Encore Extreme Pom Team clinics such as the one Thursday evening in the old Lincoln School gymnasium combine dance and cheerleading with sharp, crisp arm motions with names such as muscle man, bow and arrow and starburst.
Pom-style dancing emphasizes precision and team unity to create visual effect for the audience.
The team and clinic participants perform in Encore Dance Company’s Spring Show at 3 p.m. April 15 at Dowagiac Middle School Performing Arts Center.
“Last time we did an informal concert in here with set-up chairs,” Kimberly Martz, director of the program, said. “I’ve got 35 (first through third grades) in this class and seven in each of the other classes (fourth through seventh grades and eighth through 12th grades), so a total of 49 girls doing the (five-week) clinic, then there are seven girls on the team. I’ve been in poms since high school, and I noticed around this area there was nothing closer than Lakeshore. I put it out there, and it’s had this huge response.”
Pom participants come from dance and cheerleading, Martz said, “and we have other girls who are interested who haven’t done either. They think it sounds fun and want to try it.”
The 49 signed up for three spring classes increased from 32 for the inaugural pom clinic last fall. Girls come from Dowagiac, Cassopolis and Niles.
“A lot of the girls who were in it the first time have come back and told their friends,” Martz said. “(Lake Michigan Catholic) and Cassopolis have invited us to perform at their football games.”
The Extreme Pom Team established last September practices for 2½ hours every other Saturday.
“We’re strictly doing poms,” Martz said, “but, when you get into high schools, they’re called the dance team and they do some jazz and hip hop. The older girls incorporate kick lines like the Rockettes. We’re looking at competing next year with a company called the Badgerettes (of Wisconsin, Michigan and Illinois) and having a camp instructor come to us for training. They do leaps, turns and kicks. (Dance Moms) is heavily into ‘acro’ — gymnast moves, flips and contortionism.”
Martz, of South Bend, grew up in LaPorte, Ind., and attended Ball State, where she started the Burris Dazzlers Dance Team at Burris High School and received her bachelor’s degree in dance performance and dance education.
At Encore School of the Arts she also teaches clogging, musical theater, hip hop and contemporary dance.

Auditions
What: Southwest Michigan Extreme Pom Team auditions
When: 6 to 8:30 p.m. April 19 and 6 to 9 p.m. April 20. Both dates are mandatory.
Eligibility: All girls ages 13 to 20 eligible. No experience required.
Informational meeting: 5:30 to 6 p.m. April 19
Contact: Kimberly Martz at (574) 386-0033 or like the new Southwest Michigan’s Extreme Pom Team Facebook page.