Battle Of The Tails (Historical Black Colleges And University Majorette Dance Position) : Fabulous Dancing Dolls vs Sensational Stingettes (video, information, & comments)

Marvin Price, Oct 8, 2019

 THE BATTLE YOU'VE ASKED FOR!

The battle of the decade!

Dolls vs Stingettes Full Battle!

Port City Battle of The Bands 2019

10/6/2019

Videographers Marvin Price and Willie Tucker

****
Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases a 2019 YouTube video of a battle between two historically Black Universities' majorette dancers who have the "tail" position in their dare in their dance squad: Jada Delpit, from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and a member of Southern University's Fabulous Dancing Dolls; and Nyah Williams. from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and a member of Alabama State University's Sensational Stingettes.

This post presents information about the "tail" position in HBCU (Historical Black Colleges And Universities)  majorette dance lines and includes some commetns from the discussion thread of that embedded video.

The content of this post is presented for historical, cultural, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Jada Delpit and Nyah Williams and thanks to all members of their majorette dance squads. Thanks also to the videographers of this video Marvin Price and Willie Tucker, and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publisher of this video on YouTube.
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2021/03/the-best-historically-black-colleges.html for the closely related pancocojams post entitled "The Best Historically Black Colleges And Universities' Majorette Dance Tail (Position) Moments (video, information, & comments)".

****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE TAIL POSITION IN HBCU MAJORETTE DANCE SQUADS
From http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2016/08/hbcu-majorette-dance-line-terms.html Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCU) Majorette Dance Squad Terms
Azizi Powell, 2016

"Tail (noun)- the tail is the Historically Black Colleges And Univesities (HBCU) majorette dance position that is the second most important position in the dance squad (after the captain)

Tailing (verb) - performing the movements of the tail position

Traditionally, the person in the tail position was the tallest dancer. Because the members of the dance line were arranged by height, the tail was the last person in the (horizontal) row of dancers. However, dancers are no longer assigned the position of the tail based on their height. Instead, every dancer on the squad/team- including the captain and the tail - have to compete every year for a position and the Squad's Director decides who has the best skills for that position. A "crab" (first year member of the squad) can be a Tail, but the Captain is almost always an upperclassman. Also, a dancer who was a Tail can advance to the Captain position. 

The tail is known to exaggerate her end movements at the end of the squad's dance routines, dancing in slow motion, and performing other motions such as how she sits down at the end of the routine. These exaggerated, slow dance movements attracts attention to her. The dancer is said to be "extra" (in this context, "extra" is a complimentary term that means that the person is doing a lot more than what other people are doing. The person is "over the top". excessive, dramatic, doing a lot). For example, the Tail takes her time sitting down at the end of her majorette squad's routine. Her "tailing" movements are designed to bring attention to her. 
-snip-

Added 8/3/2016 - My daughter reminded me that historically Black Greek Letter organizations (BGLOs i.e . fraternities and sororities) also use the term "tail". The tail is (or was?) the tallest person in that fraternity's or sororities' line (of people who are "pledging" or working to join that organization). In BGLO yard shows/step shows, the tail is the last person in a horizontal or vertical row. The tail usually exaggerates his or her movements, moving in slow motion and is "extra". This exaggerated, slow motion movement can especially be seen during a ripple (the movement is done in a staggered manner, each person does the same movement or similar movements, one right after each other).
-snip-

DISCLAIMER: 
I'm an African American community folklorist who is interested in documenting and sharing information about HBCU majorette dance squads. I'm interested in this subject because HBCU dance lines are a part of African American culture which isn't well documented on the internet and may also not be well documented outside of the internet.

By no means do I consider myself an expert on HBCU dance line cultures. I really need the help of HBCU majorette dancers and fans to add to and correct this list and improve the way these definitions are phrased.

Note that some of these terms (such as "ace" and "tail") are also used by historically Black Greek letter organizations with similar meanings..  

****

INFORMATION ABOUT THESE COMMENTS
(These two names for these Tail (position) majorette dancers are given In alphabetical order)

"Jada" (Jada Delpit) refers to the majorette dancer in this video who is the Tail (dance position) for Southern University;s Fabulous Dancing Dolls. Southern University is located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana (USA). 

