Familiar Faces on the Flight Crew
Some faces you might recognize on the 2009-10 Flight Crew.
Jackie is a former New Jersey Ironmen Dancer and New Jersey Devils Dancer.
From the Ironmen press release:
The New Jersey Ironmen saw another one of their own advance their professional career this past weekend, as 2008-09 Ironmen Dancer Jackie N. was successful in the making the Flight Crew, the official cheerleading squad of the New York Jets. After three rounds of auditioning, it was this past Saturday that the Clifton native learned she will be performing her craft on the sidelines of the National Football League this fall.
At first we all assumed there would only be 22 spots on the team and there were 19 girls returning from last year,” Jackie N. commented about the moment she was learning of her fate. “They then came out and said there was so much talent that they would be expanding the team to 30 girls. That was when I realized I might really have a chance.”
To get to this point, Jackie N. had made her way through three rounds of tryouts. The preliminary round took place a week earlier and consisted of a 90-second freestyle dance in front of a judging panel. Roughly 160 girls had come out to the auditions, but only 73 of them advanced past the preliminary round to the semifinals. In the semis, the hopefuls learned a routine and a kick line, and they then performed each in front of the judges while also undergoing flexibility testing. After the semifinal round had concluded, only 30 girls remained standing for the finals. The final round of the competition consisted of a solo dance as well as a semi-routine and kick line performance in front of a celebrity judge panel.
After the three rounds had concluded, the judges broke for a two-hour conference that would keep Jackie N. anxiously awaiting their decision.
“I was just waiting and waiting,” she reflected. “I was hearing all of the numbers being read, hoping that I would hear my number. Once I heard my number, I couldn’t even get out of my chair. I went into shock, and then I started to cry.”
In addition to dancing for the Ironmen, the members of the Ironmen Dancers also serve double-duty as dancers for the New Jersey Devils, something in which Jackie N. was quick to express her gratitude.
“I am just so thankful to the Ironmen and the Devils for giving me the opportunity to build and grow as a dancer,” she graciously stated. “You can expect to see me in the crowd next year supporting both the team on the field and the girls as well!”
This advancement is the latest success story for the Ironmen Dancers. After the 2007-08 season concluded, they saw another of their own, Amanda Grace, make the Knick City Dancers.
Jessica, just finished up her season as a member of the New York Titans Dance Team, The Sirens.
Mimi cheered for the Miami Dolphins last season.
