Kayla and Angela Vernaglia

On May 26, they are holding an open house to raise money for the Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Resource Foundation.

To learn about the business and their fundraising efforts read the Q & A with Angela Vernaglia below:

How long have you been living in Norton?
I’ve lived in Norton since the age of 6!

What got you into running this type of business?
I always knew we would set out to do something that would inspire and uplift the community, I can literally remember dreaming of performing in front of a crowd, interacting and speaking with groups from the time I was a very young. I grew up in a very spiritual household, my mother taught us to use our intuition and to practice living life for our highest and best intentions, she taught us that we are always connected and to use our talents for healing the world. I would say that it was my passion for holistic health and my own ability to achieve things I never thought were possible (such as making the Patriots Cheerleaders with absolutely no dance experience) that brought me to idea of Mind Body Barre Fitness & Healing Studio, I wanted to show people that if you believe in your dreams they can become your wishes fulfilled.

In 2006, I auditioned for the New England Patriots Cheerleaders and made the team. During my three years with the team, I traveled to Arizona to perform during Super Bowl XLII. I was also chosen for Operation Seasons Greetings 2007 with the United States Air Force Reserve and traveled to Iraq, Turkey, Germany and England to perform for the U.S. troops. During the summer of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, I was lucky enough to travel among five other ladies to China to promote the NFL and train aspiring dancers for the Opening Ceremonies.

Following shortly thereafter in 2009, my sister, Kayla (co-owner of Mind Body Barre) set out to audition for the same team, and made it. Six years later (and 2 Giants vs. Patriots Super Bowls later) We will be celebrating the One Year Anniversary of our local Fitness & Healing Studio which offers a new innovative way to workout.

What is your specialty/most popular program?
Our most popular class at the studio is Mind Body Barre (our signature barre class) This full body workout is composed of resistance training exercises that focus on the alignment & strengthening of the body using free weights, ballet barre work and finishing on the mats for core work and seat exercises. Every one of the classes at MBB is followed by a 10 minute meditation, infused with Lavender Oil aromas and Reiki Healing from the instructor, a great way to end your effective workout.

“Our most frequently asked question: I’m not a dancer, and I have never taken ballet or yoga classes, do I need to have this type of training to take a “barre” class? The answer is, No, No and No! This is NOT a dance class. In our regular MBB classes, you will get the look of a long & lean dancer’s body without having to dance. The method focuses on the principle movements of ballet, but there is not “dancing”. Barre classes are becoming more and more popular. I think you will start to see them pop up at other studios as well, but what makes MBB so different is the genuine intent to build an empowering community of people looking to get to know themselves, asking themselves…what do I really want and how can I help to make the world a better place? We do however offer and separate Cardio Hip Hop Dance class called STRIDE. Two of our instructors were STRIDE certified last year with Shaun T, the maker of Insanity. People are entering into a great shift in the world we live in, they want to become more connected to their mind, body and spirit together and we are here to help them with that. You can’t compartmentalize those things in your life, they are always working together. We want our workouts to be effective and healing at the same time”

The studio offers an array of fitness classes ranging from our signature fitness class, dance & yoga inspired workouts, to our personalized workouts for people of all ages and body types. You can also book massage therapy, Reiki & Reflexology treatments.

What will your open house entail?
We will be accepting donations at our Open House on 5/26 for Gloria Gemma as well as raffling off prizes such as local business donations to autographed New England Patriots Merchandise. 100% of those proceeds will go to Gloria Gemma. We will be holding a free barre fitness class that day, from 10:30-11:15am for New Clients. Donations to Gloria Gemma are recommended. Please email to attend as space is limited.info@mindbodybarre.com. More information can be found on the website, mindbodybarre.com. We will also have complimentary reflexology, reiki and massage therapy that day.

We have been fortunate to have received a great amount of donations to help us sponsor this event. Anyone making a donation will receive something great from one of these sponsors: Pop Chips, Yogi Tea, TRIBE Hummus, Whole Foods, KIND Bars and more.

Is there a reason you chose to donate to the Gloria Gemma Foundation as opposed to others?
We are doing a lot of work to help raise money for the Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Resource Foundation in Rhode Island, the community they have built is very dear to our hearts. We met Gary Calvino, the Director of Development and Maria Gemma, Executive Director last year and it was as if we had known them all of our lives. We feel a very special connection with them and that they are connecting the community in a very spiritual way, in a manner that teaches people about HOPE and LOVE.

