There was a great turnout for yesterday’s Clippers Spirit audition prep class! It was a terrific opportunity for aspiring dance team candidates to meet the Director, Audrea Harris, Assistant Director Cheryl Aure-Azurin, and a few Spirit alumni: Jessie, Brittany, Nicole, Melissa, and Brilane. (Click here for photos.)

Most of the afternoon was spent learning and performing a new combination choreographed by Cheryl. First, The Spirit girls (who had only learned the dance an hour beforehand) performed for the class, and then Cheryl started breaking down the counts. I swear, I hear that “Boom Boom Pow” song every day, and I had no idea the tempo was so fast.

Cheryl taught an 8-ct or two, then the group would do it a few times with the counts, then they’d do it a couple of times with music, and then she’d teach the next 8-ct. The Spirit girls were spread out in the crowd to help demonstrate and answer questions.

After they’d learned the whole combination and done it a few times, Audrea and Cheryl had them perform it in groups of six. Afterward, Audrea said they’d done very well, but she wanted them to try it again and really perform it - smile, attack the moves, keep it sharp, and make it clean. All of the girls took that advice to heart , and the second round of performances was really fun to watch.

Lesson learned: You can’t underestimate the importance of “selling” your performance.

It was a fast couple of hours. After all of the dancing was over, some girls had to leave, but most stayed for a Q&A session. There were lots of questions about everything - the audition process, what to wear, game night, choreographers, professionalism, time commitment, and balancing life as a Spirit Dancer with your life as a student, employee, race car driver, poet, turkey farmer, or whatever else you have going on.

There were lots and lots of questions.

By the end of the day, all of the girls had a MUCH better idea of what to expect and how to prepare for auditions. Tryouts aren’t for another 4 weeks, so the girls have a good amount of time to work on anything that needs to be improved between now and then.

Speaking for myself, I can’t wait to see these girls bring it on audition day. See you July 25th, ladies!

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.”

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?)

For the second time this season, Sports Illustrated is showing some love for the Clippers Spirit Dance Team. (Particularly the blondies on the team.) There are even a couple Fan Patrol photos in there for good measure. Well done, SI. br /centerbr /a href=”http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/0902/nba.clippers.spirit.dancers/content.1.html”Go there now./abr /br /img src=”http://www.polarbearrepublic.com/images/sasha/NBA/Clippers/SI2008_Clippers25.jpg”/center

