After recent auditions, a Monroe native will join the New Orleans Pelicans Dance Team. She will be one of the NBA franchise’s ultimate cheerleaders.
Chauncey McCoy, a 2008 graduate of Neville High School and Southern University A&M College, auditioned for a spot on the dance team last week. During auditions, she was required to exhibit showmanship, personality, dance technique and style, physical and personal appearance and demonstrate teamwork skills. None of these were a challenge for McCoy as her resume of experience prepared her for what came next. After the evaluations were complete, she was given the green light to join the dance team.
She trained at Gray’s Dance Academy, Linda Lavender School of Dance, the Twin City Ballet Company and was once the opening act for major gospel artist Tye Tribbett. McCoy trained and performed under Jessica Smith Tolliver while a student at Neville High School as one of the Bengal Belles. During her senior year at Neville, she served as First Lieutenant of the dance line and was selected as an American All Star Dancer, with invites to dance in Rome. After graduation, she enrolled at Southern University A&M College in Baton Rouge. At Southern, her dance training would land her a spot on the coveted dance line, the Southern Dancing Dolls. She would dance on the line until graduation. She later taught as an elementary school teacher in Dallas, Texas.
She is the daughter of Brenda McCoy and the granddaughter of Willie Mae and the (late) Elijah McCoy.
