With 2013 try-outs Sunday, Cara, Deanna, Lauren, and Charlene described their 2012 Boston Cannons Dance Team

Cara (right)

This upcoming Sunday, March 3rd, the Boston Cannons Dance Team will hold their auditions in Cambridge for the 2013 upcoming Major League Lacrosse season, which stretches from May through August. Ashley Wagner is Dance Team Coach/Choreographer of the Cannons Dance Team, and always assembles a squad that loves performing on the field and has interesting lives off the field filled with diverse interests and careers. If you want a glimpse of what it is like to be on the Boston Cannons sidelines at Harvard Stadium, last season, four of the members filled in UltimateCheerleaders about their feelings about being on the squad.

Last summer, I met third-year member Cara, second-year members Lauren and Deanna, and rookie Charlene. Cara explained that when she first tried out, “I was just about to graduate college, my friend asked me if I wanted to audition, so it was kind of spur of the moment, and I made it! I have been dancing for twenty years, and I want to keep active. It’s awesome to dance in front of a great big crowd.”

And personal connections are a big part of the Cannons Dance Team. Rookie Charlene said, “I actually danced with Cara in college at Salem State and she told me how fun it was, so I wanted to try out for the team.” Charlene also enjoyed performing on the big stage of Harvard Stadium. “I love performing in front of a big crowd; I love being the center of attention,” laughed Charlene. “My first game here was kind of weird because it was such a Coliseum, and I am so used to dancing on this little square stage. So it was a little weird dancing here at first because you kind of get lost on the field. ‘Oh my gosh! Where am I?!’”

Lauren

Lauren learned about the BCDT similarly to Cara, and said, “Actually, my friend from college was on the team before I was, and we were on dance team in college together, and then she told me about it.” Lauren continued, “This is awesome especially because I just graduated from school, and it is something you can keep doing for dance. Because after school, you can teach but there is really no performance opportunities, and this is performance.”

Deanna was prompted to initially try-out due to an important unique connection between her college dance team and her pro dance team. “I go to Bentley University Business School, and I am on the dance team there,” Deanna explained, “and Ashley, who is the coach of this team, is the coach of Bentley University’s team. So she mentioned it to us that we might be interested in trying out.”

Was there an advantage for try-outs and the team because Ashley used the same choreography that Deanna learned at Bentley? “Not really,” Deanna replied. “She tries to not use the same choreography, because once you know a dance to a song, you are kind of stuck to that song.”

Deanna

Asked what she liked about being part of the Cannons Dance Team, Deanna replied, “Definitely the performing. There are not a lot of opportunities as a dancer that you can perform for 13,000 people, eight times a summer. Definitely that thrill is why I came back.”

Part of that thrill is the atmosphere itself of dancing at Harvard Stadium. “Dancing in it is amazing,” Deanna said. “When you get out on the field before the music starts, and you just look up, and it is all these people screaming, and I am in the middle of the field.” Though this can generate some initial nerves, Deanna continued, “But it’s the adrenaline, it’s thrilling. You come back for it.”

Plus, Deanna loved the friendships among the team, and said, “We get along really well. The whole team is really good friends.”

Many of the members of the BCDT I spoke with have been dancing since they were little dancing kids. And those first performances are still vividly memorable, despite the passage of time. Deanna remembered, “I was five, and were called Country Cuties. We had red and white little cowgirl outfits, cowboy boots, and sequins everywhere. I remember the song; I can still sing it to this day. I think I was most nervous for my mom to leave backstage. I said, ‘When are you are you going to leave?! When are you are you going to leave?! Don’t leave me! Don’t leave me!’”

Lauren added, “I remember the make-up. You were allowed to wear make-up, which is what made it cool for me.”

Charlene’s mom owns a dance studio, so Charlene dance started at three and includes competing all over the US, and now teaches dance. But Charlene still envies the junior dancers from their Cannons Dance Camp that get to dance with the BCDT. “They get to be on the field with us,” Charlene said. “I think that is so cool. Someone that’s five or six dancing on a HUGE field with the pro dance team!”

Charlene

Continue reading “With 2013 try-outs Sunday, Cara, Deanna, Lauren, and Charlene described their 2012 Boston Cannons Dance Team”

Go on the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Swimsuit Calendar Trip

LivingSocial.com is offering a three-day trip for an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the making of the annual Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders’ swimsuit calendar.

What you get:

•Once-in-a-Lifetime Experience!
•Round-Trip Air Transportation from DFW Airport for You and a Guest
•Three-Night Stay at All-Inclusive Five-Star Resort
•Chance to Watch the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Swimsuit Fashion Show
•Meet-and-Greet with Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders
•Group Dinner with Staff and Guests

The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders spend the whole season on the sidelines, but once a year they take center stage for the annual swimsuit calendar. Pay $6,999 ($16,000 value) for an exclusive behind-the-scenes peek at the making of this fan favorite.

