2009-10 RPD team unveiled at House of Blues

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The Chosen Ones
Houston Rockets
July 23, 2009

Houston – After ten days of intense training, multiple auditions and nerve-wracking performances, the results are in and a new generation of Rockets Power Dancers has been unveiled.

Culminating a process that began with the initial round of auditions on July 11th, 19 lovely and talented dancers were chosen Tuesday night at the House of Blues in downtown Houston to join RPD co-captains Carrie and Emily on the squad for the upcoming season.

The event marked the first time that the Rockets have held the final auditions in public, and more than 1,000 people were on hand to witness the festivities which included top-notch performances from all the finalists, plus Clutch the Rockets Bear, Launch Crew and Little Dippers.

If you weren’t able to attend, don’t worry – Rockets.com has you covered with video footage from the evening (click here) as well as a slide show which can be viewed via the Houston Rockets’ official Facebook page.

Rooting for Celtics dancers

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By Mark Shanahan & Merdith Goldstein
Boston.com
July 24, 2009

NESN’s Heidi Watney, Shayna Seymour of “Chronicle,’’ Miss Connecticut Monica Pietrzak, Miss Massachusetts Alison Cronin, and JAM’N 94.5 morning DJs Ramiro and Melissa were just a few of the notables on the guest list last night for the Celtics Dancers final auditions at the House of Blues. The competition – which had 44 women competing for 17 spots – was emceed by Kiss 108’s Billy Costa and was to include, not surprisingly, a swimsuit competition. [Click here for photos from finals]

L.A. Kings Auditions Start Monday!

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The NHL Los Angeles Kings are looking to staff the 2009-10 Kings Metal Ice Crew. Auditions start Monday, July 27th at Staples Center. Click here for registration material and loads of info.

The Kings Ice Crew represents the Los Angeles Kings organization at games, events and throughout the community. They are primarily responsible for making sure Kings fans have the best experience possible. At games, the team assists with on-ice contests and activities during intermissions, in-arena activities (t-shirt launch, ticket upgrades, trivia contests, etc.), and some of the group is also responsible for skating on the ice to remove build-up during media timeouts. The team also represents the LA Kings organization at various events and appearances throughout the community, such as: charity functions, fan development events, promotional events, etc.

This opportunity is open to both guys and gals. There’s no dancing involved, so this is a great opportunity for you non-dancers who still want a way to be part of the game day experience and show your enthusiasm for the team. You do need to be comfortable in a pair of hockey skates though. You don’t have to be a wicked-awesome Olympic skater, but you do have to be able to skate from one end of the rink to the other. I won’t like, if you can’t skate and chew gum at the same time, maybe you should practice for next year’s audition.

Dominique Lands Her Dream Job

Dominique is a three-year veteran of the Philadelphia Wings Angels and is spending part of this summer as a member of the Philadelphia Fight Vixens Dance Team.

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Earlier this year she graduated from Philadelphia’s University of the Arts with a BFA in Ballet.

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Last month she auditioned for a position dancing on a cruise ship and she got the job. Next month she’s off the Las Vegas for a month of rehearsing. Then she’ll hit the high seas. First it’s off to Alaska, then down to Central America. Later she’ll be on the East Coast and Caribbean.

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One last chance to see Dominque perform on Saturday as the Fight host the Jacksonville Axemen. It’s all part of the 2nd Annual Battle to Strike out ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease). Complete details here.

Thunder Girls 2009-10 Dance Team Announced

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OKC Thunder
Jul 22 2009

One by one, their names and numbers were called.

No. 27, Bonnie.

No. 1, Riane.

No. 23, Blaire.

On and on it went until 18 talented ladies came to the stage to form the 2009-10 Thunder Girls dance team.

The 19th spot on the team will be decided by the fans, who can vote for the People’s Choice Thunder Girl by logging onto THUNDER.NBA.COM beginning Wednesday morning through noon on July 27. Veteran Thunder Girl Erica and rookie hopeful Stacy are vying for the final spot. (Click here to VOTE NOW)
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The panel of judges consisted of four Thunder staffers and one celebrity judge, 2009 Miss Oklahoma Lauren Lunday, and together they narrowed the finalists from 40 down to 18 before a standing-room only crowd at Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar in Bricktown on Tuesday night.

“We had a lot more talent this year,” Thunder Girls dance team manager and choreographer Sabrina Ellison said. “As far as our team, we walked away with a great, diverse group of women who are not only talented but will be great ambassadors to the Thunder.”

The Thunder Girls contingent included 10 veterans and eight newcomers, including Naoko, who is a dance coach from Japan pursuing her dream of dancing for the NBA.
Thunder Girl Alexis shared that sentiment.

Alexis decided to tryout for the Thunder Girls two months ago. And here she was on Tuesday, flanked by her family and members of her past pom squads.

“I was so glad I went out for it because I did, I found my spot and I made it,” she said. “It’s indescribable.”

Alexis was the fourth name announced, and it couldn’t come sooner.

“A new shockwave came over me,” she said. “Like the Thunder came over me, and I was just like, ‘wow, this is real.’”

Thunder Girl Megan, who danced last season, said she’s looking forward to welcoming the newest members of the team to the Thunder.

“It’s always a good thing,” Megan said. “Each of the girls who made it this season and is not a veteran, they are extremely talented, extremely beautiful, very poised and I think that the team as a whole will make great role models for the young ladies in Oklahoma City and the metro area, so I’m excited to see what happens this season.”

Friday Round-up

New on Twitter:

Buffalo Pro Cheer Blog
Charlotte Lady Cats
Kansas City Chiefs Cheerleaders

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Congratulations to the ladies who made the inaugural Texas Stars Ice Girls. The Stars are a new AHL Franchise that will play in Cedar Park. You can see more photos and video here.

