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A longtime reader of the blog, Nick M., sent me some photos of the 2010 Charger Girls at FanFest from this past Saturday. So, here’s our first look of the 2010 Charger Girls in uniform.
 Notice something different this year? Michelle is a brunette.
Thanks to reader Nick M. for these wonderful photos. The first preseason Charger game is this Saturday…stay tuned for the first Charger game day report of the year. I think it’s time for another Charger Girls fix, don’t you? Let’s talk about this year’s finals. Better yet, I’ll show you. This is the first time I got to go to finals, so I was way excited. This did not prevent me, however, from falling asleep behind the wheel. This happens every time I drive to San Diego. It takes Nothing personal against San Diego, but I don’t have the attention span for long drives. It takes about 2.5 hours to get to San Diego. I get bored about 45 minutes into it. At the hour and 15 minute mark, I start nodding off. I’ve tried blasting the radio, rolling all the windows down, chewing on ice cubes, singing to myself. One time I brought a spray bottle and spritzed myself in the face every few minutes. None of it worked. (Although admittedly I only tried the spritzing thing once.) Now I routinely factor a 15 minute power nap into my trips. I’m so not kidding.I drive for an hour, get off the freeway, find a parking lot somewhere, crash out for a few minutes, and then hit the road again, good as new. I’m not proud of it, but I accept it. Whatever. The auditions were in the evening, and I got there over an hour ahead of time. It was time to get down to business. Note: If I posted all of my favorite people here, we’d be here all day. So I’ll just share a few. Click here to see the full set of photos. (It’s not so bad this time, only a few hundred, instead of a thousand.) The first two people I ran into were my home slices, Lauren and Jessie, who used to dance for the Clippers. They were both about as nervous as I’d ever seen them. I, on the other hand, was totally relaxed. Oh please, like they weren’t going to make the team. I had to try hard not to roll my eyes. They’re both great dancers, great performers, smart, kind, funny, and sweet girls. They’ve got the experience, they’ve got the polish, and neither one of them’s ugly, so what’s to be nervous about?
(Sometimes I forget that the entertainment world is an entirely different reality from the one the rest of us live in. You can be the biggest, bestest, smartest, fastest, hottest thing going and STILL not get the job. That really blows.)
A film crew was busy interviewing people.
It’s a good thing I can’t do that move, because I’d do it all the time. Once the doors opened, someone put the music on, and the girls had a good amount of time to warm up and get mentally prepared.
Several other girls changed outfits. From what I heard, some were “encouraged” to choose something different for finals. Others just decided to change it up on their own. I would like to make an announcement: I do not appreciate these willy-nilly wardrobe changes, ok? All of a sudden, everyone looks different than I remember and I’m running around, tearing my hair out like “Argh, who are you people?” Well, at least I can count on the veterans to look like themselves (even though Ashlie’s hair seems to have grown several inches in the past few days). Speaking of veterans, Katie totally busted me. I was doing my usual move of “hey, I’m going to go sit with these veterans and act like I already know everyone here,” It’s the only way I can get through these kinds of situations without getting all nervous and weird about it. So there I was, minding everybody’s business but my own, when guess-who comes over with a big smile. “Hi, I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Katie.” Oh, snap. I forgot for a minute I didn’t know most of those people. Perhaps I should’ve introduced myself…? (Katie, by the way, is adorable. And I mean that in an affectionate-but-not-condescending kind of way.) Speaking of adorable…Have I mentioned, by the way, that I am having major problems with Lauren P? She used to be adorable. Lauren 1.0 was all rosy cheeks and girl next door-ish-ness. I was comfortable with that. I was not prepared for the chick who showed up at Charger Girl auditions. Lauren 2.0: Bombshell Edition. This must be what it’s like the first time your little sister wears heels or goes on her first date. I’m not ready for this!
I must say, everyone was looking pretty relaxed.
For the first part of the audition, the dancers performed the combination they’d learned a few days before. They danced in groups of three. Unlike previous years, they performed with poms. It was a good change. I hope they continue to do that in the future.
