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.