Flight Crew Auditions began on April 21st when close to 300 women from the tri-state area and beyond (Florida, California, Washington, Japan) converged on the Lexus Club Level of Met Life Stadium.

Hopefuls had a quick chacne to introduce themselves to the judges, and then ninety seconds to freestyle.

Riley's a former Buffalo Jill and just earned her Masters in Accounting.

Guest Judge Jennifer. Jennifer was one of the original Flag Girls, A four-year Flight Crew VeteSelf-described "Insurance Geek" Amanda is a graduate of the University of Delaware and the only candidate who auditioned in boots.

Flight Crew Vet Amanda was the DJ for the first round. She said when you are out on the floor free-styling, it's the longest 90 seconds of your life.

Yes, freestyling meant anything goes!

Alica is a former Washington Wizards Girl

Guest Judge Jennifer. Jennifer was one of the original Flag Girls, A four-year Flight Crew Veteran and the cover model for the squad's 2011 Calendar

[Round One Gallery]

[NY Jets Flight Crew]

The NBA Nation tour stopped off in Los Angeles over Mother’s Day weekend and featured interactive games, contests and NBA player appearances.  But for me, the highlight of the festivities were the appearances by the Clippers Spirit dance team and the Laker Girls.

Los Angelenos are blessed with two spectacular NBA dance teams and in this report we feature the lovely Laker Girls: Jessica, Shashana, Veronica, Anncell, Deanna, and Brittney.  The Lakers Girls arrived promptly at 6:00 pm for their hour long appearance and began their stint with two lively dance routines.

After their two dances, the Laker Girls retired to the NBA Nation truck to sign autographs and pose for photos.  There was a long line of fans waiting, so the NBA Nation people kept the line moving, so there wasn’t a lot of extended photo time with the Laker Girls.

While there was a brief lull in the action, I snapped a posed photo of the Laker Girls for our readers.

And before they left for the evening, the fans were treated to one final performance.

Well that’s all for now.  If you have a chance to check out NBA Nation, by all means do so.  Its a lot of fun and how often do you get to see your local NBA dance team up close and personal?

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For more cheerleader photographs, please visit my blog: thehottestdanceteam.wordpress.com.  More Laker Girls and Clippers Spirit Photos will be posted there in a few days.

Nicole Leblanc, Director of Media & Public Relations for the AFL’s Milwaukee Mustangs, informs us that the Fillies dance team has a clinic coming up, with information at this link.

Dance with us!

Kids ages 5-17 will have a chance to dance with the Milwaukee Mustangs’ Fillies Dance Team members at their inaugural Lil’ Fillies clinic that will take place on Saturday, July 14 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

You will:

-Perform at halftime at a Milwaukee Mustangs game on July 14

-Enjoy a three-hour clinic with a professional dance team

-Learn choreography from a professional choreographer

You will receive:

-A special edition Lil’ Fillies T-shirt

-Pair of poms

-One free ticket to July 14 game and discounted tickets for friends and family

-A Fillies Dance Team autographed poster

-Ability to purchase photos from the performance at discounted rate

For questions or to pre-register, please call 414-224-4000.

From 2009 – Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleader Janelle

Guidelines on how to send your photos are here.

Complete ‘Photo of the Day’ Archive here.

Three years ago, Stephanie Stennes went into auditions for the Seattle Seahawks SeaGals not knowing what to expect. No one knows what to expect going in. More than 200 women, many already with years of experience as high school cheerleaders, congregate at CenturyLink Field each year to try for the pros. Stennes, of Buckley, made it that first year, and she’s earned the spot again three seasons since.

“It’s hard to say, but I would say most of the girls stay three, four seasons with the team,” Stennes said. “It’s such a unique experience, most girls who make the team won’t want to leave after just a year.”

Stennes soon learned that the competition of high school cheer is replaced entirely by support for the football team through showmanship and community outreach.

“You have to attend promotions, speak, sing, and there are even responsibilities with how you carry yourself,” she said. “A lot more is expected of you. You have to be more intelligent, have more personality, and more poise.”

Stennes was invited to join the SeaGals’ show group in her third season, and she will return to show group this season. Show group can be thought of as the elite upper echelon of an NFL cheer team. The girls from show group are the ones sent out on tour stops outside of the state and outside the country, often to boost the morale of American soldiers stationed abroad. Stennes has been told to anticipate stops in Kosovo, Djibouti and Paris, among other destinations, in the coming year.

It’s through show group that Stennes took on a new personal challenge: singing.

