A Beach Girl That Loves Dancing on the Ice: Panthers Ice Dancer Jacqueline Is One of Florida’s Coolest Pro Cheerleaders

Palm trees, sunshine, and 80 degrees on one side of a door; cold temperatures, ice, and flying pucks on the other. Such contrasts are evident at the BankAtlantic Center for Florida Panthers games. Arriving fans passed by swaying palms on their way to the March 19th Panthers-Islanders game, only to enter doors into a chilled arena with a frozen surface ready for NHL action. But interesting contrasts didn’t end there. Take Jacqueline of the Panthers Ice Dancers. Jacqueline has some interesting contrasts in her own life.

These include Jacqueline’s passion for both arts and science, specifically dance and biology, both big parts of her life. Also, Jacqueline’s heritage is half Venezuelan and half Bolivian. Not only are there obvious differences between Venezuela (hot, equatorial, miles of coastline and beaches, not so spicy food, and baseball loving) and Bolivia (land locked, mountainous with “three mile high” La Paz, cooler, a bit spicier food, and fans of soccer), but if each country had a collective personality, Venezuela would be outgoing, energetic, and pageant loving, whereas Bolivia would be more laid back, relaxed, and focused on natural beauty.

Upon meeting Jacqueline, one begins to notice that she has taken the best parts of all of these interesting dimensions. As she greeted fans outside the BankAtlantic Center, she was outgoing and friendly, but with a charming graciousness and easy smile that that sums up all the best traits of all of her family lines.

Cheering and dancing for the Miami-area Panthers, who play their home games in Sunrise, Florida, Jacqueline was born and raised in Miami. Dance has been a big aspect of her artistic side since a young age. Jacqueline relates, “I started dancing when I was five years old. I started out dancing ballet and jazz at a dance studio in Miami Lakes. It was then that my love and passion for dancing began. I was on the dance team throughout middle and high school. I love everything about it, from the long hard practices and training to the crazy chaos that goes on backstage on performance days. There’s something about being on stage and performing that makes me so happy.” And this is obvious once the music starts, and Jacqueline transforms as her dancing side energetically takes over.

But there is a scientific side to Jacqueline also, as she is a full-time student majoring in biology, with a goal of becoming a pharmacist. As part of her preparation, she works part-time at a pharmacy. Again, her enthusiasm about this side of her life also triggers a passionate response, as Jacqueline describes, “I love my job as a pharmacy technician. I enjoy being able to helping others feel better. I have worked in the pharmacy for almost four years, and I learn something new every day I work. What excites me about being a pharmacist is the knowledge in knowing how effective medication can be, how it works, and much more. When the pharmacist recommends or counsels a patient, I always listen and try to learn and catch up on what they say to the patient.”

How can we spread enthusiasm about science to young kids? Jacqueline replies, “I think science should be approached to kids in a fun and positive way. Kids see it as such a difficult challenging subject, and it sure is, but it can also be very interesting!”

As far as her ancestry, Jacqueline says, “My background being Venezuelan-Bolivian is quite a contrast; my friends call me a mutt!” So with these national contrasts, let’s see where Jacqueline leans. Does she prefer beaches or mountains? Jacqueline says, “I am a beach girl.” Spicy food or something milder? “I enjoy spicy food but have to be in the mood for it,” replies Jacqueline. Baseball or soccer? Jacqueline says, “I love watching all sports, especially HOCKEY!”

Jacqueline values her connection to both sides of her family, saying, “I have a really big family on both sides. I enjoy the warmness of being around family and the culture when I go visit. In Bolivia, my family owns property in the country called ‘El Beni,’ and we all take a family trip every three years to the farm, and go horseback riding, fishing, and hunting. It is so different from here, and it is so good sometimes to get away from the daily routine and spend time outdoors, bonding with family. Venezuela has beautiful beaches and great food! My family from Venezuela lives in Caracas, but I enjoy going to the beautiful beach in Maracaibo.”

This is Jacqueline’s second season as a Panthers Ice Dancer. Jacqueline’s Ice Dancer journey started when, “A friend of mine went to a Panthers game and saw the Ice Dancers, and suggested I audition. I will never forget the day of final auditions when they announced my name. I was so happy I cried!”

Besides work and school, practice and personal workouts also are part of the schedule, as Jacqueline explains, “We usually have dance or ice practice two to three times a week. My workout regimen consists of doing thirty minutes of cardio on the treadmill or the elliptical, and also thirty minutes of circuit weight training. I also enjoy taking spinning and hot yoga classes!”

