Clippers Spirit Interview: Nicole

Dance Life: Nicole
NBA.com
2/17/2010

You’ve been an NBA dancer for five years. What’s the routine like for you now?
Nicole:The ins and outs of every day are pretty similar, but each year is a new experience. We have new girls that come into our squad each year, new players on every team. It really never gets old for me. There are always surprises and new things going on. I’m really looking forward to seeing Blake Griffin play throughout the season.

You were part of the groundbreaking 2006-07 Celtics dance team, the first time Boston ever had NBA dancers. What was that like?
Nicole:It was my first year, the Celtics’ first year. Everything was brand new. We were trying to work out the kinks as a group. Of course, dancing for the Celtics was completely amazing there.

So with that experience under your belt, did that make things easier for you when you came back and tried out for Clippers Spirit?
Nicole:That was really nerve-wracking actually. It’s a grueling audition process. The first round you go across the floor and do your kicks, your turns and leaps and then they make a cut. On the spot. Then you have to learn a jazz routine, you learn it on the spot and they make another cut. Then you learn a hip-hop routine and it’s the same thing until you’re a finalist. But I was really nervous because I wanted it really bad. It ended up all working out. Even though it was tough, it was a good experience in the long run.

I’m sure you were surrounded by more celebrities in L.A. than in Boston.
Nicole:Definitely. I remember Eva Longoria coming to a game. We were all awestruck. David Beckham has been here with his wife Victoria. It’s exciting because you want to look at them, but we’re also part of the entertainment, so we don’t get to be starstruck. They’re there to watch and observe the game and we want to let them have their time, but it is always fun when we get to see them in the crowd.

Do you kind of have a teacher/mentor/captain role with the Clippers Spirit?
Nicole:I think so, a little bit. We don’t actually have captains on this year’s squad, but I think the girls respect us. Brittany and I are the fourth-year members and we try to lead by example. We always dance all-out, we always come early, make sure that we’re on time, we keep them on track, keep them informed and be as helpful to them as we can because we were rookies once, too.

I know you’ve been dancing since you were 3. In a sense, are you living out your little-girl dreams?
Nicole: I think I’ve surpassed my childhood dreams. There’s really no experience like dancing at the Staples Center. When you’re center court and you have all your teammates behind you, it’s a really, really fun experience. And I’m so grateful that I’ve had the opportunity to do it and do it as long as I have. It’s definitely not something you should take for granted. But, yes, I’ve had a wonderful experience.