Remembering J-Sette founder Thee Shirley Middleton Blakely

Ry’N Good
Variety Editor

 As fans take their seats at the Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium waiting to enjoy another game with the Jackson State University Tigers, The Sonic Boom of the South fills the ears of ecstatic fans as they enter the stadium.

The drumline keeps the steady beat as the band members bob their heads as they march, with the drum majors leading the way, and as if that isn’t eye-catching enough, the beautiful Prancing J-Settes greets everyone with bright smiles as they march their way into Tiger Stadium.

The Prancing J-Settes were founded in 1971 by the talented Shirley Middleton Blakely, next year makes 50 years since the worldly dance team was created.

J-Settes is the auxiliary dance line of Jackson State University’s marching band, that is formed from the twirler/majorette body. The group was originally named “Prancing Jaycettes”, but the names was changed to “Prancing J-Settes due to name conflicts with another local organization.

Shirley Middleton was a trained ballet dancer, who held the J-Settes to the utmost standards as they danced to the choreography of the late Hollis Pippins, a JSU twirler and well-know dancer of high performance in Jackson, Miss.

http://pancocojams.blogspot.com, the dance team today is still widely known for their astonishing dance routines, and the famous moves such as the “Salt and Pepper”, “J-Sette Walk”, “Strut”, and the “Tip Toe.” Middleton served as the team’s sponsor from 1970-1975 and she even taught dance at Jackson State as well.

The icon recently lost her battle with Alzheimer’s at the age of 74. On Oct 24, family and friends gathered to remember the legacy Blakely left behind. Her friends discussed that she not only enjoyed dancing but she enjoyed being a mother and spending time with her family.

On a WLBT news report, her daughter Bernadette Blakely, expressed how special her mom was in her life.

“She was a great mom. She celebrated holidays, she made Easter baskets for us until we were grown, we did Christmas parties, we went to wrap gifts at our cousin’s houses…. we just did all kinds of family stuff.”

Blakley will forever be remembered and loved by the Tiger Nation.