by Wayne Crenshaw
78th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
Robins Air Force Base, GA
7/9/2010

Fans of the Atlanta Hawks will see a Team Robins member at games in the upcoming season.

Andrea “Andi” Phillips, a full-time lifeguard with Outdoor Recreation, was among over 200 women to try out recently for the A-Town Dancers, the Hawks dance team, and she made the squad.

The dancers perform before games and during timeouts at Philips Arena. Phillips, 21, was involved in cheerleading and dancing from the time she was in middle school but it was her first time trying out for the A-Town Dancers.

“I was so shocked,” she said of her reaction when she got the call that she had made the team. “It was killing me to find out. I was so excited.”

She is the daughter of Master Sgt. Kris McMahan, a training manager in the 116th Air Control Wing.

She lives in Warner Robins and will have to make the drive to Atlanta for practices, games and other public appearances. But the dancers rotate, so she won’t be at every game, and she gets paid both for her appearances and her travel expenses.

She was inspired to try out after her boyfriend took her to a Hawks playoff game against the Orlando Magic earlier this year. It was her first game. Her boyfriend suggested she try out for the squad, and when she got home she looked into it.

The tryout extended over three days, including two prep clinics, an interview with judges, and even a written test to find out what the girls knew about the Hawks team.

“I didn’t do so well on that,” she said.

She has a twin sister, Michelle, who had always danced with her.

“It was my first time doing it without her,” she said. “I was so nervous.”

By Angela Woolen
The Sun News
Jun. 30, 2010

After attending her first Atlanta Hawks basketball game during the playoffs against the Orlando Magic earlier this year, one local woman — with a little prodding from her boyfriend — decided to try out for the A-Town Dance team.

Andrea Phillips, 21, of Warner Robins, who goes by Andi, saw the dancers during the game and mentioned to Daniel Erligh, her boyfriend, that she’d like to do that. He told her she should try out.

“While we were sitting there watching the dancers (at the game), it just clicked that she looks like she should be out there,” Erligh said.

Phillips found out the afternoon of June 20 that she made the team — coincidentally, two years to the day that she and Erligh met.

“I was shocked I made it through the first cut,” she said.

Erligh, she said, is thrilled for her.

“He is my main supporter,” Phillips said.

Erligh, 27, was with Phillips when she got the call.

After a thumbs-up sign from Phillips, Erligh said he let out a yell before she even got off of the phone.

Her mother, Kris McMahan, is also very proud of her daughter.

“We’re just tickled pink,” McMahan said.

Phillips, a Warner Robins High School graduate, is a pre-nursing student at Georgia Military College. She’s also a lifeguard at Robins Air Force Base. Her goal is to become an orthopedic nurse.

“I just love the bones,” Phillips said. “I know it’s really random.”

When Phillips gets the practice schedule, she plans to commute to Atlanta from her Warner Robins home.

Phillips started dancing when she was younger and was a cheerleader at Warner Robins Middle School for three years, as well as in ninth grade at Warner Robins High School. She has been out of the dancing loop for about five or six years.

She competed against more than 200 girls, according to McMahan. The final tryout had 52 contestants, and 18 were chosen. Only half of last year’s squad made the team this year.

“I just feel very blessed,” Phillips said.

The 2010-11 A-Town Dancers have been announced. Congrats to the 12 rookies and 6 returning veterans who made the team!

* = veteran

Julie Hubbard
Macon.com
Jun. 19, 2010

Dancers with the Southwest High School marching band usually get ideas from YouTube or MTV to integrate into their new dance routines each fall.

Sometimes, though, young teens can be influenced too much by what they see on television, and booster club President Darrell Howard said that may be too risque for a Friday night football game halftime show.

“We want to have appropriate dancing,” Howard said. “We have to remember, these are young ladies.”

So the booster club brought in an Atlanta Hawks dance team member to show the high school’s Dazzling Diamond majorettes and Dynamic Diva flag girls new moves they can use without being viewed as indecent.

The group of 20 girls met for a few hours Friday at Madison Studio of Dance Education in Macon for dance etiquette lessons and to learn a new routine to use in August.

“Hip-hop is such a strong element of culture today,” said Kadija White, a member of the Atlanta Hawks dance team. “In some hip-hop, there may be booty popping and gyrating that may not be appropriate for a dance team.

“There are other ways to enhance hip-hop without the shaking.”

Within minutes, Southwest senior Donnisha Newbill was learning to “rock on her toes” and do turns to a song by Usher.

“Sometimes it’s hard for us to put together stuff,” she said. “We watch colleges on YouTube to incorporate. We like to have fun and make sure everyone has it.”

Band director Dominique Lane said most Middle Georgia bands display the more classic chorus style. But Southwest High is known for marching in parades and playing “Thriller” at games. The dancers have more of a traditional style with high-stepping and plenty of moving.

“It’s the total package,” Lane said. “We go for a crisp look, clear sound and high energy performance.”

Band camp, which will include the dance team majorettes and flag girls, starts July 20 and runs for two weeks.

The booster club says it hopes to offer the dance training with professionals for their band’s dancers every year.

To contact writer Julie Hubbard, call 744-4331.

The Atlanta Hawks are looking for a little help with choosing their 2010-11 dance team. Click here to see who made the finals and vote for your ten favorite dancers!

Atlanta Hawks: The Hawks began the auditions for 2010-11 A-Town Dancers on Sunday afternoon. Check out the photos and video from the open call for a behind the scenes look at all the action. Video here. Photos here and here.

[Complete Blue Crew Audition Information]

[Complete A-Town Dancer Audition Information]

Calling all former A-Town Dancers. Alumni are gathering for a reunion on Sunday,  June 13th. Sign up here.