By SEAN DAVIS

The fact that Juilliard was founded in 1905 has been discussed at great length this year. Juilliard alumni, faculty, staff, current students, and patrons alike have all been very proud of the School's centennial celebration.

The cheerleaders at the dodge ball game (Photo by Sean Davis)

A lesser-known fact about the School's celebrated history is that, in addition to displaying excellence in music, dance, and drama for 100 years, Juilliard also has a rich tradition of success in athletics.

The Juilliard School displayed its dominance in dodge ball on Saturday, October 15, on the Milstein Plaza. On that night, students faced off in Juilliard's first-ever homecoming game against the vicious Guilliard School, an archrival conservatory from Antarctica. The Juilliard Penguins swept the Guilliard Minnows 2-0 in a best-of-three series, in a night that was highlighted by a performance by the first-ever Juilliard Marching Band, the first-ever cheerleading squad, and the crowning of Juilliard's first homecoming king and queen.

Sounds like fiction, but it's completely true.

Last June, Keith McDonald and I—two drama students who had just finished our third year at Juilliard—got to talking one night. We spoke at great length of dinosaurs, sailing knots, and Star Trek. We worked on math formulas, wrote a children's story (and illustrated it), and drafted a peace agreement between two warring countries that asked to be nameless. Inevitably, we brought up the possibility of having a homecoming at Juilliard. The idea was very funny to us, but it also seemed like a great way to bolster school spirit during the centennial year, and a fun way for students to get involved.

We brought up the notion to Clara Jackson, who was assistant director of student affairs at the time. She loved the idea and encouraged us to move forward. We did research and discovered Juilliard's mascot is the penguin (no doubt from its resemblance to orchestral members' concert attire), wrote out a proposal and came up with a budget, and we were given President Joseph Polisi's blessing (and financial assistance). But we knew we would need lots of help from the student body if we were going to pull off a homecoming at Juilliard.

Sumaya Jackson (left) and Chanel DaSilva dressed for Twin Day. (Photo by Sabrina Tanbara)

In addition to a Friday-night dance and a dodge ball game on the following night, we planned a Spirit Week leading up to the big events, inviting students (and daring faculty) to show their school spirit by dressing appropriately each day. Committees were created to help organize and run the dance, the game, the Spirit Week, the marching band, the cheerleaders, the pep rally, and the halftime show; more than 30 students helped to put everything together.

Spirit Week was launched with a dress-alike Twin Day on Monday, October 10. As Tuesday, the 11th, was the actual 100th anniversary of the first day of classes at the School, it was the day to dress in Juilliard's official colors, red and blue. Wednesday, people dressed like their favorite celebrities. Thursday, pajamas were required; Friday's dress code was prep-school attire.

At the gala dance in the Rose Building's Kaplan Penthouse on Friday night, the homecoming court (selected by student ballot) was revealed. Fourth-year singers Ross Chitwood and Ainsley Soutiere were crowned as king and queen.

Saturday night's festivities began at 6 p.m. out on the Milstein Plaza, as D.J. Slim began playing music and students were invited to tailgate before the game. We ordered 55 pizzas (which, not surprisingly, disappeared by the end of the night), and students hung out as anticipation grew before the pep rally. Dodge ball coach (and fourth-year drama student) François Battiste pumped the crowd with a compelling speech. The first- and second-year student cheerleaders gave us their vocal encouragement, and the Juilliard Marching Band spurred the fans into song and dance.

Juilliard’s first-ever homecoming king and queen, singers Ross Chitwood and Ainsley Soutiere. (Photo by Sabrina Tanbara)

At last, it was time to play dodge ball—and because so many students signed up to play, we began with a half-hour elimination tournament. Of the four teams from Juilliard, the winning one would play against the archrival Guilliard School.

Now, it should be noted that the Guilliard School is indeed a figment of Keith's and my imagination. There really is no such place, though they have a compelling back-story. Even though the opposing team consisted entirely of Keith's friends outside Juilliard, they maintain that they are a conservatory in Antarctica specializing in mime, clogging, and folk music.

But back to the game: At 8 in the evening, Juilliard's dodge ball team was decided, and took on Guilliard in a best-of-three series. Fans lined the entire east side of the plaza to cheer on the mighty Penguins; even those who were walking past Lincoln Center stayed to watch the entertainment. A swift throw from second-year student Johnny Ramey bought an end to the first game, in Juilliard's favor. Though Guilliard put up more of a fight in the second game, it was not enough. The Penguins defeated the Minnows in what has become known as "the dodge ball game of the century."

The outcome of that series has been talked about throughout the halls of the School. Juilliard will have bragging rights for a whole year, when they will again square off with Guilliard's Minnows for a rematch.

I would like to thank Chris Clarke and Bin Love from Residence Life; Sabrina Tanbara, Clara Jackson, and Allie Timberlake from Student Affairs; President Polisi, and Christopher Mossey from Development for helping to make Juilliard's first homecoming possible. I'll graduate in May—and expect to play in an alumni dodge ball game next October in the second annual homecoming festivities.

Sean Davis is a fourth-year drama student.