 "Nyah" (Nyah Williams) refers to the majorette dancer in this video who is the Tail (dance position) for Alabama State University's Sensational Stingettes. Alabama State University is located in Montgomery, Alabama (USA).

**
Unless otherwise noted, these comments are from 2019. Numbers are given for referencing purposes only.

****
SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THE DISCUSSION THREAD OF THIS EMBEDDED VIDEO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HO-Rxu9NIlo&ab_channel=MarvinPrice

1. Danisha
"0:52 Marvin got his life. When she walked in them stands, I lost it."

**
2. It's Just Shay
"Jada don't owe me nothing... She is so extra 😂😂😂 Niyah moves are more sharp... Opposite of fluid -- I think overall from the footage here... I vote for Jada"

**
3. afrocentrix
"You better sit with a purpose Jada!!!! Yesss taillll

Show ‘em how you’re supposed to do a proper sit down!!"

**
Reply
4. Margaret
"afrocentrix  Sis Jada leg was POINTING to the skyyy"

**
Reply
5.KP Tate
"Love Nyah, my good sis had a bone to pick with SU but Jada is so precise and owns that tail position. Sorry Pooh!"

**
Reply
6. louisianaboi08
"Let’s just talk about how both Tails are from Baton Rouge and putting on!! We already know who run this dance world! Louisiana Girls period!!!"

**
Reply
7. pinkpoet08
"Ms. Delpit said Y’all want some tail action, here I am!!!"

**
Reply
8. Paris Mckinley
"Jada came well prepared 💅🏾"

**
Reply
9. rene burnett
"Ha Ha Ha! When Nyah threw that foot up pointed and shook that shoulder, I was on the floor! She's on the right team. Ha Ha!"

**
Reply
10. Farren Lovely
"Yep, Sting are a much better fit for her and Bri. No shade."

**
11. Rayshawn Wren
"Nah we wanna see Captain vs. Captain not a third year vet vs. a Crab 🤷🏾‍♂️🥴"
-snip-
This comment refers to the fact that Jada has been a Fabulous Dancing Doll for three years while this is Nyah's first year as a Sensational Stingette. (A "crab" = a person who is in her first year on a majorette dance squad.  "Crabs" are usually Freshmen at that University.)  

 **
Reply
12. Chung Uptown
"Rayshawn Wren A Tail is a tail....doesn’t matter how long you’ve been on the team...sorry🤷🏽‍♂"

*️*
Reply
13. Rayshawn Wren
"Chung Uptown I said what I said, sorry 👍🏾"

**
Reply
14. Tippi Doo
"I agree to a certain extent, however Nyah is holding her own as a freshnen to even be matched up with a vet."

**
15. Ashley Jones
"Jada gotta rehearse nyah tails so natural. You can tell Jada went to practice just for this battle. She gets no points nyah been on her sh-t*. Let's see them captains periodt... Imo"
-snip-
*This word is fully spelled out in this comment.

**
 16. Tiki
"I love this "tail battle" concept, Marvin! Both Jada and Nyah did great jobs, but I give the edge to Jada."

**
Reply
17. Miahope
"Nyah is definitely a beast & she’s doing well for a freshman but bias aside, Jada was the better tail that day. Her form alone takes the cake.  Some people likes to say she’s rehearsed but maybe she just knows what she wants to do in that moment. Every tail come up with ideas prior to performing but I don’t think that’s Jada’s primary method. I believe this a taste of what she may gives us this season."

**
Reply
18. ms san2016
"Yes!  l feel like Nyah need time to really get comfortable but it's in her to be a beast tail.  Jada got 2 yrs over her.  Wait til Nyah a junior, PM sure she won't be tailing"

**
Reply
19. Just Air
"Lol what’s wrong with being rehearsed? Beyoncé don’t go out to perform a 4 hour show not knowing what’s she’s about to do!🤷🏾‍♂️"

**
Reply
20. Miahope
"Just Air I guess being tail means you have to freestyle all the time. At least that’s what the fans says."