bClippers’ Spirit dance team member, Lynae Hashimoto excites and thrills the crowd every home game, despite a dismal start to the season./bbr /br /By Sebastian Scott, Internbr /a href=”http://www.rafu.com/en/2009/0124/sports.html”The Rafu Shimpo/abr /January 24, 2009br /br /img src=”http://www.polarbearrepublic.com/images/sasha/NBA/Clippers/LynaeFeature1.jpg”br /br /STAPLES CENTER- As the fans sat anxiously waiting for the tip-off between the Clippers vs. Atlanta Hawks on Jan. 14, you couldn’t but notice the sense of defeat and prior let down even before the Clippers were defeated 97-80 a few hours later. The Clippers, who currently own a 9-32 record and are last place in the Pacific Division, do not have much hope for their current season or fans, but there still is and always has been one major bright spot: The Clippers Spirit Dance Team.br /br /“There is nothing like performing in front of all the fans,” third year veteran a href=”http://www.nba.com/clippers/dance/lynae0809.html”Lynae Hashimoto/a told the Rafu. “Getting a chance to see all the games and meet all the season ticket holders is great. Once you are a Clipper fan you can never go back. Once you’re there you’re there.”br /br /Even though there might not be much to cheer for on the court, the Spirit Dance Team excites the crowd night in and night out. It’s not only their beauty that has the fans smiling, but also their energy and overall charm.br /br /Lynae, a graduate from the UC Irvine with a sociology degree, is having the time of her life. An experience she will always remember and cherish.br /br /“The lasting impressions are the girls. Each year it is so different and never the same team,” Hashimoto said. “It’s hard sometimes because girls that tryout and don’t make it, I am really close with.br /br /But there are other great girls who are coming in. They aren’t replacing them, but it’s a different team, group, and each girl has something unique to offer. Each person is different and that is something special that we all share.”br /br /Just like any major professional sports team, the Clippers Spirit acts as one unit and team chemistry away from practices and games is essential to their success.br /br /“Despite all the gossip,” said Hashimoto with a big smile, “we all do get along great. We are a family and we go out to movies together or go on trips together.br /br /Last year we all went to Phoenix to see the Clippers play the Suns. We don’t really get bothered or too much attention put on us unless they find out who we are.”br /br /Although every member of the dance team may look flawless on the court, there is constant hard work and practice off it.br /br /img src=”http://www.polarbearrepublic.com/images/sasha/NBA/Clippers/LynaeFeature2.jpg”align=right“It is really challenging to make the squad and you are constantly preparing and working hard. Even in the summer you are preparing and working long, hard hours,” said Hashimoto.br /br /“Working out, getting your hair done, practicing your dance moves, and classes. Then once you get to that important tryout date, there are hundreds of girls who are equally as talented and equally as beautiful. You just try and have that extra ‘X-factor’.”br /br /Hashimoto, who has been dancing since she was three years of age, maintains that dancing and working out is only half of the job.br /br /“You are doing the job every single day. It’s not just the single aspect of you being a good dancer, but you have to be the whole package,” she said. “You have to be able to have a great conversation, be entertaining, and carry yourself in a positive manner. Because every single person who knows you are on the Clippers Spirit, knows you represent them in every single manner, whether it is online or the local theatre.” In addition to the huge commitment and effort put forth by these women as members of the Clippers Spirit, most of them have busy secondary lives. “It gets really tough at times because most of the girls are also either full time students or have full time jobs. It is hard to find balance.”br /br /Hashimoto, who sorts data at Fletcher Jones Mercedes, says she doesn’t have much time for herself. However, when given the opportunity she really likes to cook and enjoys watching the Food Network.br /br /Otherwise her free time is spent relaxing and taking a second to rest.br /br /Because it would be a challenge trying to find many Japanese American athletes in professional sports today, it makes it that much more meaningful to Lynae and the Japanese American community for her accomplishments.br /br /“I am very involved in the Japanese American community in my hometown,” said Lynae. “I played in a JACL basketball league all the way through my sophomore year of high school.”br /br /Hashimoto, who laughingly admitted that her Japanese language skills could be summed up as sukoshi or a “little,” really enjoyed her visit to Japan her senior year of high school.br /br /“I loved it because I got to meet a lot of my family,” she said. “I went during the winter so it was a little cold, but I otherwise loved it. There was a little trouble with the language, but I absolutely loved the food and the culture.”br /br /Lynae, who is currently one of two Asian Americans and the only Japanese member of the Clippers Spirit, said that dancing has been a life long dream.br /br /“It is very hard to make the squad every year and I am enjoying every second of it with the fans and the girls,” said Hashimoto. “I have danced since I was three. I always wanted to dance professionally.br /br /When I came down here from northern California, my mom and I were looking at their websites and I found out when the auditions were. I tried out my first year after college and from then on it was continuous.”br /br /Just like many people today, Lynae doesn’t necessarily know what the future holds for her. However, she says with a deep breath, that she will “play it by ear and look at all her options.”br /br /No matter how many more seasons Lynae represents the Spirit, her legacy as a member of the dance squad, the entire Clipper Nation, and the Japanese American community has been deeply impacted and her accomplishments will never be forgotten.br /br /She found a goal and passion in her life from a young age and went for it with a full head of steam. It is apparent that after spending time with her, it wasn’t the money or stardom that she was seeking.br /br /It was the long lasting friendships and impact that she could make on people’s lives that pushed her to her physical and emotional limits. She truly does it for the love of dancing.br /br /“I actually just got a letter back from my high school last year showing me that one of my goals within five years of graduating was to be a professional dancer,” said Hashimoto. “I had forgotten what some of my goals were, but it was real cool to see that I had accomplished this one.”

