Ultimate Cheerleaders (The First Five Years)

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2009-03-22T17:13:00.000-04:00

We're now at UltimateCheerleaders.com

Update your bookmarks, or feel free to browse the archives of our first five years (Apr 2004-Mar 2009)

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Michelle Guidry Named Turfcats Cheerleader Director

2009-03-18T06:00:00.000-04:00

From Turfcats.com

The Austin Turfcats were pleased today to announce that Michelle Guidry has been named the Director of Cheerleading and Dance for the team.

Guidry is originally from League City, Texas, south of Houston. She grew up dancing from the age of three. She attended Clear Creek High school where she was a member of the Cavaliers Dance team and was honored to be an officer for two years and serve as Captain of the dance team her senior year.

After graduation Michelle spent two years at Kilgore College where she was a member of the world famous Kilgore College Rangerettes. While with the Rangerettes her performances include the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City, the second inauguration of President George W. Bush in Washington D.C., several halftime performances at Dallas Cowboys games and halftime performances at the Cotton Bowl.
After attending Kilgore College, Michelle went on to finish her college career at Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas. She majored in Psychology and minored in Sociology. Michelle attained a degree from Texas State University this past year in Psychology.

Guidry spent two years cheering and dancing for the Austin Wranglers of the Arena Football League. Her second year she was honored to also direct the team and choreograph routines for the cheerleaders.

She is looking forward to a great season with the Turfcats! The team cheerleaders are currently seeking a title sponsor. Having your company's name on our team can reach approximately 250,000 sports fans each year. More importantly, a title sponsorship can help establish a scholarship fund for members of our team. With rising tuition, and increased demands on our team, we desperately need a scholarship fund to ensure our program's success.

Cheerleaders Need to Make the Hard Cuts

2009-03-17T17:50:00.000-04:00

The Ravens had their cheerleader tryouts last weekend, and it's never easy looking for the "total package."

by Mike Duffy, Content Writer
BaltimoreRavens.com
Mar 7, 2009

An unprecedented number of glittered faces, dance shoes and fluorescent tights filled Baltimore’s Merritt Downtown Athletic Center last weekend for the first step in becoming a Ravens cheerleader.

And now, the work really begins.

Ravens cheer coordinator Tina Galdieri was joined by a select group of judges - a diverse 20-member panel that included Ravens corporate sales account executive Brad Downs and Mickey from 98 Rock - to whittle a list of nearly 200 potential rookies and 35 returning veterans down to the 70 names she brought back Tuesday for an intense round of interviews.

It’s all part of finding what Galdieri calls “the total package.”

Sure, a cheerleader needs to look good in a small outfit - or in the Ravens’ case, a swimsuit.

Of course, cheerleaders have to be able to dance.

Those factors make the first two days of evaluations relatively easy when it comes to the final piece of the puzzle - personality.

“It’s an overall package, kind of hard to explain,” she said. “You obviously need to have the look and be able to fit into what the Ravens cheerleaders wear on a regular basis. You definitely have to have some skills - both in cheer and dance.

“And then, it’s about personality and character. What have you done in the community? Are you comfortable being out in front of people. It’s an in-depth process.”

Galdieri personally interviews each candidate for 15-20 minutes and asks the tough questions. With somewhere between 150 and 175 appearances throughout Baltimore and the surrounding area expected this year, the cheerleaders need to be prepared for every situation.

“I can’t keep sending the same ones every time,” Galdieri said. “I want to have confidence with all of the cheerleaders, so it’s a difficult job looking through all the cheerleaders to find them.

Galdieri expects to have the squad finalized by the beginning of April, but the road has been long even to this point.

It started with two cheerleader clinics in February, where anyone with dreams of wearing an official sequined Ravens logo can come to practice for the actual tryouts.

Cheerleader veterans led the recruits through lessons ranging from a simple pirouette to a more complicated dance routine. The girls were also given tips on what to wear to tryouts, from the sports bra down to the white tennis shoes.

“We encourage all the tryouts to go to the clinics, because you really get a sense of where you’re at and what this competition is all about,” Galdieri explained.

That’s what Meghan D. did last year when she tried out as a rookie, and obviously, it helped. She went from sitting on the fence to a spot in the 2008 swimsuit calendar after attending the final clinic at the urging of a friend.

“Last year, I went to school at Mount St. Mary’s with Erin, who has been on the team two years now,” said Meghan, who is a third-grade teacher in Havre De Grace, Md. “When I graduated, she emailed me one day and said, ‘You know there’s only one clinic left, right?’ I ended up going, and even though I was still so nervous at the tryouts, it really helped.

“Now, I know a little bit more about what to expect, but you still get some of those nerves.”

Even the seasoned veterans get a little nervous, as well.

Leslie A., who contributed to the “Ravens Spirit” blog on BaltimoreRavens.com, said that last season would be her last after a six-year run on the team.

But, she couldn’t help herself after watching the Ravens advance to the AFC Championship. Leslie knew that even as a veteran, she would still have to impress the judges regardless of her previous tenure.

“It never gets any easier for me,” Leslie said with a laugh. “You just have to be at your best every year.”

Galdieri, however, was happy to see Ms. October back for another shot.

“I said, ‘I think you still enjoy it and don’t have an attitude like you’ve been around here and don’t need to work,’” stated Galdieri. “Usually, I can tell when people start turning negative about things. That’s when they want to give it up. Not with Leslie. She’s still been very upbeat, still in great physical condition.”

Both Meghan and Leslie did make it to the group of 70, which will get cut further by Galdieri and Co. before to a final practice round March 24.

It may be a taxing route to becoming a member of the Ravens’ cheerleading team, but to everyone involved, it is also worth it when the final product runs out of the tunnel at M&T Bank Stadium.

“We’re never lowering our expectations,” Galdieri said. “We’re trying to get better as a squad every year.”

Mike Duffy

Mike Duffy
BaltimoreRavens.com

Houston Rockets Power Dancers Dunk

2009-03-17T11:40:00.001-04:00

Here's a sneak peak at the sort of footage you'll be seeing on the UltimateCheerleaders.com TV show:

Axe Maidens in the Community

2009-03-17T10:21:00.000-04:00

On Thursday, March 12th Axe Maidens Lauren and Jaclyn made an appearance at the "Masters of Disasters" 16th annual Golf Tournament to support the American Red Cross. The event took place at Deerwood Country Club., Jacksonville, Florida.

The Axe Maidens welcomed over 100 participants and handed out promotional items in support of the upcoming Axemen season. The Axemen donated a package for the silent auction which included tickets, t-shirt, official rugby ball, hat, and more.

“It’s so important to participate in events such as the Masters of Disasters to help support charities such as the American Red Cross which does so much for the community and those in need. These organizations rely so heavily on our support so that they can continue to provide the services needed to help others. The Axe Maidens look forward to attending more events such as this one.” According to Axe Maidens Director, Darlene Clancy.

The Axe Maidens are looking forward to their 2009 auditions on March 28th. For audition information contact jaxaxemaidens@hotmail.com

Tami Krause is Mrs. Minnesota International 2009!

2009-03-17T08:48:00.000-04:00

Tami Krause (Mrs. Bloomington) was crowned Mrs. Minnesota International 2009 on March 15th in St. Cloud. Minnesota, where she competed with other "county/city" title holders from across the state. These women are recognized for their achievements as individuals and as a vital part of the family unit.

HER PLATFORM

"The HEART of the Matter!" Tami has been a volunteer speaker bureau with the American Heart Association since late 2004. She is also an advocate for the AHA and serves on the Go Red Education Committee. She is very excited to be assisting with the development of the AHA Ambassador program later this year.

She began research on heart health after her husband Aaron was diagnosed with a genetic heart condition called a bicuspid aorta. Tami discovered that the AHA offered programs, services and education in so many areas that were relevant to her life. Her husband is living a healthy lifestyle and doctors have said - so long as he is following the "heart healthy plan" they don't anticipate any further monitoring of his condition until he reaches age 50.

With three young children, and as the Head Coach and Coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings Cheerleaders and Swarm Performance Team, she is working everyday in an industry where health and fitness are tremendously important. She knows first hand how rewarding it can be to take charge of your health, get educated on health topics, share your knowledge with others and to make it a family priority! It is her hope to inspire people to consider the "Heart of the Matter" and how it affects their and their families lives.

More at MrsMinnesota.com

Behind the Scenes at the ChivaGirl Photo Shoot

2009-03-16T20:37:00.023-04:00

The Sunday before last, the ChivaGirls (dance team for the MLS Chivas USA ) reported to the Home Depot Center in Carson , CA for their very first team photo shoot. The plan for the day was to photograph the girls individually for their team photo and profiles on the Chivas USA website. With almost 20 women to beautify, outfit, style, and photograph in a single day, they certainly had their work cut out for them.

When I arrived around 8:30 in the morning, things were in full swing, but you could tell that the switch to Daylight Savings Time had hit everyone pretty hard. It was a bit chilly in the room, though and that helped wake everyone up. I checked the digital thermometer on the wall. 54 degrees. Woo! This was going to be fun!

As always, I took tons of photos for you guys. Check them out here.

The previous day, ChivaGirls Director Aimee Edmundson had clued me in on the plans for the photo shoot. There would be a new approach to the team photo this year. The team shot is their signature photo and will be posted on the Chivas USA website and will be autographed and handed out by the dancers at numerous game day and community events.

A lot of people will see this photo, so it has to be perfect.

Instead of a standard dance team photo, with the ladies lined up in rows, Aimee was going to try something entirely different. A little elbow grease was called for, as this project involved props.

Aimee’s husband Gavin had been put to work constructing a collection of giant letters to spell “ChivaGirls.” The plan was to position the girls in and around the letters. They’d shoot each letter individually, and then Photoshop them together for the team photo. Photographer Mike Nowak (who also shot the team’s swimsuit calendar) was going to jazz it up a little in post-production, so the finished product would be really slick. I couldn’t wait to see it all come together.

Aimee was the first person I saw when I walked in the door. She showed me all of the letters set up in the corner of the room. Each letter one was about five feet tall and made of half-inch foam board and plywood. A few of the letters had 2x4s built in for the girls to sit or stand on. Gavin swore up and down that the boards were sturdy enough to support a dancers’ weight, but I was a bit doubtful. A 2x4 is pretty narrow. I kept thinking how funny it would be if someone jumped up on that letter H and the whole thing crashed to the ground. Crash! Bang! Boom! I mean, it would be bad of course. It would kind of ruin the photo shoot, and someone could get badly bruised. But imagine watching that video over and over. It would never get old.

(Does that make me a bad person?)

I was particularly interested to find out which girl would have to perch on the center bar of the letter H. Somebody’s hindquarters would be extremely sore by the end of the day. I wonder if the ChivaGirls get hazard pay?

Most of the girls had arrived before I did and a few of them were already in hair and makeup. Big curlers. Fuzzy slippers. Uggs. It was all glamour.

(I have a photo of Emi in her Kimono with hair in rollers. I’m keeping that one to myself though. Emi could hurt me if she wanted to.)

There was a lot of ChivaWear laying around the room. Some of the girls were trying on their uniforms and warm-ups for the first time. All of the girls got new boots. There was a cardboard box off to the side, where the veterans had tossed their old boots. Poor, sad go-go boots. They had obviously seen some rough times.

Looking around, I immediately noticed someone I didn’t expect to see there. She looked an awful lot like the red pailette girl I mentioned in my earlier post. (FYI: her name is Erica. Thank you Amanda, for the scoop on that.) I mentally ran through the photos of girls who had made the team. As far as I knew, the only blondes were Laura and Mandi. Yet here was a third. After about 5 minutes of peeking at her from the corner of my eye, I was 100% sure it was Erica.

What was she doing there? I’d seen the list of girls who made the team, and her name wasn’t on it. I did a quick headcount. She can’t have replaced someone. All 17 members were accounted for. Had she shown up at mini-camp and everyone was too chicken to take her aside and say “Look honey, you didn’t make the team. This nice man right here is going to escort you from the building.”

(Just to clarify, I’m not saying Erica hadn’t been selected because she is a bad dancer. She’s a great dancer and a beautiful girl, and I was surprised when she didn’t make the team. But what was going on here? Somebody had some ‘splainin to do.)

I casually sidled up to Kelley and Marie. “So, uh….what’s with blondie over there?”

The scoop is there are actually 19 ChivaGirls, not 17 as I believed. Two of them had been left off of the Chivas website for various reasons. Erica is one. Liz is the other.

Erica and Monique

(Meanwhile, I really need to talk to Aimee about this thing with the odd numbers. What is up with that? 17 and 19 aren’t even divisible by anything! Why not 16? Why not 20? Who picks 19 girls for a team? I am sorry, but that is just weird.)

I did another headcount. This time I came up with 18 ChivaGirls. Sandra was absent because she had to be out of town for a prior commitment. Whatever it was must’ve been pretty important for her to miss the photo shoot. The group photo is kind of a big deal. Now she’s going to spend the entire season autographing that photo and she’s not even in it! Bummer. Surely there’s some way to include her. Can’t they photoshop her head in there somewhere? Or maybe draw a stick figure in a red and white vest, with an arrow that says “Sandra.”

I mentally tucked that away to ponder later, and went looking for Jebbel and Alheli. Somebody needed to tell me how to say Jebbel and Alheli.

ChivaGirls Pronunciation Guide:

Alheli. Pronounced All-hey-LEE. Alheli is a type of flower (similar to an oleander). FYI: the whole plant is poisonous. If you ingest it, you’ll get really really sick. Like "barfing up a lung" sick. If you burn the plant and breathe the smoke, you’ll be dead. Keep that in mind before you mess with Alheli.

Jebbel. Rhymes with Dave Chapelle’s last name. The J is a soft J like "Elijah." Not a hard J like "Jerry." Jebel (slightly different spelling) means “mountain” in Arabic. There are a lot of mountains called Jebel this or Jebel that in the UAE and that area of the world. I don’t know if that’s what her parents were going for.

(Yeah I looked it up. You got a problem with that???)

The actual photography was scheduled to start at 10. In the meantime, there were various activities going on: sleeping, reading, writing, working, playing “The Price is Right” on the I-phone, etc.

Nicole

Tiffany

It’s so interesting. During auditions, everyone has their game face on. It’s only after you make the team, and that you start to see what you’re working with. They’re a bunch of goofballs and troublemakers, if you ask me. It’s just that some are quieter about it than others.

The other person on hand was Aimee’s son, aka Hurricane Keiran. He is two and a half, and like most kids his age, has an insane amount of energy. He’s the kind of kid you have to tag-team to keep an eye on. Aimee had him. Then Gavin had him. Then Megan, then Marie, then Kelley. Keiran has a monster crush on Marie. He luuuuuuvs Marie. He went outside and picked a flower for her. Soon after that, he passed out, dead asleep.

I helped Aimee move the letters to an open area so she could figure out everyone’s individual pose and how they would all look together. They did “Chiva” first and Mandi was the lucky girl who got the “H” (snicker). Aimee told her to hop up there and Mandi’s eyes got big like “I thought you were joking about that part.” But she climbed up there. A few minutes later, she was looking mighty relieved when Aimee had her switch places with Alheli.

Meanwhile, Marie was cute as a bug in a rug, tucked into the letter C like that.

Marie

All of this was a bit more challenging than it looks. Remember, those letters are made of foam board, which isn’t sturdy enough to support anyone’s weight. So everyone appearing to lean or rest on the letters had to fake it a little. Those who were sitting on the 2x4s didn’t have a much better deal.

Alheli was next. I have to give her credit. She rolled with it like it was no big deal, but she had to be in some of the most awkward, uncomfortable positions ever. She was sitting there with one leg in front of the H. Aimee and Mike couldn’t decide if they wanted the other leg in front of the H or behind the H, so she had to keep moving it. Keep in mind that she was sitting on a 5inch wide board, 3 or 4 feet above the ground. Every time they wanted her to move that leg, she had to balance on one side of her tush and lift the other foot way up in the air and over the H to get it to the other side. After watching the first couple of attempts, Emi stepped in to keep her from toppling over. (I wanted to take a photo of it, but I was too busy laughing. Come on, it was funny!) Then they told her to take one boot off while she was balanced up there, and I just about lost it. But Alheli did all of it without batting an eye. That's what I call a team player!

Emi gives Alheli a hand

Monique and Mandi were next. I don’t know whose idea it was for Monique to have her foot up in the air like that. I warned her she was going to be in serious pain afterward. She didn’t believe me. “I only have to hold it for a few seconds” were, I believe, her exact words.

Monique and Mandi

I hate to say “I told you so.”
(But I did tell you so.)

Methinks it’ll be a while before Monique does another heel stretch.

On the other hand, some of the girls had it easy. Nicole, Megan, Emi, and Amy were all sitting on the floor, so they had it made. Nicole had the G, which is the easiest letter ever.

Nicole

Megan

Emi

(Serena, on the other hand, I’m sure had board marks on her posterior long after the shoot was over.)

Serena

Ariel

Tiffany’s pose looked a little painful. She had to squat down and balance on one foot with the other leg stretched out to the side. I bet she really felt it when she stood up afterward. That whole crouching thing was not working. A little voice in my head was sing-songing "I see London. I see France..." Somebody put this girl in a different pose already.

Aimee called in Lindsay for reinforcements on this one. Lindsay is a former Clippers dancer and now works a steady stream of dance gigs. It took a minute, but Lindsay was able to come up with a pose that put Tiffany on the ground in a position that didn’t require squatting. It was sort of a halfway kneeling thing, and I know Tiffany was grateful. (Although I bet that one hurt too.)

Tiffany

Speaking of Tiffany, check out her new hairstyle. The stylist took a few inches off and created a graduated bob that’s a bit longer in the front than the back. That hair gives her a lot more “oomphf.” And who knew she was so adorable?

Liz had a tough one too, leaning against the A like that. I think they put Ashley on the other side to keep the A from wobbling.

Ashley and Liz

Can we talk about Ashley’s hair for a minute? She’s got this gorgeous, curly hair and it is huge. She is not a big person so when she sits down, it’s like a big pile of hair with some legs and feet sticking out underneath. I’d love to have that hair. I’d trade with her in a heartbeat. I’m serious.

Watching everyone transform from “regular girl” to “ChivaGirl” was fascinating. It was like watching Bruce Wayne turn into Batman. (But with chicks in short skirts.) Hey, they both wear tights, right? And boots. ChivaGirls may not have a utility belt like Batman, but at least they don’t wear their underwear on the outside.

Kelley was doing double duty as one of the two makeup artists for the day. She used to work for MAC. Now she freelances for special occasions (weddings and such.) That really says something about Kelley, because a bride on her wedding day is one of the scariest creatures alive. Wound up. Hysterical. Tearful. Crazed. Drunk. And that was just MY sister on her wedding day. (Well, except for the drunk part.)

Jebbel and Marie were the first to get dolled up and ready to go.

Jebbel and Marie

After their turn, they wanted to look at photos. Aimee had to put an end to that because they were getting hypercritical and picking themselves apart. It’s not that they were all having a Jan Brady moment (I’m ugly! UGLY!), but each found at least one body part to be horrified about. They were making themselves mental over it, so Aimee cut them off. (Access to the photos, I mean. Not their body parts.)

Marie, you look fine

I don’t know if that helped or not. Sometimes the unknown is scarier than the known. Clearly some of them were sitting around, convinced that they would look like drooling, cross-eyed lizard-women in their photos.

On the other hand, I guess it could’ve been worse. They could have been stomping around the place like “I cannot believe you are unable to capture my innate hotness with your camera.”

It’s not that they’re shallow. I mean, I get it. If someone was taking a photo of me and I knew
(A) hundreds, if not thousands of people would see it
(B) I would be surrounded on both sides by good looking women,
(C) looking good is part of the job, and/or
(D) there are no do-overs,

I guess I’d be a little paranoid too.
I don’t like people taking my picture, and nobody ever sees those.

Mostly, they just got this pained expression on their faces.

I was sympathetic at first. I started out the morning, like “what are you talking about; you look totally cute in this picture.” But that wore off a couple hours into it and I found myself torturing them instead.

ChivaGirl: Ugh. My thighs are huge.
Me: That is not true. The one on the left looks perfectly fine

ChivaGirl: I think one of my eyes is bigger than the other.
Me: You noticed that too, huh?

ChivaGirl: Why does my face look like that?
Me: Genetics. We all have our crosses to bear.

Hey, I kid because I love.

Honestly, they all looked great. Better than great. I wished they would realize that and stop fussing about it. I really wanted to stand up on a chair and say “Listen up, ChivaGirls. Knock it off!”

A few letters into the shoot it all started to come together. I could visualize the end result in my head. This photo is going to be so cool.

The girls shooting in pairs were interesting to watch. C-I-A-R-S. Inevitably, one girl’s pose was way easier than the other girl’s pose. Take Amy and Laura, for instance. Amy sat down, and she was good to go. Meanwhile, it was “turn this way Laura, turn that way Laura, take a step towards me, turn to the side, nevermind, go back to where you were, can you do something different with your arms?” Everyone’s trying to figure out where to put Laura and Amy’s just chillin like “Whatever. Take your time; I know what I’m doing.”

Yeah, except where’s the rest of your uniform, Amy?

D’oh. So easy to forget about that vest.

Amy and Lauren

Once they were into the G-I-R-L-S things started to speed up. The girls at the end of the word were thinking they still had a lot of time, and then all of a sudden, it was “get it together girls. I need bodies over here!” Then there was a big red and white flurry as everyone hurried to get ready.

Kelley and Dalila were the last pair. Earlier in the day, the news that they were going at the end, was a real downer. What none of us realized though, was the girls with the last letter would have the first individual shoots. So in the end, they actually wound up finished before everyone else. Nice!

Kelley and Dalila

Dalila stepped up to go first for the individuals. Dalila is a baseball-hat-and-sweats kind of gal, and she looked more than ready to be done with the shoot and jump back into her comfy clothes.

The other girls were off to the side, trying to figure out poses that were flattering and not weird-looking.

Each girl did a few photos with the soccer ball and a few without. Believe it or not, there aren’t that many things you can do with a soccer ball. Especially if it’s a ¾ standing shot. You can’t kneel or sit or rest your foot on the ball. You can’t hold it over your head, because you’ll look like a lunatic. It’s pretty much “do I want to hold this thing on my right side or my left side?” Given the limitations, I thought they came up with some good ideas.

Ariel

Erica

Alheli

Serena

Megan

The individual shots went faster than fast. They kept it moving like an assembly line, and the next thing I knew, it was over. That was around 3-ish, I think.

I wondered what a ChivaGirl does when the photo shoot is over and she’s standing there in sweats with a face full of makeup. There’s still plenty of daylight left. Do you take that face and that hair rollerblading? Do you go see a movie? Go home and defrost the freezer? Do you find your boyfriend and make him watch while you peel off your lashes, because you know that freaks him out?

Or am I the only one who thinks like an 8 year old?

The NBA Dance Team Bracket is Back!

2009-03-16T17:49:00.000-04:00

I'm sorry Heat Dancers, but we have to take it away from you this year.
Click here to cast your vote.

Cavalier Girl's Rookie Diary

2009-03-15T13:20:00.003-04:00

Rookie Ashley's Exciting First Season!!
CavFanatic
March 11, 2009

Hey Cavfanatics!

What an awesome experience this has been for me joining the Cavaliers family during such a victorious season! The exhilarating energy from the fans in the arena has made the games so exciting for me. Every time I step into the arena, I still get the same chills and excitement I felt when I made my debut on opening night. The entire game presentation and crazy devoted fans are what truly makes the experience of a Cavs game so thrilling!

My season actually began the end of June when I received a phone call at work that I was one of 16 girls to make the team. I was working on the sales floor and somehow hid my cell phone in my pencil skirt waiting for my phone call. When I saw Jami was calling, I hurried up and ran outside to answer. Of course, knowing Jami, she played a trick on all of us by making it seem like we were not chosen for the team. But shortly after, she turned our almost tears around to a "Congratulations, you are a member of the 08-09 Cavalier Girls!" I can't even describe to you the feeling I experienced from the phone call that day. Let me tell you, it's not as easy as it may seem to be a member of this team. It takes a ton of heart, talent, hard work and dedication. That line of congratulations that day meant so much more to me than just a spot on this team; it meant that I truly have accomplished and deserved my dream. Knowing that I am standing where I am today based on these ambitions is such a rewarding experience for me. But most of all, being able to stand amongst and learn from one of the most beautiful, deserving and talented dance teams in the NBA is even more rewarding.

Speaking of rewarding experiences, seeing my picture revealed as Miss December 2009 in the annual Cavalier Girls Swimsuit Calendar was such a breathtaking moment. It took a moment to realize that it was actually me in that photograph. I definitely had to pinch myself a little to make sure I wasn't dreaming haha! We trained very hard at the beginning of our season to work towards this calendar, and went through a pretty long and tiring day of shooting with no idea of how our pictures turned out. On the night of our calendar release party, Jami planned it so that we thought we were just dressing up to go out to a team dinner. She took us to the first floor of the Q, and as soon as we got off the elevator we were shocked to see our families standing there in front of us. I was so surprised!!!!! I immediately starting crying upon seeing my parents faces. Once inside, they revealed our calendar pictures one at a time and everyone was so shocked and thrilled with how stunning their picture turned out. The calendar is absolutely beautiful and very classy while still most importantly, representing for the Cavaliers!

Most of all, the games thus far this season have been incredible! Every member on the basketball team seems to be such a good fit and great force to lead us to the Championship this year! It's crazy to think that just last year I was also a huge fan sitting up in Loudville cheering on the Cavs. Now, I'm still a huge fan, but I get to sit on the court cheering a few feet away from the players or dancing center court in front of the entire arena. Being able to dance and entertain every game in front of such enthusiastic fans is the most exhilarating moment of my life! What could possibly be better than the opportunity to do what you love in the presence of the best fans in the NBA, while cheering on the best team in the NBA....nothing! J Keep it up fans, YOU are what keeps this Cavalier family strong!

