Tampa Bay Lightning Beat Rival Florida Panthers 5 to 3

The Tampa Bay Lightning opened their 2017-18 season with a victory over their cross state rival Florida Panthers.

The entire squad of Lightning Girls were mingling and entertaining the sold out crowd. The ladies are led by alum Crystal Brown and their choreographer is alum Karen Bittinger.

Enjoy some photos.

Rookie Class: Emily, Taylor L, Kayla, Lydia, Erica, Makenzie, Ellie and Morgan. (click to enlarge)
Stephanie
Morgan
Kayla
2017-18 Tampa Bay Lightning Girls
Taylor D.
Elena

Please see our Flickr album HERE.

Tampa Bay Lightning Girls

As the Lightning continue their fight for a Stanley Cup playoff spot, we added many action photos from the last few games. The Lightning Girls are one of the premiere cheer squads of the NHL . Enjoy, click to enlarge:

Rachael, Thunder Bug and Anna
Erica, Alyssa and Kori
Taylor and Allison
Elena
Kori
Congrats to Rachael as she starts her career out with Delta Airlines.
Taylor Alyssa Kelsey Kori Jessica Elena Liz
Erica and Kori
Stephanie and Taelor
Taylor
Jessica and Cady

Flickr album is HERE

 

The Tampa Bay Lightning Girls Of The NHL

The Lightning are struggling for wins this season but the Lightning Girls remain in the upper echelon of NHL game day entertainers. With their good looks, dance talent and enthusiastic personalities the Lightning Girls are fan favorites in Tampa. Enjoy the photos from the last few games.

Kelsey
Taelor
Jessica, Alyssa and Stephanie
Taylor
Rachael and Anna (click to enlarge)
Elena (click to enlarge)
Kori (click to enlarge)
Allison Stephanie Jessica Elena Anna (click to enlarge)
Alyssa (click to enlarge)
Erica (click to enlarge)
Allison (click to enlarge)

Our Flickr album is HERE

#WCW–Lightning Girls In Winter Whites

The Tampa Bay Lightning Girls were “Crushing” it dressed in Winter Whites during last night’s 4 to 1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings.

Erica, Elena, Crystal Brown, Kori, Jessica (click to enlarge).
Cady (click to enlarge)

The Tampa Bay Lightning Girls Are Greeting Sold Out Crowds

NHL Hockey is being played in front of sold out crowds each game in Tampa. Come out to see great hockey and be greeted by the Lightning Girls before and during each game night. Also, be sure to pick up the 2017 calendar of the Lightning Girls. Enjoy some photos below and the Flickr album link:

Rachael
Rachael
Kori, Captain.
Kori, Captain.
Erica
Erica
Rookie Stephanie
Rookie Stephanie
Elena
Elena
Alyssa, Captain
Alyssa, Captain (click to enlarge)
Allison
Allison (click to enlarge)
Liz
Liz (click to enlarge)
Anna
Anna (click to enlarge)

Lightning Girls Album is HERE

Isabella of Tampa Bay

Attached please find a great interview of Isabella, Lightning Girl captain this past season. Isabella will be transitioning into game day host this year for the Lightning. Hooray!! A very multi talented and lovely young lady representing Tampa well.

Isabella, Tampa Bay Lightning Girl team captain.
Isabella, Tampa Bay Lightning Girl team captain.

Interview on B2DF link is here

2010 Ben-Gals Earn Their Stripes at Audition Finals

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On Sunday, May 16th, an enthusiastic crowd of families, friends, and fans filled The Syndicate in Newport, Kentucky toĀ experience the finals for the 2010 Cincinnati Ben-GalsĀ try-outs.Ā  This is the second year that the Ben-Gals have brought their finals out to the public as a special event.Ā  Seventy candidates remained for this elite squad, and the final squad was announced this week.Ā  The finals was a gala event, co-hosted by local TV weather guy Steve Raleigh and former Ben-Gal Melissa Scalia. Ā This was the end of a long process of workshops and earlier rounds of try-outs.Ā  In late March and early April, prior to the start of auditions, four three-hour workshops were held to help prepare the candidates.Ā  The first auditions were held in mid-April, and then those who made it through this preliminary round were required to attend five workshops.Ā  Semi-finals were held on May 9th which produced the elite group of dancers that participated in the finals.
Harmony at morning practice
Harmony at morning practice
Although the public festivities began in the early afternoon, it was an early morning for the Ben-Gal candidates.Ā  Candidates arrived at 8 am for a morning of rehearsals and preparation.Ā Ā Ā As coach John Wooden said, “Failing to prepare is preparing to fail,” and the morning practices provided great learning experiences for all of the contestants.Ā  During the rehearsals, one of the veterans experienced a “wardrobe malfunction,” but made one of the greatest catches in organization history, surpassing anything Trumpy, Collinsworth, or Ocho Cinco ever did on the field.Ā  While holding up her topĀ with one hand, she completed the routine perfectly to the rousing applause of her peers.Ā  However, lesson learned to the squad finalists: safety pins, safety pins, safety pins.
Rehearsing the dance routine
Rehearsing the dance routine