olLocal Press Release: “On the night of December 24, 2008, tragic events took place in the small town of Covina, CA. As the Ortega family celebrated Christmas Eve in the comfort and security of their home, their world was shattered and destroyed by a man they once called family. Bruce Pardo arrived that night and took the lives of 9 family members and then eventually himself at his brother’s Sylmar home. In a matter of 15 minutes, Pardo committed a crime so brutal and heinous that the effects have not yet completely been felt. br /br /With this tragic event taking place, there has been a large burden placed upon the remaining family members. There is a family painting business that is in need of help, funeral arrangements that need to be planned and paid for, mortgage payments that cannot be made and a deep hurt that can never be described. Friends of the Ortega family are asking for the community and nation’s help at this crucial time. There has been a fund created to help the victims who are now left with very little family and burdens that no person would find easy to handle.”/olbr /ChivaGirl Kelley’s family is friends with the Ortegas. Her family has worked hard to put together two fundraising events to benefit the Ortega family. Both events are scheduled for Saturday, February 7th. This is also your chance to meet members of the dance teams from Los Angeles’ professional sports franchises. a href=”http://web.mlsnet.com/t120/chivagirls/”ChivaGirls/a, a href=”http://www.nba.com/lakers/lakergirls/index.html”Laker Girls/a, a href=”http://www.nba.com/clippers/dance/spirit.html”Clippers Spirit/a Dance Team, and tentatively the a href=”http://www.nba.com/dleague/anaheim/ALIST_GIRLS_2008__2009-294981-1210.html”Anaheim Arsenal A-List/a Girls will be present at one or both events, signing photo cards, taking pictures and selling raffle tickets. br /br /img src=”http://www.polarbearrepublic.com/images/sasha/OrtegaFundraiser2009.jpg”br /Event #1 will be at bUpland Memorial Park/b – Upland, CA on Foothill blvd between Hospital Way and Grove Ave. b11-4pm/b br /br /Event #2 will be at the bCrazy Horse/b in West Covina from b7-9 pm/b. West Covina CA, off of the 10 frwy -1360 West Garvey St, West Covina CA, 91790br /br /*All proceeds from both events will go to James Ortega and family*