Love,

>Ashley

Los Angeles Kings Ice Girls in Action

2009-03-15T13:15:00.001-04:00

Watch it!

Cronulla dancer is determined to shine

2009-03-15T12:36:00.002-04:00

A little tidbit from Australia's National Rugby League. Looks like reality tv is snapping up pro sports dancers down under...

By Eva Tejszerski
St. George Leader
10/02/2009

Chanelle Johnson of Cronulla will do everything it takes to prove to Australia she can dance.

And she is one step closer to that goal after making it into the nation's hottest new reality television show.

The lyrical contemporary dancer was the first entrant to secure a place in the top 100 of this year's So You Think You Can Dance.(Aussie version)

A trained gymnast, Ms Johnson started ``dancing'' at her mother's dance school even before she could walk.

But when she was 10, doctors found a curve in her spine.

"`After I was told I had scoliosis, a specialist said I would need to wear a brace for two years and would need an operation, but I kept dancing [instead],'' she said.

"Now, because I am so fit and flexible, dancing has helped build strength in my back muscles.''

When she's not carving up the dance floor, Ms Johnson cheers in the Cronulla Sharks Mermaids cheer squad, and jets across Australia as a flight attendant.

She auditioned for the TV series when it premiered in 2008, making it into the top 50 before being knocked out of the competition.

This time she hopes her moves will take her further.

"I want to show myself that no matter what, I can make it.''

SI Gallery Update - NBA

2009-03-14T15:40:00.004-04:00

This week, the New Orleans Hornets dance team, the Honeybees, are featured on Sports Illustrated. Go see the photos.

Former MVC needs your votes

2009-03-14T12:59:00.004-04:00

You may remember that we've mentioned Tami Krause a time or two. Tami is a former Minnesota Vikings Cheerleader who went on to become the current Director of the cheerleaders.

Tami, Mrs. Bloomington International 2009 is now in the running to become Mrs. Minnesota International! (You can read more about her here.) One of the awards to be given out is the People's Choice Award. The winner of that award is up to you. This is last minute notice, of course, but I encourage you to click here to vote for Tami and help her win that award. I do have to warn you ahead of time - voting isn't free. But if you're an MVC fan, this is a nifty way to show your support.

Phoenix Mercury Hip Hop Squad Auditions

2009-03-13T08:00:00.000-04:00

Opportunity to perform with one of the WNBA’s premiere dance teams during 2009 season

The Phoenix Mercury Hip Hop Squad is seeking highly energetic, experienced male and female dancers to be part of the 2009 season, which runs from June through September. Auditions for the dance team will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 28 at US Airways Center. Finalists will move to the next round of auditions taking place on Saturday, April 4 at Tempe Marketplace.

Interested participants must be at least 18 years old and available for all Mercury 2009 home games.

Hip Hop Squad Coach, Weezy, will hold prep classes prior to auditions for contenders to familiarize themselves with the style and format of the tryouts. The clinics will be held at US Airways Center on March 9 and 11 at 7 p.m. and March 16 at 7:30 p.m. Clinic fees are $10 per session and are not mandatory.

For more information please visit phoenixmercury.com.

WHO: Mercury Hip Hop Squad

WHERE: US Airways Center 201 E. Jefferson St.

WHEN: Saturday, March 28 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Panthers Ice Dancer Update!

2009-03-12T21:49:00.003-04:00

Heads-up, the NHL Florida Panthers have updated their Ice Dancers page with bios, wallpapers, and tons of photos. It's good stuff. Go check it out.

Sea Gal Auditions Coming Next Month

2009-03-12T20:00:00.000-04:00

April 26th - Save the date!

More Chicago Slaughter Girls

2009-03-12T14:08:00.001-04:00

Reader Joel was at the Chicago Slaughter home opener this past Friday night. And he sent us some photos. Unfortunately, the Slaughter Website isn't updated, so we can't match faces to names.

[Chicago Slaughter Girls]

Building for the future

2009-03-12T10:05:00.000-04:00

by Frank Jolley, Sports Editor
Daily Commercial
March 12, 2009

LEESBURG -- Deanna Clover has been a performer for as long as she can remember.

She has performed in dinner theaters, danced on cruise ships and as a member of the dance teams for the Orlando Predators of the Arena Football League and the NBA's Orlando Magic.

Clover's lifetime on stage has allowed her to travel the world as a promotional tool for the NBA and the Magic, and reached a peak this year when she was chosen to represent the team in Sports Illustrated's annual swimsuit edition.

Feeling the aches and pains from years of performing and realizing she had likely accomplished as much as she could as a dancer, Clover decided that this year, her fifth with the Magic, would be her final season.

That doesn't mean, however, that Clover is leaving a business she has devoted most of her life to. Instead of dancing in the limelight, Clover is looking to move into the wings as the dance-team coordinator for the fledgling Leesburg Thundercats professional basketball team.

Clover accepted an offer from Thundercats' owner Kevin Simmons in December to become the franchise's first dance-team coordinator. She held tryouts throughout the county and the seven-dancer team was unveiled recently during Eustis' Georgefest parade.

"Part of my job is to get the Thundercats name out in the public and let them know we're bringing professional basketball to Lake County," Clover said. "We're going to do that by performing at games and by giving dance clinics in the community. We want to be an active part of the community and become a positive influence for young people.

"This team is going to help develop the image people have of the Thundercats, so we want to make a very good impression and be a staple in the community."

Clover said she decided to make this season her final year as a Magic dancer after suffering a torn labrum and assessing the amount of wear and tear her body has endured over the years. She recently turned 30, and while there is no age limit to be a Magic dancer, the grueling annual auditions to make the team were taking their toll.

Also, because of her commitments to the Magic, Clover was not spending as much time with her family. She has been married for nine years to her husband, Cliff, who she met when she danced on a cruise ship.

In addition to her dancing duties, Clover works part-time at her husband's real estate business in Kissimmee and she also has taught dance classes at a studio in in Kissimmee.

"The commitment with the Thundercats will not be as big at the Magic," Clover said. "Outside of the public relations functions, such as giving clinics or taking part in parades, there will be only 15 home games with the Thundercats as opposed to the 41 home games for the Magic. I'm really excited about the possibility of being able to spend more time with my family."

Simmons said he when he learned about Clover's availability, he spoke with the Magic's dance team manager Jeanine Thomas, who recommended that Simmons hire Clover. Simmons said Clover went to work immediately to form a dance team, juggling that with her commitments to the Magic.

"Deanna's done a great job helping to put a face on this franchise," Simmons said. "When I started this project, I wanted to move slowly and do things right. Our goal right now is to get the word out about the Thundercats and what better way to that than with a professionally organized dance team.

"Now we have a way to let people know we're here and I can get down to the job of signing players and putting a product on the floor."

Simmons said he currently is exploring his options for finding a home for the Thundercats. He has signed three players to contracts, including former Eustis High School standout Jimmy Hudson, and hopes to fill out his roster after the NCAA Tournament and the NBA Draft.

One of the biggest selling points for the Thundercats, Simmons said, will be the cost of attending a game. Whereas a family of four can expect to spend in excess of $100 -- and oftentimes more -- to watch a Magic game, he believes families will be able to go to a Thundercats game for less than $40.

"We'll be affordable entertainment," Simmons said. "I'm hoping to get area businesses on board as sponsors and work together with community leaders to make this Lake and Sumter County's team. It may take a year or so to get completely established, but I can see the Thundercats becoming something everyone can rally around and take pride in.

"I'm here for the long haul and so are the Thundercats."

The Thundercats will host the Orlando Kings at 7 p.m. March 21 at the Everett Kelly Convocation Center at Lake-Sumter Community College. A charity game will begin at 5 p.m.

A portion of proceeds from the game, according to Simmons, will be donated to the American Cancer Society.

PCB Field Trip: ChivaGirl Final Auditions

2009-03-11T21:06:00.013-04:00

Final auditions for the 2009 ChivaGirls took place on Wed, Feb 18th. (Yes, I know that was three weeks ago. If it weren’t for this pesky day job getting in the way, I’d have finished this a lot sooner. )

If you missed prelims, you can read all about them here. All of the photos from prelims and finals are right here.

I drove down to the Home Depot Center that afternoon, confident that I knew exactly where I was going. When I got there, I found out that there was an LA Galaxy game that night and there was a lot going on in the parking lot. I told the parking attendant why I was there, and she directed me to Lot 13. What? That’s miles away from the Velodrome!

Get out of my way, lady. I know what I’m doing. I hit the gas, drove right by Lot 13 and proceeded to the Velodrome, where there was plenty of parking. Ha! Did you see all those idiots in Lot 13? Suckers!

(Sidebar: I wonder why the Galaxy doesn’t have a dance team? Switch the red and white for and blue and gold and viola! The ChivaGirls are now the Galaxy Girls It’s not the first time a dance team ever did double duty for multiple teams. (Where is the Galaxy suggestion box? I need to write this down.)

I parked, got out of my car, and immediately noticed that there was something weird going on. There were an awful lot of people around, and none of them looked like future ChivaGirls. Many of them were carrying bicycles. They didn’t look like the sort who would conveniently schedule practice during auditions, so they could ogle all of the dancers.

Inside the building, there was definitely something wrong. Aside from all the cyclists zipping around the perimeter, there were two full on knee pads-and-everything volleyball games in progress. I got the feeling they had all been there for a while. It didn't look like any of them planned to exit the building in the near future.

Hmmm. This was certainly a puzzle. Was I out of the loop? Had the auditions been rescheduled?

My first thought was “Oh, no! Does Aimee know about this?” So I whipped out my phone and called her to report that dozens of crazed volleyballers were squatting in the Velodrome.

If I had thought about it for even half a second, I suppose I would’ve realized that as the Director of the team, Aimee was the one who booked the location for the auditions. She would of course know if there was some complicated activity going on beforehand.

If the venue had changed, she’s probably the one who changed it. She wasn’t going to answer the phone all freaked out, like “Volleyball! Oh no! Auditions are in less than an hour. Sasha, you have to get rid of all those people!” And then I’d have to get a bicycle pump or something and chase them all away.

(I have been known, at times, to overestimate the importance of my role in certain events.)

Long story short: finals were scheduled for the tennis pavilion, not the Velodrome. Duh.

I got in my car and drove back around to the front, where the parking attendant directed me to – guess where? - Lot 13. I guess that made me a sucker too. I cheated and parked in 10 though. 10 was a little bit closer to the building. I was still a bit twinge-y in my ankle and didn’t want to walk any farther than absolutely necessary. (If you missed out on the whole sprained ankle thing, all you need to know is that there was an small “incident” at prelims that left me with only one working foot. That’s all I care to say about that particular topic.)

When I got to the tennis pavilion I realized – thank you, Lord – there was a ramp to the door instead of the five hundred flights of stairs at the Velodrome. Maybe some things were going to go my way tonight.

Inside, Aimee and the camera crew were getting set up. (There’s a crew filming the ChivaGirls for an upcoming reality show.) The judges’ table was set up on one side of the room. Instead of one long table, there three or five small desks, kind of like the ones you see in elementary school. But bigger, of course.

Nicole and Lauren

Liz, Emi, and Sandra

Many of the girls had arrived early and were busy warming up. Mr. John Peters was also in the house. Judging this time. Not teaching. If you ask me, that kind of sucks. With regular “I have never seen you before and therefore am not biased at all,” judges, you could miss a small step and maybe nobody would notice. Or maybe they’d think one of the other girls messed up instead of you. But when one of the judges is the choreographer, you are sadly outta luck. That guy’s not going to miss a thing. Dang.

Gloria, Aimee, Mr. John Peters, and Lisa

I had arrived early enough to scope out the situation beforehand. It was going to be something of a challenge, photography-wise. The lighting was a bit dim, and the wall opposite the judges was nothing more than a series of glass doors and windows. I worried that I would wind up at the end of the night with 50 photos of my own reflection, and another 50 of the light from my camera flash.

However, I wasn’t the one with the major challenges. The dancers had a bigger problem to deal with. The tennis pavilion is somewhat tent-like and vulnerable to the elements. I imagine in the summers, you can open all the doors and enjoy the weather outside, without actually being outside. But on this particular evening, nobody appreciated the cold weather creeping indoors. All of the ladies were zipped up from ankles to eyeballs. I put on a sweater over my short sleeves and was fine. Then again, I wasn’t wearing a little two-piece audition outfit. I really felt for the dancers. For them, it was going to be a bit like tap dancing nekkid in Antarctica.

On a side note, Juicy Couture must’ve made a bloody fortune on those velour track suits.

At one point, Aimee deputized me to help out with the photos. The girls were instructed to line up on one side of the room, where Gloria was taking Polaroid head shots. After the Polaroid, they had to come to the other end of the room, where I was shooting individual photos. Those photos would be posted on the Chivas USA site when the team was announced the next day.

This is how cold it was in the room: the girls would do the Polaroid, put their warm-ups back on (for the five second walk to the other end of the room), whip the warm-ups off for a quick photo or two, and then jump back into the sweats and zip them up as far as they could go.

A couple of girls tried to get sneaky after the Polaroid. Instead of coming directly to me, they’d try to huddle down for a few minutes to get warm. I don’t know who they thought they were fooling, but it ain’t yours truly. I can see you over there! Don’t be a weenie. Get over here and take this photo like a man!

After the first 9 or 10 girls, I resorted to “escorting” them across the room for the second photo. Not that they wouldn’t have made it there on their own, but I’m a “rip the band aid off” kind of gal. Yeah, you’re freezing your buns off, but it’s only for a minute. Just get it over with.

It didn’t take long to finish with the photos. I like to think that my “warm air is for losers” approach helped move things along. There were a couple of snafus – Gloria ran out of Polaroid film and I missed getting one of the girls, but for the most part, it went well.

Let’s talk about Gloria for a minute. Who is Gloria? She’d been at prelims too, to help tabulate the scores. Gloria, Gloria, Gloria. I knew I’d seen her somewhere. But where? So far, I know she was on the Beijing Aoshen Olympian (NBA D-league) dance team. But I know I’ve seen her somewhere else too…Hm….

(Note to self: figure that out.)

I was standing off to the side, minding my own business when – holy crap. Lisa Estrada popped up out of nowhere. One minute she wasn’t there. The next minute, she was. I bet this is what the natives felt like when Captain Kirk beamed down from the Enterprise.

Lisa Estrada – for those who don’t know - is the Director of the Los Angeles Laker Girls. I’m sure I’ve previously mentioned my ongoing mission to cover the Laker Girls for the blog. I might’ve even called it “stalking” a time or two. The Laker Girls have been a tough nut to crack.

Here was an opportunity to talk to The Chief Chick-In-Charge Herself.

Oy. What was I gonna do?

I had to say something, right? This might be the only time I ever saw Lisa Estrada in person. I had to at least introduce myself. It’s part of the job. I was uncomfortably aware, however, that I could really screw things up for this whole entire blog. No Laker Girl coverage EVER. I was skeered to talk to her. Most of this is in my head. But I was still skeered.

This reminds me of the time I went scampering across a football field in Oxnard, chasing after Kelli Finglass, Director of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. As I was running after her, half of me was saying “Just do it, honey. This is probably the only chance you’ll ever have to introduce yourself and show that you are not psychotic.” The other half of me was rolling her eyes, saying “For God’s sake, Sasha. You’re a grown woman. Where’s your dignity?”

Apparently I had none. But I did meet Kelli Finglass and she is a lovely woman.

Now history was repeating. I didn’t know if Lisa was staying or what, so if I was going to do this, I had to do it right away. I got ready to scurry over there. Feets don’t fail me now!

But then I stopped. What exactly was I going to say to this woman?

I couldn’t run over there and be all “Hi-Lisa-My-Name-Is-Sasha-I’m-from-the-Pro-Cheerleader-Blog-I-don’t-know-if-you’ve-heard-of-it-Nice-to-meet-you-I-promise-I’m-not-a-creep-See-don’t-I-look-like-a-nice-respectable-person?-Can-I-come-to-a-game- and-do-some-behind-the-scenes-coverage?-How-about-a-rehearsal? -How-about-auditions?-You-tell-me-where-to-sit-and-I-promise-not-to-move-at-all-or-make-any-sound-whatsoever-You-won’t-hear-one-peep-from-me-no-ma’am-Not-one.”

She could very well look down her nose at me at tell me to get lost. I knew she wouldn’t, but still. That lady with the chimp who went crazy and attacked her friend never saw that coming either.

Not that I’m comparing Lisa to a chimp. People are unpredictable, is what I’m getting at. And so are animals.

I decided to head her way and hope for the best.

Then I started thinking about the Laker Girls, and the Laker games in general. As usual, my overactive imagination (and outright narcissism) got the best of me.

What if I accidentally trip Kobe and he breaks both arms and both legs and all of a sudden I’m all over the news as the person who single handedly destroyed the Los Angeles Lakers. I would be universally hated. Publicly reviled. People I work with would throw things at me.

Plus, there are lots of celebrities at Laker games. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t care about gawking at celebrities. To be honest, they aren’t all that interesting. But what if I dropped my camera on Jack Nicholson’s head?

What if I stepped on Victoria Beckham’s foot and destroyed her $5,000 Manolos?

What if I was pointing at something and accidentally clotheslined Lindsey Lohan?

I could get yelled at. Sued. Taken out back and shot.
Lindsey Lohan’s mom is scary!

Only consider the almost unlimited potential for catastrophe!

Then again, I’m in no danger of weaseling my way into a Lakers game, so perhaps I should just calm down about the whole thing.

I decided not to talk to Lisa. Status quo was ok by me.

Incidentally, on a somewhat related note, Amazon.com completely sold out of the Laker Girls movie. They've been out of stock for almost two weeks. How many copies of this thing are you people buying???

Right about then is when I overheard three girls talking about how they had to go to Target at the last minute to get some trunks for finals. I guess Target doesn’t carry much in the way of black trunks, so some girls had to go to more than one store.

In my head I was thinking: Let me get this straight. On Sunday, you had a complete outfit for auditions. Today is Wednesday and now half of your stuff is missing? All three of you? Listen, unless all of you live together on a houseboat and it caught on fire and sank to the bottom of the ocean, taking all of your clothes with it, I can’t think of a real good excuse for losing your bottoms right before finals. It’s not like you took them off on the way home and left them somewhere.

Then Laura helpfully pointed out that everyone had been instructed to wear black trunks or shorts to finals, instead of their regular bottoms. Some people didn’t own any and had to go out buy a pair.

Oh.

Well in that case, never mind.

Before I completely change the subject, I have to raise my hand and ask “what is up with that?” I’ve seen auditions where the dancers were made to wear identical outfits, or dress in black. (This is so the girls who shelled out for a particularly fetching outfit don’t have an unfair advantage over everyone else.). But why make them wear black on the bottom and not on the top? There must be a reason for this. I just had no idea what it might be. Why just the bottoms?

No, really. WHY?

I didn’t have much time to ponder that, as it was time for the audition to start. I’ll put that on my to-do list to figure out later. Right after the Gloria situation.

The first item on the agenda was to have the girls do the dance they’d learned on Sunday. You remember the song.

"...La la la get Krazy. La la la get Krazy. La la la get Krazy. La la la get Krazy...."

They performed in groups of three. The original plan was for each group to do the routine twice, but the judges decided that once was enough. This is how the process worked for the dancers:

Wax on, wax off, Daniel-son.
(That doesn’t have anything to do with anything. I just felt like saying it.)

I wish I’d brought an electric blanket or a hot water bottle. Something to help a sista out.

Finals are when auditions get really tough. Once you whittle it down to such a small group of women, they’ve all got similar levels of talent, presentation, etc. It becomes much more difficult to thin the herd, so to speak. Everyone knows the dance so the judges have to look at other things. Technique. Experience. Polish. Charisma. Charm. Fitness. Maturity. Overall appearance. And of course , you’re looking for some diversity. From what I’ve observed, most teams like to mix it up. Some blondes. Some brunettes. Some tall girls. Some short girls. Girls of different ethnicities and cultural backgrounds. Girls at different stages in their lives. It keeps things interesting.

Having said all of that, the judges didn’t seem to be struggling with their scores. They were all in a great mood. Somebody had brought brownies, and baked goods make people happy. The judges were pretty relaxed. This wasn’t one of those auditions where the judges look at you stone-faced like “impress me or die.”

The judges

Meanwhile, I was having some issues. (I know, what else is new, right?)

The guy with the video camera had the primo spot for filming the action. I sat on the floor in front of him for a bit, but it was skewing the perspective in my photos. (Nobody wants to see a bunch of nostril shots.) After a while, I decided to ease in behind the video guy and shoot my photos around him. He was kind of crouched over, so it seemed like a feasible plan.

One thing I didn’t realize was that spot where I was trying to go was right next to Lisa Estrada. Oh snap! What now?

I figure this was the Lord’s way of saying “get on with it already.” Someone once said “When God wants you to do something; He gives you a certain amount of time to get it done. Eventually, if you can’t get take care of business, He’ll take over.”

I was afraid if I didn’t say anything to Lisa, the Good Lord would see fit to drop kick me right at her feet.

The Time Had Come. So I gathered up my courage and said hello.

I have no recollection of what was said after that. All I know is it was quick, and I’m pretty sure I didn’t say anything funny, fascinating, or clever. I’m sorry, ok? It was scary for me. The more I try to be normal and professional, the more I sound like a complete idiot. I am convinced of it.

My impression was that Lisa is a nice lady. I didn’t quite get a read on her, but she seems like good people. I’m still a bit intimidated though. She is a very “together” kind of person, and I SO am not. Unfortunately, I’m about 85% nonsense.

(Sigh) Anywho…

Mandi

Serena

Erica

Brittany, Tiffany, and Nicole

Brittany

Dalila and Amy

After everyone had performed in groups of three, the judges called them back to dance in different groups. They were bigger groups this time, five or six at a time. I’m not sure how they decided how to group the girls. It didn’t look like they were doing all the blondes together, all the brunettes together, etc. One thing I did notice though is the last few groups were mostly veterans with on a couple of new girls mixed in. I think it was to see if the newbie could bring it like the vets. And I guess also to see how hard the vets would fight to keep their spot on the team.

(Please keep in mind that I’ve never judged an audition and am most likely talking out of my rear end.)

Sandra, Alheli, and Serena

Mandi

Amy, Erica, and Liz

Ariel, Tiffany, Marie, and Lauren

The very last part of the audition was freestyle dance. All of the girls lined up and each one had few eight-counts to dance on her own. Freestyle is an opportunity to show off a bit. If you have the highest kicks or the best turns, or can flip from one end of the room to the other, this was the time to do all of that. It also shows what you can do when you don’t have to focus on remembering choreography. You can play around with the music and let your personality come out a little bit.

This part was pretty fun to watch. The music cut off during one girls turn. She didn’t miss a beat, just kept dancing until the song came back on again. Nicely done.

Psst! Lemme let you in on a secret. By this time in the process, the judges have pretty well decided who they want on the squad. This portion of the audition was basically a final chance for the “iffy” girls to influence the final thumbs up/thumbs down vote.

Lauren

Jebbell

Alheli

After freestyle, Aimee gathered the girls around to discuss the next steps in the process. She explained that the names of the 2009 ChivaGirls would be posted online by 5pm the next day. The newly-selected team had no time to waste. They’d jump right into mini camp the following weekend. The first home game is scheduled for March 21st. Yikes – that’s right around the corner!

And then it was over. The girls packed up their stuff and headed out the door. Some stopped on the way to thank the judges for the opportunity. Okay, on paper that might sound like a blatant suck up. But it was a pretty smart thing to do. It shows confidence and good manners and leaves the judges with a positive impression of you. (As long as you don’t act like a total suck-up while doing it.)

After the dancers left, the judges gathered their notes together and went to the office to talk it out. It was sort of anticlimactic.

I went back to the parking lot - and promptly forgot where I’d left my car. You know how that goes. You look around for about five minutes, and then you start to get a bit agitated.

This is where I left it, right?

Or maybe it’s the next lot over.

Or did I park all the way the other side of the building?

What am I going to do if I can’t find my car?

How will I get home?

How will I get to work tomorrow?

What if someone stole it?

What if I forgot to set the brake and it rolled down the hill, through a brick wall, and out onto the freeway???

And so you walk up and down the rows of cars, all casual-like, because you don’t want to look like some maniac who can’t remember where she left the car. This isn’t a needle in a haystack, for pete’s sake. Its 2, tons of metal, plastic and a variety other man made materials. How do you LOSE as 2,000 pound vehicle?

I was about 3 seconds away from a full on meltdown, when I finally found my car. Probably 10 minutes had gone by. It felt like hours.

***

At 5pm the next day, I went to cdchivausa.com. The names hadn’t been posted yet. I hit refresh., but nothing changed.

5:15 – Refresh. Refresh. Nothing.

5:30 – Refresh. Refresh. Nothing.

5:45 – Still nothing. Now I was getting mad.

5:55 - Refresh Refresh Refresh Refresh Refresh Refresh Refresh Refresh Refresh Refresh Refresh Refresh Refresh Refresh Refresh Refresh Refresh Refresh Refresh Refresh Refresh Refresh Refresh Refresh

The list of names finally appeared at 6pm. By then I was totally stressed out, never mind the girls waiting to see if they made the final cut!

For those of you who didn’t lose patience with me and go to the Chivas site to see for yourselves, I give you the 2009 ChivaGirls!

Ah, but wait! There’s a twist at the end of this particular story. Stay tuned. All will be revealed in the near future….