“I’m a person who likes to challenge myself,” she said. “I told my coach it was something I wanted to do, I worked on it, and I recently performed vocally for the first time. It’s the only time I had ever been nervous before performing in front of people.”

A cheerleader’s calendar is a full calendar. Everyone attends practices twice a week at a time arranged to accommodate most work schedules; that doesn’t include show group practice. On game day, cheerleaders must be on hand five hours beforehand to prep, practice and promote the match-up. Additionally, SeaGals are obligated to represent the team at five to six scheduled promotional events a month, be it golf tournament, charity auction or poster signing. Cheerleaders tend to work out whenever they can fit it in, and try to make the hard work stick by eating a healthy diet, Stennes said.

Stennes instructs Zumba and Pilates classes, and picks up hours at a restaurant. Some of the girls have even more demanding schedules, replete with kids and a full-time job. Add that to the fact that a SeaGals spot is never guaranteed from year-to-year, and it becomes clear that pro cheerleading is a demanding lifestyle.

“But it’s such a rare opportunity,” Stennes said. “There’s all this adrenaline out on the field, you get to meet wonderful girls, experience traveling the world, performing for thousands of people. It’s the most amazing feeling. There’s nothing like it.”

But will she attempt it again for a fifth season and beyond?

“It’s hard to make that decision at the beginning of the year,” she said. “It’s hard to walk away from it once you’ve been on the team one season. But you never know what a year will have in store for you, so it’s better not to have expectations too early.”

The Detroit Pistons are looking for dancers with the “total package.” We are looking for dancers who are positive, talented, energetic and have great personalities.

Location:
The Palace of Auburn Hills
6 Championship Drive
Auburn Hills, MI 48326

Registration begins at 8:00 AM
Auditions start at 9:00 AM
*All participants must be 18 years or older by October 1, 2012

Initial Audition Saturday July 28th
Semi Finals Sunday 29th
DPD Boot Camp July 31 & August 2nd

Judges will be looking for the following criteria for Detroit Pistons Dancers

Dance Ability
Physical Appearance
Personality
Self-confidence
Energy
Poise
Team Player
Knowledge of Pistons and basketball

Get paid to do what you love (rehearsals, games and appearances are paid) You will not only dance the Pistons basketball games you will a get a chance to perform with award winning artists during our incredible halftime shows. Last season’s halftime shows included: Taio Cruz, Tpain, Flo Rida, Travie McCoy,Jay Sean, Temptations, Gladys Night, Dougie Fresh, Rose Royce, Robyn S, Salt & Pepa, Mc Hammer, Black Sheep , Bell Biv Devo, 112 and many more.

[Complete Audition Information Including online Registration]

LONDONDERRY — Leaving the field following an away game, a teenage Allison Smedley overheard a cluster of teenage boys loudly mocking a special needs student.

Without hesitation, the Londonderry High School varsity cheerleader walked over to the young man she’d never met before: clutching his arm and chatting him up, she glared daggers at the would-be bullies.

“She totally distracted him and walked with him out to the parking lot,” recalled former teacher Steve Juster, who watched the events unfold from the stands. “It was one of the most genuinely beautiful things I’ve ever seen.”

As she prepares to complete her studies at Plymouth State University later this month, the college senior known to most of her friends simply as “Aly,” continues to live life on her own terms.

While other recent graduates ponder their futures, find entry-level jobs or contemplate graduate school, Smedley, 22, will be living her life’s dream: cheering with the New England Patriots’ cheerleading squad.

This year marked the third time that Aly, the oldest daughter of Linda and Howard Smedley, auditioned for the Patriots’ squad. Preliminary workshops began in early January, with the first round of auditions held March 3.

After making her way through final auditions and an intense cheerleader boot camp, Smedley learned she’d made the final cut via email on March 31.

“It was the most amazing feeling in the world,” she recalled. “I’d worked so hard.”

Following her May 19 college graduation, when she’ll earn a degree in communications, Smedley plans on moving back to Londonderry for the time being. “It’s still a long commute to the Gillette Stadium, but it’s so worth it,” she said.

The squad rehearses Tuesday and Friday afternoons, with much time during the off-season devoted to promotional appearances at various charity and community events around New England.

“It’s technically a part-time job, but really it’s a full time commitment,” said Smedley, who will depart for Jamaica on May 29 for a weeklong photo shoot of the team’s calendar.

“After that, we’ll be gearing up for football season,” she added. Cheerleaders on the Patriots squad must audition each season, with three years being the maximum tenure.

Though she hopes to cheer professionally for several years, Smedley also is looking to the future.