img src=”http://www.polarbearrepublic.com/images/sasha/NBA/Clippers/ClippersGame2008-12-22_0197.jpg” /br /br /I went to a Clippers game a couple of days before Xmas and watched them get stomped by the Raptors. It was a dismal end, but the Clippers’ Spirit Dance Team and Fan Patrol were on hand to provide some badly-needed cheer. I took lots of photos, though, which I’ve a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/pcbphotos/sets”uploaded to my gallery on flickr/a for your viewing pleasure.br /br /This was the last home game before Christmas, so there was lots of holiday action on tap. The Clippers Spirit wore their holiday best. There were 12 dancers on deck: a href=”http://www.nba.com/clippers/dance/shannon0809.html”Shannon/a, a href=”http://www.nba.com/clippers/dance/melissa0809.html”Melissa/a, a href=”http://www.nba.com/clippers/dance/chelsea0809.html”Chelsea/a, a href=”http://www.nba.com/clippers/dance/lynae0809.html”Lynae/a, a href=”http://www.nba.com/clippers/dance/nicole0809.html”Nicole/a, a href=”http://www.nba.com/clippers/dance/nikki0809.html”Nikki/a, a href=”http://www.nba.com/clippers/dance/teresa0809.html”Teresa/a, a href=”http://www.nba.com/clippers/dance/jacqueline0809.html”Jacqueline/a, a href=”http://www.nba.com/clippers/dance/recee0809.html”Recee/a, a href=”http://www.nba.com/clippers/dance/brilane0809.html”Brilane/a, a href=”http://www.nba.com/clippers/dance/brittany0809.html”Brittany/a, and a href=”http://www.nba.com/clippers/dance/whitney0809.html”Whitney/a. a href=”http://www.nba.com/clippers/dance/lauren0809.html”Lauren/a, a href=”http://www.nba.com/clippers/dance/ashley0809.html”Ashley/a, a href=”http://www.nba.com/clippers/dance/harmony0809.html”Harmony/a, and a href=”http://www.nba.com/clippers/dance/jessie0809.html”Jessie/a had the night off. (If I eavesdropped correctly, the rotation is such that each girl has every 4th game off. I suspect however, that there are plenty of exceptions to that rule.)br /br /When I arrived at the Staples Center, the girls were getting ready for the game and discussing the plan for the evening. I noticed right away that there was a lot less luggage in the room than usual. Usually there are at least 12 people-sized suitcases lying around the room, so their absence was conspicuous.br /br /Not to rehash a subject I mention every time I go to one of the games, but those girls really do haul a lot of stuff around. I don’t know if they’re required to bring every single costume to every single game, but it sure looks like it. Last time, I was looking at one girl’s stuff and she had SIX pairs of shoes. Four pairs of sneakers (three of them white), one pair of boots, and the street shoes she was wearing when she walked in the door. Granted, they usually have a costume change for each dance, but do they really need that many pairs of shoes? bReally?/bbr /br /For this particular game, the ladies were wearing their holiday costumes all night, so they there was a lot less stuff in the dressing room. (Only THREE pairs of shoes this time.) I’ll talk about the holiday couture in a minute, but the point I’m trying to make is there seemed to be a lot more empty space in the room than usual.br /br /Shortly after I arrived, it was time for pregame rehearsal. I headed out on the court with everyone else and as usual, there was a lot going, with the Clippers, the Raptors, the National Anthem singer, the dance team, and the stunt team all engaged in various activities.br /br /On a side note, before I started going to these games, it never occurred to me that both basketball teams would be on the court at the same time, practicing before the game. I thought they’d keep them in separate corners like a boxing match. I was excited when I found out everyone was going to be out there at the same time. I was expecting some entertaining trash talk. As it turns out, the teams pretty much ignore each other. It was kind of disappointing actually. You’d think at least ione/i of those guys would talk smack about somebody else’s mama.br /br /Anywho, everyone was out there on the court. This part of the evening is usually when I figure out my plan of attack. It is also the scariest part of the day because if I’m ever going to get trampled by a bunch of basketballers, this is when and where it will happen. Those guys go careening all over the place and I just iknow/i that one of these days, I’ll be in the wrong place at the wrong time and one of them will fall on me or kick me in the head.br /br /I didn’t realize it, but one of the Raptors guys was doing wind sprints along the side of the court, and it was only by the grace of God that I didn’t get flattened like a pizza. (The grace of God - and a heads-up from a helpful bystander.)br /br /img src=”http://www.polarbearrepublic.com/images/sasha/NBA/Clippers/ClippersGame2008-12-22_0016.jpg” /br /br /I went up in the stands to take this photo so you can see what this all looks like. It doesn’t look so bad here, but the thing is, all of these people are in constant motion, the music is cranked up, and there are basketballs flying everywhere. The only people who stay in one spot put for any length of time are the Fan Patrolers, and they’re busy throwing each other up in the air like they’re launching rockets for NASA.br /br /So I’m walking around checking out what’s doing with all of my people. The dance team was first out on center court. The team had reworked some of their choreography