**
Reply
21. Amari Inasad
"ms san2016 I would rather a rehearsed, wig snatching sit down, than a lackluster freestyle. Jada ate every bit of every sit down!! 🔥🔥🔥"
-snip-
From https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Wig%20Snatching
"Wig Snatching
A term used mainly by gay men and women to express extreme happiness or excitement when their diva has done something amazing, shocking, or gives life by any means

See also wig scalped
"Beyoncé out here wig snatching with that Bowl Performance!"

"Did you see how Mariah came for Demi Lovato on Watch What Happens Live? I died! Wig snatched."
#wig#wig snatched#wig snatching#scalped#i live#gives life
by User_nombre April 15, 2017"

****
22. Jess Young
"Jada baby come take 13 of my 20 wigs PLEASE"

**
23. shantavia harvin
"Jada won this! But I gotta give props to Nyah too because she’s just that girl PERIODTT"

**
24. Aquann Smith
"Jada!!.lol nyah giving us those doll leg extensions"

**
25. MrGib702
"I’ll GIVE It To JADA this time but Y’all need to put some RESPECT ON NYAH Name. She has been the ONLY CONSISTENT TAIL WHOS BEEN GIVING IT EVERY GAME.  And this is her 1st Year. If they see each other again I GUARANTEE NYAH for the kill."

**
Reply
26. David Stovall, 2020
"RIGHT  like it’s both jada and Nyah first year but jada just more experienced cuh she been on the team longer they needa give Nyah some respect cuh she the only tail that  i seen as a crab that eats as if she was a VET PURRR🥺"

**
Reply
27. ABlackH
"Nyah showed out and I think she had slightly better form...but for the animation and creativity? This one, hands-down, goes to Jada. And shout-out to her for singlehandedly saving the Dolls from a complete wipeout."
-snip-
This word is given in bold font in that comment.

**
Reply
28. Yasminee Bisshh
"Nyah that was really cute but Jada is not to be played with"

**
Reply
29. Hellixz
"Exactly everyone keeps thinking just because Nyah threw a doll stand and did a doll sit down she won but if you look closely she didn’t match the style of the dolls. Jada leg was a full pointed to the gods every sit down so to me you get zero points for mimicking a style if you can’t match it 100% or better!"

**
Reply
30. Chung Uptown
"Hellixz thank you please preach...I mean at the end of the day I would have expected a better leg extension from her....but yea epic fail 👎🏽"

**
31. Yosemite
"Nyah showed out & her Doll sit was cute but Jada won the tail battle. Y’all complaining about the lack of footage & her being a crab is a cop out. If the stingettes is running the SWAC everything on the team is supposed to be untouchable especially the captain & tail. Jada was also more creative so the W goes to her"
-snip-
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southwestern_Athletic_Conference
"The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) is a collegiate athletic conference headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, which is made up of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in the Southern United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I for all sports; in football, it participates in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), formerly referred to as Division I-AA."...

**
Reply
32. Melanie Hart
"Both of these teams are good in their own right.  To me, what sets the Dolls aside from ANY other teams is  their visual presentation.  You can be clear across the field and notice their synchonized, percise movements because they have that one key element that one brilliant mind thought of a knew it would put them on another level.  It doesn't  matter if their wearing beautiful perfomance costumes or their battle gear, the white gloves put them on another level.  Just take your mind off everything else and just watch how the gloves enhance their movements.  They use their arms alot in their counts and it's beautiful to look at; even with the not so good counts."

**
Reply
33. QueenP
"For this performance, I’ll give the W to Jada, but overall so far this year... Nyah came swinging out the gate. Can’t wait to see what you else these ladies have up their sleeves. Now a battle of the captains please 👀"

**
Reply
34. Unapologetically Dee
"Jada was better this day but Nyah been slaying all season and is the better tail out the two."

**
Reply
35. Madame Boutté
"Jada took it for TAIL but Janae/Stingettes were the BEST overall team for the night! Both teams brought it to the table but Stingettes ATE hunni chile!"
-snip-
In this video, Janae is the Captain of the Sensational Stingettes.

**
Reply
36. CJ lane
"Honestly I used to love the Dolls. But the Stingettes. The Stingettes are the 1s ok!!!!!!! These other teams are 2s and 3s! Nahh but the whole video was basically of Jada, so it seems a little bias to me. So I vote for Nyah bc she serves ALL DAY IN THAT TAIL SPOT PERIODT!!!!!!"

