The Philadelphia University Ramettes Dance team is known for their sass and attitude on and off the court. Spectators can catch them at half-time during the men’s basketball games and, if we are being honest, who are the spectators really there for: the basketball or the famous Rammettes? Missed them in action? Not to worry, this HC girl had the chance to sit down with the four captains for the 2016-2017 season Maurcedes Bey, Aubrey Kohl, Taylor Geradi, and Taylor Palermo.
When asked how long each of them have been dancing I wasn’t surprised to find that they all have been dancing for most of their life. Aubrey, Taylor G., and Taylor P. both started at the wee age of two years old, while Maurcedes started at age nine, took a break in high school, and then picked it back up in college.
Since they all had been dancing for so long, it only felt natural for them to continue on dancing in college. Taylor Palermo admits she almost majored in dance at another college, so when she came to PhilaU she “wasn’t ready to give it up yet.” I think I can speak on behalf of PhilaU when I say we are glad she didn’t. Maurcedes took her love for dance and used it as a way to have people get to know her as a freshman.
As for how they each got captain positions, Maurcedes and Aubrey both were asked to be junior captains their junior year here at college for their “attendance and choreography contribution” and were promoted to full captain positon this year as seniors. After watching some old Rammettes’ performances before coming to PhilaU, Taylor G. knew she wanted to be captain because her “experience could help the team and [she] always wanted to choreograph [her] own routines.” I think it’s safe to say PhilaU is glad Taylor G. set her eyes on the captain position!
While each of them have gained their captain status differently, all four shared similar thought on what the best part of being captain is. For Maurcedes she loves that everyone on the team is different and has dance to bring them together because without dance, some of them never would have met a school. Similarly, Taylor Palermo loves “being able to connect with the younger girls on the teams.” In her freshmen year she met some of her closest friends and bonded with the older girls on the team and now gets to take on the role of being the older dance team member. Taylor G. also loves having fun with everyone on the team while also getting a break from school work. Aubrey’s favorite thing is “looking back at the videos of [their] dances and seeing how well [they] were able to pull to everything together”.
Finally, just for fun, I asked each captain to tell us a fun fact about themselves. For Taylor G. jazz and hip hop “are [her] favorite styles of dance” and Taylor Palermo is obsessed with Harry Potter. Her obsession goes as far as having a tattoo related to Harry Potter! Maurcedes admits after all this time dancing she still has “a mini heart attack before [she] step[s] on the court to perform.” As for Aubrey, in her high school senior solo in her final recital “the whole performance was improv” as she forgot the entire routine she choreographed when she stepped on stage!
So, there you go, all you’ve ever wanted to know about the backbone behind the Rammettes dance team. Between their reasons for being on the dance team to their own little fun characteristics, PhilaU is glad to have these four girls dominating the court every basketball game! Be sure to catch them on December 1st for their spectacular Christmas routine!