas Best Dance Crew" when I was growing up, perhaps I would have pursued it further.
What are some of the highlights as your time as a cheerleader/dancer or teacher?
I was a cheerleader at Henderson County Junior College (now TVCC) and at North Texas State University (UNT) but often wished I had gone to Kilgore instead of the junior college I attended. I would have loved to have been a Rangerette Manager.
What do you believe is the most important part of drill team?
From what my Rangerette friends and family tell me, it is the traditions, lifelong friends and being a part of a world famous team.
How did you get the title "super fan" of the Rangerettes?
I have always loved and admired them and when I was young I always said I wanted to marry a Rangerette. They were beautiful, talented and were genuine ladies. I do believe they are a Texas Treasure and my father who was a World War II veteran always talked about their beauty, precision, discipline and was very proud that Texas could claim the first and best drill team. He had a lot of respect for Miss Davis. So I suppose I was actually raised knowing who the Rangerettes were and learning to be proud of my cousin and all the "Rettes".
Why do you choose to follow the Rangerettes? What is your inspiration?
My inspiration to follow the Rangerettes was probably because of my admiration for my cousin and our family friend. I loved hearing about all the traditions and work that goes into becoming a Rangerette. That is where the interest first started but as time went on, I continued to be amazed at the sheer talent of what they do. As I mentioned I have always appreciated the art of dance and watching a group of so many doing exactly the same thing at the same time just amazed me (like Riverdance). I never get tired of watching that. It requires so much practice, precision, talent and determination to make it look so perfect. Miss Davis' vision of having a group "performing as one" was brilliant and the only other group that did that back then was the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes. Both teams are still the best and I do not know anyone who isn't mesmerized when they watch those two groups perform. I have four godchildren and I hoped and prayed that one of them would want to be a Rangerette. Only one took dance and I used to send her to Rangertte Mini Camp every year for her birthday. In high school, she lost interest in dance and I was crushed! There went my hopes for my own little Rangerette!
As a flight attendant, I flew with so many former Rangerettes and they were amazed at how much I know about the group. I can name just about every officer from every year and even have most all the Kilgore yearbooks. I get a special thrill when I see those wonderful All-American Red, White, and Blue uniforms as they are performing. It makes me feel so pround that right here in Texas, a phenomenon was created when Miss Davis brought her vision to life in the form of the first dance drill team...The World Famous Rangerettes. Since I love dance so much, and boys could not be a part of dance groups back then, I just enjoyed being around my Rangerette friends and hearing all the wonderful stories of their years at Kilgore.
What is your role with the Rangerettes?
I support the Rangerettes by sending money to KICKIN' In., which helps provide for travel expenses when they travel. Additionally I am a member of the DFW Friends of Rangerettes which is a part of the DFW Rangerette Forevers. Forevers_DFW is an organization that was formed to support the World Famous Kilgore Rangerettes. The group is dedicated to the promotion of the Rangerette Organization and the current DFW area Rangerettes, providing assistance and encouragement. Additionally the group meets four times a year providing a social opportunity for former Rangerettes now living in the DFW area and any friends and family members that love and want to share the experience, memories and history of the Rangerettes. Members include Dallas - Fort Worth area "Rangerettes Forever" and "Friends of the Rangerettes". We recently provided snacks to the current Rangerette Line during their practice for the Cotton Bowl performance. When I was on the Miss Texas Pagent production staff and Board of Directore, I was instrumental in getting the Rangerettes to be in the production twice.
Any additional comments that you would like to share?
While I was a flight attendant for American Airlines, my best friend was a recruiter for the new flight attendants. He was from California and had heard of the Rangerettes, but was not as familiar with them as I was. I quickly informed him of their history as the first dancing drill team ever. However, what he did know was that his boss told him that if ever a Kilgore Rangerette came in for an interview, hire her on the spot because they were professional, presented a good appearance, had great discipline and incredible work ethic. American Airlines is headquartered in DFW and the recruitment office was well aware of who the Rangerettes were and knew they were getting a top notch employee if they hired one.
I am grateful for any opportunity to promote the Rangerette organization. I very much appreciate the work you are doing on this project and I am looking forward to seeing the final product. If I can ever help with anything else, please let me know. I have several Rangerette photos on my Facebook page. Look me up...Charlie Hanes.
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