Row 1: Alheli, Amy, Ariel, Ashley, and Dalila
Row 2: Emi, Jebbell, Kelley, and Laura
Row3: Mandi, Marie, Megan, and Monique
Row 4: Nicole, Sandra, Serena, and Tiffany

True Life of a Bostonista: I Want to Be a Patriots Cheerleader

2009-03-11T12:53:00.000-04:00

Boston Magazine
March 6th, 2009

The auditions for the 2009-2010 season Patriots cheerleading squad were held on Saturday at the Dana-Farber Field House At Gillette Stadium. Thanks to some prodding from her sister, Boston magazine online designer Casey McNamara decided to try out even though she had never cheered before in her life.

“My sister literally knocked on my door with coffee in hand that morning,” Casey says. “I knew she was serious, so I quickly got myself glamorized.”

Here’s what Casey’s experience was like.

Bostonista: How did you prepare for the tryouts?

Casey: Shots of Tequila. Just kidding. I couldn’t prepare too much. I was never on a cheering squad or a dance team. I just went for fun. When I got to the stadium, I realized how hardcore all the girls were. All of them had organized dance routines, with moves straight out of So You Think You Can Dance. I had planned to bust some moves just like when I’m out with friends.

Bostonista: What did the crowd look like?

Casey: There was a line of pink, pink, and more pink…and Uggs. Even though it was a windy day, every girl’s hair was in place. I was second-guessing this idea of ours when I looked down at my black workout pants and sweatshirt.

Bostonista: What did you need for the audition, besides Uggs?

Casey: I had to bring my application, resume, and a photo. While the girls had professional pictures, I had a silly photo of my boyfriend and I at the beach. We stood in line while everyone shared previous cheerleading experiences and practiced dance moves. I just stretched awkwardly. Once I registered, they took my photo. I had to strip down to my workout clothes (gray booty shorts and a red sports bra). Other girls wore sequined undies, shiny tights, and sports bras.

Bostonista: What did you have to do for the audition?

Casey: We had a stretching session with a veteran cheerleader, and then learned the choreographed dance for Britney’s “The Circus.” You can see one of the dances here. There was quite a bit of hair flipping going on. I quickly picked that up.

Then girls were taken one-by-one into the judge’s room, where they prepared a freestyle dance in front of a handful of judges, including Ramiro from 94.5, Pat the Patriot, Tracey the cheer coach, and a few others.

Bostonista: How did you feel about your performance?

Casey: My performance wasn’t as great as the trained cheerleaders and dancers. I may have had a few uncoordinated attempts–but I tried my best and had fun doing it, and now I have great stories to tell to family and friends, and readers of Bostonista.

Bostonista: What would you do next time, to improve your audition?

Casey: I’d practice a choreographed dance routine–so I can pull out some real moves during the one-on-one session.

Bostonista: What’s one tip you would give to other women who may want to try out?

Casey: Go in there with your fun personality, meet people, and have a blast. Even if you don’t make it, you will have fun stories to tell. I have a new respect for the hair flipping, high toe touches, and splits. I am still sore!

Luvabulls at the Chicago Auto Show

2009-03-11T06:00:00.003-04:00

Reader Joel was at the Chicago Auto Show last month and ran into four of the Chicago Luvabulls.

Amye was a Conference Champion gymnast.

Angela is a former AFL Chicago Adrenaline Rush Dancer.

Second-year Luvabull Ashley is a professional model, aspiring actress and a personal trainer.

Kafi is a three-year veteran and also danced for Loyola University Chicago for three years.

[Chicago Luvabulls]

NJ Nets Dancers & More

2009-03-10T15:34:00.004-04:00

Sasha likes to bestow the title of "Cool Chick" on deserving individuals. I'm not sure if I am comfortable calling anyone a "chick", but one of the coolest people I've met while blogging is New Jersey Nets Entertainment Director Kimberlee Garris.

Kim is a Harvard Grad (BS in Cognitive Neuroscience), a dancer (Captain of the Harvard Dance Team and a two-time Knicks City Dancer) and in charge of the 80 or so entertainers at the Nets Games. The Dazzling Nets Dancers, the stunting Team Hype, the energetic Nets Kids, the Nets Mascot Sly, and more are all her responsibility.

So it was very cool of Kimberlee to arrange for me to get a pass to the March 1st Nets game. It was also Sly's birthday, so Mascots from around the NBA came to help celebrate (and dunk). But even with that bit of madness going on, Kim made sure I was in the right place to get the best photos.

I had an Entertainment Pass, so I could shoot the performers, but not the game action, which was fine by me. But it meant I had to stay in the tunnel until it was time for performers hit the court. As the lined up I would kneel in front of the dancers (so as not to block the view of any fans). And as soon as the whistle blew, I'd race on to the court, trying to avoid the video camera guys their cables and the players (they are huge). I also didn't want to trip and go face first on the floor in front of 15,00 fans. Fortunately, there were no incidents.

The next time I do a Wings Angels post, I'll tell the story of how I almost was stuck out on the lacrosse field (court?) during play.

Let's see some photos!

There are 16 Nets dancers, but there is a rotation system in place and only 12 perform at each game. But we will see a 13th dancer a little later.

Nets Entertainers all in a circle before the game. That's Kimberlee on the far right with the headset.

Nets Dancers rehearsing before the game

Team Hype

Deb is the new coach of the Nets Dancers and is a former Nets Dancer herself. Prior to this season Kimberlee coached the team in addition to all her other responsibilities.

Jaclyn is four-year veteran of the Nets Dancers and has a BA in Journalism from rutgers. While she's not dancing, she doesn't have the night off. Tonight she's wokring as 'Jac of All Nets' a web show, that she's co-producing. Check out her show here.

This was quite a production/performance with dancers dancing and tumblers tumbling.

Getting ready to perform to a re-mix of Beat It. Notice the dancers are wearing just one glove.

At halftime the mascots were dunking. Here's Grizz, the Memphis Mascot flying high.

Performances are scheduled to take place at certain time outs. One was scheduled for the first time out with 3 or less minutes to go in the first half. The problem was there were no stoppages of play! The clock counted all the way down to 54 seconds before a whistle. So what happens if there's is no stoppage? Kim says it has never happened, but if it did, they'd just go on at the next timeout in the following quarter.

What keeps the Dancers and the rest powered through game day? Gatorade

If the game goes into the overtime, the Dancers have on additional performance at the end of regulation. Here they are rehearsing the routine in the tunnel.

More photos here.

[New Jersey Nets Dancers]

Pats Tour Diary

2009-03-10T12:35:00.002-04:00

NFL Navy Tour Journal
Patriots.com
2/24/09

Read our journal sharing the experience the Patriots Cheerleaders recently had while traveling overseas to visit our U. S. military troops who are stationed in the Middle East, Persian Gulf and Africa.

View Photos from the tour >>

Hey everyone, Brittany here! I am so excited to share with you the experience the Patriots Cheerleaders recently had while traveling overseas to visit our U. S. military troops who are stationed in the Middle East, Persian Gulf and Africa.

The excitement started in early January, when Angela L., Danielle, Jillian, Julia and I were notified by Coach Tracy that we had been selected to take part in an overseas tour with the Navy. We couldn’t wait to see the world, as it was a first-time military tour experience for all five of us.

Jan 27th & 28th, 2009
Packed and ready to roll, we met at Logan airport late Tuesday evening. We said our goodbyes to family and friends, and skillfully reorganized our suitcases to meet the 50-pound bag requirement at the check-in counter. Boy did our carry-on bags get heavy! After what seemed like days, we arrived in Amsterdam to meet up with the second half of our crew; five NFL players and their escort, Dave. We spent a few minutes introducing ourselves to Dave, Noah, Adam, Nick and Tyrone. “The players” or “guys” as we often referred to them, all came from different teams throughout the NFL. At the time of first meeting, I don’t think any of us could have anticipated that these strangers from rival teams would soon become a part of what morphed into an awesome family of NFL representatives. Our group, now doubled in size, boarded the next plane to Bahrain. We were unsure what exactly the next 10 days had in store for us, but were eager to find out.

Jan 29th, 2009
The first two days of traveling seemed a blur as we awoke in a Bahrain hotel room ready to start the adventure on Thursday morning. Our first trip was a journey by helicopter into the Persian Gulf onto a ship called the USS Carter Hall. For most of us, this was our first time traveling in a “helo.” All strapped in, I was initially a little frightened. But after we were off ground, it was really beautiful to see the Arabic Sea, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia from the air.

Once landed on the Carter Hall, we were greeted cheerfully by the crew and took part in a guided tour around the ship. With our cameras out, we clicked away hundreds of pictures as we learned all about the jobs of the sailors on board. We learned that the Carter Hall is called an “Amphibian” ship because it functions both on land and in water. One of the most priceless moments of the night came when Tracy decided to transform from cheerleading coach into a barber, and skillfully gave one of the crew members a sharp “edge up.” We all thought he looked fabulous and Tracy now has a retirement plan from NEPC!

Jan 30th, 2009
Friday morning we awoke to the cheerful sounds of Danielle and Noah over the loud speakers on the morning announcements. With Michael Jackson playing in the background, they offered up the daily trivia question: “The more you take, the more you leave behind.” What could it be? Think about it…. (If you give up, you can find the answer at the end of this blog). And just for a hint, the answer is something that we had to take a lot of while on board the ships. What a workout!

After exploring more of the ships separate departments, we went up on deck to watch one of the special mission crew’s simulate a mission. The sailors and marines scaled the side of the ship, with guns on their backs, on a ladder that lowered them into a smaller boat in the water below. The mission: investigate a suspicious boat nearby. Could it be pirates? Well, this time it was just for practice but these guys are no joke! Go Navy!

After lunch, we said our goodbyes to the Carter Hall and departed via helicopter to our next destination, the USS Nitze. Onboard the Nitze, we were taken to “the bridge,” where we took turns steering the ship! We made our way around the ship and introduced ourselves to the crew. One of the coolest rooms, the command center, looked like a big arcade filled with video games. Obviously, they weren’t games, but rather surveillance mechanisms aimed at keeping the ship safe. We learned that unlike the Carter Hall, the Nitze is a “Destroyer” ship, mainly used for combat.

At dinner, we split up as some ate among the crew in the mess deck, and others with the “XO” or Executive Officer. I must admit, food time was one of the best parts of each day! Every meal we had the opportunity to sit down with the sailors and soldiers on board and learn about their lives, their families and ask the famous question “when do you get to go home?” Despite a little wave of seasickness here and there, we all managed to have a nice evening. We signed autographs and took pictures with our new friends. Best of all, it ended with an ice cream social to honor some members of the crew and to celebrate January birthdays. Yummy! Sleeping was somewhat a challenge, since the bunks were piled three high and allowed minimal room to move! I still can’t figure out how the big NFL guys even fit!

Jan 31st, 2009
Before our departure the next day, we toured the Nitze some more. Again, snapped a hundreds of pictures and said our goodbyes to the awesome crew. Where to next? Back to Bahrain for the night, but not before we had a slight detour to Kuwait. In order to make a transfer from helicopter to a C-130 plane, we were dropped off on an airport runway for about an hour as it became dark outside. We attempted to pass the time away and calm our nerves by playing a little game led by Julia called “would you rather.” She was very creative in her examples and one of my favorites was, “would you rather have velcro facial features or a transparent torso?” Tough one…but you’ll have to decide. Even better, we had a HUGE rice crispy treat that had been given to Tracy onboard the Nitze that was passed around for all to share. Needless to say, we survived!

Feb 1st, 2009
After a good night’s sleep at the hotel, we were ready to head out to the biggest ship yet, the USS Theodore Roosevelt. In our days prior, we had heard so much about this ship and could not wait to perform our first show on what everyone calls the “Big Stick.” This trip, we flew in a COD plane (Carrier Onboard Delivery) and actually got to land on the aircraft carrier! The running joke is that COD actually stands for “Crash on Deck.” It actually felt like a rollercoaster ride, a huge rush! When we got off the COD, the CO (Commanding Officer), XO and tons of the other crew members were there to welcome us. After a delicious lunch and the best chocolate chip cookies ever, we geared back up and headed out to the flight deck. There, we were able to get up close and personal to watch some flight operations take place. Literally, the planes were landing and taking off the ship right in front of our faces! We could feel the heat of the engines and were practically blown over by the wind and smoke.

The rest of the day was just as exciting, as we toured this amazing ship and met the crew. At one point, we all took part in what’s called a daily FOD walkdown (foreign object detection). This is where the crew walks the entire length of the flight deck looking for any objects or material that may damage the plane’s engine if it were to get sucked in. We were pro’s at this walk since the cheerleaders take part in a similar exercise at the end of each practice when we pick up the stray pom-pom pieces off of our practice field!

As the evening approached, we began to anticipate our 1st show! We relaxed for a bit by watching the beautiful sunset and we even saw dolphins and flying fish soaring through the waves. It was quite a sight to see. After dinner, we prepared for our big show in the hangar bay. About 2,500 of the shipmates attended our show and eagerly took part in the audience participation. We had a blast! After the show, we signed autographs and took pictures until well after midnight. Since the Super Bowl didn’t air live until 3:15 a.m. there, we made it our personal mission to stay awake and watch!

Feb 2nd, 2009
After an almost all-nighter (45 min of sleep max) we rallied along to the next day. The crew guided us in a tour of the divisions we had yet to see. It was unbelievable to learn about all of the tasks that take place each day on the TR. When it was time to go, we met back in the Captain’s quarters to say our goodbyes, sign autographs and take part in a special presentation by the TR crew. In addition to being presented with some more awesome coins, the CO presented us all with a Tailhook certificate, to certify that we had successfully participated in a COD wire catch and catapult launch (impending at the time). We are all proud to proclaim ourselves as honorary NEPC Tailhookers!

With that said, let me next describe to you the experience of the catapult launch. Well, truthfully it can’t really be explained so you are just going to have to imagine what it may feel like to go from zero to nearly 140 miles p/hr in less than 3 seconds! Yikes! Back to Bahrain we went, our “home away from home.” After a relaxing night, we were refreshed to head off to our next destination- Djibouti, AFRICA!

Feb 3rd, 2009
The flight to Djibouti was long, approximately 5 hours. As we flew, many of us took turns visiting the cockpit and some of us even attempted to fly the plane! Talk about turbulence! We embarked on Africa with our heads glued against the windows to view the sights from above. On the base, we toured around mostly in an air-conditioned bus since it was so hot outside! Later that evening, we hosted show number two at a recreation club on base called “11 Degrees North.” Again, the troops were pumped to take part in the act and definitely helped us perform a great show for their peers!

Feb 4th, 2009
In the morning, we had fun touring the helicopters and playing with big guns (unloaded of course)! The girls even took part in a friendly game of basketball and hacky sac with some of the soldiers. After lunch, we geared up in our newly purchased military garb and were back off to Bahrain. This time the flight was a bit longer and we took a C-130 cargo plane. We made it into Bahrain by 9 p.m. and spent the rest of the night relaxing on the town with a nice group dinner. Reality was starting to set in that our trip was almost over. Looking around the dinner table, it was an incredible feeling to realize the amazing friendships we had developed with our group and the many people we met along this journey so far.

Feb 5th, 2009
Although Bahrain had been our “home base” for the last 10 days, we had yet to explore outside the local hotel area. Today, that would change! We woke up early and headed out to see a bit of the city. Our first stop was at the Mosque, the largest one in Bahrain! In order to enter this place of worship, we had to dress in traditional Islamic attire with robes and scarves. We were guided around the Mosque and learned a lot about Islam. It was beautiful! After that, we ventured over to the market place known as the Souq, or Souk. Here, there were tons of stores selling everything from gold to singing stuffed camels. We all spent the next few hours getting our shop on! Later on, we went back to the hotel for a quick change and were off to the Bahrain military base. On the base, we felt as if we were on a college campus. It was a cool place. We walked around for a bit and met the CO, while recruiting people to come watch our show. Around 5:00 p.m. we performed our final show of the tour. It was a great way to end a great trip!

Our adventure came to a quick end back at the hotel when we sadly saw off the players and Dave the escort. As they continued on to Greece, we packed up our things to head back home to Boston. During our travels, many of the troops thanked us for taking the time to come and visit them. Our response to them was honest; it was to them that we owed thanks. This trip allowed each of us to gain a much better understanding of the work our troops are doing overseas to protect us all here at home. I think I speak on behalf of all of us Patriots here in New England and around the world, when I say “Thank You” once again to the true Patriots who are out there fighting for our country. This tour was truly a life-changing experience for us all and we can’t wait to go back!

I hope you enjoyed hearing about our travels and if you’re still stuck on the trivia question, the answer is………………………….. “STEPS!”

Cheers & Go PATS!
Brittany

Baltimore Ravens Cheerleaders Try Outs

2009-03-10T09:00:00.002-04:00

This past weekend tryouts for the 2009-10 Baltimore Ravens Cheerleaders got under way, and our good friend Pro Bowl Dan was there and sent us a few photos.

Ravens Cheerleaders Brain Trust

Leslie

Don't forget the stunters!

See more photos from the tryouts at BaltimoreRavens.com

Rock River Raptors Dynomites

2009-03-10T07:00:00.000-04:00

The Rock River Raptors opened the CIFL season with a disappointing loss to visiting Wisconsin Wolfpack, but the debut of the dance team, The Dynomites, did not disappoint at all.

Andrea

Ashley

Danyel

Kara

Dynomites with Director Tricia Keating of Pro Dancer's Edge.

[Rock River Raptors Dynomites]

Oakland Raiderettes Auditions

2009-03-09T06:00:00.000-04:00

The Oakland Raiders are searching for enthusiastic and talented candidates for their renowned public relations and entertainment team – The Raiderettes – “Football’s Fabulous Females.” Become a part of the prestigious Oakland Raiders by auditioning for the 2009 Oakland Raiderettes Professional Cheerleading Squad.

More at Raiders.com.

Attention Aspiring NFL Cheerleaders!

2009-03-08T21:53:00.001-04:00

Here's something interesting: the Patriots Cheerleaders added a little twist to auditions this year. In addition to a freestyle section and a DIY choreography round, they've also posted the audition routines online. If you're thinking about auditioning for an NFL team this spring, you might want to check this out. Give the choreography a shot and see if you can hang with the pros.

Florida Panthers Update

2009-03-08T21:51:00.002-04:00

Heads up! FloridaPanthers.com has been updated with new individual photos of the Ice Dancers. No bios, but they do have uniform shots, swim calendar shots, and an individual wallpaper for each member of the team. Go there now.

Former DCC Melissa Rycroft to Join Dancing With the Stars

2009-03-08T20:15:00.001-04:00

People Magazine reports:

Jilted by Jason Mesnick on the season finale of The Bachelor, Melissa Rycroft will rebound nicely — on Dancing With the Stars, PEOPLE has learned.

Rycroft, 25, is to fill the slot vacated by Access Hollywood host Nancy O’Dell, who had to withdraw from the competition on March 5 due to a knee injury. According to a source close to the production, the Dallas beauty, who has had only days to rehearse, is expected to perform live on Dancing’s Monday premiere.

Melissa is the third former Pro Cheerleader/Dancer to appear on Dancing with the Stars. Former Miami Heat Dancer Trista Rehn-Sutter was the first contestant eliminated in the show's premiere season, while former Baltimore Ravens Cheerleader Stacy Keibler finished in third in the show's second season.

2009 Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Friends and Family Show

2009-03-08T12:58:00.001-04:00

Go here to view NBCDFW's slideshow from the Cowboys Cheerleaders annual Friends and Family show.

SI Gallery Update - NBA

2009-03-08T12:04:00.001-04:00

The Phoenix Suns Dancers make their first appearance in the Sports Illustrated NBA Dance Team gallery this week. Go check it out!

Cowboys Cheer Squad get into the Spirit for '09

2009-03-07T12:12:00.001-05:00

By Natalie Peut
Townsville Bulletin

A new name, a new costume and new flavour will be seen centre-stage at Dairy Farmers Stadium as the North Queensland Cowboys cheer-squad kick-starts their season.

The new-look cheer-squad `The Spirit' will take to the field providing exciting routines, while encouraging the crowd to get behind their favourite team.

The squad formerly known as `The Hotsquad' has reformed with the squad doubling in size and providing more exciting routines in the genres of American-style cheerleading, jazz, funk and rock.

SPIRIT ... Carolyn Peterson and Renee Harvey are excited about the year ahead

Experienced cheerleader Carolyn Peterson, who has been cheering for 11 years, was excited about the first home-game where the new squad will showcase their talent on March 21.

"We've been training pretty hard, four and half hours per week plus our own fitness and we can't wait for the first game in a couple of weeks," Carolyn said.

"We are pretty much ready, we just have to make sure we nail our routines, but I think it's going to be an exciting season."

The size of the squad has increased to 30 girls, with five different choreographers providing fresh and modern routines for the squad.

There will be fresh blood in the squad this season with only 10 girls from the old group returning.

"There is a lot of good young talent, I think the youngest is 18 and the oldest is 26," Carolyn said.

"It's good to have new girls there, they are keen and motivated about the new season and that's what we want."

National Cheerleading Australia and Cheersport North Queensland director Lyn Parker will manage the group. She said the new squad will showcase the girls' athleticism and fitness while firing up the crowd.

[North Queensland Cowboys Cheerleaders]

Former NFL Cheerleader Still Cheering Others On

2009-03-07T10:57:00.000-05:00

By Lee Warren
BPSports.com

God designed women to be encouragers. That’s what Tina Gaa-Pulley believes, so it seemed only natural for someone whose first dance recital took place when she was 3 and who started her own dance school when she was 16 to become an NFL Cheerleader one day.

Of course, nothing in life is ever quite that simple.

While she loved to dance as a little girl, she had her sights set on playing basketball when she was in the eighth grade in Maryville, Mo., when a providential event occurred in her life. A couple of days before tryouts, as she was practicing with the other girls, she broke her thumb, forcing her to wear a metal brace and limiting her ability to shoot the ball.

When tryouts rolled around, she couldn’t hit a shot, and she didn’t make the team. While she says she was crushed, she did what came natural to her.

“I went to go watch them play their first game, and I stood up and started cheering for them,” Gaa-Pulley said. “I started a cheerleading squad. I ended up going to every game. I was the only one cheering, but by the end of the year, we had a couple of people and that’s how it all started.”

Even though she was considered small and disproportionate, she was the first alternate on the dance team the next season. She excelled there, becoming an All-American. She went on to perform in the Aloha Bowl, the Hula Bowl and the USA Spirit Squad.

She attended Northwest Missouri State University and was on the dance team there as well. The Bearcat Steppers were fourth in the nation during her junior year. She decided to forgo her senior season to start a wellness company with some of her professors, thinking that health and wellness would be her next step in life.

In 1993, she moved to Tampa for a job, and at the suggestion of a friend, she tried out for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers cheerleading squad. She didn’t make the team initially, but somebody quit and it opened up an opportunity for her. She says she “cheered like I made it.”

Something else was going on in her life at that time. She had always gone to church, but she didn’t really know Jesus. She attended a worship service in Tampa and it stirred her soul — challenging her to live out the faith on a daily basis. Knowing she didn’t possess the type of faith the pastor spoke about bothered her — so much so that she never went back to church while she was in Tampa.

“I did not honor God during that year of my life,” Gaa-Pulley said. “I used [my position as an NFL cheerleader] for greed, pride, fame, for signing autographs, for getting into clubs, for the glitz and glory if it, for me. It was the glorification of me.”

She moved to Idaho for graduate school, got married, had two boys and then endured a divorce. One day in 2002, one of her sons asked her who Jesus was. She couldn’t answer his question, so she took her children to church to find out. She heard the gospel and says she was redeemed in an instant.

She decided to move back to the Kansas City area and immediately got active in a church there. She and her family — she’s newly re-married — are now members of Heartland Community Church in Overland Park. As she grew in the faith, she couldn’t escape the growing feeling that she was supposed to tryout for the Kansas City Chiefs’ cheerleading squad, knowing that if she got another shot, she would do things differently this time. She made the team in 2005, at age 32, and she began to pour herself into the other cheerleaders.

She only cheered for the Chiefs for one season, but the impact she made can be heard in these written words from a fellow cheerleader: “I love being around you just for the simple fact that I feel like you boost my spirit and morale. The way you talk about God is phenomenal …” Another cheerleader wrote, “You’re such a strong Christian woman. You inspire me to be a better person.”

In a sense, she became a cheerleader for cheerleaders, and it didn’t end after she stopped cheering for the Chiefs. She is still mentoring, coaching and speaking to Chiefs cheerleaders. She has written curriculum for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes’ Cheer Camp. And recently she started putting together a professional cheerleaders association in hopes of connecting cheerleaders in all sports. She’s also writing a book to cheer women through their daily struggles.

Recently she attended a Chiefs game in which they were losing handily, and even that gave her motivation to continue to cheer others on.

“By the end of the third quarter, the sea of red had become the sea of red heading out of the stadium,” Gaa-Pulley said. “People were angry — yelling profanities and getting emotional. I looked down at the cheerleaders and was reminded of what a blessing they are. They still had their smiles and they continued to dance and cheer as if nothing had changed. They knew the score, but that didn’t stop them from cheering — even in the fourth quarter. They stood by their team no matter what.

“What if we did that in our families, in our communities, in our careers, in our faith? What if we began to act our way into right feeling rather than feel our way into right action?

“It was a challenge to get off the sidelines and cheer like this in every aspect of life.”

Bandettes at the Swarm-Bandits Game

2009-03-07T10:49:00.001-05:00

Amanda, Justina, and Erin M

Photos and video of the Bandettes at their most recent game over at Phil's blog.

Patriots Cheerleaders 2009 Auditions - A spirited competition!

