During a crazy night of Monday night football, the new East Meck dance team performed for the first time ever. Twelve East Meck girls got to showcase their skill in front of a large homecoming night crowd. Junior co-captain Shelby Perry and the team had been practicing for weeks to prepare themselves for their first performance.

“The girls were a little hesitant to perform, but overall it was great,” Perry said. “The excitement level was through the roof. The student section was very supportive. They cheered us on the whole time.”

The Golden Delights are the first dance team ever here at East. The team consists of students from all grade levels. Each season they go through an evaluation process to determine the team.

They will try and dance their way into the hearts of the students at East by performing all genres of dance, from jazz to hip-hop to West African and Latin American cultural dances.

“We are also doing majorette dance as well as cool tricks like splits, cartwheels, how to do the death drop,” Perry said. “Just basic tumbling techniques.”

Co-captains Perry and Skyler Tabron started the team because East doesn’t have an official dance class.

“Some girls want to be dancers in college, so we are giving them an opportunity especially since outside classes can be really expensive,” Tabron said.

The Golden Delights have an evaluation process before each season. Then practice three times a week in order to prepare for upcoming performances. They will perform at school events such as football games, basketball games and spirit marches as well as many community organized events.

“We want to be part of the community,” Perry said “Dancing in parades, different marches, and maybe dance for the elders in nursing homes are just some of the places we will dance at.”

Perry feels dance is a method of self expression and communication for her and her teammates.

“It gives them an outlet,” Perry said. “For some people it’s hard to verbally communicate. Some people do that through dance.”

Tabron feels that dance can help people overcome their shyness.

“I’ve seen people who were shy in school and didn’t come out to people, but [dance] helped them find themselves and prosper,” Tabron said.

The goal of The Golden Delights is to be remembered, loved, and appreciated here at East.

“We just want be known as a group who is high spirited and [full of] achievers not only in dance but academically and the community, who represent East Meck well.” Perry said.