[Nebbe] Synchronized swimming has been an official Olympic event since 1984.

Girls at Roosevelt High School in Des Moines, however, have participated in the sport for much longer.

We're a club, but it is as much a sport as anything else.

I think people think that we're just kind of floating around in the water.

But you generally use every single muscle.

I just like to think of myself as a fish really.

♪♪ I was doing an interview prep and someone was like, name one fun fact about yourself.

And everyone was like oh, I have four cats.

I'm like, I do synchronized swimming.

And everyone is like, whoa.

Like in the water?

Sunshine, two, three, four.

Okay.

♪♪ I love it.

Being in the water is just fun and it's a great group of girls.

♪♪ Honestly, being able to say that you are a synchronized swimmer, that is something that not many people can say because not many schools have that.

♪♪ Sharks is the nation's longest running synchronized swim club.

We have been a part of the Roosevelt community since 1926.

It started kind of as a promoting swimming organization and then synchronized swimming became something that was part of the national consciousness.

There were a lot of films that had synchronized swimming and Sharks turned into this really cool organization where they could do this sort of water ballet and put on a great show for the community.

♪♪ Two, three, four.

One, two, three.

Three, two, one.

We're entirely student-led, which basically just means that all of the routines are taught and choreographed by students.

♪♪ Right.

Left.

Right.

Swish.

Sail.

Ballet.

Pin under.

♪♪ Okay, next formation.

We do try to keep it light and fun because Sharks is supposed to be fun.

But it is sometimes awkward being like hey, I know we're really close and we're friends, but you have to stop talking.

Can everybody lay out, please?

And stay there.

Whenever you're swinging, it's this arm.

Always go towards the middle.

Swing.

Back.

Front.

Up.

Do these every day until Pageant.

Can we do all of that?

♪♪ Look at your lines under water.

♪♪ ♪♪ The amount of work that it takes to put on this show, or to do synchronized swimming at all, is unbelievable.

Oh, that looked good.

The amount of time you're under the water, holding your breath, the amount of strength it takes to do a ballet leg and hold your leg out of the water while staying afloat is really incredible.

We can hear the music underwater, which is awesome.

♪♪ You also have to be looking around and watching when there's formation changes to make sure you're going the right way, you're not running into anyone or you're not going to get kicked by a foot.

One, two, three ballet.

♪♪ Also lifts, those are a big challenge.

There's a base and then there's feet, a back and then ankles and then the fly are on top of the base and you have to all work together to push at the same time so your lift goes up and down.

♪♪ They have such a good time.

It's their chance to lead a group and they get a lot of leadership experience.

But they have a lot of fun doing it.

The sense of sisterhood in the group is really strong.

I love coming to practice.

I get excited and I'm like ugh, I have to go to math and physics.

And then I'm like oh, but then I get to go to practice after this and it's really fun and I enjoy it.

♪♪ (intermittent chatter) Sharks is something that is so unique.

Looking back these past four years, I just couldn't be more grateful for what I've learned and how to interact with people.

It has honestly been the best four years of my life.

That is so cute.

Isn't it?

♪♪ ♪♪ The nerves don't really hit you until right before when you're standing in the doorway and you can see the crowd and you hear them cheering and you're about to run down and you're just like -- ♪♪ Let's hear it for your seniors!

(applause and cheering) ♪♪ Pageant is a show that we work towards all season long.

It's our one show to show the community what we've been working on all season.

We don't compete.

So, it's something that we put all of our energy to.

♪♪ I love Pageant because I get to share what I love with other people and I get to show it to them and be like, look, we've been working super hard and we did it!

(applause) ♪♪ That's something that is really hard about being student-led is you're always wondering like my friends are going to see this, my classmates, my peers.

What are they going to think?

♪♪ It's really rewarding and it's really fun to perform in front of a lot of people.

♪♪ I can't even hold myself from smiling when I'm in the water, it's so hard.

♪♪ It's like an atmosphere I've never felt before.

♪♪ I think as great as Pageant is, as wonderful as it is to see the alumni, to see the kids cheering, I think the most important thing for Sharks for me is knowing these girls will have these memories forever.

♪♪ These girls have so much fun together and they really lift each other up, which in high school is so necessary and so important.

And it's just a joy for me to see and I hope more people will come to see our Pageant and see how amazing these girls are for the sport, for the school and for each other.

♪♪ (applause and cheering)