A key part of the finals was a danceĀ routine performed in pairs on stage.Ā  Although this was an individual event, it was noted for the candidates during the morning that the most successful performances were those in which the dancers kept an eye out for the other for proper spacing and timing.Ā  It was amazing to watch the transformation from morning practice to afternoon performances.Ā  The little glitches and kinks in the morning seemed to be smoothed over in the afternoon with both practice and the adrenaline from the lights, judges, and fans.

All of the dancers auditioned to the same song, Christina Aguilera’s “Not Myself Tonight.”Ā  During the morning rehearsals, that song was played over and over again.Ā  For the finalists, they had spent a week practicing to that song. Ā Although this was a competition for precious squad spots, there was a supportive air of camaraderie among the finalists.Ā  During Sunny’s morning practice routine, she earned oohs, ahs, and applause for sticking a move with a high degree of difficulty.Ā  Rather than cut-throat, the atmosphere was more of finalists bonding, while raising each other up to perform their best.

Sunny's dance moves were too fast to be captured by photos, so here she is in bathing suit finals
Sunny's dance moves were too fast to be captured by photos, so here she is in bathing suit finals
Veteran Ben-Gal Teresha was instrumental in providing access to UltimateCheerleaders.com to this event.Ā  Teresha works in the hospitality industry and she certainly puts the “hospitable” in “hospitality.”Ā  We appreciate the time and effort she put in to getting access for us!Ā  During the morning practices, she was dancing, smiling, and laughing like the most relaxed person on the planet.Ā  When she said she was “SO nervous”, I told her that she seemed more relaxed than anyone.Ā  Teresha said that she might be the goofiest one, not the most relaxed.Ā  Either way, she makes everything and everyone around her a bit less nervous when her fun spirit springs forth.
Teresha shines in swimsuit finals
Teresha shines in swimsuit finals
The morning featured practice time for the three main activities in the afternoon: the opening number, dance routines performed by a pair of dancers, and bathing suit modeling. Scores from the interviews and skill set evaluations were compiled the previous week at the semi-finals and added to scores from dancing and modeling at the finals.
Rehearsing the big opening number
Rehearsing the big opening number
Morning practice for the swimsuit modeling
Morning practice for the swimsuit modeling
In the morning, Head Captain Tara lead the practice session.Ā  Tara is one of our superstar pro dancers for so many reasons: this will be her ninth season on the squad; Pro BowlĀ squad selection; competitor on the NFL Network’sĀ cheerleader competition;Ā completing her Ph.D. in cancer biologyĀ at University of Cincinnati; and co-author of a paper in the prestigious journal Nature Genetics. Ā During a brief respite between morning practice and the start of the show, Tara took time to fill me in on all the things swirling around in this busy time. Ā This is the time of year when fans of the squads find out if some of their favorites are coming back, and Tara said this year’s decision was down to the wire. Ā In her busy life, there is a lot going on but that being part of the Ben-Gals is fun, and keeps her energized and definitely never bored.

Continue reading “2010 Ben-Gals Earn Their Stripes at Audition Finals”

Prep Classes for the Los Angeles Kings Crew

Auditions are coming up for the 2009-10 Los Angeles Kings Ice Crew! Last year was the inaugural season for the METAL Ice Crew. There was such a positive response from the crowd, that the Kings have decided to combine the team with the in-arena team, to form a single entertainment group, the Kings Ice Crew.

Tryouts are scheduled for the week of July 27th. The team is offering a prep class on Friday, July 10. It’s a great opportunity to learn more about the team and how to shine at tryouts. There’s no better way to get a leg up on the competition!

Click here for information, FAQs, registration forms, and everything else you need to know about tryouts.

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