Michelle and Jenay
Jennifer
Kylie
Courtney
Kimberly After that, the judges disappeared and the dancers had time to practice for their solos. Ashlie was doing all kinds of nifty stuff. I have about five photos of her doing this cool matrix-y thing. Luckily, I don’t think she saw me running around behind her, clapping my hands like a three year old. “Do it again, Ashlie! Do it again!” Seriously, try this. I bet you can’t do it.
Solo time! Each dancer had to cross in front of the judges, then stop and introduce herself. Those were some of the quietest moments of the day. Everything was dead silent except for the swish swish of the pantyhose as each dancer walked by.
Some memorable moments from the solos:
The judges took some time to deliberate, and then Lisa, Maria, and Lacy gathered the group together to announce the squad.
After the announcement, there were lots of smiles, tears, and texting of loved ones. I hate hate hate, the part where people get cut. It truly sucks. ESPECIALLY when it’s a veteran. Five veterans got cut this year. Yes, I know it happens. But I don’t have to like it. I try to put a positive spin on it by thinking about the girls who tried out last year, got cut, came back this year, and were chosen for the team. There are a bunch of them: Melissa, Kylie, Marissa, Hayley, Maria, and probably a couple others. Look at Lauren O. She was a veteran when she got cut last year. But she came back this year, and now she’s back on the team. Perseverance pays! One of the first things they do is take their first group photo as the 2010-11 San Diego Charger Girls. It took some shuffling around to get it just right. Bam! There it is! Your 2010 Charger Girls team. Nine veterans and 19 rookies. Congratulations, ladies!
(Rawe Mag): Miss Katrina Jo, dancer, choreographer, model, CEO and business owner…she does it all! She’s definitely been hitting Floss Angeles with a vengeance and Rawe Mag got the exclusive opportunity to catch up with her. Check out her interview out here…
Keturah: For those that don’t know…what’s the government? Katrina: Katrina Jo Balbuena Keturah: I know you have been dancing for a while now, when did you officially start? Katrina: I started dancing when I was 3 years old. My mom said I wouldn’t stop dancing around the house, so she decided to put me in to dance classes. Keturah: Did you attend any schools for training and if so, where did you go? Katrina: Yes, I trained in Northern California at Yoko’s Dance and Performing Arts Academy, took classes at Julliard in New York, and I now take some classes at the Millennium and The Edge in Los Angeles. Keturah: Wow, that’s definitely a lot of schools you have attended, have you always known that you wanted to become a dancer? Katrina: Yes, I think that at a young age I realized I was passionate about being a performer. Keturah: So, lets talk about recently, how did you become a San Diego Chargers cheerleader? Katrina: I actually just went to the Charger Girl audition for fun with some of my friends in 2006 and I ended up making the team. From then on, it was 3 amazing seasons with the Chargers. Go Bolts! Keturah: What made you decide to leave and become a Clippers girl? Katrina: I always wanted to live in LA and I always wanted to dance for the NBA. And since I did 3 years with the NFL, I felt that the Clippers Spirit dance style fit me best. I ended up going to their open dance audition and made the team. It truly was a blessing. Keturah:. Awesome…so I have to ask, what about the Lakers? Any plans to move to this team? Or how about moving out of Los Angeles? Katrina: I enjoy being a Clippers Spirit J although; I wouldn’t be opposed to moving out of state and trying something new in the future. Keturah: Definitely good to be open for new opportunities, as you never know what the outcome may be! So, I’ve seen some of your choreography. It’s pretty dope! Is that what you would ultimately like to do?
Katrina: Thank you! I like performing so I think as long as I am in the entertainment business I would like to continue to do both – dancing and choreographing. Keturah: Who else have you choreographed for? Katrina: UCLA Dance Team, San Diego Charger Girls, PlayByPlay Models, Taft High School, “Dance High” pilot, and Yoko’s Dance and Performing Arts. Keturah: And I hear you are a model too? How did you get into that? Katrina: Yes, I have also been modeling since I was 3. I started in Northern California where I was signed with a modeling agency at that time. Keturah: Such a busy woman…making moves! I like that! Additionally, I know you are affiliated with LA’s Finest. How did all of that go down? What is your role with them? Katrina: I’m good friends with the guys of LA’s Finest and they were looking to expand their company while I was looking into starting my own promo modeling/dancer company. Long story short, we decided to collaborate and I started my own company under LA’s Finest. I am the CEO of Glam Girls which is a company that offers promo models/dancers and photo packages. Keturah: What else is on the horizon with LA’s Finest? Katrina: LA’s Finest has some of the hottest events in Los Angeles. On Monday’s at ECCO, Thursday’s at Industry, and Saturday’s at Empire. There is definitely more to come. Be on the look out for their upcoming artist HOPE, and new summer events with the Glam Girls. Keturah: What else is on the horizons for 2010 for Miss Katrina?