2009-03-07T10:19:00.001-05:00

Patriots.com: Patriots Cheerleaders Preliminary Auditions were held Saturday, February 28 at the Dana Farber Field House, Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, Mass. Approximately 300 hopefuls turned out, vying for a coveted spot on the 2009 squad. After two rounds of competition to include choreographed dance routines, a freestyle segment and an optional tumbling pass, the pool of candidates was narrowed down to 67. Final Auditions will be held Saturday, March 7 at Gillette Stadium. In addition to performing choreographed routines, a freestyle dance and tumbling passes, high kicks, a question and answer segment with the panel of judges and a swimsuit modeling competition will be added. By late afternoon, approximately 45 candidates will be chosen to participate in a two-week intensive training session. The final squad for 2009 will be announced on March 21. Be sure to check back frequently on March 7, as photos from Final Auditions will be posted throughout the day!

Tips for hopeful 2009 Philadelphia Eagles cheerleader contestants

2009-03-07T10:09:00.000-05:00

Get Your Eagle on: Beauty Tips for hopeful 2009 Philadelphia Eagles cheerleader contestants

By Alyssa D'Egidio
NBC Philadelphia
Mar 2, 2009

Former Philadelphia Eagles’ cheerleader Alyssa D’Egidio gives tips on how to nail this year’s audition.

Astounding dance ability and physical fitness will separate the good from the bad at the 2009 Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleading Open-Call Auditions but there are other elements that are often overlooked by many aspiring cheerleaders.

A contestant can have years of dance experience and six-pack abs but something that usually lowers contestants’ scores is their appearance.

When envisioning a professional cheerleader, there are a few key things that come to mind—polished hair and flawless make-up. Contestants may be able to dance like a “Pussycat Doll” or have a body like Giselle but if their hair is not up to superstar standards, scores are going to drop.

There are some simple things an aspiring cheerleader can do for her appearance that will wow that judges.

HAIR
Put The Scissors Away: If your hair is long don’t cut it. Most cheerleaders have shoulder length or longer hair, which judges tend to admire. Melvin Silverman owns Salon De L’Etoile-- the official salon of the Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleaders. “In the last two years, none of the cheerleaders have had short hair,” he says. If your hair is short, don’t fret because there are options. Some women feel they look better with short hair and if you’re one of them then go with what feels and looks best on you. If you want to quickly change your look then try some of these options:

Jessica Simpson Hair Extensions: This easy fix to lengthening hair is inexpensive and results are instantly drastic. They can be ordered on the Internet in various colors, lengths and styles. All you have to do it clip them in securely and the extensions will blend in your natural hair.

Salon Hair Extensions: If you want something a little more permanent, many girls pay for hair extensions done at salons. Lauren Gerner, a stylist at Giovanni and Pileggi Salon in Philadelphia, highly suggests that cheerleader hopefuls get extensions if they have short hair. “The only requirement is that hair has to be at least four inches long,” she says. “The extensions should last about four to six months depending on how fast hair grows.” Great Lengths hair extensions will cost in the range of $1,000-$4,000. One of the advantages is that treatment for the extensions is almost the same as normal hair except products with silicone and sulfate cannot be used. Flat irons, curlers, etc. are all usable on these extensions. Salon De L’Etoile also offers services for hair extensions.

Color, Color, color: Whatever your natural hair color is…amplify it. If you have dirty blonde hair, go blonder. If it’s mousy brown, put in an allover dye to make it shiny and really powerful. Whatever the color, make it stand out. Eagles fans that sit higher at the stadium have a hard time seeing the cheerleaders and by having a really great color is helpful for them to distinguish between cheerleaders. This said, avoid odd hair colors or too many different shades. “When they color their hair, with the right conditioner, the hair will shine more,” says Melvin. “ Hair colors add a lot of excitement and makes the girls look a little more attractive.” He suggests brunettes sticking to brown shades while blondes should be very light or bleached.

Style: On the day of the audition, don’t style your hair like you would for everyday things. Hot rollers, curling irons and flat irons are your friends. Although you will be flipping your hair around during the audition, judges take a minute to look at your overall appearance. At this point your hair should look polished. Melvin Silverman suggests, “Moroccan oil or high sheen spray will help it from tangling.” He also adds that there are distinct ways the cheerleaders like to style their hair.

“Seventy percent of the girls wear their hair flat or straight ironed which helps it last throughout the game while 30% of girls will want their hair curled.”

Tease Please: Have a straight part in the front of the head and tease the back. Teasing will add a lot of volume.

“Take a section of hair around the crown of your head and hold it in the air with one hand,” Melvin said. “With the other hand, use a comb to tease the root up and down.” This will add a little lift and dynamic to your do.

Caution: Melvin Silverman cautions cheerleader hopefuls from showing up with their hair anything but down.

“The cheerleaders can’t wear their hair in pony tails or half up,” he said. “ It should be down and flowing so they can swing it around when dancing.”

MAKE-UP

Natural Foundation: Salon De L’Etoile also provides make-up artists to the cheerleaders. Professional cheerleaders shouldn’t look like they have caked on foundation, but on the other hand they shouldn’t appear as if they are going to the gym. Make-up is a must. It enhances the eyes, lips and cheeks in order for the judges to notice. Foundation should look natural and blend nicely into the skin.

Glamorous Eyes: Melvin Silverman says that dramatic eyes are a must Contestants should spend the most time on their eye make-up.

“Fake eyelashes to are worn by most of the cheerleaders,” said Melvin. “Use natural colors like browns, blacks, smoky grays and lots of black eye liner.”

Luscious Lips: Lips should be very subtle but still evident.

“Pinks are commonly used and subtle,” Melvin said. “Lip liner two shades darker than the lipstick should be used to blend the lips.”

Caution: Sparkles are a no-no. No blue eye shadows and bright red lipsticks either.

Make-up and hair are essential parts of a contestant’s appearances and will either help or hinder a contestant’s chance of getting through the auditions. Use these simple beauty tips to polish your appearance and impress the judges. Check back for more tips on what to wear for the audition.

Chicago Slaughter Girls

2009-03-06T15:28:00.000-05:00

The CIFL kicks off its season tonight. In Chicago the Slaughter are hosting the Milwaukee Bonecrushers, and the dance team, The Slaughter Girls, are excited to start cheering for their team.

The Slaughter Girls are under the direction of Wynne Lacey.Wynne's previous experience includes five years as a dancer and captain in the NBA with the Chicago Bulls and Milwaukee Bucks. During that time she danced and captained with the AFL's Chicago Rush Adrenaline Rush dance team.

[Chicago Slaughter Girls]

New A-Town Website

2009-03-06T09:59:00.000-05:00

The Atlanta Hawks have finally updated their page for the A-Town Dancers. Go check it out!

The Sirens at Madison Square Garden

2009-03-06T09:30:00.003-05:00

Last Saturday I made my first trip ever to NYC's historic Madison Square Garden, which I will admit I found impressive. The New York Titans were hosting the Calgary Roughnecks. It was another chance to shoot the Titans Dance Team, The Sirens. And I ran into some old friends as well.

Doris during a pre-game walk through

Opening performance

Amanda during player introductions

Sirens take the field

Danielle flips

Here are some former Phildaelphia Soulmates I ran into at the game. Second from left is Lindsay Rodolico. In the center is Lauren and on the far right is Gemma. So the question is what's are these Philly Girls doing at MSG?

Well, it seems after the Arena League suspended the 2009 season the Junior Soulmates reorganized themselves as the Platinum All-Star Dance Team. They were booked to perform at half-time. The dancers are in high demand. They'll be performing at Sixers and Phillies games and maybe even at NASCAR in Dover.

Director Christie Kirk and some of the Sirens in a fun shot.

More photos here. The lights are dimmed when the Siren perform, although there is a spotlight. Nevertheless, I didn't get many good action shots.

[The Sirens]

[Sirens on MySpace]

Baltimore Lady Mariners Calender Release Parties

2009-03-06T07:00:00.000-05:00

The Baltimore Lady Mariners are having not one, but two calendar release parties: Friday, March 13th at Mosaic Night Club and Lounge and Friday, March 20th at Angels Rock Bar. Both locations are in Baltimore. Not only will fans have a chance to pick up the hot-of-the-presses calendar, they can watch the Lady Mariners perform as well.

Lady Mariners Director Audra Weaver was a bit secretive about the calendar telling us, "It's a swimsuit calendar, but with a twist!" She says it's definitely going to be something new and fun.

The teams takes the field for the first time Sunday, March 15th with new uniforms and we're promised plenty of surprises all season long.

[Baltimore Lady Mariners]

[Lady Mariners on MySpace]

Clarkston grad takes dance career to California

2009-03-05T20:54:00.000-05:00

Phil Custodio
The Clarkston News
February 25, 2009

With seven years of NBA dance team experience and a huge photo spread in Muscle and Fitness magazine, Clarkston graduate Harmony Hunt's years of hard work is paying off.

"I'm not looking to get famous, but I want to do these things when I'm young and able," said Hunt, Clarkston High School class of 1996. "I'm blessed to have these opportunities."

"I think it's fabulous, a Clarkston girl goes out there to California and does good," said Rick Hunt of Independence Township, her father.

Growing up in Independence Township with her parents, Rick and Theresa, brother, Rudy, and sister, Jessie, she started dancing when she was 3-4 years old at Roxana's Dance Expressions studio.

"My mom started me out young," Harmony said. "I loved it. I've stuck with it all my life. It's a passion of mine."

"She really enjoyed performing, ever since she was little," Rick said. "She's excelled in it ever since."

She was recruited by Clarkston pom-pon coaches Mary Jean Cox and Gina Cox to teach dance at Clarkston High School, and coached junior varsity and varsity pom pon for about four years.

"I really enjoyed teaching the girls," she said. "We were very competitive, always placing in the top three at competitions. It was a good opportunity to learn leadership and teach girls to do their best."

In 1998, she tried out for the Detroit Piston Dance Team Automotion at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

"It was an open audition," she said. "Out of more than 200 girls, they picked 13."

She danced with Automotion for three years.

"I've always loved NBA basketball," she said. "It was really exciting, dancing for thousands of people, seeing the game up close."

"It was pretty overwhelming to see her out there performing," Rick said.

She was visiting friends in Manhattan Beach, Los Angeles County, when she got the urge to head west.

"I fell in love with the ocean and everything around it," she said. "I was working as a cosmetologist, and I thought, if I can do that in Michigan, I can do it here."

She moved to Los Angeles in 2005, joined Hush Hush Hair Salon on Manhattan Beach, and auditioned for the NBA's LA Clippers Spirit Dance Team.

"The Clippers also had open auditions, and I got through," she said. "We dance a lot more. I didn't know anybody when I got here, and it helped me meet people all over the place."

In addition to her salon and dance jobs, she also works as a model. She is representing herself to start, but already landed a photo feature in the national fitness magazine Muscle and Fitness' April edition, sharing the cover with martial artist Bruce Lee.

"I'm always dancing. I'm in good, healthy shape, so I thought I'd try fitness modeling," she said. "I've been getting really good feedback from it."

She doesn't miss Michigan's cold winters – "one of my main reasons for moving to California," she said – but does enjoy seeing downtown Clarkston when she visits.

"I enjoy Clarkston sporting events and downtown parades. I enjoy going back, and visiting friends and going to the local restaurants," she said. "I want to thank my friends and family in Clarkston for their support and love. I never could have made it out here without them."

SI Gallery Update - NHL

2009-03-05T19:34:00.000-05:00

The Dallas Stars Ice Girls are back for a repeat appearance in this week's Sports Illustrated gallery. Click here to see what they're up to now!

2009-10 Buffalo Jills Captains

2009-03-05T14:58:00.001-05:00

First the sad news:

Two retiring captains, a pair of seven-year vets: 2005 Pro Bowl Rep Jamie and Kelly.

And now the 2009-10 Captains and Co-Captains:

Captains Omarlla (10th year), Eileen (10th Year),
Nicole (6th year)

Co-Captains Katie (6th year), Christina (4th year), Jill (3rd year)

Ambassador Squad:

Captain Danielle (4th year) and Co-Captain Keisha (3rd year)

All the details at Phil's Jills and Bandettes Blog.

Jills Auditions are Sunday, March 29th.

NLL Girl of the Week - Jennifer of the San Jose Stealth Bombshells

2009-03-05T11:40:00.001-05:00

Realtor and mom of three finds time to dance for the Bombshells

From NLL.com

Being a mother of three is a full-time job in itself. Stealth Bombshell Jennifer still finds time away from motherhood to do something she loves: dance. She may be a rookie to the Bombshells, but she is no stranger to the world of dance.

Jennifer has spent time in her dancing career as a member of the San Jose Saberkittens (Arena Football League) and the San Diego Wildfire (American Basketball Association). She's been a dancer and cheerleader most of her life, and also a hip-hop dance instructor as part of a children's after school program.

She heard about the opportunity to try out for the Stealth dance team and jumped at the chance. She had taken some time off from her dance career to spend time raising her family, and really wanted to show her three boys a side of her other than "mom". She had always been a fan of lacrosse and was excited about working with the Stealth. "I love the intensity of the game and of course, the awesome fans!"

Outside of dancing and being a mom, Jennifer is also a realtor in the San Francisco Bay Area. She graduated from San Diego State University with a degree in Child and Family Development. A native of Southern California, she enjoys vacationing in San Diego, Calif., as well as her husband's native country, Nicaragua.

"Being with the Stealth has been such a wonderful experience so far," she says. "I am blessed to be a part of such an amazing, diverse group of women and do what I am most passionate about: Dance! Go Stealth!"

[San Jose Stealth Bombshells]

Gold Rush at the 2009 Crab Cracking Festival

2009-03-04T11:30:00.000-05:00

Our bay-area correspondent Rex was at the SF Crab Cracking Festival this past weekend and he sends us this report:

Gold Rush members Lindsey, Desiree and Angel participated in the competition while Chris cheered them on from the sideline. Each of the girls (and their competitors, among whom were 49ers players Joe Staley, Chilo Rachal and Manny Lawson) was partnered with a local celebrity chef. The pair who could amass the most crab meat in 3 minutes wins the competition. While the three of them definitely put up a good fight, they just couldn't beat this year's winner, Chilo Rachal. After the competition, the girls gamely posed with and signed autographs for many of the fans who attended the event.

See all of Rex's photos here.

Auditions for the Gold Rush are Sunday, March 29th. Full details here.

Bowl Off: Sixers Dancers vs. Wings Angels

2009-03-04T09:00:00.001-05:00

Like the poster says, the Sixers Dancers battled the Wings Angels in a Bowl Off last Friday at Pinsetter Bar & Bowl in Pennsauken, NJ. The winning team would donate tickets for a future Philadelphia 76ers or Wings game to local womens' charities in the Philadelphia region. A team of fans/bowlers would also get the chance to face off against the winners.

Both Dance Teams pose for a photo before the competition begins.

Janeen in introduced

Jessica

Lauren concentrates

Lanes 17 & 18 were the center of attraction for the evening.

The Sixers win the Bowl-Off, 531-389. This prompted Sixers Head Coach Christian Naven to suggest that her dancers should take on the Phillies Ball Girls on the bowling lanes instead of the softball field in the future.

Another shot of Janeen

The rest of the photos here.

[Sixers Dancers]

[Wings Angels]

2009 WNBA Seattle Storm Dance Troupe Auditions

2009-03-04T06:00:00.000-05:00

The Sonics may have left Seattle, but the WNBA Storm are still in town, and next month they are holding auditions for the Storm Dance Troupe.

Auditions are for boys and girls, ages 5-15 with experience in hip hop and jazz and have tons of energy and charisma! There are three rounds of auditions and the finals will be held for the public to see on Saturday, April 18th. Directed by former Sonics Dancer Sheena Shive, the Storm Dance Troupe performs at all WNBA Storm home games and has been a highlight for Storm Fans since 2000.

I don't know how many 5-15 year-olds we have reading the blog, but if you're a Seattle-area dance teacher or instructor and know some kids who might be interested be sure to pass this info along.

[Seattle Storm Dance Troupe]

Redskins Cheerleaders Auditions & Prep Classes

2009-03-03T15:30:00.000-05:00

Complete details here.

Video from the Pats Open Calls

2009-03-03T13:41:00.000-05:00

Patriots cheerleader auditions 2009
Mon, 2 Mar 2009
Boston.com

Description: More than 200 women turned out on Saturday to try their luck at landing a spot on the New England Patriots cheerleader team. Watch them stretch, learn and routine and dance in preparation for their audition.

All-Pro3 Announces Dates of the 2009 P-R-O Convention

2009-03-03T11:00:00.000-05:00

All-Pro3 Inc, the company that produces the P-R-O Convention has announced the dates for the 6th annual P-R-O Convention. Professional Cheerleaders and Dancers from all over the world will meet in Atlanta, Georgia the weekend of June 27th-28th to learn from the industry’s premier choreographers.

“We’ve got a new venue in Atlanta, the Sheraton Atlanta. It’s within walking distance from nightlife on Peachtree Street” says Tracy Rutledge of All-Pro3. “Our guests will be treated with the same hospitality and service, but now be closer to things in downtown Atlanta.”

Registration for the P-R-O Convention will open in March. Make your plans now to attend the BEST convention for professional cheerleaders and dancers.

Other highlights of the P-R-O Convention include:

Networking opportunities with teams from every professional league. NFL,
NBA, NHL, AFL, AHL, ECHL, etc.
Fully choreographed routines that are ready to be performed in front of
hometown crowds.
Fan friendly, usable choreography that is suited for professional
cheerleader/dancer teams.
Vendor sampling and displays from fantastic sponsors of the convention.
The ever popular Sideline Distraction Magazine, which showcases sideline
hotties from the P-R-O Convention.
Complete coverage of the event by the Professional Cheerleader Blog.

[AllPro3.com]

Patriots cheerleader tryouts draw 200-plus

2009-03-03T10:46:00.001-05:00

By Adva Saldinger
GateHouse News Service
Mar 02, 2009

Photo Gallery

FOXBORO — More than 200 women jumped, clapped and body-rolled to Britney Spears’ song “Circus”’ Saturday in hopes of winning a spot as a New England Patriots cheerleader.

“I’ve always wanted to be a Patriots cheerleader,” said Alana Hicks, 19, of Weymouth. “Every dance teacher I’ve ever had has been one, so it’s just something I’ve always looked up to and wanted to do since I was just a little kid.”

The judges, said Julie Warner, a Patriots cheerleader captain, were looking for confidence.

Warner, 28, who works full time in addition to being a Patriots cheerleader, will have to try out again herself in the final rounds to keep her position. On Saturday, her role was to help the women learn the routine.

Sara Caldeira, 19, of Taunton said the cheerleaders “are very friendly. They teach you one by one; if you need help, they’re free to help you. It’s an awesome experience.”

Some women failed to make the cut after the first round. Those who remained performed a dance, choreographed to “Circus,” that Patriots cheerleading director Tracy Sormanti taught them at break-neck speed.

The routine was easier to pick up for Danielle Bailey, 20, of Easton, than she thought it would be. She wants to join the squad because she loves to entertain and perform but also because she has always done community service.

“I just want to do something for other people while I’m having fun doing my job,” said Bailey.

Meghan Bossa, 20, of Braintree said the cheerleaders are role models and get to represent the team abroad.

“I think it’s amazing they have that kind of influence,” she said.

Rebecca Kennedy of Bridgewater, who made it to the finals several years ago, said she wants the stature that comes with the job.

“People don’t just come to the games to watch the players; they come to watch the cheerleaders, and you can tell from all the apparel and calendars they buy that they are a huge icon in New England sports,” she said.

Near the end of the day, the judges made another cut and the remaining group of approximately 60 women stayed to learn another routine for another round of auditioning next weekend.

The ones who get through that will be interviewed and go through a two-week trial period, after which the team of up to 24 will be selected.

Once the team is picked, it’s straight to work gearing up for next season on the sidelines.

Los Gatos women on Raiderettes squad visit the troops in Iraq and Kuwait

2009-03-03T10:28:00.001-05:00

By Marianne L. Hamilton
Los Gatos Weekly-Times
03/02/2009

When Meena Shams and Ariel Ogilvie make public appearances, they're almost always in uniform. As members of the Raiderettes, cheerleading squad for the Oakland Raiders, the Los Gatos residents are typically decked out in their familiar silver and black costumes.

Recently, though, the pair found themselves attired in bulletproof vests and Kevlar helmets. But to the soldiers they were visiting at military bases in Iraq and Kuwait, it was just business as usual.

On Jan. 28, Shams and Ogilvie — accompanied by fellow cheerleader Jovann Canada from Pleasanton — boarded a plane for Kuwait. The three were chosen to represent the squad by Raiderettes director Karen Kovac, who felt the trio brought a unique set of talents and life experiences to the task.

"Going on these trips is a huge honor, and the slots are highly coveted," Kovac says. "Meena and Jovann are line captains, and have been with us for several seasons. They have plenty of experience with being in charge, being dropped into different situations at various events, and having to figure it out. They're both very adaptable and knowledgeable."

Ogilvie's impending marriage to Marine 1st Lt. Mike Lamb also carried weight in the decision-making process, Kovac adds. "Having gone through tours to Bosnia and Kosovo myself, I knew that these types of trips really open your eyes in wonderful ways. I imagined this shared experience would help tie Ariel and Mike together. Also, being able to tell the soldiers in Iraq that her fiancÂŽ was in the Marines would be a nice connection."

The Raiders organization has had a lengthy history of supporting the military. Kovac often sends members of the cheerleading team to disabled veterans' events and to VA hospitals throughout the state, and the football team regularly hosts active and retired military on the sidelines at games. Just prior to the Iraq trip, Shams joined four other Raiderettes at Camp Pendleton, where they performed for 1,000 soldiers about to be deployed to the Middle East.

"We all get hooked on these events," Kovac says. "Once you do something with the service personnel, you just want to do more."

This year's Iraq tour was orchestrated by the marketing firm Pro Sports MVP, which stages promotional programs and events featuring entertainment and sports celebrities. Along with the Raiderettes, members of several NFL teams made the journey to Iraq. For nine days, the players and cheerleaders toured bases and points of interest in the Middle Eastern war zone, doing a number of meet-and-greets and participating in several special events. Shams says their reception was enthusiastic, from the highest-ranking brass on down.

"We met with Maj. Gen. Ray Odierno, who's in charge of the 4th Infantry Division in Baghdad; he reports directly to Gen. Petraeus, and was appointed by the President. He took the time to thank us for coming," Shams notes.

Odierno also presented each visitor with a special commemorative coin, a fact that Shams says will come in handy should she ever happen to share an adult beverage with a member of the military. "The custom is that if someone pulls out a coin and challenges you, and you don't have a coin or theirs outranks yours, you have to buy everyone a round," explains Shams. "But if yours outranks theirs, they have to buy a round. I think each of us now has a coin that outranks 99 percent of all coins."

Shams adds that it was a heady experience to leaf through the guest book the cheerleaders were asked to sign in Basra. Following tea with Maj. Gen. Andy Salmon, commander of British forces in the city, she and Ogilvie inscribed their signatures in the book. "Then we turned the page back and saw that [British Prime Minister] Gordon Brown had just signed. That was definitely one of the highlights of the tour," says Shams.

The Los Gatans' arrival "in-country" coincided with Iraq's recent elections. Though the event went off peacefully, the Raiderettes' military escort opted to keep them out of the way of any potential unrest.

"After we landed in Kuwait, we stayed at Camp Arifjan for three days during the election," Shams says. "From then on, our itinerary was sort of decided upon on a daily basis."

That schedule included daily meals and many hours spent chatting with the troops about their experiences. Shams and Ogilvie also took part in a re-enlistment ceremony, holding the American flag while military personnel signed on for additional tours of duty. Traveling between bases, their modes of transportation included Blackhawk and Apache helicopters, as well as a C-130 transport plane. They also went for a spin in an MRAP (Mine-Resistant Ambush Protection) vehicle, which is designed to survive roadside bombs.

Super Bowl Sunday found the Raiderettes watching the game with the men and women in uniform in Kuwait. Given the time difference, the game's live telecast presented some logistical challenges. "We slept until 10 p.m., then got dressed and went out to the base," says Shams. "The game started at 2 a.m. Kuwait time; it was over about 6:30, then we had breakfast and caught a helicopter for Camp Bucca in Iraq ... and we were up until 10 p.m. that night. We were pretty exhausted. But the excitement of being on the trip, and knowing we were there to increase the soldiers' morale, really kept us going."

Once at Camp Bucca, where the cheerleaders were outfitted with the protective vests and helmets, Ogilvie says she was surprised at the friendliness of the environment. Located on the Iraq-Kuwait border, the facility serves as a prison for some 18,000 military detainees.

"It's a very simple setting, but it's very intimate," says Ogilvie. "The group that took us around was very close-knit; we could tell by how they interacted with each other. We got a great feeling from them and really bonded with them. I actually cried when we flew away."

Out of respect for the conventions of Middle Eastern culture, Shams and her colleagues left their regular cheerleading costumes at home. "We dressed very conservatively the whole time we were there, mostly in jeans," Ogilvie says. "We also wore long-sleeved under-armor shirts, and T-shirts provided by Pro MVP."

Despite the presence of uniformed troops — both American and Iraqi — carrying weapons of various descriptions, neither Ogilvie nor Shams say they felt afraid. Both were happy to entrust their safety to their escorts, and report that they were protected quite rigorously. Still, there were a few instances that reminded the pair that they weren't exactly in Kansas anymore.

"At one point I felt a little jittery: We were out on the Green Zone, in an area that's run by the Iraqi military, and we were swarmed by their troops," Ogilvie says. "Another time we were staying in a hotel in Baghdad, right across from Saddam Hussein's Al Faw Palace. I sat in a chair that was given to him by [late Palestinian President] Yasser Arafat. I definitely got a creepy feeling, being around things that used to belong to Hussein. But our escorts knew the best ways to keep us safe, and we basically did what they told us to do and we were fine."

