B.C. Lions Hold Auditions for Cheerleading Dance Team
By Graeme Wood
The Vancouver Sun
4/4/2010
VANCOUVER — The B.C. Lions Felions will be dressing for the weather as the football team prepares for its first outdoor season in nearly three decades.
As the dance and cheerleading team gets set to prowl the sidelines at a temporary stadium at Empire Fields, Felions dance team coordinator Alexandra Severyn has had to adjust the uniforms so they’re more suitable for Vancouver’s unpredictable weather.
Out are last year’s black, white, and orange skirts and in are this year’s black short shorts and tight tops. The women will also sport long mesh sleeves and knee-high boots. During cold weather games they will wear a capri pant tucked into the boots and possibly fitted jackets. Should it rain the Felions will wear Lions ball caps.
“We have a lot of transition with the new stadium being outdoors. We have to revamp the uniform,” she said.
The Lions will play the 2010 season at a temporary stadium at Empire Fields while a new ertractable roof is installed at BC Place. It will be the first time they played outdoors in B.C. since 1982 at Empire Stadium.
But that didn’t deter more than 100 young women from auditioning at Scotia Dance Centre Saturday to become part of the team.
In fact, being outdoors is what brought back Nikki Swerhun, 25, a four-year Felion who works as a retail clothing manager.
“That’s one of the things that made me want to come back. It’s going to be a completely different season. It will be outdoors, it will be a new stadium, a different team — It’s going to be a really good experience,” said Swerhun.
The auditions were some of the most competitive in years, according to Severyn, and much was expected from the dancers. If they make the cut, a final interview awaits them next week.
“In a perfect situation a Felion would be a ‘triple threat.’ which means they have excellent dance ability, they’re in pristine physical shape and they’re a ‘stunner’ — that is to say they’re attractive,” Severyn said.
She said it’s the dancing portion of the auditions that separate the pretenders from the contenders.
The dancers, who are 19 to 35 years old, only have two hours to learn a dance routine and show their skills. Swerhun said it’s usually nerves that get the best of them.
“You have to pick up the choreography, have a great personality, be super outgoing, be physically fit — because we have to dance a lot — smile a lot, and perform to the crowd. You can be a super great dancer but if the nerves get to you you’ll just go blank,” said Swerhun.
A gymnast for the past 12 years Victoria Brooks, 24, appeared at the auditions for the first time and was one of a handful of dancers who wowed the crowd with a tumbling routine.
“Just believe in yourself. You need to be calm and keep smiling and show a lot of enthusiasm,” said Brooks of her auditioning experience.
The auditions were everything from fun to painful as they danced to rap music.
“I fell on my side when we were practicing. I was trying to kick with everything I had and my foot slipped and ‘boom’ I’m on my side as fast as my leg was at my head. My hip hurts but you have to stand up and shake it off and keep going,” said Brooks’ friend Mandi Lambert, 21.
The Felions are also well known throughout Metro Vancouver for their charity and corporate events. And despite the new venue the pre-game Fan Fests and Felion calendars will continue to be a staple at Lions games.
“It’s about the whole package. It’s not all dancing. It’s about public relations and getting out there so your personality is important. They can’t be shy,” said former Felion Dana Luketic, 27, who was assisting Severyn with the auditions.
Severyn believes Empire Fields will be a more “intimate” place to watch a football game but while you may be closer to the Felions this year don’t think that wink and smile from the sidelines is just for you.
“We probably don’t even notice you,” joked Luketic.
