NEW ORLEANS, La. (WLOX) — On Sept. 27, ten members of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Perkette Dance Team performed at the Caesars Superdome during the New Orleans Saints’ halftime show featuring DJ Diesel, Shaquille O’Neal’s musical alter ego.
The Perkettes who represented MGCCC were Abby Vo, Audrey Kate Carr, Braylin Lossett, Faith Olsen, Madelyn Vasquez, Madelyn Casanova, Mallory Peters, Harley Holder, Alyssa Bly, and Kinsley Fussell.
The performance was both a professional-level experience and an opportunity for the dancers to share a milestone with their teammates.
“This experience was like no other,” Fussell said. “I am so grateful for the opportunity and for being able to share it with my team. We had a blast, and I hope we are fortunate enough to join them again in the future.”
“Being able to perform in the Saints halftime show was truly an unforgettable experience,” Peters said. “Getting to do it alongside my Bulldog sisters, teammates and best friends made it even more special.”
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MGCCC was invited along with other dance programs, including the LSU Tiger Girls and teams from Southeastern Louisiana University, the University of Southern Mississippi and Tulane University.
For MGCCC head dance coach and spirit coordinator Britney Patten, seeing the dancers perform on the NFL stage was a significant moment.
“Opening that invitation and seeing ‘Miss Gulf Coast CC’ listed alongside such outstanding university programs was an incredibly proud moment,” Patten said. “To me, it reflects the growth, dedication and tradition of excellence we are building locally and nationally. We may be a small college, but our dancers have big talent, big ambitions and the work ethic to match. We are tiny, but mighty!”
MGCCC said the invitation also reflected the college’s emphasis on connecting dance education and performance with opportunities beyond the school.
Patten said those opportunities give students a better idea of where their careers could lead.
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“My inbox regularly includes requests for our dancers to teach master classes, choreograph for teams and studios, and judge tryouts,” she said. “Those experiences are valuable, but this invitation offered something different: the chance to step into a professional setting as performers. It allowed our students to see another side of the dance industry and imagine where their training can take them.”
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