“I’d love to work in broadcasting: hopefully somewhere in the Boston area,” she said. “Maybe I’ll also coach a local team: if I’m really lucky, maybe that team will be in Londonderry.

Smedley, who graduated from Londonderry High School in 2008, cheered on her school’s varsity cheering squad for four years. She was a team captain during her final year in Londonderry.

“I’m just so excited for her and proud of her determination,” former coach Michelle Sharp said.

Juster said he got to know Smedley quite well when she volunteered as a high school pep rally aide, where she encouraged her peers to donate their hair to the Pantene Beautiful Lengths program, which makes and distributes free wigs to cancer patients.

“She came to me in my classroom and told me she really wanted to help me…. that began the tradition of people volunteering to be aides,” Juster recalled. “We’d read achingly sad stories about why people were donating…I told her the day before the rally that I wasn’t sure the event would be up to par with the people on the floor and everything they were sacrificing.”

It was then that Smedley placed her hands on Juster’s shoulders. “You are giving them a place to give,” she told him.

“I know she was chosen for her athletic ability and public persona, but as they get to know her and know her heart, the Patriots will find that they have chosen a real treasure,” Juster added.

The 2012 St. Louis Rams Cheerleader squad is official with a team of 28. Emcee Andy Banker of FOX 2 KTVI-TV and Melanie Moon of KPLR11 were the first to introduce the new squad to St. Louis during the final auditions on Tuesday, April 24 at The Pageant. The event was a culmination of a two-week search for St. Louis’ most talented, beautiful, professional and poised women. In addition to the judging that took place that evening, the 51 finalists were also evaluated on preliminary rehearsals, interviews that previously took place at ContinuityX Training Center and an online voting component.

As captains Tiffany, Christa and Ashley welcomed the selected returning veterans and chosen rookies to the 2012 squad, the audience cheered on in anticipation of each of their favorite finalists joining the team. Rampage was on hand to introduce each new Rams Cheerleader to the crowd and when all was said and done the Rams welcomed 20 veterans back to the team and opened their arms to eight rookies.

This was the third year that the final auditions were open to the public. The event also featured performances from Nikko Smith and the 2011 St. Louis Rams Cheerleader Captains.

The audition process helped to generate a $10,000 contribution to breast cancer research, one of the top priorities for the Rams Cheerleaders. Last year, the ladies raised $18,000 during their year-long “Cheer for a Cure” initiative. In addition, each year the Rams Cheerleaders average more than 850 hours of community service.

To see more coverage on the 2012 auditions, please check out the “Making of the Squad” videos here.

Congratulations to the 2012 St. Louis Rams Cheerleaders:

There’s a new sheriff in town and he wears red, white and blue.

This past Mother’s Day weekend, the NBA Nation tour rolled into Los Angeles, Universal City Walk to be precise.  NBA Nation is an interactive fan fest with on court games, contests, and NBA player appearances.  And the host cities’ dance team makes an appearance.  As you may know, Los Angeles has two NBA teams and two distinguished NBA dance teams, the Laker Girls and the Clippers Spirit.  So for me, this was a double treat…two of the hottest dance teams in the NBA, up close and personal.

The Clippers Spirit were scheduled to appear at 4:00 pm and they were there right on time.  In attendance was Katrina, Becca, Rhea, Anasheh, Jacy Rae, and Kelli.  Katrina is an old acquaintance from her days on the Charger Girls and I photographed Becca at the 2010 Arizona Cardinals Cheerleaders auditions and Rhea while she was a member of the Anaheim Arsenal dance team.  Small world!

The Clippers Spirit led off the festivities by performing two dance routines on the Sprint Court and looked fabulous in their colorful outfits.

In between routines, the dancers gave away shirts, sunglasses and other items to the crowd.

After their two spirited performances, the Clippers Spirit retired to the NBA Nation truck to sign autographs and pose for photos in front of a locker room mock up.

Jacy Rae and Katrina tried to coax a few of the more shy kids into coming closer, but I guess the kids’ instincts got the better of them, except for this little fella.

The Clippers Spirit were scheduled only for an hour and that time went by rather quickly.  But before they left for the evening, I snapped a couple photos for our readers.

Like the team they cheer for, the Clippers Spirit are a breath of fresh air.  They are fun, entertaining and above all very good looking.  In the battle for the hearts and minds of basketball fans, its going to be interesting next few years here in Los Angeles!

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Up next, The Laker Girls at NBA Nation.  And for more amazing cheerleader photographs, please visit my blog: thehottestdanceteam.wordpress.com.