Saintsation Part of Magic

Bruce Brown
TheAdvertiser.com

Macie Brown picked a great year to join the Saintsations.

In fact, it’s been super.

As a first-year member of the New Orleans Saints dance team, the Breaux Bridge native and Teurlings Catholic graduate has performed on the sidelines for every one of the club’s home games in the Superdome.

She’s been there every step of the way for a magical season.

“It’s been an amazing experience,” Brown said. “Before the game, when they say ‘Presenting the Saintsations,’ it gives you such an energy boost. Your heart starts pumping and you feel all the emotions in the Superdome. It’s unbelievable, really.”

It’s more than that. It’s perfect.

Brown and the rest of the squad are in Miami for Super Bowl XLIV as the NFC Champion Saints meet the AFC’s Indianapolis Colts for the NFL championship on Sunday.

The Saints swamped Arizona 45-14 and edged Minnesota 31-28 in overtime to sweep both playoff games in the Dome after posting an NFC-best 13-3 regular season finish, the best in team history.

“The championship game was quite a nail-biter,” Brown said. “Each game has been a different experience.”

The Saintsations were given a send-off party at the Royal Sonesta Hotel before departing for the game, arriving midweek for what promised to be a busy week of preparations.

“We’re supposed to make an appearance at Universal Studios, and do the Ellen (DeGeneres) Show,” Brown said on Monday. “Nothing is locked down at this point. They’ll tell us as we go.

“We’ll also rehearse our routines. We didn’t know we were supposed to perform pregame, but we and the Colts dancers will both perform. That’s pretty new. But, we’re always prepared.”

Brown excelled in three areas of tryouts last April to make the Saintsations, following in the footsteps of her sister Keisha Borel, who was a member of the squad in 1998.

“I remember going to (Saints) games and watching her, and being so jealous,” Brown said. “I always wanted to do it. I thought I could, if I put my mind to it.”

Borel provided a tip or two before the auditions with 100 other aspirants.

“She always tells me to be myself, that God created me for me,” Brown said. “She told me to just go and have the best time of my life. I love it. We all get along really well.”

Each Saintsations prospect is judged not only on dance skills, but is also quizzed on football fundamentals, handles one-on-one interviews and spot questions, and is graded on public speaking ability.

With support from her husband Timothy and parents Gerald and Cindy Borel, Brown is balancing coursework at UL in business management, with a minor in dance, along with her full slate of Saintsations obligations.

Macie was a member of Teurlings Catholic’s competition dance team for four years and was nominated captain her senior year, a natural fit after attending Liz Trahan’s School of Dance in Cecilia from an early age.

She has taught at that studio for the last six years, and is experienced in jazz, tap, hip hop and lyrical. She has also choreographed competition routines for numerous junior high and high school cheerleading squads and dance teams.

“My mom started me at the studio when I was 3 years old, and I thank her every day for that,” Brown said. “Whatever I end up doing, I could never see myself not dancing.”

The Borels and Timothy Brown will be in Miami to share the Super Bowl experience, while Cindy Borel also has a ticket for the game.