Pantherettes prepare for basketball season

Pantherettes perform during half time at a home football game.The Pantherettes begin practicing at the beginning of the year and perform at all home football and basketball games throughout the year.

Nate Killeen

Divine Ryan is a sophomore on the Pantherettes, a dance team for NC. Pantherettes are not to be confused with the cheerleaders. 

The Pantherettes perform at home football and basketball games. Basketball season hasn’t started yet, but at the football games, they would perform before the game and then again at halftime. They dance to four or five songs at each performance, and they always wear their unique uniform, a sparkly red dress. 

Many people confuse the Pantherettes with the cheerleaders, though they are very different activities. 

 “Cheerleading is more cheer-oriented, whereas the Pantherettes are focused on dancing,” Ryan said. 

Though the Pantherettes dance to multiple songs, Ryan has a favorite song to perform. 

“My favorite song to dance to is “I Got You (I Feel Good)” by James Brown & The Famous Flames,” Ryan said.

The Pantherettes practice twice a week on Mondays and Wednesdays for over two  hours. Every day at practice, they learn a new routine, and in the preparation leading up to game day, they review all of their songs.

The high school’s middle school night is a fun experience for the middle schoolers and high schoolers to come together. The mini Pantherettes from Eastwood and Westlane join the Pantherettes from NC and perform the dances with them in front of the audience.

Ryan enjoys herself and has a lot of fun doing it.

“I would rate my enjoyment of Pantherettes an 8 ½ /10”, Ryan said.