North Carolina A&T Introduces Plus-Sized Majorette Dance Team ‘Liquid Gold’ To Foster Inclusivity

The only thing better than solid gold is liquid gold.

North Carolina A&T State University student Jada Mayes created the university’s first plus-sized majorette dance team, Andscape reported. The Liquid Gold team fosters inclusivity of all body shapes and sizes in college dancing.

Mayes, the team’s captain, said, “The sole purpose of Liquid Gold is to create a safe space for plus-sized dancers to build confidence in themselves and their craft without judgment or discrimination.”

The HBCU’s existing majorette team, Golden Delight, has strict fitness requirements. The team’s “Prospective Member Guide” states that a dancer should have “toned legs, back, arms, and abs. Stamina is critical.” The guide also notes, “We have strict physical/body requirements due to the uniforms worn and intense performance style. This is a determining factor in the selection process.”

Still, there is room for everyone to win. Andscape reported members of the Golden Delight are supportive of Liquid Gold. Mayes said to the outlet, “On our TikTok and Instagram page, I’ll see Golden Delight dancers in the comments saying, ‘I love this!’ They’ve been supporting the idea 100%.”

Liquid Gold is still working towards becoming an official organization to receive funding from the university. The plus-sized majorette team created a GoFund Me page to raise money. So far, the dancers have raised $660 of their $5,000 goal.

Sydney Clark, a member of North Carolina A&T State University’s Golden Delight, spoke about the essence of what it means to be a majorette dancer. Clark told Good Morning America that majorette dancers “cannot be defined.” She went on to say the dancers do “things with their body that physically or mentally you can’t really comprehend, but physically you can’t take your eyes off of them.”

HBCU majorette teams have a dazzling history. Good Morning America reported the first majorettes were baton-twirling carnival dancers. The outlet noted the term “majorettes” came from the Dutch word “Dansmarietjes,” and the first HBCU majorette performance was at the Orange Blossom Classic in 1968.