to fit holiday music, so they needed to do a few run-throughs to polish everything up.br /br /It’s fun to watch them rehearse. Most of them are wearing the serious CONCENTRATION face. There’s not much time so there’s minimal fun and games here. Notice, I said “most” of them. You rarely see CONCENTRATION face on Melissa. Or Teresa. They’ve both got the “WOO! I’M DANCING!!” face on. It’s that same face you get when you’re little and you’re all “Mommy, I did a cartwheel, did you see? Look I’m doing it again – are you watching?” So cute, those two. (And I mean that in a totally complimentary, completely non-patronizing way.)br /br /It’s so interesting to watch these girls rehearse and perform. You have to have the X factor to get on this team in the first place, but some of the girls hide it and act all quiet until the music turns on, and then it’s like BAM! In your face! (I’m pointing at you, Lynae.)br /br /img src=”http://www.polarbearrepublic.com/images/sasha/NBA/Clippers/ClippersGame2008-12-22_0013.jpg” /br /br /They went through all of the routines scheduled for the evening, first a walkthrough to set the formation, then a couple times with music. (FYI: If anyone ever needs me to step in on “Devil With a Blue Dress” just let me know. I’ve memorized the first 4 counts, the last 4 counts, and a good 4 or 8 counts in the middle. I could freestyle the rest if I had to.)br /br /img src=”http://www.polarbearrepublic.com/images/sasha/NBA/Clippers/ClippersGame2008-12-22_0038.jpg” /br /br /At one point, I turned around to see what the Fan Patrol was up to, and I saw this going on:br /br /img src=”http://www.polarbearrepublic.com/images/sasha/NBA/Clippers/ClippersGame2008-12-22_0012.jpg” /br /br /I don’t think you can fully appreciate it from the photo, but that’s Nina doing a handstand. The girl is upside down. In the air. While balanced on two other people. Who were in turn balanced on two iother/i people.br /br /And here’s Katie doing a somersaulty kind of thing over the top of those two girls.br /br /img src=”http://www.polarbearrepublic.com/images/sasha/NBA/Clippers/ClippersGame2008-12-22_0026.jpg” /br /br /It makes me wonder how any of these women survived into adulthood, given the complete lack of concern for their own physical well-being. And the same goes for the guys. I bet every single one of them has taken and accidental kick in the head and/or an elbow to the jaw. No one escapes the human jungle gym unscathed.br /br /I am trying to think how much you would have to pay me to try one of those stunts, and I can’t come up with a number big enough.br /br /After rehearsal, everyone went back to the dressing room to prep for the game. Three of the girls, Shannon, Whitney, and Nikki, had been asked to do a video promo for a special Clippers game on March 2nd. That evening has been selected as a salute to the Los Angeles Fire Dept: “LAFD Night with the Clippers.” There will be special discounts and prizes for fire fighters, with a percentage of ticket proceeds to benefit the Widows, Orphans, and Disabled Firemen’s Fund.br /br /Why were Shannon, Whitney, and Nikki selected for this? I don’t know. Someone explained to me it’s because they’re all school teachers. I’m not exactly sure what that has to do with firefighters. The three of them teach elementary school. Shannon and Nikki teach kindergarten, and Whitney teaches 4th grade. (Not that she’s much ibigger/i than a 4th grader…)br /br /img src=”http://www.polarbearrepublic.com/images/sasha/NBA/Clippers/ClippersGame2008-12-22_0044.jpg” /br /Nikki, Whitney, and Shannonbr /br /Shannon told me a little bit about the holiday hijinks going on in her classroom. One situation involved a 5 year old, a Santa costume, and double-stick tape, and it just made me wonder about her.br /br /Nikki also gave me the scoop on her situation. She started out as a long-term substitute at her school, but all the female teachers there keep getting pregnant and going out for maternity leave, so I don’t think she’s going anywhere any time soon. If I were her, I think I’d want to know why everyone’s having babies all of a sudden.br /br /Aside from those three, Brilane also has school-teacher aspirations. She announced that she just passed a test for some sort of teaching credential thing, which sounded pretty important. I didn’t really know what she was talking about but hey – Congratulations! You go girl!br /br /Someone came to fetch Shannon, Nikki, and Whitney for filming, and I just sort of…followed them out the door. (I’ve taken to inserting myself into just about everything that’s going on. Anybody leaves the room, I’m right behind them. I try to do it kind of sneaky-like though. )br /br /The girls had memorized their script for the promo, divvied up the parts, and rehearsed them on the way upstairs. They had it down except for the last line, which they had to say in unison:br /br /We CAN’T wait to see you at the game!!br /We can’t WAIT to see you at the game!!br /We can’t wait to see you at the GAME!!br /br /Ok, there’s a game. You can’t wait. We get it already.br /br /We went over the river and through the woods to a room at the tippy top of the Staples Center. Everything was ready to go: two video cameras, a couple big lights, and one of those big furry microphone things that look like a ferret on a stick.br /br /The taping only took about 10 minutes. The girls handled it like pros. Even though afterward, not one of them could