The Ice Dancers performed throughout the game, but their biggest moment was dancing at center ice during the second intermission. Rather than dancing on a rolled out carpet, the Ice Dancers are just that, dancers right on the ice surface. Jacqueline loves being on this big frozen stage, saying, “I cannot even put into words how exciting it is to perform on ice! It is the best stage to dance on!” Compared to other places that they perform throughout the game, for Jacqueline, “It is a much better stage. The audience can see much more of the spacing and formations. It just looks a lot better on the ice.” Plus they have basically unlimited space for their routines, so they can go anywhere.

What was it like the first time to dance in the ice, and has Jacqueline ever slipped? “I was so nervous and excited my first time,” Jacqueline responds, “I have never slipped on the ice, but I have lost my balance before, but have been able to play it off. Some nights the ice is more slippery than others. It’s kind of scary but that’s the fun part, right?!”

The Ice Dancers wear special footwear for performances on the rink, and Jacqueline, says, “We do have special ice shoes made for the ice. I personally love dancing with the ice shoes, and feel a lot more comfortable and flexible in our ice shoes than with our boots!”

While wearing their uniforms, there is not a lot of fabric to keep out the cold. Does it ever get cold in the Ice Dancers uniform on the ice? Jacqueline answers, “Of course! It’s always cold, but once I get onto the stage or the ice. I completely forget about being cold. The adrenaline rush and excitement takes over!” Anyone who watches Jacqueline perform can sense that her enjoyment of dancing can overcome most anything.

Although skating is not part of being part of the Ice Dancers, how much skating experience would a Floridian like Jacqueline have? When asked to rate her skating on a scale of 1 (never skated) to 10 (can do a triple axel), Jacqueline estimates, “On a scale from 1 to 10, I would have to rate my ice skating skills a 5!” Asked if she would have a better chance winning “Dancing with the Stars” or “Skating with the Stars,” Jacqueline responds, “I definitely think I stand a better chance of winning ‘Dancing with the Stars.'”

Hockey is full of fast action, physicality, and emotional explosions after goals are scored. Two of the most thrilling moments in close games are penalty shots and two-man advantage power plays. If the game was tied, would Jacqueline get more excited about a Panthers two-man advantage or a Panthers penalty shot? Jacqueline says, “A Panthers penalty shot, because it could all come down to that one goal!”

Besides game day, Panthers Ice Dancers also participate in many charitable activities. For someone passionate about helping others, these can be especially meaningful to Jacqueline. One particularly memorable one, Jacqueline says, was, “I recently worked a charity appearance in Hollywood Beach for the Children’s Oncology Group. It was a CureSearch Walk for children with cancer. It was very touching and a great experience. I am glad that I was able to be involved in an event with such a great cause.”

During this spring break time of year, many people flock to Florida from around the country. Where do people in Miami go when they need a break? For Jacqueline, “As a Miami area resident, I enjoy going to Miami Beach or even driving down to Key West for a nice relaxing break.” Asked about what her dream vacation in a place she has never been to, the top of Jacqueline’s wish list features, “My dream vacation would be to travel to Fiji. I have seen pictures and think it is such a beautiful place, I would love to go one day!”

As you would expect, Jacqueline’s travel may have to wait until her life has a little less on her plate. Jacqueline doesn’t even have that much time to enjoy Miami, saying, “Between my classes, my job as a pharmacy technician, and being a Florida Panthers Ice Dancer, it’s quite difficult to find some spare time. But when I can, I love sporting events, considering we have almost every pro sport you can think of, endless beaches, luxury shopping, amazing restaurants, and beautiful sunshine all year long. Come visit us on your next vacation and stop by a Florida Panthers game!”

Jacqueline’s devotion to her Panthers and Ice Dancers is infectious, as she details her favorite part of being an Ice Dancer, “I enjoy everything about being a Panthers Ice Dancer! I love performing at the games and being able to interact with thousands of fans. I have developed strong friendships with the girls on the team; they are all so beautiful and talented. It is such an honor to be a part of the Florida Panthers Organization, and being able to represent them as an Ice Dancer is such a blessing. I also enjoy the appearances that we get to be a part of, especially the many self-rewarding charity appearances that we get to support.”

So whether on a beach or on ice; whether dancing or working on her biology degree or in the pharmacy; whether exploring her Venezuelan or Bolivian sides; and whether performing at a game or appearing at a charitable event, Jacqueline grabs the best of all her worlds with enthusiasm, graciousness, and talent. Far from cold, this Ice Dancer transmits warmth with a contagious positivity, and is an excellent ambassador for her team.

We thank Jacqueline so much for participating in this interview, and we especially appreciate her enthusiasm, team spirit and sunny disposition!  Here are some more photos of Jacqueline at the Panthers-Islanders game.