Dolphins Cheerleaders Make the Squad

Sean Logan
Miami Dolphins
4/28/2012

At every Dolphins home game, the cheerleaders help contribute to the pageantry of the fans’ gameday experience.
The girls don’t hit the field, though, until they make it through a rigorous tryout period, which includes several rounds of cuts.

To determine who would represent this year’s team, the girls had to perform in a dance-off in front of a live audience of Dolphins fans and a panel of judges that would seal their fate.

Even for those with plenty of experience, the live tryout can still be a source of anxiety.

“Oh my goodness, the nerves,” said Amy, 25, who has been a Dolphins cheerleader for the past several seasons. “I can say that I get just as nervous now as I did five years ago. It never goes away.”

Their journey to making the squad, of course, doesn’t begin with the final performance. In the several weeks leading up to Fin Fest, new candidates had the opportunity toparticipate in cheerleader prep courses to catch themselves up to speed. Those who decide to go through with a tryout must participate in a boot camp with the returning members, who also have to perform again to regain one of the coveted spots.

From there, the cuts began and a pool of finalists was chosen for the final performance.

“We were just run, run, run,” Amy said, referring to the boot camp. “You learn dances, you learn style, you learn personality to try to make you glamorous for the whole big show today.

“It’s the final judgment.”

What started out as a group of about 300 girls was quickly whittled down to 79 finalists for the final performance on Saturday. During the first half of the final show on Saturday, the girls were introduced and performed in groups. Once the groups wrapped up, each girl picked a song and hit the stage by themselves.

Having the fans attend what is essentially a live tryout is certainly an added element for the candidates, but Madill said that their presence helps relieve some of the tension.

“The fans pump you up when you hear them cheering for you,” Amy said. “It’s so much better to have them there because it takes the pressure off the judges you know are staring at you.

When the show was completed, and the new cheerleaders were selected, the team was revealed for the first time on the field at Sun Life Stadium in front of a group of fans at Fin Fest.