remember what she’d just said.br /br /Whenever the videographer spoke to those three, he addressed them as “girl on the left” and “the one in the middle,” like he was positioning mannequins in a store window. It was kind of weird. br /br /img src=”http://www.polarbearrepublic.com/images/sasha/NBA/Clippers/ClippersGame2008-12-22_0045.jpg” /br /br /Speaking of weird. At one point, the director lady turned to me and asked “Sooo….are you with the Clippers?” Why is it that whenever I get asked this question, I never have a good answer?br /br /I must have answered her, but I have no memory of what I said. I’m sure whatever it was sounded really lame.br /br /And then Shannon chimed in with “She’s our biggest fan.” Which is not untrue. I am in fact the founder, CEO, and President of the Clippers Spirit Fan Club. But is it me, or does that sound kind of…off?br /br /…Like I have a shoebox of Clippers Spirit sock puppets under my bed and I talk to them and we have tea parties and stuff.br /br /…Like I have their photos, posters, empty coffee cups, food wrappers, and broken shoe strings proudly displayed in a glass case in my living room.br /br /…Like I celebrate the girls’ birthdays with ice cream and cake. At home. By myself.br /br /This is a little worrying and requires some thought. I need to come up with a title for myself. Something that doesn’t make me sound like an obsessed nutcase. Next time, I’m going to say I’m a roadie or somebody’s cousin or something.br /br /Ok, so after the filming, we went back down to the dressing room, where all the other girls were getting suited up in their holiday costumes. There were three different costumes. The red group’s outfit was wicked cute. The green group’s outfit had a whole santa’s elf thing going on. The white group had kind of a figure skatery thing going on.br /br /The white team, by the way, deserved hazard pay for sweating it out all night in knit caps and scarves. Remember when you were little and you’d go outside to play in the snow and you’d get all sweaty and yucky under the five layers of clothes your mother made you wear? I reckon it was kind of like that.br /br /img src=”http://www.polarbearrepublic.com/images/sasha/NBA/Clippers/ClippersGame2008-12-22_0058.jpg” /br /br /On a related note, all of this would’ve been even cuter if they’d been wearing a href=”http://www.child-halloween-costumes.com/p-14225-371-joy-elf-shoes.html” the matching elf footwear/a, but I put that idea in the suggestion box a little late. Maybe next year.br /br /Meanwhile, Teresa came over and showed me the elf ears she wears during the Disneyland holiday parade.br /br /The woman walks around with elf ears in her pocket. I kid you not.br /br /I touched one. It looked and felt like a deflated party balloon. But kinda cool too. She sticks ‘em on with double-stick tape. No joke.br /br /Looking back, I wish I’d asked more questions. Does she get to keep them? Are they available in different sizes? Do they come in a little plastic elf ear case? What if you lose one? Can you buy an individual ear, or do they only come in pairs?br /br /Elf ears. Who knew it was such a rich subject?br /br /I decided I wanted to take a photo of each group. You have no idea how difficult it is to wrangle four of these women into a corner long enough to take a photo. It’s like herding cats into a bag. I’d find the first three, but the fourth would be missing. By the time I found number four, two and three had gone MIA. I eventually resorted to physically holding on to them so they wouldn’t disappear when I turned my back. It was pretty wrong of me. I’m usually all about respecting the personal space. But I had a job to do, sister, and we could do it the easy way, or the hard way.br /br /img src=”http://www.polarbearrepublic.com/images/sasha/NBA/Clippers/ClippersGame2008-12-22_0050.jpg” /br /The green group: Teresa, Lynae, Recee, and Whitneybr /br /img src=”http://www.polarbearrepublic.com/images/sasha/NBA/Clippers/ClippersGame2008-12-22_0051.jpg” /br /The white group: Jacqueline, Chelsea, Brittany, and Nikkibr /br /The red group was especially tricky. Melissa was having some unexpected costume issues. Audrea and Cheryl were busy jabbing her with safety pins, so I put my go-to girl Shannon in charge of keeping an eye on Brilane and went looking for Nicole. The girl had gone completely MIA. I couldn’t find her for the longest time, but eventually found her filming a pre-game promo on the court.br /br /img src=”http://www.polarbearrepublic.com/images/sasha/NBA/Clippers/ClippersGame2008-12-22_0049.jpg” /br /br /Nicole was on her way back, so I returned to the dressing room to keep an eye on the other three Red girls. Unfortunately, by the time Melissa was ready to go, I’d lost Nicole again. When I finally spotted her, I literally yanked her right out of a conversation, mid-sentence. Ahem…sorry about that, Nicole.br /br /img src=”http://www.polarbearrepublic.com/images/sasha/NBA/Clippers/ClippersGame2008-12-22_0052.jpg” /br /The red group: Brilane, Melissa, Shannon, and Nicolebr /br /I do feel a little bad about the way I occasionally push and prod people in the direction I want them to go. I have a bad habit of marching up to people, announcing that I intend to take a photo of them (whether they like it or not), and then sort of …um…”nudging” them into position. I can’t help it. I’m sorry! I still feel a little awkward in the situation, so it’s either jump right in and act