Cardinals cheerleaders Christmas show gives kids something to cheer about
By Staff Sgt. Regina Machine, 13th PAD
Ft. Hood Sentinel
December 16, 2010
Hundreds of people, young and old, waited patiently Friday outside Palmer Theater to get a seat for the Arizona Cardinals Cheerleaders’ annual Christmas show.
The cheerleaders and gospel artist Pauline Taylor Hunt put together a stirring performance. The two-hour show included high-energy dance routines, songs, and a visit by Old Saint Nick.
This is the 11th year that the Arizona Cardinals show team has teamed with the Army Air Force Exchange to put on a performance. During its visit, members of the show team met with Soldiers from the Wounded Warrior Brigade, school children in classrooms at Duncan Elementary School and Smith Middle School, signed autographs at the Clear Creek Post Exchange, and worked with more than 90 children to rehearse for the Christmas show.
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Children who volunteered for the show worked hard on choreography to get an opportunity to appear on stage. Members of the show team worked with children in a cheer clinic, where the kids learned cheer routines for the performance. A record number of children participated in the clinic this year.
The mixed group of hopeful young male and female cheerleaders took the stage with style and grace. Each year, the Cardinals show teams work with a group of junior cheerleaders and mentor them as far as they want to go in the sport. Tayrn Loehr, a third-year member of the professional cheerleaders squad, was once a member of the junior cheer squad and now cheers in the big league.
“Being a professional cheerleader has absolutely changed my life. I like the performance side of it, but I also enjoy being a part of a team with talented and extremely wonderful women.
“I believe that surrounding yourself with talent makes you have talent,” Loehr said.
She also manages to juggle being a human resources coordinator with taking classes as a full-time student at Arizona State University.
Dionna White, a social worker and first-year member of the cheerleaders squad, said she became a cheerleader to perform.
“There is always no bigger audience than cheering for the NFL, and it’s always been my goal,” White said.
Heather Karberg, director of cheerleading for the Arizona Cardinals, said that scheduling for events like this is done months in advance. The show team recently returned from a trip overseas visiting deployed troops. The team gets opportunities to go to many different locations to boost morale and entertain the troops, she added.
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