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The XSL has suspended operations for the 2009-10 season, so it appears the auditions for the Detroit Ignition Spark, Chicago Storm Chasers and New Jersey Ironmen Dancers are on hold.  However the New Jersey Devils Dancers (who doubled as Ironmen Dancers) are still scheduled for Sunday, August 2nd. Full details here.

Reminder: The DC Body Armor seek a new choreographer for their second season. Details here.

From The Archives – College Edition

In this installment of From The Archives, I share a few photographs from a post-college days road trip to Norman, Oklahoma.  In 1986, UCLA traveled to Oklahoma to play the Sooners and a friend in UCLA’s Sports Information Department secured a media credential for me to photograph the game.  It was early September and the weather was very hot and very humid, typical for that part of the country.  Jamelle Holieway, a local boy from Carson, CA, was the starting QB for the Sooners.  The Bruins fans who made the trek to Norman, Oklahoma were optimistic that we could put up a good fight against the perennial college football powerhouse Sooners, but we were to be disappointed.

UCLA scored the first three points of the game and then surrendered the next 38 points to the better conditioned Sooners.  It was quite apparent after the first quarter, that the day was going to be long, so I turned my attention to the OU Pom squad.  One girl in particular caught my eye.  Blonde and beautiful, she was as photogenic as they come.  So, the day was not a total loss.

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I would later discover that she was the daughter of OU Basketball Coach Billy Tubbs.  Her name, Taylor Tubbs.  Oh, to be young and in college again.

Philadelphia Fight Vixens Dance Team

So after the Summer Softball Showdown ended last Saturday, I hopped in my car and drove up the AC Expressway back to Philadelphia to see the Philadelphia Fight Vixens Dance Team. I wasn’t the only one making the long drive. Vixens Lauren and Dominique are also members of the Wings Angels Dance Team and were at the game in Stone Harbor.

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In their first year of existence The Fight Vixens are a  under the direction of Emily Czerniakowski and Cassie Russo, both two year veterans of the Wings Angels. Cassie also danced for the NY Titans Sirens Dance Team for a season.

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Co-Director Emily (center) with Meghan (left) and Shannon (right)

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Another chance to see the Vixens in action this Saturday when the (3-3) PBR Philadelphia Fight will take on the (7-0) Baron’s Brewing Jacksonville Axemen in the ‘2nd Annual Battle to Strike out ALS’ (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) at 5pm at A.A. Garthwaite Stadium 11th and Harry Streets, Conshohocken PA.

In addition to the performances by the Dance Team there will be a 50/50 raffle, and also raffle off other various items/gift baskets from local businesses during the game.

[Vixens Photo Gallery]

[Philadelphia Fight Vixens Dance Team]

Salem woman is finalist for Celtics Dancers

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By Alan Burke
Staff writer
Salem News
July 23, 2009

SALEM — How do you get to center court at the Boston Garden?

You need the moves, the will, the talent and the skill that comes only with hours of practice.

That’s exactly what Lauren Clifford, 22, is hoping will get her there. No, she doesn’t expect to be guarding Kobe Bryant. Her dream is to become one of the Boston Celtics Dancers, whose routines are meant to be an inspiration to both players and fans.

The Salem resident has already come a long way. Tonight, she participates in a final, public audition at the House of Blues in Boston. (Admission to the event is $10, with all proceeds going to the Shamrock Foundation, the Celtics charity.)

“I started dancing when I was 3,” the Salem High graduate says.

“My parents (Charles and Donna Clifford) are both very involved in my dancing. My mother has always been my biggest fan. … They’re very excited for me. After 18 years of dance recitals, they can get to see it all pay off.”

Dancing can take a person in odd directions these days. Not everyone wants to be in “A Chorus Line.” Indeed, appearing as a dancer at athletic events can attract wider recognition than appearing on a traditional stage.

Pay is limited, according to Celtics spokeswoman Heather Walker. The team provides a small, hourly stipend, but the real benefit is that the job opens up opportunities. Dancers, who act as both cheerleaders and dancers, become widely known, gaining lucrative personal appearances and the opportunity to appear in commercials.

Clifford, who first tried out for this spot during auditions in New York, as well as Boston (where initially 300 women took the stage), is already one of the dancers for the Boston Cannons, the city’s professional lacrosse team.

In any case, she’s ready for tonight’s face-off, where no more than half of the remaining 40 hopefuls will be asked to don Celtics green. Pressure comes with the territory. The competition includes dancers who have also worked at their craft since childhood, from classically trained ballerinas to hip-hop dancers.

“I’ve done mostly competitive dancing all my life,” Clifford says. “When it comes to being a dancer, not only are you used to being on the spot, on the stage, but you thrive on being on the spot, on the stage.”

She will have a minute to perform solo to the song “I Love Rock N’ Roll,” which she chose because, “I love rock ‘n’ roll.”

A student of journalism and philosophy at Assumption College, Clifford expects to work hard if accepted. “You’re pretty much dancing the whole time. And dancers are some of the most intense athletes you’ll ever meet.”

She expects some quiz questions on basketball and is prepared. Most dancers are small, she points out, and when working alongside massive, hard-charging basketball players it’s best to know something about what’s going on in order to avoid collisions.

“You’ve got to keep your eye on the game.”

Part of tonight’s program includes a stint wearing a swimsuit. Clifford has no problem with that.

“We walk a catwalk,” she says. “Being part of a professional dance troupe is being physically fit.” So Celtics officials will want a good look at the dancers, she says.

If she fails to win a spot, Clifford vows to return to tryouts next year. It’s an approach that reflects her dance training.

“Anything you’re passionate about,” she declares, “it’s worth doing it over and over. Until you get it.”