Male Pomalink challenges gender roles
Junior Salvador Diaz-DeBose becomes newest male member of the LHS dance team
Center: Salvador Diaz-DeBose (11), and the rest of the LHS Pomalinks, hype up the crowd at the Homecoming pep rally on September 21st, 2018 in the Johnson Gym. Photo by Makenzie Hornby
By Anthony Torres, Emily Price, Zeke Williams
Issues of gender identification have always been controversial, and they are especially prominent in our current society. Many members of this generation are working to redefine labels and expectations.
A prime example here at Lincoln High is junior Salvador Diaz-DeBose, better known as Sal to his peers. Diaz-DeBose is currently the only male member of the Lincoln High dance team, the Pomalinks.
“I’ve found a new way to express myself,” Diaz-DeBose said.
In the past, the Pomalinks has traditionally been an all-female team- not because of rules, but because of the expectations of the prescribed gender roles in society. [There has been a male Pomalink in the past, however. Greg Ward, class of 2011, was a Pomalink his senior year*.]
“I would’ve joined earlier but I never knew guys could try out for a predominantly female dance team,” Diaz-Debose said. “I love my team–I can’t stress that enough. Everyone accepts me as a dancer, and we grow as a team every week.”
In addition to dancing for the Pomalinks, Diaz-DeBose does studio dance at Piccoli Dance theatre, as well as the competitive dance team.
According to Diaz-DeBose, the competitive dance team helps dancers define their skills through competitive stage experience and performance based practice.
“Every team member works hard on the dances we learn to compete with surrounding dance studios,” Diaz-DeBose said. “In the spring, I am competing in three dances, a duet and two group numbers. This is my first year on the team, and it has been the best experience and has helped me with so much.”
Diaz-DeBose is also often found on the stage in productions. He has been involved with Hello Dolly!, M*A*S*H, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court for the Lincoln High Theatre Department, as well as various shows for the Lincoln Community Playhouse and Pinewood Bowl Theatre.
Lincoln High’s atmosphere is described as diverse and inclusive–a place where everyone is free to be themselves, even if their version of themselves challenges the stereotypical gender roles.
Diaz-DeBose views his biggest achievement of being on the Pomalinks as, “[getting] to spread the message that anyone can dance or feel comfortable doing what they love no matter what race, gender, or background you come from.”
*Correction:
An earlier version of this story had stated that Diaz-DeBose was the first male on the Pomalinks. The first male Pomalink was actually Greg Ward, class of 2011.
Whats up? My name is Anthony or Tony and I am a staff member of the Advocate, I enjoy supporting LHS. GO LINKS!!!
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Hey, y’all; Emily Price here! This year I am a senior here at the High. Other than being a staffer at the Advocate, I’m one of four of the lovely dance...
Ron Leach • Dec 20, 2018 at 4:51 pm
First of all, congrats to the entire Pomalinks team on a great year so far. I was privileged enough to be at the Sept 12th pep rally and saw a male Pomalink (Not to be confused as a ‘Pomahunk’-as there have been several of those over the years at the switch rallies- of which I am 3 year year veteran lol) and it made me smile. Up to that point, it had been quite awhile since I had been back to LHS and so I just figured he wasn’t the first, but highly impressed that our school was encouraging and open to the idea.
For those of us who identified ourselves as something contrary to the norm back in high school, and it being a time where not everyone was as open minded and accepting as most people are now, it still puts a smile on my face to see our school being so open and encouraging to new ideas, different ideas, and letting students explore and express who they are. Bravo to my former teachers, coaches, administrators, and friends who make LHS somewhere that students can be safe and explore themselves, and also somewhere that makes alums like myself so proud to say we are LINKS for life. Congrats to the Pomalinks team on an incredible year so far, and you have and will always have PLENTY to be proud of 🙂
Correction • Dec 20, 2018 at 4:44 pm
“In the past, the Pomalinks has been an exclusively female team”
There was a male Pomalink back in 2010-2011.
Sal is still great, and I’m glad you wrote an article, just thought that Greg should get some love, too.
Gregory Ward • Dec 20, 2018 at 1:53 pm
This is awesome! I’m so happy to see someone using the Pomalinks to challenge the idea that only women can do it; we are all powerful, and finding that power is awesome!
However, Sal is not the first male Pomalink. There was a male Pomalink in the 2010-2011 school year. It was me. 🙂
Ms. Deborah McGinn • Oct 31, 2018 at 5:53 am
I am very impressed with the Advocate staff of writers and photographers this year. This article, is especially valuable, positive and smart. Thank you.
Ms. McGinn
Ayesha • Oct 30, 2018 at 8:58 pm
Love it and wish him the best at competition.