Dance Company Director - Sandy Hinton

Over the last three decades, Sandy Hinton has developed the MCC Dance Company into one of the nation's elite programs, transforming the group from a traditional drill team into a high-energy dance and spirit squad.

Under Hinton's direction for 34 years, the squad has won nine American Dance/Drill Team School National Championships in Division II dance and three ADTS Collegiate Academic Championships. In 2009, the team won the National Dance Alliance Collegiate National Championship in Division II dance for the second time in school history. MCC first won the competition in 2001 and has finished in the top three four times in the last eight years. These teams have featured 13 All-Americans, including Hinton's daughter Heather, who was the first MCC dancer to receive the honor in 1994.

Hinton earned her bachelor's in physical education and speech from Baylor University in 1969 and her master's in physical education from Baylor in 1970. For the next five years, Hinton was the drill team director, volleyball coach and cheerleader sponsor at La Vega High School in Waco. She joined the MCC staff in 1975 and began directing the dance team the next year.

In 2004-05, Hinton was one of three finalists for the Texas Dance Educators Association Achievement Awards and was a finalist for the TDEA Teacher of the Year Award. Hinton has been selected for inclusion in "Who's Who Among America's Teachers" three times.

Hinton is a member of Texas Dance Educators, Dance/Drill Team Directors of America and is a DTDA-certified judge for drill team contests and tryouts. She is the founder and director of Starlite Summer Dance Camps, which serves as a recruiting tool for future MCC dancers.

Hinton's husband, Mike, is also a Baylor graduate and teaches technology for Waco Independent School District. They have two daughters: Haley Honey and Heather Kizer. Heather and her husband, Trey, are the parents of Clay, 4, the Hintons' first grandchild.

The Hinton File

Coaching Experience

  • 1975-present: Director, MCC Dance Team
  • 1970-75: Drill team instructor, volleyball coach and cheerleader sponsor, LaVega High School

Education

  • 1970: Master's in physical education, Baylor University
  • 1969: Bachelor's in physical education, Baylor University