Leopard Look: Alyssa Whitmore

Erika Jenkins, Staff Writer • December 15, 2017

Grace Nguyen

Senior Majestic Major Alyssa Whitmore performs during halftime of the home football game versus Royce City.

At a Glance:

Favorite movie: “Mean Girls”

Favorite style of dance: Contemporary/lyrical

Best subject in school: Math

Least favorite food: Fish

Favorite word: Origami

Looking Deeper:

The Red Ledger: How long have you been dancing?

Alyssa Whitmore: I’ve been dancing since I was three, and then in fourth grade I joined a competition team at the Dance Movement, then joined Majestics in high school.

TRL: How did you get started dancing?

AW: My mom put me into dancing when I was super young, and ever since then I’ve always chosen dancing over the other sports I was in. I chose to join Majestics and quit studio to be more involved in the school, and I was also tired of doing the same kind of dancing all of my life and was ready for a change.

TRL: What was the process to become a Majestic like?

AW: I felt really prepared for the auditions because of all my dance experience, but I was nervous to leave all of my old dance friends and make new ones. Majestics is also very different from studio dance, so it was a little difficult to transition. But I was still confident.

TRL: What are the responsibilities of being a major?

AW: Maintaining a balance of keeping the team excited and having a fun environment but also getting everything done and staying on topic is what I’ve tried to focus on. I’m also in charge of cleaning and choreographing a few dances, leading the team on to the field and stage, and also making sure people are following the rules and Mrs. Morrow’s expectations.

TRL: What’s your favorite part of being a Majestic?

AW: I love all the people I’ve met and friends I’ve made. Being a Majestic is like joining a new family, and you just get so comfortable around everyone. I also love dancing and getting to perform under the Friday night lights and hearing my name. This year we [are] also going on a cruise, so I’m super excited for that.

TRL: What do you think is the most common misconception about dancing?

AW: A lot of people think dancing is easy, but there is so much more that goes into it than typically shown. In Majestics, we get up super early and work for hours. Majestics is also all year long, and we don’t get any breaks. We work so many different parts of the body that other sports don’t really use.

TRL: What are your goals for dance in the future? Are you going to dance in college?

AW: I’m not planning on joining the dance team in college, but I might still take a few classes and maybe even teach when I’m older.

TRL: What has your overall experience in Majestics been like? If you could sum it up in five words, which would you choose?

AW: I’ve enjoyed being in Majestics. I’ve had a lot of highs and lows through the years, but I would never change it. I’ve learned a lot about how to be a leader and gotten to continue dancing. [I would describe it as] studious, exhilarating, joyful, stressful, fun.

About the Contributors

Erika Jenkins, TRL Reporter

Freshman Erika Jenkins first found her passion for writing in early elementary school through UIL. She entered a few creative writing competitions and then stopped writing until eighth grade, when she enrolled in the middle school newspaper class. Since then, she has been writing non-stop, whether for the newspaper or just for fun. Along with newspaper, Erika enjoys playing lacrosse and plays for an elite team in Dallas. She has tried many sports over the years, including basketball, soccer, cross country, and dance, but only lacrosse has held her interest. When she isn’t playing lacrosse or writing, Erika enjoys spending time at the Lovejoy fieldhouse as a student athletic trainer.

Grace Nguyen, Section Editor

Fueled daily by three iced vanilla coffees, standing at 5’2”, Grace Nguyen will walk into the E103 door with no problem. Grace is entering senior year, and the only reason she is believed to have survived high school is because of the napping couch in the photography studio. During her time on staff, Grace has been to almost every football game, win or loss, and wouldn’t have changed a thing. Yes, Grace has been tackled by football players, run over by coaches, and body slammed by referees. Nonetheless, Grace will confidently walk on the field this year, bruises and all, alongside her sideline media team. Stepping outside the newsroom, which is rare, Grace enjoys playing softball, hanging out with family and friends, and finding excuses to go to every $3 Pazookie Tuesdays at BJ’s. After high school, Grace hopes to pursue a career in sports photojournalism, so watch out for her still getting run over by athletes on ESPN in the years to come. Although it’s bittersweet to leave newspaper upon graduation, Grace is thankful for all the opportunities that she’s had on staff. Through The Red Ledger, Grace created long-lasting friendships and won a lot of awards that she never imagined was possible. Grace hopes that current and future staffers will think of this national-award-winning publication the same way as she did–a second family and their home away from home.