What led the Los Gatans to trade comfort zone for war zone? Says Ogilvie, a Los Gatos native and graduate of Los Gatos High School: "We're in this beautiful`bubble' in this town. I wanted to have a more authentic idea of what the world is like. When we got there, the military really took the time to educate us about their mission, they gave us the history of the bases, and helped us to understand why they're there. I feel like I have a much clearer idea of what's going on now."

Adds Shams, "The soldiers were so appreciative of us taking the time to visit them. A lot of the time they think that no one remembers they're there."

Given their cover-girl looks and figures (not to mention the outfits they wear on game day), it would be far too simple to dismiss "Football's Fabulous Females" as stereotypically vapid vessels. Not so fast: Shams, a graduate of Murray State University in her home state of Kentucky, is a sales and marketing executive for a line of skin-care products and antioxidant supplements, is a former member of the Northern California Women's Hockey League and is active in several organizations dedicated to fighting breast cancer. Her personal life is active as well, as wife to Saratoga native and Sereno Group sales executive Ryan Iwanaga and stepmom to Iwanaga's 11-year-daughter.

Ogilvie, a graduate of UC-Santa Barbara, where she was on the dean's list, is pursuing a doctorate in clinical psychology at Argosy University in San Francisco. After earning her Ph.D., Ogilvie hopes to work with underserved children in the Bay Area. For the near term she'll be enjoying some welcome time with her future husband: After 12 years with the Marines and several tours of duty throughout the Middle East, including Afghanistan and Kosovo, Lamb will receive a medical discharge next month.

The cheerleaders' achievements come as little surprise to Kovac, who herself holds a master's degree in international business. As the Raiderettes' chief choreographer for the past 13 years, and having served as the squad's director since 2004, Kovac is never satisfied with merely adding another pretty face to the lineup.

"When a young woman auditions, which everyone has to do every year — even those who are currently on the squad — I look carefully at every application," says Kovac. "I insist that a Raiderette must either be in school full time or hold down a full-time job. A few are moms, and if they're doing that, more power to them. I want everyone to be fully engaged in some way, because they have to be strong role models for youths.

"Anyone can put on makeup and do their hair. What's important is what's on the inside."

While they consider where their travels will lead them next, Shams and Ogilvie will both be taking part in the Raiderettes' April 19 tryouts. Shams says the process is stressful for Iwanaga each season.

"He'll call me on the day we're supposed to hear whether we made it or not, and tell me that he's pacing up and down and can't focus," Shams laughs. "He's a huge football fan, and he also knows how hard I've worked to get here. I didn't make it onto the team until my third try."

Ogilvie, who says she rarely feels fear, admits that the process of auditioning is always daunting. But if she were asked to retire her pom-poms after this season, it appears that the Sunday afternoon lineup wouldn't be the biggest thing she'd miss.

"It's definitely cool being a cheerleader, because you have opportunities to travel and do things you'd never do otherwise," she says. "But having the chance to support our troops was really an incredible experience."

Raiderette auditions will be held April 19 at Club One in Oakland. Interested candidates can visit www.raiders.com/Raiderettes.

2009 Junior Knightingales Camp

2009-03-03T05:00:00.000-05:00

The Rochester Knightingales are proud to announce the 4th annual JR Knightingales Entertainment Team One Day Camp.

All participants will be given professional instruction on dance and cheering from the 2009 Knightingales Entertainment Team and learn a dance routine choreographed specifically for this event.

Participants will build self-esteem and character, they will receive an official uniform, autographed picture, and will perform in front of up to 11,000 fans at the Knighthawks home game against the Philadelphia Wings.

Participants will not only meet and dance with the Knightingales, but they will talk about the importance of health and fitness.

Where: Blue Cross Arena, One War Memorial Square, Rochester, NY

When: Saturday, April 18th 2009 1:00-6:00 pm, Perform at Halftime.

Ages: 6-14

Cost: $60 participation fee.

Deadline to Register: March 18, 2009

All friends and family members can purchase additional tickets to the game for only $13 each. That's $11.25 off the regular Box Office price!

Download a registration form here or for more information email the Knightingales at info_knightingales@yahoo.com

[Rochester Knightingales]

Introducing: The Starting 11 Girls

2009-03-02T22:19:00.001-05:00

Join me in welcoming a new dance team to Major League Soccer - the Kansas City Wizards Starting 11 Girls! The Wizards had a dance team about four years ago, but it eventually evolved into a hospitality team. Now they're bringing the dancers back, under the direction of Stephanie Gazonas (who you may recognize from the Kansas City Brigade Girls.) We're expecting great things from this group!

This year, the team provides the best of both worlds. 11 of the 16 girls are dancers, while the remaining 5 will be hospitality ambassadors. The 2009 MLS season is just around the corner, so this team has been incredibly busy. Among other things, they recently finished shooting their brand new swimsuit calendar. Ooh la la!

Many thanks to Stephanie for sending us a couple of photos to tide us over until we can meet the whole team. You may recognize these two beauteous young ladies. Both Amy (top) and Ciera (bottom) were Kansas City Brigade Girls. The KC Brigade is out of commission this season, so it's great to hear that some of the girls were able to find another great opportunity to keep on dancin'.

Pistons Automotion Dancer Chelsey Buhler Splashes into Sports Illustrated's Swimsuit Edition

2009-03-02T13:15:00.000-05:00

By Patricia Montemurri
Detroit Free Press

She's not the cover girl of the vaunted Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition, but Oakland University student and Detroit Pistons Automotion dancer Chelsey Buhler holds her own on Page 160. Buhler, 21, was one of 10 women chosen from NBA dance squads to model in itsy-bitsy teenie-weenie bikinis in the annual issue, now on newsstands.

Page views: Since Buhler's profile was featured in SI -- and in 36 different poses on its Web site -- she's become a fan favorite at Pistons games. She also got 800 unsolicited requests, nearly all of them from strangers, to be friends on Facebook.

Curriculum Vitae: Buhler, an Ortonville-Brandon High graduate, is majoring in communications at Oakland University and is thinking of going to law school or getting an MBA. She was on the dance team for the WNBA Shock for two years before trying out for the Pistons squad three years ago.

Gotta dance: She took lessons -- ballet, tap, jazz and hip-hop -- starting at age 3 at Creative Dance Center in Ortonville. "I used to obsess about learning a dance routine and knowing it. I couldn't sleep because I was thinking about a dance routine. It wasn't enough to do it in my head. I had to get up and dance around at 3 a.m."

Shoutout: At Pistons games, fans who recognize her shout out "Hey, Sports Illustrated."

Big Apple Photo Shoot: SI flew her out to New York City for three days in September. They gave her a bikini in the Pistons' red, white and blue colors. During the one-day photo shoot, she also posed with women from other dance teams, and shot a video.

Career opportunity or cheesecake? Buhler says she doesn't view the exposure as being treated like a sex object.

"I think they did a good job of portraying us as professional dancers," she says. "This is something that every girl wants. You look at the girls in the Sports Illustrated edition and how pretty they are, and you never think you're going to be in it. And when you are, it's like a dream come true."
Advertisement

Bottom line: Some 68 million people eyeballed the swimsuit issue last year, according to SI, and the Web site drew 8.2 million unique visitors. Buhler says she got a small fee plus expenses while in New York City.

"Nobody has said I'm their screen saver yet," she says. "But I've gotten at least 400 text messages saying I look great in the magazine."

[Automotion]

[Chelsey at SportsIllustrated.com]

Eagles Cheerleaders Around Town

2009-03-02T13:00:00.000-05:00

Reader Mike was at the King of Prussia Mall on Saturday where the Eagles Cheerleaders were making an appearance.

Amanda is a Criminal Justice Major at Kutztown University. More on Amanda here.

Maria and Lauren. More on Lauren and her work with autistic children here.

First-year Cheerleader Tina is a student at Penn. Check out our list of Ivy League Cheerleaders and Dancers here.

[Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleaders]

Will Jason Choose Melissa? Finale of The Bachelor Tonight

2009-03-02T11:16:00.000-05:00

The Bachelor airs at 8pm E/PT on ABC.

PCB Field Trip: ChivaGirl Preliminary Auditions

2009-03-02T08:07:00.031-05:00

ChivaGirl auditions started on Sunday Feb 15th at the Home Depot Center in Carson, which is a bit south of Los Angeles. I took tons of photos for you all so you can see how the process went. If you haven’t had a chance to look at them, you can do that right here

I was so excited to be invited because I was really really really looking forward to it. I love going to auditions. LOVE it.

(I’d love it even more if there were no cuts, but alas, that is the nature of the beast…)

One thing about auditions is they are crazy repetitive, but that’s actually one of the best things about the process. It’s a great opportunity to see new choreography, to see what the dancers are made of, to see familiar faces from other auditions and see how they’ve progressed, to see which dancers rise to the top of the pack, and of course it gives me a chance to work on my photography skills (such as they are).

I was particularly excited for these auditions because firstly, I (heart) the ChivaGirls and their director Aimee Edmundson. Secondly, I was hoping that Mr. John Peters would do the choreography, because Mr. John Peters is super-cool. And thirdly, the auditions were scheduled to take place in a building called the Velodrome. What’s a velodrome? Heck if I knew, but once I became aware of its existence, I was compelled to know what goes on inside.

Velodrome…It sounds like a place where mysterious and exciting things happen. As in “Welcome to the Velodrome, where cheerful elves make fairy dust out of rainbows and happy thoughts!”

On the other hand, the Velodrome could also be a place where dark, sinister things happen. Dancers check in, but they don’t check out. As in “Welcome to the Velodrome. Abandon all hope ye who enter here. (Kindly ignore the screams from the basement)”

Continued...

So on Sunday morning, I motored over to the Home Depot Center campus. There are several different venues on the premises, but some helpful person had posted arrows to guide cars in the right direction. When I got there, the nervous-looking girls standing around in track suits were also a good indication that I was in the right place.

I was heading inside, when veteran ChivaGirl Alana, drove into the lot.

When you see a veteran first thing in the morning on audition day, it is NEVER good news.

Alana, it seems, is planning to study abroad this year. And since you can’t be a ChivaGirl whilst living in another country, she is “taking a year off.” WhatEVER. That is no different from when your boyfriend says he wants to "take a break." Shyeah. You know you're never gonna see that dude again. We all know what happened when Ross and Rachel took a "break."

I went inside and woohoo! Harris sister spotting! I love me some Harris sisters. But then, I looked a little farther down the table, and there’s Linette, another ChivaGirl veteran. That did not bode well.

On the one hand, she was wearing dance clothes. On the other hand, she was standing BEHIND the table. Linette retiring too? I told her this was completely unacceptable. She gave me the big old twinkly Linette smile with the dimples and everything. Like that was going to make it ok. I told her to talk to the hand, because the face ain’t listenin'.

So now I was in a MOOD. Because now I had to do a headcount and figure out who all else was flaking out on me.

Yeah, I take it personal when people retire on me. I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again: you veterans really need to tell me ahead of time if you're not going to re-audition. You can’t just spring it on me. I’m a very sensitive person and I find this kind of surprise very upsetting. (Clippers Girls, this goes for you too especially. Consider yourselves warned.)

Thankfully, I didn’t see anymore veterans, so I opened the double doors and got my first look at...

The Velodrome
(Imagine the NFL theme music playing in the background.
Wrong sport, but whatever)

The Velodrome is a place where people in spandex, who take biking very seriously, go around and around and around in circles. It’s a big oval track that curves up in some places like the walls in a skate park. Picture a big wooden bowl with twisty sides and a flat bottom.

Random thought: I’ve never been to a roller derby, but this looked like a place where a roller derby might go down. That could be interesting.

You enter the Velodrome at the top, and step downward through the stands to the track. Barriers are in place to keep rowdy fans from jumping down on the track. Another set of barriers separate the track from the floor at the bottom. (I guess those barriers are meant to keep rowdy cyclists from jumping down on the floor…?)

The ChivaGirls audition would of course take place down on the floor. Duh. But there didn’t seem to be a direct path to get down there. This looked to be a serious problem. I was prepared to jump over the barrier if I had to, but that seemed a little extreme.

Then I heard someone call my name and saw my girl Kelley waving from the floor. She then explained to me that – get this – in order to get down there where she was, I’d have to walk down the hall and go through a secret door the ladies room.

THROUGH the ladies room, you say?

Riiiiight. That doesn’t sound shady at all.

I thought we were friends, Kelley, but you know what? You can talk to the hand too. I’ll find my own way down there.

Turns out I owe Kelley an apology for all the uncomplimentary things I said about her under my breath. She was right. You do have to go into the little girls room, where there’s a door that leads to a set of stairs. Those stairs end at another door that takes you outside of the building. Then you have to go along the sidewalk to another door, where you go back inside the building and down another set of stairs, and then up a little ramp and out onto the floor.

I’m not saying the person who designed this building was high at the time. I’m just saying that I do not understand the thought process behind it at all.

If nothing else, the design is horribly inefficient.

Down on the floor, the judges were chatting, and many of the aspiring ChivaGirls were warming up. The veterans were there, which I wasn’t expecting. I eyeballed them and came out with 9 veterans re-auditioning for a team of 17 to 20 dancers. If I were a newbie, I’d consider those pretty good odds.

Best part – two former Clippers girls were auditioning, Tiffany and Laura. Yesss! The two teams I (heart) most are ChivaGirls and Clippers Spirit. When they overlap, it makes me happy. Especially since Laura was one of the girls, and she was, is, and will always be, a freakin’ rock star.

Laura and Tiffany

Meanwhile, I had to find Aimee right away, because I had a little gift for her.

Sidebar: At some point during my formative years, I can’t remember exactly when – somebody, somewhere produced an obscure made-for-tv movie about the Laker Girls. All I remembered was that Tina Yothers was in it and she could not dance at all. Like, not even a little bit. And there was another girl who auditioned who was supposed to be a ballet dancer and she couldn’t dance either. Ballet or otherwise.

Anyway, at a Chivas USA Game last summer, I’d mentioned the movie to Aimee, and she’d revealed that she not only knew about the movie, she was in it.

She was IN the movie.
With Tina Yothers.
And the ballet chick.
Wearing MC Hammer pants.

We were in the ChivaGirls locker room at the time, and Ashley, one of the ChivaGirls, overheard our conversation. Ashley had recently been selected to the 2008-09 Laker Girls, so when she heard us discussing the Laker Girls, her ears perked up. (Not literally, of course). Ashley had never heard of the Laker Girls movie.

Ohmigawd, I had to fix that situation right away.

That night, I went home and scoured the internet for that movie. I really wanted to see Aimee doing the running man in purple and gold harem pants. I also thought it would be educational for Ashley to learn a little about the history of her new team. (I can’t believe they don’t sit all the Laker Girls down and force them to watch this movie as part of their initiation.)

I didn’t find anything on youtube or any of the other video sites, but shockingly, I DID find it on DVD on Amazon. It was only $6 y’all! I immediately ordered three copies. One for Aimee, one for Ashley, and one for myself. (You can get one right here.)

You have GOT to see this movie. It is so awesomely bad. Tina Yothers starts out as a rollerskating carhop somewhere in the Midwest. From there it just gets better and better.

All the major themes for cinematic excellence are represented here. A hero. A villain. Sibling rivalry. Adventure. Dance. Glamour. Romance. Ambition. Deceipt. Forgiveness. Fame and fortune. What it lacks in explosions and high speed chase scenes, it makes up for in big hair and belted leotards.

I could not wait to give the DVD to Aimee, so when I found her I presented it with a flourish. As if I’d done something extremely clever.

Mr. John Peters came over while I was talking to Aimee. Mr. John Peters is THE MAN when it comes to this type of choreography. Nobody can touch him. He knows right where the line is with this kind of dance. Big, but not too big. Sassy, but not trashy. Cute but not cutsie. The man knows the value of a well-placed kick or turn.

So he came over, cool hair and all, and revealed a deep dark secret: Not only was Aimee in the Laker Girl movie, but she was also in the movie Teen Witch.

Shut. Up. Teen Witch???

This is totally off-topic, but I have to reminisce for a moment. You HAVE seen Teen Witch, right? Not "Sabrina the Teenage Witch." I'm talking about the original, the first, the OG movie. Dorky girl finds out she’s a witch and uses her magical powers to transform herself into the most popular girl in school and snag the hunky captain of the football team.

That’s not even the best thing about this movie. The best thing is ....

...wait for it...

….it is a MUSICAL. Featured songs include “I like boys” and “I’m gonna be the most popular girl.”

“I like boys” features the cool girls who rule the school dancing around in the girls locker room. The lyrics go something like this: “I’m turning in my teddy bear for a leather mini skirt because I. LIKE. BOYS.”

There is also a rap number.

So. Awesome.

I have a whoooole new level of respect for Aimee. And for Mr. John Peters, who actually sang part of the chorus for me.

(I don't know why I call him Mr. John Peters. I just do. I'm sure his pals call him John, or Peters, or Johnny P., or something.)

Still reeling after that revelation, I trotted off to get my camera stuff together. I was skipping along happily, when WHAM! Next thing I know, I’m on the floor. Had I been paying attention, I might have noticed the five-inch drop from the wooden layer to the concrete floor beneath it.

I landed on my hands and knees, which you might think is no big deal, except it made a really loud noise when my palms slapped down on the wooden floor. THWAP! So of course Aimee and Mr. John Peters, and God knows who else turned around, and I’m trying to jump up like “I’m okay, I’m okay, nothing to see here folks.” Only I can’t jump right up because my ankle kind of hurts, and the only thing worse than falling in the first place, is trying to get up and then falling again.

A sign would've been helpful.
I don’t know how it did it, but I managed to get up, all casual-like, and stroll over to a seat, where I took a few minutes to break into a nervous sweat, calm down, cool down, and evaluate myself for broken body parts.

All of my limbs were intact, so it was time to get to work. First order of business: get photos of all the dancers before the auditions. This has always been the hardest part for me, walking up to a total stranger like “hey, what’s up, can I take a picture?” So here’s how I handled it: I’d mosey on up to a group of girls and ask if any of them saw me fall on my face just now.

After that, it was time to start the auditions. Aimee welcomed everyone and thanked them for coming, and then Mr. John Peters began teaching the choreography. He had some helpers to assist him in demonstrating the dance: Linette, of course. Summer from the Charger Girls, and Laker Girls Jeri-Faye and Nicole.

FYI: there were Laker Girls, past and present, throughout this whole ChivaGirls experience. It was a bit shocking, as I have been scheming to ingratiate myself with the Laker Girls for several years now - with zero progress. But I will not give up. Some of my Clippers girls and ChivaGirls are over there, and I demand to know what they're up to.

Don't get me wrong, it's not like I'm obsessed with the Laker Girls, it just that the harder they make it for me, the more determined I am to infiltrate the entire organization. Um...on second thought, I probably shouldn't be writing this in a public forum.

My point, anyway, is that this pro dance stuff is a small world. I'm starting to see a lot of familiar faces.

By the way, I’ve decided that I would also like to have a hyphenated name. Sasha-Faye? Sasha-Lee? Sasha-Lynn, maybe? Perhaps I’ll change my name to Sasha-Lynn and pursue a career in country music.

Jeri-Faye and Nicole.
FYI: Jeri-Faye was a ChivaGirl in 2007

Summer

Wow, do I know how to veer off topic, or what?
Back to the ChivaGirls audition...

While the teaching and learning was going on, I circled around to find the best angle for photos. See, the first thing you gotta do in this situation is figure out which way everyone will be facing for the money shots – the kicks, the leaps, the moments in the dance when they slow down for half a second. There were 2 or 3 professional photographers there, so I tried to watch and imitate.

For a while, I sat on the floor in front of the judges table, but then I noticed a short set of stairs leading up to a small platform above the judges. A couple of the photographers were up there and I thought to myself “hmmm…this looks promising.” So up I went. It was a good spot for capturing the action. (In a minute, you'll understand why this is relevant.)

The music was a song called “Krazy” by Pitbull (feat. Lil Jon). I hadn’t heard this song before. It goes like this: “…(la la la la) KRAZY, (la la la la ) Krazy, (la la la la) Krazy.” (The “la la la’s” being the part I didn’t know.) I’m pretty sure one of the lines is “Yo mama, she gets Krazy.” Here’s a link, so’s you can hear the song.

One of the things that makes Mr. John Peters fun is the way he teaches. The way he describes everything not only makes it easier to do, but also easier to remember. There’s the “karate,” the “kick the cat,” (I forgive you Mr. John Peters for being a cat hater,) the "hand on the shelf," the “single hootchie,” the “double hootchie,” and my favorite, the “Disney.” He had to help some of the girls figure out the vibe of the dance. It wasn’t supposed to be all “pretty pretty princess,” you know? But don't go too far in the other direction - this isn't a 50 Cent video. This is a dance team, ok? It’s family entertainment, not the nudie bar.

Not that I know what goes on at the nudie bar.

They were about halfway through the choreography when I managed to make a jackass of myself all over again. Only this time it wasn’t just a few people who saw me. Everyone saw me. EVERYONE. I am not exaggerating in any way, shape, or form. I actually hid afterward.

Remember that I mentioned I was sitting up on the platform behind the judges? Everything was fine - until I decided to get up. Somehow, in the process of standing up, I managed to crack my head on a metal sign attached to nearby pole.

It is very important to me that you understand that this sign was attached to a free-standing metal stand. I don’t just go around knocking into stationary objects. This sign had been moved to a place where I did not expect it to be. I’m not saying someone was out to get me. I’m just saying that thing was NOT there when I sat down.

I didn’t knock it over or fall on it or anything, if that’s what you’re thinking. No no, that would be too simple. Let me tell you about this sign. This sign had a bell on it. I’m not talking about cute little jingle bells, or sleigh bells, or door bells. I’m talking about a big “have you been to Philadelphia and seen the Liberty Bell?” kind of bell. I hit the sign, and the bell went “BONG.” It wasn’t a little “bong” either. It was an enormous “Hey everybody, stop what you’re doing and look at me!!!” BOOOOONG.

Why me, God?
Why me all the time?

Aimee looked up and asked me what I was doing. I told her I was working on a concussion, and she was like “geez, I can’t take you anywhere.”

One of the other photographers just looked at me and shook his head.

Stupid bleeping sign.
Oh well. It wasn’t the most embarrassing moment of my life, and it for sure won’t be the last.

I waited for everyone to go back to what they were doing, then gingerly made my way back down to the floor, where I stayed put and did not move one inch until Round One started. My head hurt. My ankle hurt, and my dignity was in tatters. I was thinking, Aimee’s going to make me sign a waiver before she lets me into finals. If she lets me into finals.

First my ankle and then my skull. Things tend to happen in threes, you know. I spent the rest of the day expecting an anvil to fall from the sky and flatten me like a pancake, Wile E. Coyote-style.

After teaching the combination, the DJ put the song on a continuous loop so the dancers could practice. I noticed that they all scooted off to one side, out of the judges’ direct line of vision.

I scurried over to my bag, pausing to warn the Harris sisters to be careful, as it was obvious the whole entire building was booby trapped.

The time between learning the choreography and the actual audition, is one of the most interesting parts of the day. This is the part when you look around and start picking your favorites. (You don’t discuss any of this with the judges of course.) Some girls sat down and looked rather relaxed. Some marked the choreography along with the music. A few danced full out.

Don't forget, there are loads more photos right here

It warmed the cockles of my heart to see the veterans helping some of the other girls. I noticed Amy and Marie in particular, walking through the counts with a couple of girls who seemed unsure about the steps.

If Dr. Laura was here, she would point at Marie and Amy and say (in her grand Dr. Laura way) “those two are women of character!” (That’s a complement, by the way. Dr. Laura is sometimes right about things.)

Speaking of Marie, I forgot to mention one other thing. The ChivaGirls 2009 calendar has just been released. Marie made me remember, because she’s on the cover (with Alana and Jessica.)

That calendar came out gore-juss. I’ll tell you lots more about the calendar some other time, but I assure you, it’s a fine piece of work. I spotted a stack of calendars, helped myself to one, and took it around the room for everyone to oooh and ahhh with me.

(This crappy photo I took doesn't do justice to the cover at all.)

I am awfully proud of that calendar, which makes no sense, since I had nothing to do with the making of it.

Meanwhile, this was a good time to check out the outfits. Most of the girls were wearing the standard bright-colored two-piece ensemble. There were a few notable exceptions, though. One girl was wearing a teeny yellow skirt, which was super cute. Another girl was wearing a sparkly bra-top under a black mesh top. A third girl was wearing silver hot pants and matching silver shoes.

Nothing says "confidence" like silver hot pants.

My favorite top was red with a bow in the middle and red paillettes all over. (Pailettes are big fancy sequins with the hole at the top instead of in the middle.)

(Why am I explaining this? There is not one person reading this, thinking "Wow, I always wondered what pailettes are, and now I know. Thanks Sasha!")

The bow is what put it over the top for me. Not as cute in the photo as in real life, but still super cute, right?

I’ve seen this girl at a few different auditions now. I wish I knew her name, so I could be all "hey, there's Cindy." (Or whatever her name is.) Instead of "hey, there's that blonde girl I've seen before."

Right. So after some rehearsal, it was time to start the auditions. There they went, three at a time. It was not easy. They had to freestyle for a few counts and then jump right into the choreography at a place that wasn’t completely obvious. I thought they all did a good job, and a few really sparkled. It went really fast.

La la la la Krazy. La la la la Krazy. La la la la Krazy.

I found out later that Silver Hot Pants messed up the choreography and instead of freaking out, she did a couple back flips. I can’t believe I missed it. Let that be a lesson to all. If you screw up, it's not about how bad you look, it's about how well you recover. Seems to me like a pretty good way to get the judges' attention - if you're willing to risk it. The judges don’t remember her as “the girl who messed up.” They remember her as “the girl who did a back flip.” (And made it to finals, by the way.)