like I’ve known everyone for ages (which occasionally involves being just a little obnoxious), or else stand in the corner all night, trying to blend into the wallpaper. I’m sure there’s a happy medium between the two, but I’ve yet to discover it.br /br /I took some time before the game to reconnoiter the building. Up to this point, it’s been a challenge to figure out the right vantage point for dance team photography. The thing is, sometimes they face one way, and sometimes they face the other way. Sometimes they’re in the middle. Sometimes they’re along the edges. Sometimes they’re on the court, and sometimes they’re in the stands. It took some trial and error to figure out where to be and when, but I’ve just about got the hang of it. Next time around, it’ll be like buttah.br /br /I also dropped by the Fan Patrol’s dressing room to see what they were up to. I can’t begin to tell you what kind of cojones it takes for me to marching over there. First off, they’ve got a smaller room and there’s only one door, so there’s no way to slip in unnoticed. I always go in there all loud like “hey what’s up peeps?” And then about 5 minutes later it occurs to me that most of them have no idea who I am or what I’m doing with a camera in their dressing room. Some of them may have a vague recollection of someone who looks sort of like me lurking around at auditions, but otherwise I am a total stranger. So then I want to introduce myself, but by then it’s too late. They’re always nice about it and act like it’s nothing out of the nrom. I guess they’ve got more on their minds (Say, falling on their heads in front of thousands of people…) than whatever it is I’m doing up in their dressing room.br /br /img src=”http://www.polarbearrepublic.com/images/sasha/NBA/Clippers/ClippersGame2008-12-22_0098.jpg” /br /a href=”http://www.nba.com/clippers/dance/fp_katie0809.html”Katie/a, a href=”http://www.nba.com/clippers/dance/fp_leslie0809.html”Leslie/a, a href=”http://www.nba.com/clippers/dance/fp_nina0809.html”Nina/a, a href=”http://www.nba.com/clippers/dance/fp_summer0809.html”Summer/a, and a href=”http://www.nba.com/clippers/dance/fp_marquita0809.html”Marquita/abr /br /br /img src=”http://www.polarbearrepublic.com/images/sasha/NBA/Clippers/ClippersGame2008-12-22_0095.jpg” /br /a href=”http://www.nba.com/clippers/dance/fp_craig0809.html”Craig/a, a href=”http://www.nba.com/clippers/dance/fp_brian0809.html”Brian/a (in the front), a href=”http://www.nba.com/clippers/dance/fp_carlos0809.html”Carlos/a, a href=”http://www.nba.com/clippers/dance/fp_ryan0809.html”Ryan/a, and a href=”http://www.nba.com/clippers/dance/fp_hasani0809.html”Hasani/abr /br /Pretty soon, it was time to get things started so everyone lined up in the tunnel.br /br /img src=”http://www.polarbearrepublic.com/images/sasha/NBA/Clippers/ClippersGame2008-12-22_0059.jpg” /br /Jacqueline, Melissa, Brittany, and Lynae during the Canadian and US National Anthemsbr /br /img src=”http://www.polarbearrepublic.com/images/sasha/NBA/Clippers/ClippersGame2008-12-22_0056.jpg” /br /Whitney and Brittany hyping up the crowdbr /br /Once the game began, I got to work. The dance team performs once each quarter and then there’s usually something going on during the halftime break, so I have to stay on the ball. It all goes very fast.br /br /img src=”http://www.polarbearrepublic.com/images/sasha/NBA/Clippers/ClippersGame2008-12-22_0064.jpg” /br /Rehearsing in the tunnelbr /br /img src=”http://www.polarbearrepublic.com/images/sasha/NBA/Clippers/ClippersGame2008-12-22_0070.jpg” /br /I don’t really know what this is all about. Suddenly, everyone’s holding hands and looking like they’re fixin’ to square dance or something.br /br /Prior to the game, Taurean, one of the floor coordinators for game night, told me he’d kept a space free for me to sit with the press photographers on the court. Riiiiiight. One thing to know about this guy is he’s always up to something. You have to keep your eye on him. On the one hand, I was like “cool – thanks!” But on the other hand, I told him “If you’re B.S.-ing me and I get yanked off the court, just know that I bwill/b be waiting for you outside after this game is over.”br /br /He did me a solid though, and I did get to sit with the photographers.br /br /img src=”http://www.polarbearrepublic.com/images/sasha/NBA/Clippers/T.jpg”br /T, here’s a photo, so everyone can see how awesome, wonderful, smart, kind to children and animals, funny, generous, good looking, charismatic, and (insert adjective here), etc. you are. Sheesh. Happy now?br /br /During the game, the dance team performed to a number of holiday songs, including “Let it Snow”, “Little Drummer Boy”, “What You Want for Christmas”, and “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.”br /br /Here are a few photos, and of course there are more a href=”http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=6864992amp;postID=5887762095231784319″right here/a.br /br /img src=”http://www.polarbearrepublic.com/images/sasha/NBA/Clippers/ClippersGame2008-12-22_0110.jpg” /br /br /img src=”http://www.polarbearrepublic.com/images/sasha/NBA/Clippers/ClippersGame2008-12-22_0157.jpg” /br /br /img src=”http://www.polarbearrepublic.com/images/sasha/NBA/Clippers/ClippersGame2008-12-22_0158.jpg” /br /br /img src=”http://www.polarbearrepublic.com/images/sasha/NBA/Clippers/ClippersGame2008-12-22_0102.jpg” /br /br /The only drawback to sitting on the side is there are