CHARLOTTE (QUEEN CITY NEWS) – In March, Queen City News was followed by four people who tried to join the Carolina Panthers cheerleading team, The TopCats.
The semi-finals and the first two days of the finals were held at Harding University High School in Charlotte. The Carolina Panthers donated high school money this year to use their facility.
The final day of the TopCats Finals was held at the Bank of American Stadium in downtown Charlotte.
During active trials, both weekends were three days long, approximately four to five hours a day. The semifinal weekend lasted 12 to 14 hours and the finals lasted 12 to 14 hours.
The active trials did not include the countless hours that participants practiced on their own.
Over 650 people registered for TopCats auditions. Out of these 650 people, 127 were invited to the finals. Out of 127, 78 were selected for the finals.
The Queen City News crews were there with the TopCats finalists for tens of hours as we followed their journey trying to form the Topcats family.
After the Final Weekend, all the veterans who auditioned made it into the team this season, and a total of 30 people were selected for the team. TopCats has shared their 2022 lineup here.
Annalise Coleman
Annalize is from the military city of Jacksonville, North Carolina. Read also : Dezmon Patmon, Mike Strachan make the most of chances as Colts fall to Lions. Her supportive family includes her father who served in the military, her mother who is a teacher, and her younger sister.
She has been dancing since the age of 3, competingly dancing for the Dance Theater of Jacksonville and the Fox Troupe Dancers.
Annalize graduated from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 2016 with a dual specialization in Public Health Education and Dance. At the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, she was a member of the dance team and captain. She also studied with professors Duane Cyrus, Janet Lily and Lindsey Howie.
Annalize is currently a professional cheerleader and has performed in the Super Bowl and ProBowl and various tours overseas.
She is a fourth-grade nursery dance teacher at KIPP Change academy, Charlotte’s charter school, where she formed her first dance company. The dance team has performed at many Hornets parties and games!
In her free time, she enjoys running fitness classes on the “Bounced by Annalize” trampoline and spending time with family and friends.
Rockii Nelson
Rockii dreamed of becoming TopCat from an early age. Read also : Lehigh Valley high school football: Whitehall gets pep rally and boost from residents at Community Fellowship. Being able to touch multiple lives and being a great role model for the community are just a few of the many reasons why she wanted to become TopCat.
Rockii Nelson is from Spartanburg, South Carolina and is a graduate of Winthrop University in Rock Hill.
She received a bachelor’s degree in dance performance while underage in the theater. He currently serves as the director of the Spirit Squad and Principal Trainer at the University of Winthrop, and also coaches, choreographs and instructs other dance teams.
Rockii wants to pursue an executive career while earning a master’s degree. The use of tools in dance and theater allows Rockia to work with people of all ages and backgrounds, while pursuing her passion for art.
Jaleel Cheek
Born and raised in Lexington, North Carolina, Jaleel Cheek has nurtured his passion for dance since the age of seven. On the same subject : Panthers Patriots Football | National sport | heraldchronicle.com. In his family studio, Jaleel began taking technical lessons in high school, then studied dance and performance at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
Under the guidance of professors such as Robin Gee and Duane Cyrus, Jaleel grew up in a variety of dance styles and his lifestyle as a dancer began to develop. Over time, Jaleel has studied and covered many genres of dance, including jazz, contemporary, acrobatics, hip hop, vogue, and majorettes.
The ability to share the stage with professional Drag Queen participants at the RuPauls Drag Race VH1 has made him a seasoned artist who makes the audience want more. Working with other talented artists, Jaleel has even appeared on TV shows such as Vybz Dance vol. 4 and America’s Got Talent Season 13, gaining both local and national exposure.
Collaboration with companies such as SAY WHAT ENTERTAINMENT and PRYSM Management gave Jaleel the chance to connect with other professional dancers while perfecting his craft as a versatile performer and leader.
Jaleel is currently on tour with Amazon Prime Personality and Drag Race Legend MoHeart, where he specializes as lead dancer and oversees the production of tour choreography.
His momentum is endless, he develops daily as an artist. With his passion for dance, Jaleel hopes to create an international company that will inspire the world with its innovative choreography, unmatched style and appreciation for dance education.
While the goal was to create TopCats, I quickly went back to the lab to create more dream magic. Being a choreographer for professional drag queens definitely requires a full schedule of dedication and creation.
Since auditioning, I’ve been working hard alongside Televisions International Star, MoHeart. We completed two West Coast tours and just got back to the states, completing our second Canada tour. I am immensely grateful for these opportunities and look forward to many more. UK is next on my list!
Taylor Railton
Taylor is from Bermuda and currently lives in Huntersville with her fiancé. Taylor has been dancing since the age of six and fell in love with him at the age of thirteen.
Since then, she has studied and performed around the world, including in Los Angeles, London, San Francisco, Utah, and North Carolina, and earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts from SUNY Purchase College in New York City.
She was fortunate enough to perform in all styles of dance and was always looking forward to the day she could audition for Topcats.
In her spare time, Taylor enjoys exercising, discovering new cafes, playing with the cat Nitro and being with her family.
The biggest news I have since rehearsals is that I got engaged! My fiancé planned it perfectly because I didn’t want to join the team and a few days later my entire Bermuda family was at my house and my – then boyfriend – got down on one knee.
It completely turned my world around and I was reminded of how lucky I am, even in difficult times. Besides, I work, exercise and dance! I follow all the current Topcats on social media so I keep up with them and can’t wait to see them sparkle on the pitch!
