MALE TEEN-AGER GETS KICKS FROM POMPON SQUAD PARTICIPATION

At first, the Cape Central High School Pompon Squad looks like any other -- 24 girls dancing on the court at halftime.

Then the observant fan looks a little closer. One of those girls is a guy. And he's got pompons.

And he's really good.

Soon, the fan's attention is riveted on the one male in the group, who shakes, kicks and spins just like all the rest. Then the performance is over, and 15-year-old Neil Totton heads back to the dressing room -- a separate one, of course.

Totton is Cape Central's first male pompon squad member, no small achievement for a black teen-ager attending a conservative, predominantly white school. But after 11 years of dance lessons, once-a-year recitals weren't enough; it was time to show off his talents.

"I came to one of the practices, and it looked fun," Totton said. "I talked to my parents about it, and my mom said, `If you want to do it, do it.' She warned me that there would be problems."

He tried out in March. Pompon sponsor Martha Stephens said she had doubts about Totton's possible participation. In her four years as sponsor -- and in the history of the school -- no male had tried out for the squad. And even male cheerleaders don't carry pompons.

Every candidate performs a dance in front of eight judges, and their marks determine 70 percent of the total score. The other 30 percent is based on attendance and grades, and the combined score determines who gets to be on the squad.

Totton made it easily. Stephens was in for a challenge.

"It was kind of ironic because formerly two or three girls went out for the wrestling team," she said. "I encouraged them, but now the ball was dropped in my lap. I could see right away that he was a good dancer, but there would be choreography problems, costume problems and dressing problems."

Ellie Bennett, a senior and captain of the squad, said she wasn't initially thrilled with Totton's participation, either.

"It's my senior year, I was head captain, and I thought, `Why me?'" she said. "I wondered if we should feature him, hide him ... but then I realized he was only one of 24 people out there. We did everything as usual, and it was a lot easier than I thought it was going to be."

The girls' regular costume is an orange and white bodysuit with a skirt, but Totton wears shorts. Besides that, he dances like everyone else and keeps a good sense of humor about it. The sponsor said Totton was one of the strongest dancers on the squad.

"I don't have anything to shake, but I shake it like everyone else," he said, smiling widely.

Despite the smiles and jokes, his participation hasn't been easy. Even after several weeks of performing, Totton still attracts a great deal of attention -- primarily positive, some negative. Some of the high school boys in crowds shout his name; others question his motives for participating.

"The most stupid question was if I'd wear a skirt," Totton said. "Do guys wear skirts? Those people are just ignorant and immature."

In addition, some of the girls on the squad initially felt a little discouraged by all the attention Totton received. Even that feeling faded over time.

"I've known Neil for awhile, and I knew he'd be good if he tried out," teammate Andrea Benton said. "I don't think his presence hurts us at all."

Totton's mother, Annette, and the rest of his family have remained supportive. Annette Totton's pride in her son is apparent. She exercised with him and her daughter at Universal Physique on Wednesday.

Her son was wearing his pompon squad sweatshirt.

"We knew it wouldn't be easy, but he's glad he did it," she said.

Totton's dance career probably won't end with the Central Pompon Squad. He said he wants to attend college on a dance scholarship, then become a professional dancer or open his own studio.

But, like most 15-year-olds, he's keeping his options open.

"I don't know," Totton said. "It's either going to be entertainment or law."