The Lancerettes have dazzled the Neshannock crowds with their dancing talents on the field and court for years; however, this winter the Lancerettes took their talents to the NBA!
After taking part in an AmeriDance camp, held at NTSD, in June, the Lancerettes were awarded a bid to perform during halftime of a Cleveland Cavaliers basketball game! The team had to earn that bid by learning different dance techniques and dances, all choreographed by an AmeriDance instructor. In addition to earning the NBA halftime bid, several Lancerettes earned individual bids. Although they were unable to attend, Marisa Saad, Kelcey Avau, Hannah Veronesi, Olivia Cwynar, and Lainey Brucker all won bids to perform at Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade!
The Lancerettes were thrilled and excited to be a part of the CAVS Spectacular Performance Teams on November 23, 2019. In leading up to the big halftime performance, our dancers had a busy day! They hit the road at 7:30am in order to give themselves enough time to make it to their five-hour dance workshop at the Downtown Cleveland YMCA. At the workshop, they were able to meet and greet the other teams performing. It was then that our Lancerettes found out they would not only be the only dance team performing — all others were cheer squads and individual bid winners — but also the only squad representing PA!
Heather Williams, AmeriCheer/AmeriDance Instructor, choreographed the halftime routine. She even asked the Lancerettes to take centerstage so they could showcase their opening leaps and Hannah Veronesi’s individual spins. The entire AmeriCheer/AmeriDance team gave our students the red carpet treatment with kindness, respect, patience, and encouragement! Before the girls headed out the door, they were given their halftime performance gear that consisted of pom poms, t-shirts, and bows.
Our students met up with their families after the workshop for a quick bite to eat before taking in the sights and sounds of Downtown Cleveland on their way to the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse — Home of the Cavaliers. The girls were immediately greeted by the Cavaliers’ hip hop dancers fondly known as the Scream Team, where they were able to dance their pre-show jitters away!
The VIP treatment continued as security escorted the Lancerettes to their fantastic seats — what a way to experience an NBA game! They got to enjoy the first quarter of the basketball game before meeting up with their AmeriDance instructor for one last practice. It wasn’t all work and no play though — the girls had an opportunity to take plenty of photos with their teammates, new friends, mascots, and the Scream Team!
Our Lancerettes gave the performance of a lifetime alongside their fellow AmeriCheer and AmeriDance bid winners! The huge crowd, fieldhouse, music, lights, and more emitted an energy that was unlike anything they had ever experienced! It is safe to say that this NBA experience will be one that our Lancerettes cherish for a lifetime!
Our Lancerette advisor, Mrs. Regina Manos, wishes to extend her sincere gratitude to her co-advisor, Mrs. Lori DeMatteo, volunteer coaches Taylor Rand and Megan Thorman, as well as the incredibly supportive Lancerette parents, NTSD Administration, and Lancer Community! Congratulations on a job well done, Lancerettes! What a great day to be a Lancer!
Please click on the video below to see photo highlights, as well as the full halftime performance:
What Did the Lancerettes Think of their NBA Debut?
This whole experience was an amazing opportunity. I really enjoyed how we had one on one help with Heather while learning the routine. I was very surprised we got the hang of the cheer routine so easily. My best memory by far was just spending time with my team and getting to know other teams. It was truly a once in a lifetime experience. – Bella Cwynar
Performing at the CAVS was a great experience. My favorite memory was making new friends and dancing with girls from different places. I learned that is shouldn’t matter what other people think of you and it’s okay to make mistakes. – Kelsey Delaney
I really enjoyed all of the AmeriCheer experience. I learned the importance of acting and rehearsing as a team, and what it takes to make a team become one. Heather was an amazing instructor. She always had a positive attitude, and was very helpful and kind to my teammates and me. This experience will help me in my dance career because it gave me experience of dancing in front of a huge crowd, and getting in the correct mindset of being a performer. It is an experience I will never forget. – Dani Memo
The CAVS performance was an amazing experience. My favorite memory was when we all went out and danced with the Scream Team before the game started. It was very fun to be able to spend the day with my team and experience new things together. We are very lucky we got this opportunity and it is something I will always remember. – Lainey Brucker
Performing at the CAVS game was an experience of a lifetime. I had so much fun and will never forget this opportunity. My favorite part about the event was definitely getting to meet new people and make new friendships. – Hannah Veronesi
I really enjoyed how we got to learn something different than what we usually do. This routine included both hip hop and pom parts, which is different from what we usually do. It pushed us out of our comfort level to allow us to become better performers and reach our full potential. – Sydney Lockley
I thought that the CAVS game was a great experience and something new that I have never had the chance to do before. All the instructors were amazing and made the 5 hour practice go by so fast. It was a really different experience being able to perform on the Cleveland Cavaliers court and I am very grateful that I had the opportunity to do so. Thank you so much for allowing us to perform on behalf of AmeriDance/AmeriCheer. – Kelcey Avau
My favorite part was the clinic. I loved working with and meeting new people. The clinic taught me about perseverance, because it was hard work to keep dancing for 5 hours. Heather was very welcoming and always ready to help, which made the experience fun. What I’m going to remember the most is just how much fun I had during the clinic and all the laughs shared. – Haley Harcar
The AmeriCheer/Dance experience is one that I’ll never forget. Before we arrived in Cleveland, I didn’t know what to expect and was very nervous. As soon as we got there, everyone was so welcoming and friendly, I had nothing to be worried about! My team and the other performers caught on so quick and we all worked together as one even though there were 70+ of us. My favorite memory of the whole experience was being able to get featured as the only dance group in the performance. This is by far an experience I will never forget and cherish forever with my team. – Olivia Cwynar
Performing at the Cavs game was an amazing experience that I will never forget. Heather was very patient and made sure we were having fun during the 4 hour clinic. The Scream team dancing with us before the game started was very fun. Even though I messed up on the court, it was amazing to have fun with all the new friends I made. In general, this was a great experience that I will always remember. – Marisa Saad
I had a great time performing at the CAVS game! I enjoyed performing with many other girls I didn’t know and making new friends. I also enjoyed being challenged by doing cheer instead of what I’m used to. I think we all learned that day that we are all capable of much more than we ever would have thought of. I think it was a great experience for us all to get closer as a team also. Heather was so great and patient with us considering we are not a cheer squad. – Madison Frasso
Lancerette Advisor Regina Manos
Lancerette Co-Advisor Lori DeMatteo
Volunteer Coaches: Taylor Rand & Megan Thorman