always people in the way when the dance team is performing. It’s time out, so both teams and the refs are still on the court, albeit in separate corners. Besides that, Red Jackets stand on the court to prevent any rowdy fans from getting ideas.br /br /I appreciate that everyone there was doing his job, but dude, they were like itotally/i in my way. I wanted to tap one of them on the shoulder and say “Hey there, I just wanted to let you know that you are doing a ifantastic/i job and everyone here appreciates it. However, if you could just take one giant step to the right and bnot/b stand in front of me anymore, that would be super. Thanks, hon.”br /br /I didn’t think that would go over well, so I kept my mouth shut and did my best to shoot in between the bodiesbr /br /img src=”http://www.polarbearrepublic.com/images/sasha/NBA/Clippers/ClippersGame2008-12-22_0116.jpg” /br /br /img src=”http://www.polarbearrepublic.com/images/sasha/NBA/Clippers/ClippersGame2008-12-22_0136.jpg” /br /br /At one point during the game, I had a total “holy crap!” moment. I’m thinking “Here I am at a real live professional NBA game. I am on the hardwood. During the game. In front of the most expensive seats in the house. I can actually hear what the coaches and players are saying to the ref. When the basketball players slam into each other and fall on the ground, I can feel the floor shake. Look at that. Them’s MY Pumas. And there’s the game, right there. RIGHT. THERE.” Unbelievable. Who knows where I’ll find myself next? The Oval Office? The Taj Mahal? The International Space Station?br /br /img src=”http://www.polarbearrepublic.com/images/sasha/NBA/Clippers/ClippersGame2008-12-22_0106.jpg” /br /br /It was trippy. And let me tell you something, when one team scores and then the whole lot of them come thundering in your direction it is span style=”font-weight: bold;”intense/span.br /br /The towel boys (hopefully that’s not their official title) were sitting to my left. Thing is, they were sitting on the towels. I’m looking at that thinking, “I wonder if the basketball team realizes those are the same towels they use to wipe their faces?”br /br /I was standing there minding my own business, when guess who snuck up on me? Taylor! Taylor used to be on the team and a was (and still is) a fan favorite. She was a sight for sore eyes and we got to chat for a little bit. All you Taylor fans out there, she’s doing very well these days. If you’re a Clippers fan, keep an eye out. You just might spot her in the stands.br /br /img src=”http://www.polarbearrepublic.com/images/sasha/NBA/Clippers/ClippersGame2008-12-22_0324.jpg” /br /(I had to sneak up on her a bit later to get this photographic evidence of her presence at the game. Ryan kept her still for me. Thank you Ryan. )br /br /Speaking of the Fan Patrol…br /br /img src=”http://www.polarbearrepublic.com/images/sasha/NBA/Clippers/ClippersGame2008-12-22_0184.jpg” /br /Ninabr /br /img src=”http://www.polarbearrepublic.com/images/sasha/NBA/Clippers/ClippersGame2008-12-22_0180.jpg” /br /Katiebr /br /img src=”http://www.polarbearrepublic.com/images/sasha/NBA/Clippers/ClippersGame2008-12-22_0179.jpg” /br /Marquitabr /br /img src=”http://www.polarbearrepublic.com/images/sasha/NBA/Clippers/ClippersGame2008-12-22_0185.jpg” /br /Summerbr /br /img src=”http://www.polarbearrepublic.com/images/sasha/NBA/Clippers/ClippersGame2008-12-22_0138.jpg” /br /br /Like I said, the game goes fast. The dance team usually performs once each quarter. After the 4th quarter performance, they sit at either end of the court to cheer on the team.br /br /img src=”http://www.polarbearrepublic.com/images/sasha/NBA/Clippers/ClippersGame2008-12-22_0181.jpg” /br /Teresa, Brittany, Brilane, and Whitneybr /br /It’s always hard to get a photo when they’re sitting on the side like that because there are lots of people around. In the past, I’ve gone up in the stands to shoot it from a distance. This time I was all “Yeah, that’s right. I’m sitting with the professional photographers. You know how we do.” (Thinking , T – I am span style=”font-weight: bold;”so /spangonna get you if I get nailed for this.)br /br /As I sat down, Chelsea was all “look at you with your press pass.” I’m all “ohmigod, I know, right?” But then it dawned on me uexactly/u where I was sitting. Directly bin front of /b the dance team. I could not have felt more conspicuous or out place. I thought to myself “this can’t be right.” Seriously. While I was at it, why didn’t I just go park myself in front of the players bench?br /br /I kept eyeballing the area behind Chelsea to see if maybe I could squeeze back there. No room though. It was another trippy moment.br /br /img src=”http://www.polarbearrepublic.com/images/sasha/NBA/Clippers/ClippersGame2008-12-22_0173.jpg” /br /Jacqueline and Receebr /br /img src=”http://www.polarbearrepublic.com/images/sasha/NBA/Clippers/ClippersGame2008-12-22_0174.jpg” /br /Shannon and Nicolebr /br /img src=”http://www.polarbearrepublic.com/images/sasha/NBA/Clippers/ClippersGame2008-12-22_0175.jpg” /br /Chelsea and Lynaebr /br /Like I said earlier the Raptors crushed the Clippers. But who cared? It was the holidays and everyone was in a par-tay mood anyway!br /br /Ho ho ho.br /br /Happy Christmahanakwanzika!br /br /a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/pcbphotos/sets”Don’t forget to check out all of my photos from the game/a

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