MATTHEW BURNETTE, Staff Writer

Coffee County Central High School Raiderettes are holding a dance clinic on January 11 as a fundraiser for the dance team.

The Dance Eras Tour will feature songs from Taylor Swift and Eras Tour openers Sabrina Carpenter and Gracie Abrams. Participants will get to learn a dance routine and get the opportunity to perform during halftime at an upcoming basketball game.

The clinic lasts from 2 p.m. to 5p.m. and is available to children from PreK to high school. Participants will be grouped based on age. Dance coach Sherry Burnett says she hopes for a good turnout and especially would like to see some high school aged participants.

“I’m trying to grow my team for next year, so we’re hoping that we’ll get some eighth and ninth graders to come out,” she says. “I’m losing four seniors so I’m hoping I’ll find some interested middle schoolers and freshmen to come out and show interest in maybe joining our team next year.”

A link is available on the dance team’s social media pages to pre-register to the event. It’s $40 to participate and pre-registration guarantees receipt of a commemorative Eras Tour themed t-shirt which Burnett says are “really adorable.”

Registration is also available at the door from 2 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., though t-shirts aren’t guaranteed with day-of registration. There will also be a parent performance at the end of the clinic at 5:15 p.m.

“I really hope that we can just share the love of dance and what we do,” Burnett explained. “I think a lot of people don’t really know what a high school dance team does. We, of course, support all of our sports teams at the high school, but we also go to dance competitions.”

The Raiderettes participated in two dance competitions in 2024: TSSAA State in Knoxville in November and Dance Team Union in Nashville.

“I have ten of the best, most hardworking girls on my team this year and I really want them to be able to show what they love with the community and everybody around here,” Burnett added.