In silver hot pants.

After everyone had a turn to perform, there was a break for the judges to deliberate. (I try to tune out during that part. Otherwise, I might offer my advice at a time when nobody’s looking for it.)

Spying on the judges. Mwahahahaha...

I think this is when the bikers started to show up. Not “Hell's Angels” bikers. Bicycle bikers. Going around and around, like there was nothing else going on in the room.

If I were a professional bike rider, I’d put some cool tassels on my handle bars.

It wasn’t too long before the judges announced the first cut. One of the girls I was particularly rooting for didn’t make it, leaving me with some very upset feelings, in addition to the throbbing in my ankle and the dent in the top of my head.

After the cut, we took a group photo of all the girls who made it to the next round.

Then it was time to learn the rest. Rather than teaching a different combination for the second round, Mr. John Peters added on to the choreography they’d already learned. The new stuff included a calypso leap, (anything with the word “calypso” in it is bound to be fun), and ended with a dramatic, Flashdancy kind of pose.

calypso!

The big finish

I can’t remember if the new stuff was longer than the old stuff. It seemed to take less time to learn it though. And then it was time for the second cut.

Each group of 3 performed the dance. After that, they were called up to the judges' table to say their name and a little about their dance history.

The first few groups had to answer off the cuff. Later groups found out what the questions were, and had a moment or two to prepare. Unfair, I say!

Each girl was asked if she speaks Spanish. Woe unto to those who lied about it, though because then one of the judges would ask a couple of questions in Spanish. It wasn’t difficult stuff – what do you like to do in your free time, what’s your favorite food, where are your parents from, etc. But it was enough to tell a native speaker from a poser. There were no posers in the house though. Those who couldn’t speak Spanish admitted it, and several volunteered to purchase Rosetta Stone. That’s not to say that you have to speak Spanish to be a ChivaGirl. Many of the veterans do not speak Spanish. But they do like to have at least a few Spanish-speakers on the team.

After that, there were more deliberations, and then another cut. I took the opportunity to go out to my car to fetch Ashley’s copy of the Laker Girls movie. I don’t have Ashley’s contact info, so I wasn’t sure how to get it to her, but as luck would have it, Jeri-Faye agreed to pass it on. (After giving me the "you are a very strange person" look, which was understandable. If I weren't me, I'd wonder what I was doing running around with an obscure Laker Girls DVD like it was secret footage of the aliens crashing at Roswell.)

By this time, I was feeling some pain. I managed to play it off and walk normally while inside the Thunderdome. Er… I mean the Velodrome. But as soon as those double doors closed behind me, it was like “OOOOOOW, ow, ow, ow, ow!” It seemed to take forever to get up those stairs, shuffle out to my car, grab the movie, and shuffle back inside and down the stairs.

(FYI: going down the stairs actually hurts waaaaay more than going up them. That was a nasty little surprise.)

I handed the DVD to Jeri-Faye. She wanted to watch the movie too, and I told her she absolutely should. I think they should pass it around and all the Laker Girls should watch it. If for no other reason than to see their director Lisa Estrada, in the role of “Beth” the choreographer. Tee hee.

I made it back inside just in time for the final cut. All of the veterans made it. A couple of my other favorites also made it. All in all, 30 girls were left standing. I had them all gather together for another group photo, and then it was time to go.

Day 1 was over.

Candidate interviews were scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, leading up to Wednesday’s finals. (I'll tell you about finals in a few days.)

Incidentally, for those who care, that night my ankle blew up to the size of a small grapefruit. I couldn’t walk on it at all, but I needed an ice pack and some Advil in the worst way so I had to find a way to get to the kitchen. Unfortunately, my knees were horribly bruised too, so I couldn’t even crawl there. I wound up using my vacuum cleaner as a crutch. (By the way, I do NOT recommend that, as most vacuum cleaners have wheels on the bottom and sometimes move when you do not expect them to.)

Stupid Velodrome.

Read on...

Cutting footloose: 250 vie for spot on Patriots spirit squad

2009-03-02T08:06:00.000-05:00

By Renee Nadeau
The Boston Herald
March 1, 2009

About 250 exuberant hopefuls got their pompoms on yesterday, vying for a coveted spot on the 2009 New England Patriots [team stats] cheerleading team.

The first round of auditions at Gillette Stadium saw the athletic and attractive ladies master two dance routines, in addition to showing their talents in a freestyle segment.

Two rounds of eliminations cut the contestant pool to about 50 by the end of the day. The lucky finalists will be grilled in interviews this week before tackling the final auditions Saturday. Up to 28 cheerleaders will make the cut.

After the painstaking auditions, the pompom crew can relax on the beaches of Aruba, where the gang is jetting in April to shoot the 2010 Patriots Cheerleaders swimsuit calendar.

Patriots cheerleaders, who practice twice a week as a squad, perform at every home game in Foxboro and visit U.S. armed forces stationed overseas.

Photo Gallery:
2009 Patriots Cheerleader try-outs

Philadelphia KiXX Dance Team

2009-03-01T12:37:00.000-05:00

Last Saturday night, the Philadelphia KiXX scored five points in the waning minutes in a come-from-behind 11-10 victory over the visiting Rockford Rampage.

The game also featured the 7th Annual Sports Memorabilia Post-Game Auction benefiting the Children’s Miracle Network at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

KiXX Dance Team members helped promote the auction in addition their normal game day activities of performances, autograph signing and suite visits.

KiXX Dance Team

Pre-game rehearsal

Thought this was a cool shot of Danielle

Collen and Kristan

Krista and Christina clowning around

Pre-game performance

Mini KiXX Dancer Reunion. Clockwise from top left: Janeen (now with the Sixers Dancers), Gillian, Christine, and Diandra.

Krista and a fan dance in the stands.

More photos in the gallery.

[Philadelphia KiXX Dance Team]

SI Gallery Update - NBA

2009-03-01T12:08:00.001-05:00

This week, the Los Angeles Laker Girls are back for a repeat appearance in the Sports Illustrated NBA dance team gallery. Click here to check it out!

Raiderette Travel Diary: Japan

2009-03-01T09:56:00.002-05:00

Raiderette Cole's Visit to Japan
February 24, 2009
Raiders.com

* Video interview with Raiderette Cole *

Recently, veteran Raiderette Cole had the opportunity, along with seven other NFL cheerleaders, to visit Japan and work with NFL Japan on several initiatives and awareness campaigns with regard to NFL football. Cole took time out to chronicle her experiences. Also, Raiders.com's Jeanette Thompson had a chance to sit down with Cole for a one-on-one video interview upon Cole's return from Japan.

By Raiderette Cole

This is my very first time traveling to Japan, and I am so honored to be representing the NFL, and the Oakland Raiders on this tour. Thank you for inviting me to share my experience with the Raider Nation.

I met with all the team representatives that will be participating in the tour, and Maria Giannini, the director of E2k entertainment production company, at San Francisco International Airport. The ladies I went on tour with included Lauren - San Francisco 49ers; Lindsay - New England Patriots; Melanie - Seattle Seahawks; Fabiola - Miami Dolphins; Kazuyo - NY Jets; Marisa - San Diego Chargers; and Lauren - Philadelphia Eagles. Lauren, from the Eagles however, arrived later than the rest of us due to the playoffs.

I was very fortunate to sit next to such a great couple on my flight over to Japan. Americans Mary and Mark have lived in Japan for over 25 years. They were so generous to share details about the Japanese culture. They explained the currency, or the "yen" rather. I've never seen such a more beautiful currency than the Yen.

The 13-hour flight flew by because I was in such great company. We deplaned, hopped on a charter bus and headed to our hotel, The New Otani, which is gorgeous! We checked into our rooms and walked to a nearby local restaurant to eat our first Japanese-style meal. We had to take off our shoes to enter, and they gave us lockers to store our things. Kazuio, with the Jets, is originally from Tokyo, Japan. So she is very familiar with the area and more importantly she was able to communicate for all of us because she speaks fluent Japanese. We are all so grateful she is here because she is teaching us so much. We couldn't have asked for better hands-on education. We have such a busy agenda coming up, so we went back to our rooms to get some sleep.

Day 1:
We all met at the top of The New Otani Tower for breakfast, and a kick off meeting with the team from NFL Japan. We learned, in more detail, about what is to be expected of us on this trip and the messages they really want us to communicate to gain a larger fan base here in Japan. Basically our mission was to communicate in our interviews key points about NFL football as if we were explaining the sport to someone for the very first time. We are introducing the sport and motivating them to tune in [to NFL football].

After our meeting we went straight to the studio and got to work. I led the team through a group stretch and then we practiced three sideline routines together. We had already learned the material via DVD prior to our departure. So when we got together it was basically cleaning the routines, formations, and just learning to dance together, as we all come from different teams, with different styles. Everyone was so professional, and prepared that practice went by quickly. We broke for lunch and then traveled by subway into the city where we were able to explore and sightsee a bit. When we returned to the hotel Lauren from the Eagles had arrived. She was my roommate for the remainder of the trip. We all went to Trader Vics for dinner, and quickly got ready for our first performance together. "Sporto" is the highest rated sports program on Fuji TV. It was a LIVE appearance, and it airs at midnight, which seems late for the most popular sports show, and is really late for us because we are still adjusting to the time difference, and have jet lag. However we managed to put on a great show, which consisted of one dance performance to Christina Aguilera's "Keeps getting Better," and an interview session with us as a group. We got back to the hotel around 1:00 a.m. to get some sleep.

Day 2:
Up at 6:30 a.m., and at 8 a.m. we had a quick group breakfast at the hotel then we got on our official NFL Japan Tour bus. We headed to the "Star Maker Studios" in Shiba, for a photo shoot. This was an extra special shoot because we were all posing in our team identified uniforms together for our "Team Photo Card." This photo card will be used to sign autographs, and is given to the fans at our appearances.

Immediately after the shoot we went back to the hotel to practice. From practice we went to the Yokota Air Base. At this appearance we had to perform our solo introduction, all three sideline dance routines, and a trivia session with the audience. Each cheerleader made up two questions to ask the audience, one question was to be a difficult question, and the second to be easy. My difficult trivia question was a historical one, what is the name of the first Raider player ever to be inducted into Pro Football Hall of Fame? Answer, my favorite, Jim Otto. My easy trivia question was who is the owner of The Oakland Raiders? Answer, Al Davis, of course (too easy). We then followed up this event with an autograph session and photo session. Then we went back to the hotel to change and we went to Zen in Roppongi for an amazing sushi dinner.

Day 3:
022409 Cole performs with NFL cheerleadersUp at 6 a.m., 8 a.m. group breakfast at the New Otani, immediately followed by a dance rehearsal for about an hour. Then we loaded up our tour bus and headed to Venus Fort, Odaiba for the event I have been looking forward to most, The NFL Cheer Challenge 2009. This event was such a special event because the Japanese dance teams were to compete, and we were to judge the competition. Over 200 fans showed up for this event. The competition consisted of teams with ages that range from 4 to 19. The performances were amazing, high energy, and great choreography, and technique. I especially enjoyed the younger girls, they were so cute, and we all were so impressed with how they managed to retain all the material for their dance routines. There were two awards given out, and the competition was fierce. We then performed with Q and A session and interview to follow.

Then we walked back to Fuji TV for "Mezamashi," another TV appearance, this a morning show. We were all interviewed regarding our experience in Japan, our experience as NFL cheerleaders, and of course the Super Bowl. From there we went NTV which stands for Nittelle Television. NTV is the #1 watch network in Japan. The program we were on is "Urugusa" which is the #1 sports program in Japan, and we performed again LIVE at midnight. On this show we performed "Just Dance" by Lady Gaga, followed by an interview. This was a long, fun and productive day.

Day 4:
022409 Cole performs on Japanese TVOur first event was a viewing party at a western-style restaurant, where we mingled with the 100 plus fans that showed, signed autographs on our photo cards, and met with the executives for Coors Light Japan. This event ended with follow up interview for a behind-the-scenes segment they will be using for NFL Japan.com.

After this event we freshened up and went to Dentsu, Japan’s #1 Advertising Agency. This was not on our original Itinerary, this was an added special meeting because of all our exposure, the Dentsu executives invited us for a round-table meeting, Very intense. We introduced ourselves, answered questions regarding our respective teams, the Super Bowl, and our experience in Japan. This was a very exciting meeting, intense, but exciting because Dentsu is a very powerful company and can give NFL Japan top exposure.

After our meeting we walked to NTV studios for another LIVE performance on "Real Time." Then we went to the TV shooting of "NFL Club." We filmed this segment on location at "Ukaitei" restaurant. The setting was a traditional Japanese-style dinning and featured real authentic Japanese cuisine. We were to eat and enjoy the meal that is prepared for us, as we are being interviewed as guests on the show. Rather unusual setting, however delicious and fun. Nachi Abe joined us as a surprise guest. He is an ex-NFL football player with experience with NFL Europa and is now in broadcasting in Japan.

Then we went back to NTV studios for our usual midnight LIVE appearance but this time on "News Zero." Were we a featured on the sports corner of the program. We performed our solo routines, followed by interviews. Then we went right back to the hotel to rest a bit before our next appearance.

Day 5:
022409 Cole and cheerleaders gets ready for video shootUp at 4:00 a.m., call time 5 a.m. We headed back to NTV studios for an early morning show called "Zoom-In Super." This show is equal to "Good Morning America" in the United States.

IT WAS FREEZING! They had us perform outside. They gave us huge down jackets and coffee to stay warm. We took our coats off literally seconds before our performance. Immediately after our performances the hosts of the show interviewed us as we shivered in our uniforms. At least I have sleeves, if you watch the clip Fabiola from Miami is shivering uncontrollably. We then wrapped up the show, joining the hosts say their famous catch phrase, "Zoom-In"

We went back to the hotel to rest for a bit, because we only had three hours sleep the night before. After resting we jumped on our tour bus, with our NFL entourage and went to Asakusa, Harajuku for some sightseeing and shopping on the Takeshita Dori street. This is where we were able to get our friends, family, and teammates souvenir gifts. We visited the Temple, and were blessed by the smoke with health, wealth and happiness.

Later that day we arrived in Shibuya for a quick dance rehearsal, and changed for our next performance, which was actually my favorite performance of our tour. This event was called "The NFL Night Special." This was a talk show/ performance/ Super Bowl trivia/ Live event. The venue had a nightclub feel with great lighting, and was sold out with a capacity of 200. We performed all three dance routines. We had a Q and A segment. Then the award-winning dancers form the Cheer Challenge performed. We did a raffle drawing for prizes (team autographed footballs and t-shirts). Then we had our challenge, The Super Bowl Trivia Challenge. Audience members were selected at random to form a team and they were to compete with us! It was a close match. However they won by only one point, they were very knowledgeable. We ended this event with a photo session. After the event we shot a quick commercial teaser for "Sporto Ladies Day." Then we ate at the Hard Rock Cafe Tokyo, for well-deserved American-style burgers!

Day 6:
022409 Cole in JapanUp at 7:30 a.m., 9 a.m. group breakfast. It was starting to sink in that our trip was coming to an end. We all started to get a little sad because this was our final day, and final performance. We got on our tour bus and went to J-POP cafe in Shibuya. The TV shooting for NHK’s "Best Sports" show. We performed one final dance routine, to "Keeps Getting Better," which was so fitting because we had all gotten better, and each of us had grown so much from this experience. From traveling to Japan, to celebrating our NFL, to sharing what we are a part of in our individual organizations, and celebrating our communities. It made me feel so proud to be an NFL cheerleader, and justified my role as a role model within our community and as an ambassador for our organization.

That evening we had a farewell dinner at the famous restaurant Nobo. NFL Japan presented us with a very special necklace which I found to be so generous and thoughtful. If there is one thing I could expose to you all about the Japanese culture, it is that the people are so polite, kind, and generous. We went out that evening and explored the night club scene in Tokyo. Interestingly enough, they all play American music!

Day 7:
We said our goodbye's to the NFL Japan crew, which took such great care of us. We exchanged email addresses and contact information with all the members of the tour, and I slept the entire plane ride home.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank The Oakland Raiders, Karen Kovac, Maria Giannini, E2k entertainment, Jiro San, NFL Japan, and the NFL for this opportunity. I feel so blessed to be able to live out my dream of being an NFL cheerleader. This is an experience I will cherish because it validated my purpose in this great sport we are all so passionate about, and my contribution as an ambassador for our organization.

Many Cheers!
Cole

A peek at today's open calls for the New England Patriots Cheerleaders

2009-03-01T07:36:00.000-05:00

Boston.com: More than 300 women showed up to compete to become a New England Patriots cheerleader at the Dana Farber Field House on Saturday February 28, 2009. [Photos]

Cheering with the Force: Shannon McClattie

2009-02-28T19:00:00.001-05:00

From the Website of the South Carolina Force:

Shannon McClattie was named Director and Choreographer of your South Carolina Force Cheerleaders.

She comes to the organization with a wealth of experience in dance and professional cheerleader knowledge. An 11-year professional cheerleading veteran with the Panthers, she has assisted in choreographing show team shows, the 2000 millennium halftime show, and performed in St. John’s, Newfoundland at the 2001 Bud Bowl. In 2005 she represented the Panthers at the Pro Bowl in Hawaii and in 2006 in a nationally televised show competing with other professional cheerleading teams.

Shannon is no stranger to hard work and works full time as a Forensic Social Work Investigator for the Department of Social Services.

She earned a BA in Criminal Justice from Fort Valley State University where she served 3 years as Captain of the Blue Machine Marching Band Dance team, The Dancing Dolls. After graduating college, she choreographed dance routines for high schools in Georgia and Florida.

“My goal is to have a great season with this organization and bring my professionalism to the cheerleading team so that the finished product is one the city and surrounding area can be proud of. I am thankful for the opportunity to work with the Force and look forward to a winning season” says McClattie. Shannon also states “My motto has always been 'Don't watch the show, be the show' and I plan to incorporate my enthusiasm and love for dance and football together to bring to the fans the best cheerleading team in the AIFA”

The South Carolina Force gladly welcomes Shannon McClattie into its organization.

From 2004 our first post on Shannon.

Auditions for the South Carolina Force Cheerleaders are Sunday, March 8th in Greeneville. Complete details here.

2009 Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleader Workshop

2009-02-28T18:46:00.000-05:00

Over two hundred young ladies turned out for the 2009 Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleader Workshop this past Wednesday. The hopefuls participated in sessions on Fitness, Hair & Make Up, Choreography. They also ran through a Mock Audition and got to pick the brains of current Eagles Cheerleaders in a Q&A. All this was designed to let them prepare and know what to expect at next month's Open Call Auditions.

See photos from the workshop at the Eagles Website.

Watch a report from Philadelphia's NBC10 here.

See a slide show from Philadelphia's CBS3 here.

Open Call auditions are Saturday, March 28th. Full details here.

Heat dancer gets first look at Sports Illustrated swimsuit spread

2009-02-28T10:46:00.000-05:00

By Madeleine Marr
The Miami Herald
02.16.09

Ashley Allen caused a scene at her local Barnes & Noble in Boca Raton on Thursday. That's when the rookie Miami Heat dancer, 20, got her first look at her spread in the 2009 Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition.

''I was jumping up and down with my mother,'' Allen said Friday on her way to Disney World. ``She is so proud -- she knows how hard I've worked to get here. And to be chosen as a rookie, wow!''

Last fall, after SI selected Allen -- who sent the magazine a picture of herself in a skimpy training outfit -- she and nine other NBA dancers were flown to New York for the one-day shoot. They posed at a downtown pier from 8 in the morning till 8 at night.

Though Allen, a double-major in communications and business at Florida Atlantic University, is thrilled, she realizes now the pressure is on to look good.

''I've got to continue watching my eating habits and training really hard,'' Allen says, adding, ``Our outfits are a little bit revealing.''

Also, such international exposure can be career-altering: the issue's cover gal, Leonardo DiCaprio's girlfriend Bar Refaeli, is really on the map now.

''I'm still trying to process it all,'' Allen says. ``I haven't gotten used to the idea.''

Are the other Heat dancers just a little bit jealous?

``Not at all. They know everyone has their moment in time to shine.''

Eagles Cheerleader's NFL Japan Blog

2009-02-27T22:11:00.001-05:00

Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleader Lauren recently returned from a trip to Japan, sponsored by NFL Japan. Read all about her trip and view her photos on the Eagles website.

Anne-Marie of the Jets Flight Crew vs Maxim Editor

2009-02-27T10:30:00.000-05:00

Can a Maxim editor keep up with Anne-Marie on the New York Jets Flight Crew?

Watch the challenge here.

Nets Dancer a 'Jac' of All Trades

2009-02-27T09:00:00.000-05:00

by Ben Couch
NJNETS.COM

You might know her as the “Jac of All Nets,” or the coach of the NETSational Senior Dancers, or a model in the Capezio catalog, or “that girl” in several commercials or … well, you get the point. However you’re familiar with Nets Dancer Jaclyn, it’s safe to say she’s exploring the opportunities afforded her.

The Pomona, N.Y. native, now in her fourth year with the team, is a Rutgers graduate with a degree in broadcast journalism. Jaclyn recently took time out of her crowded schedule – 16-hour workdays! – for an exclusive interview with NJNets.com.

NJNets.com: You’re entering your fourth year with the Nets Dancers. How’d you get started with the team?

Jaclyn: I was on a Broadway tour, right after I graduated from Rutgers, and I broke my foot on the tour. They sent me home, and after many months of rehab, I heard that Petra Pope was coming over from the Knicks, and she was starting a new team with the Nets. I thought it something I would be interested in, and when I looked it up online, I saw the audition was the next day. So I just showed up, and I’ve been here ever since.

NJNets.com: That’ll do it, ha. Two follow-up questions. First: How’d you break your foot?

Jaclyn: I was on the national tour of the Broadway show Contact, which is all swing dancing, and I was dancing with my partner, who – I don’t want to say he dropped me, but he kind of did. I was in 3-inch heels and when my foot hit the ground, I heard it pop. I finished the show on a broken foot. But once I saw the X-Ray and I saw the purple, I knew it was time to go home.

NJNets.com: And what about Petra coming to the Nets made you want to audition?

Jaclyn: Going to Rutgers, I lived with a couple of the Knicks City Dancers, so I knew about her, I knew her background starting the Laker Girls and coming here to New York. I knew that she would run a great team and a program I’d be proud to be a part of, so I figured I’d give it a try.

NJNets.com: What made you come back after that first year?

Jaclyn: There’s nothing like it. as a dancer, to be able have a steady gig dancing is very rare. I loved all the ladies I danced with, they became best friends of mine and it just doesn’t feel like a job. No matter how many hours we put in, or how many injuries we have, it’s just always fun. There’s no reason to give it up until the time is right.

NJNets.com: In four years, have you made any memorable mistakes?

Jaclyn: Mistakes … let me think. I think everybody’s probably had a mistake now and then. I don’t think I’ve ever done anything absolutely awful. Thank God – knock on wood – I’ve never tripped on my face and fell. Watch – I’ll do that at the next game. Hopefully not.

I would say costume malfunctions are always an issue, that kind of thing. I know I had an issue in my second season with a pair of shorts being too short, and I got in trouble for that, but ironically that picture ended up on the Web site for the dancer contest the NBA has every year. It got us to the second round, so I can’t complain now.

NJNets.com: What’s been your hardest routine?

Jaclyn: We do so many different styles of dance, that’s probably the hardest part, is transitioning. We’ll do something very Broadway-ish; we did a Lion King number last year where we were barefoot. It was very modern and we had a choreographer from the Broadway show come in and teach it. Then we do Fosse-style numbers and we do really serious hip-hop dances. We’re all over the place: salsa, swing – you name it, we do it. That’s what makes it fun. It’s why we like to do what we do; it never makes it boring.

NJNets.com: Do you have a stylistic preference?

Jaclyn: You know, I don’t. I enjoy partner dancing, I think it’s fun and appreciate that we get to do it here as well. But I love hip-hop and jazz; I was trained in jazz my whole life. Whatever we do, I’m loving it. I guarantee you that.

NJNets.com: How’d you get involved with Contact?

Jaclyn: I auditioned when I graduated from college. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, a lifelong dream of mine was always to be on Broadway, and I figured, "Let’s give it a shot, see what happens." And they hired me.

Check out parts two and three of Jaclyn's interview.

[New Jersey Nets Dancers]

Eagles Cheerleader Around Town

2009-02-27T04:00:00.001-05:00

Reader Mike sends some photos of the Eagles Cheerleaders from last Saturday, quite possibly the last photos of the 2008-09 squad we will have.

Alexandra and Kristin at the Travel Expo Event at the Linc.

Dana and Marisa at the Vorhees Town Center

Marisa and Dana

Open Call Auditions for the 2009-10 Eagles Cheerleaders are Saturday, March 28th. Full details here.

Eagles seek new cheerleaders

2009-02-26T22:36:00.001-05:00

By Peter Mucha, Staff Writer
Philadelphia Inquirer
Feb. 17, 2009

[Last] weekend's combine isn't the only talent search gearing up in the NFL.

During the next nine weeks, the Eagles will host a series of events to restock their cheerleading squad.

Every year, about 15 rookies earn spots, along with about two dozen returning vets.

"We have a really busy couple of months planned," said Barbara Zaun, director of cheerleading.

And that's not including late April's NFL draft party, the yearly May calendar shoot, or the July visit by six cheerleaders to Iraq to entertain troops.

Regular Eagles fans should know that only two of these events are open to the public, the draft party and the April 21 cheerleader audition finals.

This year, the finale will be at a smaller venue, the Prince Music Theater in Center City. So the tickets - $22.50 each - are likely to disappear quickly when they go on sale later this month, Zaun said.

