2011 Chicago Slaughter Dancers Announced
By Beth Gore
Chicago-Slaughter.com
Katie and Katie, the same-named dance captains of the Chicago Slaughter dance team, had their hands full on Saturday November 6th at Shark City Sports Bar in Glendale Heights. It was tryout day for the squad and the Katie’s’ responsibilities included helping the girls in attendance prepare for their final auditions in front of both fans and a panel of judges.
‘I’m just getting up to speed myself” said the newer Katie, who joined the Slaughter days ago. “My job here today is to keep the girls motivated today and to help them with anything they might need to make the day a productive one.”
The second Katie has been with the Slaughter for a while now. “I’m entering my third year with the team,” the veteran dance captain Katie said. “It’s a wonderful chance for me to interact with these girls, to meet the fans, and to learn more about indoor football.”
Both captains see the opportunity to work with the Slaughter as more than another part time job.
“It’s a lifestyle,” both agreed. “We are in the public eye yet we form close bonds with our teammates. Here at the Slaughter we have the opportunity to encounter girls from all over the Chicago area. They come from different backgrounds but all are united both by their love of dance and their interest in performing. The fact that all of them also get the chance to learn about football is a bonus. This is a unique job that presents wonderful opportunities for professional development and personal growth.”
Wynne Lacey, owner of Wynning Teams and the person most responsible for training Slaughter dance team recruits, has five years experience as a dancer and captain in the NBA with the Chicago Bulls and the Milwaukee Bucks. Now in her third year with the Slaughter, Wynne has also appeared in local newspaper articles, in dozens of TV and radio spots, and on posters. “I’ve been doing this for a while” Lacey said, ”but it never gets old. I love to meet the new girls and to watch them develop into polished performers. The Slaughter is a wonderful organization to work with. We work hard, but we also have a lot of fun.”
The backgrounds of the girls seeking an opportunity to join the Slaughter dance team is as varied as the girls themselves. Some are students at local colleges. Others work as hairstylists and cosmetologists. There are several teachers trying out for the team as well as an applicant who works in banking. Two of the girls said that they hoped to be in sports broadcasting eventually. And although making the squad will require hours of effort devoted to learning and perfecting performance routines, each applicant sees the additional workload as a positive.
Cassie has been with the squad for two years and is back to audition for year number three. “I love to perform. It’s so much fun to go out there on the field in front of the fans. Sure my schedule is full, but that’s the way things should be. To me this is relaxing. I get to dance which is something I truly enjoy.” Does it get easier with each successive year? “Hardly,” she says. “In fact if anything, there is more pressure. I’d feel really bad if I’d been with the Slaughter Girls for this amount of time then didn’t make it on my third try.”
Chrissy and Elle hope that their first audition will the lucky one. “It’s a great challenge,” Elle says. “I love sports and I enjoy seeing the fans. This would be the perfect place for me.”
More than beauty and talent is involved in the auditions, with all candidates also scored on personality and knowledge of the team in particular, and indoor football in general. Would you know how many players are on the field at any one time? Or the length of the field? What year the Slaughter won the championship, and with what record? If you were a member of the dance team, you’d already have these facts down cold.
So remember the next time you see these proud dancers sporting Slaughter colors and revving up the crowd, there’s a lot more to making the team than just having a pretty face. These are accomplished and talented young women. A great deal of effort has been expended in reaching this level, and for that, we Slaughter fans salute them.
