HUNTSVILLE – The Cotton Candies, an all-female marching krewe based in Huntsville, are packing their signature white boots and pink hair in preparation for a New Year’s Day Parade in Rome, Italy.
“We are thrilled to represent Huntsville in such a beautiful place,” said April Black, Cotton Candies co-captain. “It’s such an incredibly historic location. We will be parading by the Spanish Steps. I cannot wait to dance in front of the thousands of people lined up on the Spanish Steps.
“That’s just gonna be incredible.”
It’s already been quite the journey for the Cotton Candies who started in 2014 when Huntsville announced its first Mardi Gras parade.
“I’m from New Orleans and grew up in the parade and krewe culture,” said Black. “So when the Huntsville parade was announced I texted some girlfriends and told them we are doing this.”
Black said within a matter of weeks they had the name Cotton Candies and the look – white boots and pink, lots of pink.
“Of course, the cotton part kind of represents a bit of the northern Alabama area,” she said. “But being cotton candy is something you associate with going to carnivals, parades, fun things. It’s fun, it’s fluff.”
Black said the Cotton Candies are modeled after the traditional march krewes of New Orleans.
“It is a performance,” she said. “It’s choreographed marching, if you will, because it is dancing but because we are moving down the street, it’s not a stationary static performance.”
Black said the music also plays a big part of the Cotton Candies’ performances.
“Usually the music has a message of empowerment or it’s very, fierce, sassy kind of a thing,” she said. “We always pick music that embodies how we see ourselves and also how we want to project, what kind of energy we want to project to the people watching.”
In their first parade in Huntsville, the Cotton Candies started with 30 ladies decked out in pink wigs, costumes and white boots. They have since grown to 52 members, ranging in ages from 25 to 60.
Jenni Sproul said she has been a part of the group since it began in 2014.
“It’s a lot of work and you have to be willing to put in the time to practice,” said Sproul. “But then to go out on parade day and just watch the little girls’ eyes light up when they see the pink is great.”
Sproul said there’s also a lot of creativity involved.
“Everybody has a different costume. The requirements are a pink wig and white boots. That’s the first requirement and then you build your costume around that,” she said. “I’m a cowgirl and I’m almost always a cowgirl but some people change their costume every time.”
According to Black, the Cotton Candies work six months on and six months off with their parade season kicking off each September. This year between October and March the Cotton Candies are participating in 11 parades and some Mardi Gras events.
“When we’re off, we still do social things together,” said Black. “Because, what has happened over the years with these 52 women, is it’s become a very large friend group who supports each other.
“That’s really at the core of the Cotton Candies. We are women who support women and every member contributes.”
Black said the group is self-funded and any payments they receive are funneled into nonprofits they support.
“We are a 501c nonprofit and have performed in support of Blount Hospitality House and Crisis Services of North Alabama as well as other efforts in North Alabama,” said Black.
The Cotton Candies have performed all over Alabama, including Mobile, Huntsville and Decatur. But the upcoming Rome parade isn’t their first trip across the pond.
“In 2019, we performed in the London New Year’s Parade,” said Black. “Several of our members had children that were marching band members for James Clemens High School and they participated in the London New Year’s Day parade in 2016. Through that, the people with the London New Year’s Day parade found out about us and invited us to perform in 2019.”
Despite worldwide invitations, Black said their hometown crowd will always be her favorite.
“There is something about the Huntsville crowd knowing that we’re from Huntsville and there is a roar,” she said. “Sometimes we can’t even hear the music as we’re dancing because people are cheering so loud, so we practice knowing the music will go away.
“It makes my heart swell big time.”
The entire Rome News Year’s Day Parade will be broadcast on PBS at 10 p.m. Jan. 1. To keep up with the Cotton Candies on their journey, follow them on Facebook.
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