**
Reply
37. ms san2016
"Her Doll sit down alone was it for me."

**
38. Taki Bella
"Now girl wait a damn minute 0:47 🔥🔥 Thank you Marvin cause the girls made it seem like Jada fell flat...And the one where she told them to hush🤫 Nyah did her thing too but my critique for her is the fluidity & flexibility in those layouts. She needs more back flexibility & she’ll be good. Say what y’all want about the Dolls but that’s something they’ve mastered. Their tails lay them backs out for the gawds & it looks so heavenly when they do it! Especially that triple tail action from last season🤯 But this was a good battle, I love the rivalry. People always anticipate for these two squads to face off"

**
39. Jaycee Tea
"I love that Jada is giving us what Kaylon didn’t (or couldn’t? 🤷🏽‍♀️) last season.  Miss Jada is a beautiful young lady and The Dolls will always serve you some classy sassy, from the Captain to the Tail....  BUT NYAH THO!  That girl makes me HOLLA!  I’m so glad the Stingettes brought back the Tail, she is showing out in that spot.  I hope they keep her there until it’s her time to move up to the front.... sends wish to the SWAC gawds"
-snip-
These words are given in bold in that comment.

Kaylon was the Tail for the Fabulous Dancin Dolls last season (as of the time that comment was written). 

**
Reply
40. David Stovall, 2020
"Y’all keep using the same excuse “oh Nyah a crab and jada a vet” baby this is jada first time tailing like shut up they both did a very good job !"

**
41. R K
"Stingettes. The reason i didn’t choose the dolls is, The tail isn’t a full 28 count performance. It’s a slow exaggeration. That’s it, The exact same ripple the captain threw with razzle dazzle. That’s all you need. You don’t even have to change the exaggeration move when each ripple is thrown. It makes the team look less collegiate, and unprepared"

**
42. BRYSON TheBlonde
"Nyah threw a whole doll stand and a doll sit down don’t play with her ..."

**
Reply
43. Anna
"She did, and love her as tail, but her doll sit down was just shade and I don't think the dolls were intimidated"

**
Reply
44. Anna
"...and she can't hold her leg up like Jada, so I wouldn't challenge a doll on a doll sit down unless I could match the flexibility"

**
Reply
l45. ouisianaboi08
"BRYSON TheBlonde I Mean she was trained by a Doll... Jus saying"

**
Reply
46. Angela Jones
"I really like Nyah but I mean Nyah been doing doll sit downs IM CONFUSED as to why everybody is acting like it’s brand new? She was trained by a Doll and auditioned to be a Doll lol! If you’ve seen her dance before college..she’s been doing Doll tings 🤷🏽‍♀️🤷🏽‍♀"

*️*
Reply
47. BRYSON TheBlonde
"Her sister is a doll so it’s fun shade !!!!"

**
Reply
48. Angela Jones
"BRYSON TheBlonde  Fun shade? Oh ok gotcha lol!!!"

**
Reply
49. Why Is This Happening
"@BRYSON TheBlonde  Wait, so who is Nyah's sister? Is it Kaylon?"

**
Reply
50. BRYSON TheBlonde
"Cc. Sweetings it is"

**
51. Devin Turner
"I feel like the stings killt the dolls but a far as tailing it was jada all the way"

**
Reply
52. Devin Turner
"Jada won and nyah if you gone mimick the dolls make sure its better and not worse try again next year"

**
53. MM
"Jada please don't do another LAYOUT !! 🤦🏾‍♀️ If you do I'm going to scream🤯"

**
Reply
54, Thee Jay Sanders II
"I mean if y’all wanna keep seeing layouts from a tail watch Jada I guess 🙄 Nyah slyaed and y’all can’t take because she a freshman oh [profanity deleted] well 🔥"

**
55. Giving What's Supposed To Be Gave
"Nyah ate down hunny! Jada had way more clips and this is her third year dancing for a collegiate team.  From Nyah FEW videos she slayed and that doll sit down shut everything Jada did for the rest of the night. Hell...... maybe Jada should've did the stingettes sit down baby this a battle not patty cake."