Keturah: I know the fellas are going to want to know…Single or Taken? Katrina: Taken Keturah: How can people get a hold of you (give us your links)? Katrina: For bookings email: Katrina@lasfinestonline.com For promo models/dancers or photo packages email: glamgirls@lasfienstonline.com Some of my links are: www.kjhearts.us www.twitter.com/katrinajo Keturah: Any last thoughts? Katrina: I’m just happy to be here and truly grateful to be able to do what I love to do, with the people I love doing it with! Feel me?! Thanks Keturah for this dope interview. I hope you all enjoyed it J Peace, love, and Hello Kitty! God bless!
The Friday Flyer Local Charger fans will have another reason to cheer when football season begins, since local resident Nicole Lawson was recently selected to be on the San Diego Chargers Cheerleaders Team. The daughter of John and Sandi Lawson, Nicole began dancing at the age of 5. She was a member of the all-star dance team at Touché in Temecula and was on the Temescal Canyon High School dance team her senior year. Nicole is a 2007 graduate of TCHS and a 2008 graduate of Paul Mitchell cosmetology school. She currently works at California Styles in the Canyon Lake Towne Center. The preliminary tryout process to become a Charger Girl began on a Sunday, with more than 470 girls trying out, and ended four days later with the announcement of the 28-member team. Nicole says the girls were taught a routine and, after the first cut, 212 girls remained. After a second cut, 69 girls remained. The girls were interviewed in front of a panel of eight judges. They also had to create their own dance routine and perform a routine taught to them. When the final 28 numbers were announced, Nicole says it took her a while to realize they had called her number and, when she did, she says, “I was speechless.” Charger Girls must re-tryout each year and this year’s team consists of eight returning members and 20 rookies. The girls were given a week off before gathering for a weekend at the Omni Hotel for a mini camp, where Nicole says they did a lot of team bonding. Practices began on May 3 and are held two days a week and one Saturday a month until the season starts, at which time they will practice once a week. Nicole is the second Canyon Laker in recent years to make the final cut. Natalie Morrison made the final cut to become a Charger Girl in April 2006. The Charger Girls are the official dance team of the San Diego Chargers. They perform primarily at home games and are very active in the community and donate time to charity groups. Nicole says most of the travel involved is for promotional and charity events. Her position at California Styles, where she has worked for almost two years, provides the flexibility she needs to schedule her clients around practices and games. [Why yes, that is one of my photos they posted with the article. Imagine that! ~sasha] I know what you’re thinking: FINALLY. Yes I know it’s been weeks and weeks since Charger Girl auditions. What can I say? I have a problem. If you knew how many times I’ve started to write this, then deleted everything and started again, you would be deeply embarrassed for me. Some might say my goals are a wee bit unrealistic. A normal person would go into these auditions with the goal of coming back with maybe a couple dozen photos that tell the story of that year’s tryouts. Well, I’ve never been normal. In fact, I’m slightly mental. Somewhere along the way, I decided what I really need to do is get at least one good photo of every single person there. Going into it, I knew there would be at least 300 dancers in the first round. Given that I am a complete amateur when it comes to photography, there was a good chance that at least 2/3 of the photos I took would be complete garbage – too dark, too light, too blurry, eyes closed, etc. I knew I would wind up with a LOT of photos at the end of the day, and most of them would be crap. I was right, of course. In the end, I shot upwards of 3,000 photos, and wound up with about 1,000 for your viewing pleasure. Too many. Waaaay too many. You might want to pace yourself. Normally at this point I would launch in to some long stream-of-consciousness narrative about my adventures that day, starting from the moment I opened my eyes in the morning. But you know what? You guys aren’t sitting on the edge of your chairs, breathless with anticipation to read all that I have to say. Nope. You guys want to see what happened. So, to that end, I’m going to get started on the photos from finals. And while I’m working on those, I hope you enjoy these shots from the first day of the 2010 San Diego Charger Girl auditions. [Click here]. (For the most part, the photos are in order by candidate number, so hopefully if you’re looking for someone in particular, you can go right to her. Also, please let me know if you have any corrections to the names. I scribbled them as fast as I could, but some were definitely guesses.)
