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.

By DANIEL NASH
Enumclaw Courier Herald
May 14, 2012

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]

By APRIL GUILMET
Union Leader
May 14, 2012

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.

St. Louis Rams

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:

The Los Angeles Clippers recent run in the NBA playoffs have energized the city in ways that it has never been before.  With the high flying dunks of Blake Griffin and the arrival of future hall of fame point guard Chris Paul, the Clippers have brought a new excitement that has been lacking with the Lakers recent play.

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

Continue reading The Clippers Spirit at NBA Nation

Sports Illustrated has great new photos of the Chicago Bulls dance team. Click here to go there now!

The Houston Dynamo opened their new stadium and reader Scott was there and shares some of his photos of the 2012 Houston Dynamo Girls.

[Dynamo Girls Gallery]

[Houston Dynamo Girls]