For Southwest High School senior Joseph Herrera, being named captain of the Dragon Fire Dance Team is more than just a title.
“I am actually the captain for next year, and it's pretty cool because I am the first ever male captain in Southwest ISD history,” he said. “It's what I aspired to do, and I'm finally able to show it off for all the hard work that I've done.”
While making history is exciting, he says the true magic of Dragon Fire comes from the team's culture.
“We build a tight-knit family,” he shared. “We support each other no matter what. We're never embarrassed to dance in front of each other, go full out, or just be ourselves. We all have different personalities, but somehow we create this magic together.”
As the first male captain, he hopes to inspire other students to pursue their passions without limitations.
“It's kind of hard for guys to be on dance teams,” he said. “I want to show that guys can achieve more than just being on the dance team, they can be the captain of a dance team. I worked hard to get here, and it's amazing to see how much we've grown.”
Looking ahead, he hopes every member of Dragon Fire feels the same sense of belonging that inspired him.
“We're like a close family, and we honestly love each other so much,” he said. “You can always be comfortable here, no matter who you are or where you come from. We expect you to grow and become the person you always want to be.”