Maria Baldi heads to a San Diego Chargers cheerleading “mini-boot camp” this weekend, on the path to living out her lifelong dream. The 22-year-old Cherry Valley resident, who graduated from Beaumont High School in 2005, has been named one of the 28 members of the class of 2010-11 Chargers Girls — whittled down from an initial field of more than 400 girls, including three former Chargers cheerleaders who did not make the cut this year. She spent a few days in San Diego at various locations, performing prepared and impromptu dance routines and undergoing panels of interviews. Baldi had tried out three times before. “The first few times I tried out, I was really nervous and stressed out, and they see that,” she said. “This time, I just went in there hoping to have fun.” According to Baldi, the first performance at the Jenny Craig Pavilion on April 13 included “a few eight counts, and if you make it past that you’re part of the first 100 to get called back.” From there, participants redo the routine with “more eight counts,” which helps judges narrow the field to 68 candidates; then there’s an interview, an opportunity to redo the routine — as well as perform one on their own; then there’s a span of time that seems to stretch for a long hour as panelists deliberate and determine the final 28. Overall, it was a three-day tryout. “If your number is called, you’re a Charger Girl,” Baldi said. According to her, “Performing in front of 10 people was the hard part.” She’s now looking forward to performing at home games in front of a crowd of thousands, which doesn’t seem to unnerve her, though she admitted, “The first game I might be a little nervous, but I’ll be with a group of girls who have wanted this their entire lives.” This weekend she will have a chance to meet her colleagues and start working on routines as they go through orientation. Baldi said that she thinks she will be paid $75 per game — and though the stipend doesn’t sound like much, there’s prestige and career-building and travel opportunities involved. And should the San Diego Chargers make it to the Super Bowl next year, she would likely join them to perform on the sidelines there. “This has been her dream since she was 3,” according to her mother, Veronica Baldi, who co-coached her along with Sonya Balingit. “It’s something she has always wanted to do. I’m so excited it finally came through for her. She stayed dedicated and never gave up. She told me she was going to keep trying out until she made it.” Baldi works part-time as a secretary at her family’s construction firm, Baldi Bros Construction in Beaumont. She also teaches cheer classes at Noble Creek Community Park, and is finishing up getting her business license for her cake decorating business. A picture of this year’s final squad appears on the San Diego Chargers’ Web site at www.chargers.com/charger-girls/index.html. She spent two seasons as a cheerleader on the Inland Empire 66ers baseball team from 2007-09, which she was recruited for (and hence, her “tryout” was much easier, she said). Although she is a member of this year’s squad, she said that no one is guaranteed a spot for the next year, and that she will have to start from scratch and try out all over again in 2011. “Even when she was at Chavez Elementary School” in Beaumont, “she was a dancer. She stood out for her passion,” said former Beaumont High School cheer coach Sonya Balingit, who is now principal of Hoffer Elementary School in Banning. “She was on the varsity cheer team all four years, and was varsity captain for two years. What’s been so great is, she shows others that you don’t give up on your dreams. She’s always excelled in cheer and dance, and she’s always had that spark and that passion, but she also has drive and ambition.” To say that coacheing Baldi makes Balingit proud is an understatement. “You’re always giving advice and encouraging your students to not give up on their dreams,” Balingit said. “To see her dream come to life is so exciting as a coach. For anyone who knows her, this won’t be a surprise. They’ll say, ‘Well of course she made it.’ And she really deserved it, because she persevered so hard.”
The San Diego Union-Tribune has some great shots from this year’s Charger Girl auditions. Click here to see them now! (Mine are coming soon, I promise!) The newest edition of the San Diego Charger Girls were selected last night, following several rounds of competitive auditions.
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