Here are the dates that rah-rah wannabes, who must be 18 and a high school graduate, will want to know:

Pre-Audition Workshop, Feb. 25. Optional event at Lincoln Financial Field. Experts, including team choreographer Suzy Zucker, will advise about dancing, hair and makeup, and health and fitness. Includes mock tryout, plus question-and-answer session with current cheerleaders. No judging. Cost is $45.

Open Call Tryouts, March 28. Lincoln Financial Field. Required for would-be rookies. Hundreds of women learn a dance routine, then take turns performing in groups of five before two panels of judges.

Audition Semifinals, March 30 and April 1: About 130 invitees, including squad members seeking to return, will be given a dance routine to learn at the NovaCare Complex in South Philadelphia. The following day, they'll perform in groups of three, and talk with judges about themselves.

Audition Finals, April 21: Sixty finalists will compete in a variety of categories, including dance, fitness and beauty at Prince Music Theater, 1412 Chestnut St.

Next week's workshop will be limited to 250 contestants, who will automatically be registered for the open-call auditions, Zaun said.

The workshop helps women who might be worried about their confidence, and can improve prospects' chances, Zaun said. They get how-to tips on everything from fitness ("to firm up your abs, exactly") to beauty ("to help them understand the glamorous aspect of being an Eagles cheerleader") to proper nutrition.

Improve your diet, she said, and "your body's going to look much better in just a month's time."

For sign-up information, go to www.philadelphiaeagles.com and click "Cheerleaders."

Once the squad is set, following the finals, members quickly prepare for the new squad's debut at the annual draft day party.

Then comes the calendar shoot.

"We are looking for a tropical destination again, and most likely it would early to mid May," Zaun said.

The cheerleaders, who are paid an hourly rate, make $400 to $1,000 a month and usually hold other jobs.

Pats Cheerleader's Pro Bowl Journal

2009-02-26T21:48:00.000-05:00

Patriots.com
2/24/09

New England Patriots cheerleader Alyssa was the 2009 Patriots Pro Bowl cheerleader. Read her journal from the 2009 Pro Bowl in Honolulu, Hawaii.

View Pro Bowl Photos >>

Hey Pats Fans!

I can't believe we're closing on a year since I last posted; what a whirlwind it's been! I bet you think we are off vacationing since our beloved team did not make the playoffs (despite an incredible year), but that couldn't be farther from the truth. In addition to preparing for the auditions for next season, many of us have been traveling around the world to visit fans near and far.

I was personally blessed with the opportunity to represent the Pats Cheerleaders at the 2009 Pro Bowl at the beginning of this month. Pat Patriot, our team mascot, was also chosen to participate!

While this might sound like a vacation, there was actually so much to do in preparation. Immediately after arriving in beautiful Honolulu, 26 girls from across the league and approximately 10 mascots, met and began practices and promotions with the goal of performing as a team! It was clear that everyone "did their homework", and we pulled it off quite well (if I say so myself).

For those of you that haven't been to Hawaii, let me just say it is truly a paradise. This was my first trip there and I absolutely cannot wait to go back. Pat Patriot has actually been to the Pro Bowl four times, so he's an old pro!! As this was also the last year that the ProBowl will take place in Hawaii, the people of Honolulu rolled out the red carpet for each of us. I hope to bring a little of this “Aloha Spirit” back to chilly Boston!

The week was jam packed with events, from visits to the Children's Hospital and Schofield Barracks, to the Pro Bowl Block Party on Kalakaua Avenue at Waikiki Beach. One of my favorite events was Ohana (family) day, at Aloha stadium.

The Saturday before the big game families are invited to the stadium to watch the AFC and NFC teams practice, and there are tons of fun events for everyone. We got to perform, sign autographs for fans, and I even got to catch a pass from Kurt Warner! So cool!

Before I could blink it seemed like our trip had ended, but I knew I had so much more to look forward to. Though it was sad to part with my 25 new friends I was also excited to get home to see my teammates. I slept the entire flight home and arrived just early enough to attend our regular weekly practice! After catching up with everyone and running through some routines it was time for me to head home to…. REPACK?!?!

Be sure to visit the next link, where I will tell you all about our 2009 South America Armed Forces Entertainment Tour!!

Cheers,
Alyssa

Dancer Bowl-Off and Watch Party

2009-02-26T19:55:00.000-05:00

Dance Team beauties from the Sixers Dancers and Wings Angels will go head-to-head in the first ever "Dancer Beauty Bowl-Off" during a double viewing party at Pinsetter Bar and Bowl in Pennsauken, NJ on Friday, February 27 beginning at 7 p.m. The winner of the bowl-off will donate tickets for a future Philadelphia 76ers or Wings game to local women’s charities in the Philadelphia region.

Fans will be able to meet all the dancers while watching the 76ers at the New York Knicks (7:30 p.m. on CN8) and the Philadelphia Wings at the Edmonton Rush (9:30 p.m. on NLL Network) - all on the big screens at Pinsetter Bar and Bowl. One lucky group of fans will also be selected to play the winning dance team in a bowling match on Friday night.

The Sixers Dancers and Wings Angels have received renowned local and national attention for their respective Dance Team Calendars for 2009. Calendars will be on sale for fans to purchase and get autographed by their favorite dancer. Admission to the event is free.

Buffalo Jills Take Over Saddam's Palace

2009-02-26T17:48:00.000-05:00

Freelance photo journalist Julie Dermansky was recently on assignment in Iraq, and discovered she was bunking across the hall from the Buffalo Jills, who were on a goodwill tour through the region. Dermansky wrote about it on her blog. (Photos is also from her blog)

Tips for hopeful 2009 Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleader contestants

2009-02-26T09:35:00.000-05:00

Get Your Eagle On!
Tips for hopeful 2009 Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleader contestants

By Alyssa D'Egidio
NBCPhiladelphia.com
Feb 25, 2009

BCPhiladelphia.com intern, Alyssa D'Egidio, cheered for the Philadelphia Eagles during the 06' and 07' season. She will be providing tips for contestants on how to nail this year's audition.

It has been almost three years since I had my first audition for the Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleading Squad. Although a few years ago, memories of my first audition are still fresh in my mind as I think about stepping into the crowded room at Lincoln Financial Field.

For anyone who is planning to audition, this is the most intimidating part. Sprawled across the upper level of the stadium awaits nearly 500 girls who are primping, stretching and practicing dance moves while waiting to learn the routine. Seeing this will most likely raise your blood pressure but it is important to stay calm and rely on all the preparation you've put in prior to the open call.

As far as preparation goes, the most important thing to concentrate on is physical fitness and dance ability. At the open call audition contestants will be put into groups and walk into a room with a long table of judges. At this point, the judges are focusing on two main things: fitness and dance ability.

Focus: Fitness

With just a few weeks left until the March 28th auditions, it is important to start sculpting and toning your body. The judges are looking for toned stomachs, arms and legs. One thing they are not looking for is stick thin women. It is important to look healthy but fit.

Stephen Williamson, a trainer and owner of Body Blast at Weston Fitness has a few helpful tips for perfecting physiques in a short period of time.

"I think women trying out for the team are going to want to look aesthetically pleasing. The girls need to be able to move which is why an integration of strength training, plyometrics and cardio will be best for these women," Stephen said.

Let's break down what each of these consist of and how many times a week they should be done:

Strength Training is important for being able to push your own body weight. Exercises to do include lunges, leg presses and calf extensions. For toned arms and back muscles, push ups are great.

Cardio is also good for keeping your lungs in good condition. "Cheerleaders don't need to run marathons therefore a combination of sprints and jogging at a pace will keep their lungs in good shape for their dance routines," Stephen said.

Lastly, plyometric training is used for speed and agility. This training helps the neuromuscular system for quick steps and foot moves. This is great for dancing and picking up choreography quickly.

Stephen suggests doing a combination of these three. "A full body routine twice a week which is made up of half strength training and half plyometrics should do the trick," Stephen said. "Cardio should be done two or three times a week for 20-30 minutes."

Diet is also an important part of a cheerleader's life, so sticking to a high fiber diet will help keep the pounds off. "Taking in a diet of 40 percent protein, 40 percent carbohydrates and 20 percent fat will energize the body and keep it slim," Stephen said.

Focus: Dance

Once your physique is at its peek, the next goal is to get your dance moves down. At the audition, a short choreography routine will be taught, which contestants have about 20 minutes to learn and an hour to perfect. Obviously contestants can't practice the dance until the day of the audition, but there are some ways to help make this part a lot easier.

Many college campus gyms offer dance classes from hip-hop to ballet. College students who are auditioning should try to go to at least three dance classes a week prior to the auditions. I did before I auditioned and it really helped me pick up the choreography much quicker. Try taking a hip hop or jazz class which is more the choreography style of the Eagles Cheerleading Squad.

Not a college student? Well, many dance classes are offered in the city and surrounding areas.

Society Hill Dance Academy and Koresh School of Dance in center city offer hip-hop classes for $15 to $20. Classes focus on cardio, movement training and choreography.

The Dancers Studio on Passyunk Avenue offers an hour long Wednesday night jazz/hip-hop class at 6:30 pm. A four-week session costs $15 and will give contestants four paid classes to work on their dance techniques. Call 215-271-6277 for more information.

If you are not sure what kind of dancing the Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleaders do, then it would be helpful to watch last year's Final Audition Webcast on the Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleaders web site. Before I auditioned, I watched the previous year's webcast which helped me get a feel for the style of dance the squad does.

Scenes from Pro Bowl 2009

2009-02-25T21:36:00.000-05:00

There are still photos surfacing from this year's Pro Bowl. Click here to check out this guy's photos!

KC dancers - are you ready to go pro?

2009-02-25T21:24:00.002-05:00

Fluid Dance Convention is coming to Kansas City, featuring former Nuggets dancer and director Sarah Schachterle and Jabbawockeez choreographer Ken Jiminez.

Going Pro Entertainment will feature a special one-day program for college and professional dance audition prep, with special guests Mandy Pruett, the University of Kansas Dance Team Coach; Gretchen Bretz, the former Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader and Kansas City Brigade Girls Coach; and choreography by Jenni Hanson from the local Best Dance Crew Nu Swagger. Take advantage of several partner discounts for skin care, fitness, photography, dance training, attire and more.

Fluid Dance Convention - Going Pro Agenda
Westin Crown Center Hotel - Kansas City, Missouri
Saturday, March 7, 2009 8am-5pm

$99.00 for one day, $160.00 for full weekend
Register at www.fluiddance.com
Download the official flyer at www.goingproentertainment.com/events

Ivy Leaguers

2009-02-25T17:01:00.004-05:00

Amber-Joi - University of Pennsylvania

Amber-Joi danced for the Sixers for two seasons while she was a Communications major at Penn.

More on Amber-Joi here.

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Gabrielle Valliere - Brown University

Gabrielle earner her B.S. in Anthropology from Brown University, and an M.S. in Child Life from Wheelock College. She is now pursing a Nursing degree. Gabrielle was a cheerleader for the New England Patriots for five years.

Jennifer - Harvard School of Public Health

After graduating from Franklin & Marshall College, where she majored in Psychology and minored in Dance, Jennifer earned her MS in Health Management from the Harvard School of Public Health . She works as a Senior Financial Analyst and is the Director and Choreographer for the NLL Boston Blazers Dance Team, The Sparks.

Kimberlee Garris - Harvard University

Kimberlee earned her BS in Cognitive Neuroscience, and was a Knicks City Dancer for two seasons.

She's now the New Jersey Nets Entertainment Manager where she oversees some 70-80 performers, including the Nets Dancers. Kim is also responsible for the 6-to-13 year-old Nets Kids, the stunt crew Team Hype, the Nets Drumline, and the 60 year-old+ NETSational Seniors.

More on Kimberlee here.

Lauren Trusty - Columbia University

Lauren was pre-med at Columbia and did research at an orthopedic-surgery hospital, while she was a Knicks City Dancer. Now she's the Knicks Administrator of Entertainment and Dance Teams and is in charge of her old team.

Megan - Harvard University

Megan graduated from Harvard in 2001 and a Net Dancer for two seasons (2006-07 & 2007-08).

Tina - University of Pennsylvania

Tina is finishing up her first year with the Eagles Cheerleaders. She is a Theater Arts major.

If we missed anyone, or you have ideas for a future list, let us know.

On The Flipside - Florida Marlins Mermaids Auditions

2009-02-25T16:49:00.000-05:00

The latest edition of Aubrey Aquino's On The Flipside covers NBA All-Star Weekend in Phoenix, Michael Jordan's golf tournament in The Bahamas, and the Florida Marlins Mermaids Auditions.

Click through to watch an HD version of the show.

[Aubrey Aquino]

[On The Flipside]

Gilbert woman finds fame in swimsuit issue

2009-02-25T10:35:00.000-05:00

by Katherine Greene
The Arizona Republic
Feb. 24, 2009

Fame hit Gilbert's Kayla Oberg when she least expected it.

The "Sports Illustrated" swimsuit model was at the grocery store with no make-up on, wet hair and glasses. She was putting the contents of her cart on the conveyor belt to check out when the older man in front of her asked when the new "Sports Illustrated" was coming out.

Oberg panicked.

"I was like, 'Please, don't look this way!'" she said.

She turned her face away and forgot to take all of the items out of her cart.

"I've never stolen anything in my entire life and here I was about to jack a Valentine's Day card," she said, giggling. "I was so nervous."

Oberg, a Phoenix Suns dancer, is one of ten NBA dancers featured in this year's Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue. It hit newsstands Feb. 11.

Oberg said she got a wave of text messages the day before that, when the photos went online.

"It's kind of overwhelming," she said.

The Time Inc.-owned magazine chose Oberg after seeing photos of her published on the NBA Web site, she said. Last year, the magazine featured 10 NFL cheerleaders.

The shyness Oberg experienced in the grocery store isn't normal for her, she said. Four years of work as a NBA dancer helped her get comfortable in front of the Sports Illustrated cameras during the 13-hour shoot, even in her skivvies.

"When you dance for the Suns you have to have 100 percent confidence. Otherwise, you couldn't get out there," she said.

The toughest part of the photo shoot wasn't getting in front of the cameras, she said; it was waiting to see the photos afterward.

The magazine's representative showed Oberg only one photo two days before the photos went online.

"I'm actually more nervous that it's out, knowing everyone can see it," she said.

Oberg was born in Mesa and grew up in Gilbert, attending Gilbert High School and enrolling in Arizona State University for a short time. Her husband of 10 months owns the Stax Burger Bistro in Scottsdale.

Her husband and father were a little wary of Oberg having the photos taken, but they've both been supportive, she said.

"They're just so proud of me," she said.

Oberg has wanted to be a performer almost all her life. The passion started when she was 4, in a dance class taught by Amy Mickelson, golfer Phil's wife.

Amy Mickelson was a dancer for the Suns at the time, Oberg said, and it inspired her to perform. As soon as Oberg was old enough to audition, she did - and made it. The first year she was part of the team, the Mickelsons attended a game.

"I was so excited," she said. "I don't even think she recognized me."

Oberg has made the team every year since.

She doesn't see much of a future for herself in modeling, Oberg said. Her 5'2" frame limits where she can apply. Most modeling agencies ask that you not send in photos unless you're 5'9", she said.

And her addiction to the food at her husband's restaurant has her a little worried about the future of her figure, she said. To stay in shape, she walks her two puppies every other day. But she also has dance practice twice a week and performances during games that help her stay slim.

If any modeling jobs come her way, she'd jump at the chance, she said.

And she hopes to have kids in the next few years, she said.

Meanwhile, she'll stick with dancing.

Click here to see her Sports Illustrated video.

This Laker Girl is a reel artist

2009-02-25T06:00:00.001-05:00

By Phil Friedman, Correspondent
The Daily Breeze
02/19/2009

As you look out on the court at Staples Center Friday night, you will see Laker Girl Stefanie. She embodies what Laker Girls director Lisa Estrada and the Laker Girls are all about. Beautiful young ladies, who put in endless hours on their routines to entertain throngs of Laker fans.

The Laker Girls are dedicated to making a difference in their communities, participating in everything from events encouraging youngsters to read to Christmas fishing trips for homeless children. The Laker Girls are smart, beautiful, hard-working and civic-minded ladies.

It's hard to believe when you watch Stefanie perform her routines or help a child to read that deep down she is also a hard-core angler.

Stefanie grew up in Alaska, where fishing is second nature.

"Everyone, men and women, fish and hunt in Alaska," Stefanie said.

Her father, Lewis, loved fishing more than anything and the fact he could do it with his daughter made these angling excursions even more special. Lewis had a plane that transported them to some of the most remote and beautiful parts of our 49th state.

Stefanie was 6 months old when her father took her on her first fishing trip. With that first trip with her father, she was hooked. Fishing became the activity the two could do together. Sometimes they would make a day of it and other times the adventure would last several days camping out in the breathtaking Alaskan wilderness.

"My dad would fish all night long," she said. "It's as if he just couldn't get enough."

Stefanie even had a favorite spot.

"I don't even remember exactly where it was but it was like an enchanted garden with clear water with beautiful boulders," she said. "I just loved being there, and my dad knew it.

"If I didn't feel like going fishing, all my dad would have to say is, `I'll take you to your favorite spot.' The next thing I knew, we were in the plane."

She has compiled a great list catches that include numerous king salmon to 30 pounds, halibut to 70 pounds, a 30-pound lingcod, trout, even a shark.

"I just love to be on the water," she said. "There is nothing more beautiful and peaceful than a day on the water," the Laker Girl said.

But for the 23-year-old beauty , the best thing about fishing is the time she spent with her father.

"It (fishing) gave us something to do together," she said. "Fishing made us and has kept us close through today and beyond."

Although Stefanie says her heart is still in Alaska, it's only there for the summer.

"It's just too cold for me now," she said. "My dad said I was made for Southern California."

Fish talk: "Sportfishing Saturday" with Philip Friedman airs at 9 a.m. on KLAC (570 AM) and will have Bart Hall and Mike Lum as guests from the Fred Hall Fishing, Tackle and Boat Show this week. They will be discussing all the great sights and sounds of what many call the greatest fishing show on earth, set to open March 4 at the Long Beach Convention Center.

Matt Simmons also will be part of the show to talk about a memorial fishing trip for his father, SWAT officer Randall Simmons. The trip is scheduled for Feb.28 out of Pierpoint Landing in Long Beach.

SI coverage suits Pistons dancer just fine

2009-02-24T22:46:00.002-05:00

Ursula Watson
The Detroit News
February 24, 2009

What's it like to be in the glamorous Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition? Ask Rochester's own Chelsey Buhler.

Buhler is a member of the Pistons' dance team Automotion and is featured along with nine other NBA dancers inside the pages of the popular publication, currently on newsstands. This is the first time SI has featured NBA dancers in its swimsuit edition. In the past, the magazine has featured NFL cheerleaders.

"I am really happy and honored," says 21-year-old Buhler.

Advertisement

Rebecca Girard, Automotion's dance team director, chose Buhler because of her commitment to the organization. And while being genetically gifted helped, Girard says Buhler is more than a pretty face. "She is just an amazing ambassador for us. She is well-spoken, a business woman who has gone on countless appearances for us, and helps to give us the voice that we need."

When not helping the 19-member dance team hype-up Pistons fans in the stands, Buhler attends Oakland University, where she is a junior majoring in communications. She also works as a dance teacher and works as an administrative assistant at her father's company.

"Right now, I just focus on each moment, going to school and getting good grades," says Buhler.

She says family and friends are proud of her but it was a little odd for at least one person. "My dad wasn't too happy at first, but he got over it and he was the first one to go out and find the issue," says Buhler.

Since news has spread that she is not only in Sports Illustrated and on the publication's Web site, sportsillustrated.cnn .com, people are giving her more than the second and third looks that she is probably used to.

"People are coming up to me at Pistons games," she says. "I have had 800 friend requests on Facebook."

Wings Angels Promote Heart Healthy Month

2009-02-24T14:01:00.000-05:00

Friday the 13th was unlucky for the Wings as they lost a defensive struggle to the visiting Boston Blazers 8-4.

Meanwhile the Angels donned t-shirts to promote Heart Healthy Month

In the tunnel before the game

The Angels signature move

Captain Stephanie takes the field at the end of the 1st quarter.

At halftime fans lined up for Angels autogrpahs

Stopping by to visit was former Angel Amy, who last danced for the team in 2007.

Marie and Mad Dog

The rest of the photos here.

[Philadelphia Wings Angels]

Axe Maidens Double-Decker Bus Pub Crawl

2009-02-24T08:00:00.000-05:00

On February 22bd fans and members of the Axe Maidens boarded a big red double-decker bus for their first Pub Crawl around Jacksonville. Riding on the bus was a lot of fun even though it was windy in the upper deck, and made for some funny pictures. Axe Maidens, Erinn, Amy and Keana took advantage of the scenery along the St Johns River to take some beautiful photos.

Along the way there was raffles with prizes that included a hat owned by Russell Crowe, Jacksonville Axemen season tickets and the opportunity to be a guest judge at the Axe Maidens auditions. In addition, everyone on the bus was given a special Axe Maidens Pub Crawl t-shirt thanks to our sponsors Vivid Images USA Inc. (Screen printing, embroidered apparel & hats)

[Axe Maidens on MySpace]

Wedding Bells in the Future for Emily Kuchar

2009-02-24T06:00:00.000-05:00

Former Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Emily Kuchar and Kansas City Royals pitcher Zack Greinke are engaged.

From MLB.com

For 7 1/2 years, since high school at Apopka (Fla.) High, Greinke has been in a relationship with Emily Kuchar. She's a bright, energetic former Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader, a dancer and a model, and Miss Daytona Beach USA 2008. Emily even has her own
Web site.

And now, at last, Zack and Emily are going to be married.

When?

"Sometime this offseason," he said. "She tried to make it Oct. 10. I told her, 'That's probably not going to work out, Emily. You know how much trouble I could get in if you do that? Please push it back.'"

Clearly, in the world of Zack, that part of the calendar is marked "Playoffs."

SI Gallery Update - NBA

2009-02-23T21:13:00.000-05:00

This week's Sports Illustrated NBA Dance Team gallery features the New Jersey Nets Dancers. Go there now to check out the game day action!

PCB Exclusive: An Interview With Stacie Gazonas, Owner of Zonas Designs

2009-02-23T12:00:00.014-05:00

Stacie Gazonas has cheered for the Kansas City Chiefs, the San Diego Chargers and performed in the 2007 NFL Pro Bowl. In a Professional Cheerleader Blog exclusive, Stacie discusses her experiences as an NFL cheerleader and answers the question, “is there life after cheerleading?”

Early Dance Background

Stacie Gazonas grew up in Lenexa, Kansas about 20 minutes outside of Kansas City. She started taking dance classes at the young age of 3 and began designing leotards for her dance studio at age 13. After being crowned Miss Dance Heart America, Stacie went on to dance on a cruise ship at the age of 19, performing in Las Vegas style productions. She accepted a dance scholarship to the University of Arizona, but quickly realized that she didn’t need a degree in dance to perform in front of a live audience, and changed her major to fashion design, her second love.

While in college, a friend suggested that she tryout for the Kansas City Chiefs cheerleaders, a squad that she made at the ripe old age of 18. It was the start of a long and distinguished career in professional cheerleading. Stacie has said that being a professional cheerleader has really shaped who she is today and has blessed her with the ability to combine her passion for dance and fashion design into a lifelong career.

PCB: Why did you become an NFL cheerleader?

SG: I became an NFL cheerleader because I really missed dancing when I was in college and my passion was always in performing, not necessarily in taking ballet classes. My dream came true when I stepped onto the field at Arrowhead stadium for the first time as a Chiefs cheerleader and performed before 80,000 people. I had chills up and down my spine.

My favorite part about cheerleading was the friendships I made on the squad and dancing in front of such a huge crowd. I loved every minute of it! It was all very glamorous too. At the age of 18, not a lot of women are able to have their hair and make up done for them or have a total makeover to really polish their look. The Chiefs cheerleaders always set a standard of being a classy cheerleading team and not to portray themselves like the many stereotypes of professional cheerleaders.

PCB: For many girls, tryouts can be daunting. Please tell us about your tryout experiences and what it was like to make the Charger Girls

SG: It was crazy! There were approximately 400 girls at tryouts and I believe there was a handful that had cheered for other NFL teams. I was so nervous and anxious…the waiting process almost killed me. In my case, I was in a different position than a lot of girls because I knew what it was like to be on an NFL team, so I knew exactly what I was going for and what I had to lose if I didn’t make it. I knew how my life was going to change if I made the squad and I missed it (professional cheerleading) so much I couldn’t wait to be on a team again.

PCB: How competitive was the audition process and what do you think led to your selection?

SG: The audition was very competitive. Some of these girls try out year after year and know the exact process. I made sure that I looked like a Charger Girl with my hair, make-up, fitness, and attire. I wanted the judges to look at me and say, “she looks like a Charger Girl”. I definitely think my dance ability helped me stand out, along with having the “NFL look”. I get nervous during interviews, so that was the area I felt weakest going into tryouts. As funny as it sounds, I would have rather done a solo in front of ten judges than have an interview.

PCB: As with many challenges in life, it is often preparation that is the key to success. How did you prepare for tryouts?

SG: I am not much of a “go to the gym girl”, so I told myself if I go everyday for a month then I can’t be too disappointed with how I looked at tryouts. I made sure my hair was long so I could flip it around and I had the perfect outfit to make a statement. Preparation and knowing what the judges are looking for is the key to any tryout or job interview. It also shows how much you care and want it!

PCB: I think it’s fair to say that most people don’t realize how involved it is to be a professional cheerleader. What can a person expect if they make the squad?

SG: We practiced Monday and Wednesday from 6:30 pm to 10:00 pm and on Saturdays. You also have, maybe, one or two promotions a week along with other events and junior Charger Girl programs. We do a lot of appearances throughout the San Diego area and even some international appearances. It is a lot of work, but it is so much fun to be able to get out into the community and meet the fans.

