BAXTER — A portion of the basic black leotards with a double-breasted jacket seen on the dancers during the halftime show of Super Bowl XLVII held in New Orleans — were designed and made right here in Baxter.
This is the second Super Bowl in the past three years where Just For Kix (JFK) in Baxter made the costumes.
JFK made the costumes in 2011, which were the lighted, silver hooded unitard costumes.
“We’re really excited about making the costumes again for the Super Bowl,” said Cindy Clough, chief executive officer of JFK. “It’s a wonderful opportunity. This year’s Super Bowl is not as extensive as it was in 2011. This year we made costumes for 70 dancers on the field. Last time we made close to 400 and the costumes were more detailed.”
Clough’s daughter Alexandra Clough, a 2007 Brainerd High School (BHS) graduate, and Brittney Schubert, a 2010 BHS graduate, danced in the halftime show at the Super Bowl with Beyonce Knowles. Alexandra, who currently teaches at JFK studio and camps and is a costume designer, also danced in the 2011 Super Bowl with the Black Eyed Peas.
Alexandra designed a portion of the costumes again for this year’s Super Bowl. JFK made the black leotards, but not the jacket. JFK sourced out the fish net tights and the black ballroom shoes to the company, Capezio in New York.
Alexandra said JFK didn’t get final approval for the costume until Jan. 14 and then wanted them as soon as possible. The costumes were made at the Teehive in Baxter, owned by JFK.
“I sent them samples of the costumes three times and they had minor changes to them before finalizing the costume,” said Alexandra.
Alexandra said the leotard is a basic, princess cut design with a high leg. She said the costumes were made with a zig-zag stitch. Alexandra said the Super Bowl organizers want the costumes to fit perfectly, so she made adjustable seams.
Cindy said that making the Super Bowl costumes is not a profit-making venture.
“It’s just a lot of fun and a good way to market ourselves,” said Cindy. “The guy we work with is so busy and he’s worked on the Miss Universe pageants and the TV show ‘Pretty Little Liars.’”
Cindy said the costumes were made pretty quickly. Two sewers worked on them for two to three days.
Cindy said it was through Kristen Patterson Terry, who used to work in the JFK in Brainerd as an intern and summer camp dance teacher years ago, that got JFK the job. Terry, who is a Wayzata native, was in charge of doing the choreography for the Super Bowl. Terry is a free-lance producer and choreographer, who formerly lived in Los Angeles but moved to North Carolina.
Cindy said that Terry will not be at the Super Bowl, since she has to be at a Justin Bieber concert, so Alexandra and Shubert may be a back-up during the halftime show.
Clough watched part of the halftime show rehearsals, but had to fly back to Brainerd Friday because she is the head coach for the Brainerd High School dance team that will compete Saturday at the Section 8-3A dance competition at Elk River High School.
JENNIFER STOCKINGER may be reached at jennifer.stockinger@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5851. Follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jennewsgirl.