**
56. T And T Visions
"Nyah is Pure SULTRY, Jada is Entertainment I call it a tie one lack what the other specializes in"

**
Reply
57. Parker Noel
"It depends on what you like. I say a tie but STINGETTES was overall best. They running the swac right now"

**
58. Google Me
"SU tail knew what she was gonna be up against and practiced. Hard.  Stingette tail brings it EVERY SINGLE GAME. Both were entertaining."

**
59. Shira J.
"Both ladies amazing!

Jada was very polished....regal even

Nyah....a star!"

**
60. rene burnett
"I love both girls! They showed out!"

**
61. Stacey Brinker
"Southern University's tail got that crab COOKED"

**
62. Jss Pss
"Both did really good ... Baton Rouge stand up!  Jada is definitely the best tail for the Dolls in years!"

**
63. Chung Uptown
"Can we just shine light on both tails from Louisiana....Louisiana runs the swac 🤷🏽‍♂"

*️*
64. Bevenly Johanson
"I’ll give it to jada she did amazing. You can’t compare 2 different styles but I can tell Nyah is going to be my fav tail for stingettes. Mel is still the best tail that ever graced dolls. It seems a little forced for jada."

**
Reply
65. Markiese Thomas
"Bevenly Johanson sis nothing was forced about Jada it’s literally some the most creative sit downs I’ve seen but to each it’s own 💁🏽‍♂"

*️*
Reply
66. Leroy Holmes
"Heyyyy!....u know how impossible it is for the human body to bend backwards,  PASS 90°, and sustain it that long? Even the best of us loses their balance after 60°, and end up flat on their derriere. Jada has honed that talent to perfection, as everyone has noticed. She's de-bomb tail, n you all Know it, so give the credit to where its deserved...JADA,  u my Queen!"

**
Reply
67. bubbly929292
"Exactly its forced"

**
Reply
68. Leroy Holmes
"Regardless,  she did it with grace n fortitude.  No one knows but her as to how she physically felt after her sit down, but she DID it."

**
69. bubbly929292
"Lol jada doing WAY too much. Nyah been killing it ALL season and shes much more fluid she makes sense."

**
70. MyLoveIsADrug
"So Bri isn't the Stingettes Tail?  What am I not seeing"

**
Reply
71. Kendrick Brunson
"Their tail and ace are opposite of  how the dolls are"
-snip-
I think this comment refers to where the dancers in those positions are located in the stands.

**
Reply
72. MyLoveIsADrug
" @Kendrick Brunson  thank u I didn't know that at all plus Bri is killing so I thought somebody was trying to be funny🤣and not acknowledge her"

**
73. Talented T
"Ima Go Ahead And Put My Two Sense In Here lol. Okay So From What I’ve Been Seeing “ALL SEASON” 👀Is Nyah “EAT!!!” That Tail Spot. Now Jada Is A BOMB Ass Doll🙌🏼💙💛😩(don’t get me wrong) but she ain’t eat that spot like that til “this night.” Maybe Cause She Gotta Heads Up That This Here Video Was Gone Be Made.👀 (I Mean something had to be done to try and save the team from that ass whooping😭) Or maybe she has and I just couldn’t get past watching a full video of the dolls alone this season.👀 OOP! Ima Shut My Mouth Now🤣💀👐🏼"

**
74. XAVIER MANN
"Okay so let’s not act like this video wasn’t made to throw shade back at Nyah  because your girl Jada was feeling some type of way after Nyah shaded her..... Out of a 3min video there was only 30sec of Nyah lol y’all better hope the stingettes don’t meet the dolls again because baby the dolls will get stung again"

**
Reply
75. Jade Y
"XAVIER MANN  Jada could not even see all the way over there nor do I think she was or is worried about what Nyah does as tail."

**
Reply
76. XAVIER MANN
"Jade Y I’m talking about after everything was over hunni......  I bet you she definitely seen the video of Nyah shading her. This video has messy written all over it.

**
Reply
77. I said what I said
"Nyah didn't specifically shade Jada...she shaded the Dolls period."

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.