PCB: How many routines do you learn in a week?

SG: At the beginning of the season you learn the majority of your material, so it can be a lot at first. Then as the season starts you add a routine here and there. You always need to practice and make sure you stay on top of your routines!

PCB: What’s your game day schedule like?

SG: It’s crazy! Arrive at 7:30 am, have meetings, a full practice on the field, time to get ready, promotions in the parking lot and even a pregame routine on occasion…and that is all before the game even starts. It is such a long day, but I can’t tell you how excited I was to wake up and get Big Sunday started! Probably my favorite day of the week!

PCB: Life is complicated, particularly when balancing work, school and the obligations of being a professional cheerleader. Is it difficult to maintain all these responsibilities, be a cheerleader and maintain an active social life?

SG: It is definitely a balancing act when it comes to handling work, school, family, and cheerleading. A lot of the times, these organizations want women that have great careers or own their own companies, but then they expect you to be at an event in the middle of the day or take off work to go do a promo. You really have to be flexible and find a way to make it all work.

A lot of times you go…go…go…and the season flashes by because you were so busy. I would always tell the rookies to make sure to take in every moment because it is over so quickly and you never know if you will be back on the team the following year. I will say…it is all worth it!

PCB: I am sure that many of our readers have seen the CMT television series on the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders and are familiar with their emphasis on being physically fit and trim. Are there concerns regarding weight or body image in professional cheerleading?

SG: I definitely think you can have a healthy lifestyle as a professional cheerleader. You just need to balance it out. I do think sometimes women put a lot of pressure on themselves and get into bad situations or gain weight after tryouts. Everyone needs to work hard to stay fit and make sure and do it in a healthy way or it will come back to haunt them later. I make sure I work extra hard in practice because I do enjoy eating out and having French fries, calamari and pasta. I know those kind of foods would definitely catch up with me if I didn’t burn those extra calories.

PCB: Have you had any embarrassing moments you’d like to share with our readers?

SG: I have never had a wardrobe malfunction or fell on the field, but my last year on the team, every time we came to a stop after a transition, Alicia, now a Raiderette, would run into the back of me. And it would always crack me up when she tried to cover it up by acting as if she had to tell me something…lol…sorry Alicia!

PCB: So, what’s the best thing about being an NFL cheerleader?

SG: The friendships, hands down. I have made a handful of lifelong friends on this team and I am blessed everyday to have them in my life!

PCB: I’ve been attending Charger games for many years and from a fan’s perspective, I think the two most anticipated games of the season are the Halloween game and the Christmas game. It’s those sexy costumes and the blue velvet Christmas uniforms that the fans love. I am sure you have some interesting thoughts on the topic.

SG: I loved dressing up for the Halloween game. It’s so much fun to show the crowd a different side of you. The Christmas game is always fun. The fans love the uniforms; however, the girls aren’t so fond of them. Maybe it’s because the uniforms are older than some of the girls.

PCB: Are there any special considerations when performing in these two outfits?

SG: You definitely have to make sure the Halloween costume you choose will stay on. We do not change choreography for this game, so making it work is the key. As for the Christmas uniforms, the girls usually eat a little more than usual before the game since our midriff is covered for once!

PCB: Some might say that they are too sexy and revealing. Your thoughts?

SG: All of the Halloween costumes are approved, so we never wear anything more revealing than our official uniform. We always try to stay family friendly and keep it sexy, but classy.

PCB: While in San Diego, you were a Line Captain for two years. For those of us that don’t know, what are the responsibilities of a Line Captain and how do they differ from that of being a cheerleader?

SG: A line captain is someone who is there for their whole team. They have to know the material inside and out and pay attention to the details in meetings, so they can answer any question at any time. It is a big responsibility and a little more weight on your shoulders, but I love helping out people, so it felt pretty natural for me to step into that position.

PCB: Now, turning to life after cheerleading. You have started your own fashion design company. Please tell us a little about your business and why you started Zonas Designs.

SG: I started my own company, Zonas Designs, officially in November of 2007. I did not originally plan to start one, but after producing uniforms and outfits for friends, demand for my designs grew. I had reached a point that I needed photos of my past uniforms posted somewhere for people to view and have a forum where they could contact me with their requests, so I created a website. Once the website was done, it only was natural to form a company.

Zonas Designs offers three different categories of clothing: dance/cheer attire, jersey attire for women, and swimsuits. Everything we produce is custom made to your specifications. We will help you choose a style, color, detail and then make it to your measurements. Each piece is a unique creation.

PCB: I read that you recently designed new uniforms for the Clippers Spirit. How did that come about and what was the process in custom designing a uniform for the Clippers Spirit?

SG: This season I had the honor of designing a hot outfit for the Clippers Spirit dance team. A lot of times, team directors will see my creations on girls that are auditioning and contact me about my designs and what I can do for them. And that was what happened in this case. A great friend of mine, Harmony, auditioned for her 4th year on the Clippers Spirit dance team wearing one of my designs. That outfit was amazing…it was made from a jersey, but totally reconstructed to get all the great details in the form of a small, sexy top. And that was the inspiration for the Clipper Spirit uniform.

Team directors will email me with their ideas and then I will create 4-6 design sketches. We will tweak the design until they are 100% satisfied with the concept. Then Zonas Designs will produce a sample for approval before proceeding with the final order.

PCB: I seem to recall that you designed some of the swimwear worn by the Charger Girls in their past swimsuit calendar.

SG: The swimwear that I make for calendars, such as the Charger Girls, Redskins, and Chiefs, are a little more detailed and unique than my line of ready to wear swimwear I sell to the public. I specifically design suits that represent the team’s overall image and make it sexy and flattering to get that perfect shot for the calendar.

PCB: Some swimwear is not meant to be worn while swimming and are more for lounging poolside. Are your designs functional as well? Can a girl wear them while swimming in the surf or jet skiing?

SG: My ready to wear swimwear line is definitely functional and has tie sides, neck and back to get the perfect fit and to ensure that you won’t lose anything while jet skiing! As for the calendar shoots, a lot of time the suits have strings or hardware that may not stay in place…so I always find out what my client wants before constructing and designing their suit.

PCB: Your Jersey line seems to be quite popular, certainly among the fans that saw you model one of them during the 2007 Halloween game against the Texans. How popular are these jersey with your customers.

SG: This is probably my #1 selling outfit, yet each is customized for the team, amount of detail and stones wanted. I believe I have made at least one for every team in the NFL!

PCB: Are they individually customized designs or can people purchase them ready to wear?

SG: The jerseys are all customized. Customers send me the jersey they would like to use, that way they get the color, player name and team that they want before customization begins. Then we cut it to specifications and add all the details that make it special and unique.

PCB: Personally, I think these jerseys would be hot sellers, but I can’t seem to find one anywhere. Where can people buy one?

SG: You just order it online at my website, ZonasDesigns.com. Jerseys can be completed in just one week due to our great turn around time. We just need the jersey and your measurements in order to get started.

PCB: Have you considered selling them at online at the NFL Team stores or popular retail outlets?

SG: Yes, that’s definitely a future plan of mine. There are licensing issues and other legal aspects that I do not have in place yet…but I know they would sell out in a second!

PCB: I’ve seen photos of some veteran Charger Girls wearing your dance wear at tryouts. What makes your dance wear designs unique?

SG: I think I have a huge advantage when it comes to designing audition wear. As a former NFL cheerleader, I was in these girl’s shoes many times and know exactly what they want and what the judges want to see. I make sure the fit is flattering, comfortable and will compliment each girl’s skin color.

PCB: Many of our readers are young women who aspire to become professional cheerleaders. How important is it to wear the right dance wear when auditioning?

SG: If you feel great about what you are wearing and feel confident, it will definitely show on the outside and show through your audition. You want an outfit that will accentuate your strong body parts and a color that compliments your skin tone. Choosing the wrong color can definitely affect the whole mood the judges get from your audition. Zonas Designs works closely with our customers to recommend a style and color that will compliment their figure to maximize their chances of making their dance dreams come true.

PCB: Does more stylish and sexy dance wear really get the judges attention?

SG: Definitely…I know a lot of times the judges will refer to a girl as the “yellow top girl” or whatever particular color that girl was wearing. After seeing 400 girls, it is hard for them to remember names or numbers, but it’s much easier for them to remember individual girls by describing the outfits they wore.

PCB: Is it important to stand out in a good way and does the right outfit make that happen?

SG: Most definitely. That is the number one way to catch a judge’s attention before they even see you dance or speak. First impressions always stick!

PCB: In closing, what does the future hold for you? Is there truly life after cheerleading?

SG: I am so happy with everything I have accomplished. I still have a lot I want to do in life and sometimes I think that I will cheer one more time…for whom, I am not sure. But I still have that itch and passion. The great thing about my job is that I am in contact with dancers and girls on teams, so I am still a part of that world. Even though I am not performing in the spotlight, my outfits definitely are!

PCB: And what advice do you have for those readers who want to become a professional cheerleader or business owner.

SG: I think you should follow your dreams. Sometimes I wake up and think how did I get here and then I realize something my Dad had instilled in me when I was young. He said to always believe in yourself and you can accomplish anything you want to in life.

Fly Khicks

2009-02-23T09:49:00.002-05:00

Short look at Fly Khicks (former Miami Heat Dancers) from our good friend Aubrey Aquino. They've made it to the final three on this season's America's Best Dance Crew.

Aubrey has also been busy at the Super Bowl and the NBA All-Star Game. See what else she's been up to at AubreyAquino.com.

Harmony Hunt in Muscle and Fitness Magazine

2009-02-23T08:22:00.000-05:00

Extra! Extra! Read all about it! Harmony Hunt, veteran member of the Los Angeles Clippers Spirit Dance Team (and all around cool chick) is featured in the newest edition of Muscle and Fitness Magazine. Woo! Go Harmony!

You need to go out right now and buy a copy of the magazine. It's the April 2009 mag with Bruce Lee on the cover. April, not March. I emphasize this because the store I went to only had March and there is a decided lack 'o Harmony in that edition. (I know this because I spent a good 15 minutes flipping through the magazine trying to find the article, all the time thinking "If Harmony is messing with me, I will not hesitate to let the air out of all four of her tires.")

Harmony, I apologize. Your tires are perfectly safe.
(From me, anyway.)

Right, so anyway, go get the mag, and read up on our girl. In the meantime, check out a few bonus photos on the M&F website.

(You won't believe me, but that is what the girl actually looks like in real life. Crazy, ain't it?)

Congratulations 2009 ChivaGirls!

2009-02-23T00:23:00.005-05:00

After rigorous auditions last week, Chivas USA has selected the 2009 ChivaGirls. I was there and will give you the whole scoop on what went down. But in the meantime, here are the ChivaGirls! (Also, make sure to check out the video above, and tons of photos from the audition.)

Row 1: Alheli, Amy, Ariel, Ashley, and Dalila
Row 2: Emi, Jebbell, Kelley, and Laura
Row 3: Mandi, Marie, Megan, and Monique
Row 3: Nicole, Sandra, Serena, and Tiffany

Charger Girl Prep Class

2009-02-22T21:20:00.003-05:00

Aspiring San Diego Charger Girls can get the inside scoop on tryouts by attending the team's pre-audition workshop on March 15.

Chargers.com: This three-hour session will include a dance clinic, mock audition, audition tips, Q&A with the Charger Girls and information packet. You will meet the director and the 2008 Charger Girls who will provide you with insight on what it takes to become a San Diego Charger Girl!

The deadline for registration is Thursday, March 12. Click here for details.

SI Gallery Update - NHL

2009-02-22T20:55:00.003-05:00

Heads-up, the most recent NHL gallery on SportsIllustrated.com features the Atlanta Thrashers Blue Crew. Click here to see what the team is up to on game day, and then go to the Thrashers website to check out their new and improved Blue Crew pages.

The Blue Crew is wearing red.
Yeah, I don't get it either.

Local Woman Enjoying Time with New Orleans Hornets Honeybees

2009-02-22T17:41:00.002-05:00

By Thad Angelloz
The Daily Comet

You wouldn't think cheerleading would bring an already close family closer.

But according to Krista Neal, that's exactly what happened after she was chosen to become a New Orleans Hornets Honeybee in July of 2007.

Neal, who has four sisters and one brother, said her family loves to watch her perform at games.

"My mom has always supported me, but because of work my dad missed a lot of my recitals and dances when I was younger," Neal said. "Since I've become a Honeybee he's had more opportunities to see me dance. My brother and sisters also like to see me dance. It's a blast for me to have my own fan club."

Strangely enough, the 20-year-old Honeybee never thought of herself as an NBA cheerleader when she graduated from Hahnville High School.

Despite dancing since the age of 5 and attending American All-Stars dance camp in high school, Neal didn't give cheerleading much thought as she prepared to enter her freshman year at Nicholls State University.

"Never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd be doing this right now," she said.

But after hearing about a Honeybee audition through the Internet, Neal decided to give it a shot.

Surprisingly, Neal soon became a finalist after making her way through two cuts and a thorough interview.

She estimates more than 100 women attended the tryouts.

The dance team ended up keeping 21 women.

"My first plan was to try and be a Saintsation," Neal said. "After I found out I had missed the tryouts I decided to go to the Honeybee tryouts. I'm a big basketball fan so I thought it would be a good fit for me."

Former Honeybee and current manager and dance team choreographer, Ashley Deaton, said she knew Neal was right for the job the moment she met her.

"Krista may look like the girl next door off the court, but she really turns it on when she performs," Deaton said. "You can tell she loves it and that she's having the time of her life. Because of that you can't take your eyes off her. She's the kind of girl we need on the court. This was obvious to us at auditions, so we had to select her for our team."

Neal doesn't believe there's any down side to being a Honeybee.

Her favorite things about being a representative of an NBA franchise are getting to meet different people and having the chance to be a role model for younger girls.

"I know they (young girls) look up to me," Neal said. "I always think about that in everything that I do."

After holding down an outside job, dancing and attending Nicholls last year, Neal decided to take a semester off this spring to manage her schedule better.

"It got to be where it was too much," the elementary education major said. "I'm going to go back to school this summer, but with the way things were for me I thought I needed to drop something for now."

Although she calls Luling home, Neal's originally from Houma and still has family members who live in Terrebonne Parish.

Her love of dancing and her so-called "Honeybee family" has made her strongly consider a future beyond the Honeybees.

"I could see myself starting up a dance studio or something," Neal said. "I really enjoy dancing, and getting the chance to share that with others would be nice."

Neal credits the New Orleans Hornets organization for making her feel at ease whenever she steps on the court to perform.

"They (team's administration) genuinely care about us," Neal said. "They don't ever put us in an uncomfortable situation and this opportunity has allowed me to do a lot of things out in the community."

[New Orleans Honeybees]

Christian Naven, Head Coach Sixers Dancers

2009-02-21T16:08:00.002-05:00

It's been a exciting half year for Christian Naven.

At end of last June, she to came from Illinois to Philadelphia to be the new Sixers Dancers Head Coach. She barely had time to catch her breath before auditions started.

Two rounds of cuts and a final audition at Chickie's & Pete's produced a squad of 10 veterans and 6 rookies, a team of great dancers that will connect with the fans.

But Christian was busy with a lot more than selecting her new squad. Lining up sponsorships, new uniforms, preparations for the new Sixers Dancers Calendar (which has been a huge success) were all tasks that she normally would have been working on when the basketball season ended in the spring. Add on twice-weekly three-hour rehearsals on top her already compressed schedule and you can see why Christian might need to catch up on her sleep.

But she's no stranger to multitasking. Back when she was a student at Illinois State University, she was the coach of the dance team, The Redline Express. While she was running the squad she had to come up with new composition and routines for her classes (she was a dance major) and at the same time she needed to create new choreography for for classes she taught at a local dance studio.

Christian stayed at ISU has been coaching The Redline Express for the past 7 years. In that time she's had dancers go to the NBA and NFL as well as perform in music videos and at local concerts.

And she has lots of big plans. For game night she says, "The Dancer’s routines will be sharp and innovative. My goal is to continue to see that they perform with charisma in front of the most loyal fans in the league." While she describes her style as "Hot Jazz" a fusion of Hip Hop and Technical Jazz, the Dancers will be performing all styles of dance this season. Christian says she wants the fans at the Wachovia Center to be constantly thinking, "What will the Sixers Dancers be doing next?"

And so once Christian gets some free time, what does she plan to do? Actually she's going to dance some more. She has always wanted to learn Salsa and Ballroom Dance and she's looking forward to taking advantage of some of the great dance studios that Philadelphia has to offer. Aside from dance Christian love watching movies and reading. A self-described bookwork she lists Push Comes to Shove, the autobiography of Twyla Tharp, as her favorite book.

[Philadelphia Sixers Dancers]

Charlotte Checkmates

2009-02-21T13:36:00.001-05:00

Carolina correspondent Rick was Charlotte Checkers game on Thursday and saw the Checkers win thrilling game over the Florida Everblades in an overtime shootout. He also took a few photos of the Checkmates which he shared with us.

Sheena, Renada, Erin, Jen and Andrea with Rick

Jesi (right) is a former Checkmate and LadyCat. She was doing some promotional work in the concourse.

Jen, Stephanie and Diana

Jessica, Amber and Kristi

Rick also ran into LadyCats Kristy and Kelsey just before they went off to practice for the next Bobcats game.

[Charlotte Checkmates]

Arizona Cardinals Cheerleaders Auditions and Preview Clinics

2009-02-20T16:27:00.002-05:00

Complete details here.

Five Squads, One Weekend: The Sixers Dancers

2009-02-20T16:22:00.001-05:00

Okay, finally wrapping up "Five Squads, One Weekend" with the talented and charming Sixers Dancers. (Sorry this has been taking so long, I've been working on that BIG ANNOUNCEMENT, that is probably now just 7-10 days away)

Christian Naven, the Head Coach of the Sixers Dancers, was kind enough to arrange for access to watch her team warm-up prior to the Miami-Philadelphia game on February 7th.

There are 16 Sixers Dancers, but only 15 in the photo. There's a rotation in place and each game one dancer (in this case Nina) is off. Dancers wearing pants will stay out on the court during the game. That's a new wrinkle this season, and one that has been a real hit with the fans.

This was the 5th game of a 7-game homestand, and the Sixers Dancers schedule looked something like: game, practice, game, practice, game, practice....you get the idea. One day off was squeezed in there someplace. Such is the life of an NBA Dancer.

Jessica is a former Memphis Grizzlies Dancer.

Vi (pronounced just like the letter) is ninth grade math teacher.

Melanie is one of the 10 NBA Dancers in this year's edition of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.

The rest of my photos here.

Check out the recently updated Sixers Dancers website here.

Previously, Five Squads, One Weekend: Wings Angels, KiXX Dance Team, Ironmen Dancers, The Sirens

ELITE/UDA Dance Camp in Berlin

2009-02-20T15:53:00.000-05:00

Michael, our good friend from Germany, tells us what he's been up to lately:

Top coaches and choreographers from UDA in Association with the ELITE Cheerleading trained 130 European dancers last weekend in Berlin. The Camp was leaded by Liz Rifino. Liz is well known from the ICU Coaches Conference 2008. The participants come from Austria, Croatia, Germany and Slovenia. The girls learned skills and new choreography over two days.

I met some good all friends again - like a little NFL Europa revival. I know Tanja Tanja Straub as cheerleader of the former Rhein Fire Pyromaniacs - forevermore Pyromaniacs, here is the evidence:

Tanja is now Vice President and head of Public Relations of the new CCVD (Cheerleading & Cheerdance Association Germany). She leads very successful her cheer dance team the Magic Paws in Herten.

Stefanie Ader (right), the coach of Berlin Dance Team (former Berlin Thunder Dance Team) was there with her girls too.

The Berlin Thunderbirds supported the Dance Camp participants. Steffy and Caroline also their Thunderbirds Staff made very good meals for us in the breaks and they helped us to turn off the lights in the sports hall as we wanted to sleep there ; )

I was very impressed from the Dance Camp as well from the choreographers Liz, Dani and Missy. The participants learned new skills new dance techniques, new innovative routines very fast. The warm-up program was very professional also the cheer mix. Between the programs they made little competitions "Simon says...", dance battles and so on.

At the end all teams received a UDA certificate.

The Universal Dance Association was founded in 1980 as Universal Dance Camps. It was started as a need for educational training for what were then called drill teams. UDA actually started calling them dance teams to better promote the activity. Jeff Webb and Kris Shepherd started UDA to provide high quality educational training for college and high school dancers through summer camps and clinics on college campuses. From the beginning, UDA focused on the highest standards-the finest instructors, the best choreographers and the most exciting and innovative routines anywhere!

Summer camps were established nationwide featuring private coaching that allowed every team a one-on-one relationship with the UDA Staff. While the emphasis on team growth and improvement is always a constant at UDA camps, the staff also seek to make the camp fun and productive! Teams are taught routines, proper technique, conditioning and much more. Only at UDA do you get the complete package!

UDAs goal is to inspire leadership among today's dance teams. All of UDAs material and programs are centrally focused on the traditional role of dance teams. UDA believes that the primary purpose of a dancer is to support athletic programs and to provide entertainment to the crowd before and during games. Dancers play an instrumental role in raising, leading and maintaining school spirit in and around their communities. In short, they are leaders in building general morale at their schools!

Participants:
* Lightnings event managers Berlin Thunderbirds
* Dance Deluxe and Delight TSV Rudow
* Royal Fighters von der Poelchau Oberschule
* Berlin Dance Team (ehemals Berlin Thunder)
* Lucky Charms vom SC Eichwalde 2000
* Sachsen Cheers vom SC DHfK Leipzig
* Blue Lightnings der Duisburg Dockers
* Unique Cheerleader aus Hamburg Harburg
* Milleniumsdancer Austira
* Cheerleading Sveza Slovenije
* Dance Club Noa

Choreographer Profiles:

"Liz"

Elizabeth "Liz" Blacher Rifino is Director of V!ROC Dance
# Competition Consulting for 8 College National Championship title holders including University of Minnesota (2002-present), St. Thomas University (2006-present) Hawaii Pacific University (2006-present) and Rutgers University (1996-1999)
# Worked with several nationally ranked College and High School Dance Teams across the country including St Johns University (2007-present), Eden Prairie HS (2004-present) and Don Bosco Prep (1996-present)
# Dance instructor, choreographer and consultant for various international teams throughout Chile, Germany, Australia, Finland, China and Japan
# Choreographer and director of UDA Special Events including the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Paris and London New Year's Day Parades
# Director of Choreography for UDA's High School and College Programs
# Trained extensively in ballet, jazz, hip hop, lyrical, theatre dance and pom
# Graduate, Former Captain/Choreographer/Competition Coach for Rutgers University New Brunsqick, NJ
# Lives in Piscataway, NJ
# Style: Consulting, Cleaning, Technique, Jazz, Pom, Hip Hop, Cheer Dance

Dani
Dani Rein is UDA State Director for Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas. Dani can help you throughout your entire season in numerous ways. Here are just a few of the many things that Dani can do for you:

-Help you set up judges for your teams tryouts
-Help you choose the best summer camp for your team
-Register your team for camp
-Register your team for any regional competition
-Update your invoices/registrations if you have changes
-Provide the tools you need to start, build, and maintain a successful dance team program at your school or in your community.

Although Dani is new to this position, she is no stranger to dance or to UDA.

# Former head coach/choreographer for the Hawaii Pacific University Dance Team, leading the team to two national titles
# Former member of the Hawaii Pacific University Dance Team, earning a national title in 2004
# Two-time national champion and former captain of the Orange Costa College Dance Team in Coasta Mesa, California
# Nine year Head Instructor for UDA
# Choreographer and National Dance Team Championship judge for UDA
# Has choreographer for numerous nationally-ranked high school and college dance teams, including Carlsbad High School in Carlsbad, California, St. Johns University in New York, George Washington University in Washington, D.C., Highlands Ranch High School in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, Millard North High School in Omaha Nebraska, Oviedo High School in Oviedo, Florida, and St. Andrews Priory in Honolulu, Hawaii
# Has danced for R&B artist Usher and in the major motion picture The Hot Chick
# Graduate of Hawaii Pacific University with a BA in advertising
# 2nd year choreographer for V!ROC Dance
# Lives in Los Angeles, CA
# Style: Jazz, Pom, Hip Hop, Lyrical, "Cheer" Dance, Technique, and Cleaning

"Missy"

Melissa "Missy" Bienvenu
# Graduate of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and former member of the nationally ranked Ragin Jazz Dance Team
# Former member of the 13-time National Champion St. Thomas More High School Sparklers
# Current coach of the St. Thomas More High School Sparklers
# 18 years of studio training and experience, including extensive Ballet, Jazz, Lyrical, and Hip Hop training
# UDA veteran instructor and choreographer
# Current dance studio choreographer and instructor, specializing in technical training and the advancement of dance skills
# Choreographer for V! ROC Dance
# Lives in Lafayette, Louisiana
# Style: Powerful, Technical, and Clean Collegiate Dance

More of Michael's photos here.

[UDA]

[Elite-Cheerleading]

[Cheerleaders in Europe]

2009 Buffalo Bandettes

2009-02-20T06:00:00.000-05:00

Bios and headshots of the 2009 Bandettes are now online. See it all at bandits.com (Registration is required), or you can check out all the Bandettes coverage at Phil's Jills and Bandettes Blog.

WNBA Connecticut Sun Solar Power Dance Team Auditions

2009-02-19T13:33:00.000-05:00

Two chances to audition for Connecticut's only professional sport dance team.

The 2008 Solar Power Dance Team(l-r):Krista, Caitlin, Shauna, Brittany (captain), Terri (captain), Bree, Sara, Christie and Shannon

For more information and to download a waiver visit ConnecticutSun.com.