With this once-in-a-lifetime package, you and a guest will be whisked away to Riviera Maya, Mexico, from April 7 to 10. There on the sunny shores of the Rivera Maya you’ll enjoy an all-inclusive three-night stay at a five-star hotel and a chance to watch the swimsuit fashion show featuring the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. You’ll also be able to mix and mingle with the cheerleaders at a meet-and-greet and enjoy a group dinner with staff and guests. Once you arrive back at DFW on April 10, you’ll have a lifetime of memories to share with friends and family. Mark your calendar, because this is one date you don’t want to miss.

[DCC Calendar Trip at Living Social]

Yes, Vera Wang is Redesigning the Eagles Cheerleaders Uniforms

Esther Lee
Philly.com

A “new look” is indeed in the works for the Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleaders.

A decade after debuting her first batch of the squad’s uniforms, fashion designer Vera Wang is in the process of currently redesigning the green-and-white, skimpy spandex pieces.

“We are thrilled that we are continuing our relationship with Ms. Wang – one that we have had for ten years,” confirmed the Philadelphia Eagles. The organization says the project is currently in the “very preliminary stages.”

An American household name, Vera Wang carries clout not only with the legions of brides who dream of walking down the aisle in the 63-year-old’s couture creations: She’s revered by the fashion industry. Wang was a former senior fashion editor at Vogue, and design director at Ralph Lauren for two years before she launched her eponymous line in 1990. The New York-based fashion figure also dabbles in multiple partnerships and side projects, including a diffusion line of home products for Kohl’s and a popular, lower-priced collection of wedding gowns offered at David’s Bridal called “White by Vera Wang.”

A close friend of the Lurie’s when she originally agreed to design the uniforms, Wang debuted the recognizable white push-up sports bra and black and green striped boy-cut short combo at the gala opening of the Linc. Keeping chilly climate conditions in mind, she added pieces like black spandex pants, cut-off sweaters, and full bodysuits for the cheerleaders to layer over their unis during the fall and winter months. “These outfits are highly athletic,” Wang told Elizabeth Wellington in a 2003 interview. “It was a challenge to make sure the pieces were sexy and they wouldn’t fall apart,” she added.

A former figure skater herself, Wang has designed costumes for Olympic athletes like Nancy Kerrigan and Michelle Kwan in the past. Most recently, she’s been serving as a mentor to Coatesville-born and Delaware-bred national figure skater Johnny Weir. The Eagles cheerleaders are lucky to sport a second set of looks created by a highly-regarded designer like Wang, who possesses a firm understanding of athletic prowess and movement.

The new designs, we’re certain, will be a combination of haute and hot couture.

Little Off-season Rest For Texans Cheerleader

By Jeff Newpher
YourHoustonNews.com

The increased success and popularity of the Houston Texans football team has also been good for the team’s Cheerleaders.

Their number of off-season appearances has jumped, meaning Clear Brook High alum Stephanie Q. is as busy as ever.

“It’s a lot busier than it was last year, which is awesome because it keeps me busy and it keeps the fans excited to see us,” Stephanie said.

She just completed her second season on the squad.

“A lot of us, outside of cheerleading, do have full-time jobs or are full-time students or part-time students. We don’t just cheer,” Stephanie said while greeting people at Advantage BMW Clear Lake on the Gulf Freeway in League City on Wednesday (February 20).

She’s been cheering since she was eight years old and misses the pep rallies and cheering “…pretty much for every sporting event,” at Clear Brook.

Now, in addition to her Texans job, she is a college student and works at an engineering company.

Being a cheerleader helps her to get to know a lot of people, which may propel her toward her goal of marketing for a sports team or full-time event planning.

[Stephanie at HoustonTexans.com]

Open Auditions for the Bearfoot Dancers 2013 Season

Sunday, March 10, 2013 at 12pm
Dancation Studio of Dance and Theatre
3101 US Highway 9
Old Bridge Township, NJ 08857

Pre-registration is required- go to http://bearfootdancers.com/3.html

Questions? Email bearfootdancers@gmail.com

Requirements:
-18 years or older
-Have collegiate or professional dance experience
-Personable and committed
-Is versatile in hip hop, jazz, and some contemporary

Time Commitments:
-Practices are either Monday/Thursday weekly at 8pm
-Games are held Aug- Dec in the Fall 2013 on Saturday evenings

Expectations for the Team:

-Embody and demonstrate the following values: Respect, Teamwork, Pride, Perseverance, and Leadership
-To attend practices, games, and other events
-To fundraise and participate in community service events
-Participate in social activities with both dance and football teams (fundraising, charity events, prayer at the end of the game, after party, etc.)
-Maintain physical well-being by eating healthy and exercising
-Three unexcused absences from games, events, and/or practices will result in removal from the team

Dancer Leadership:

-Responsible for assisting with fundraising opportunities
-Provide ideas for various social opportunities with both teams
-Responsible for assisting with some choreography

[BareFootDancers.com]

Congratulations 2013-14 Kansas City Chiefs Cheerleaders!

The Kansas City Chiefs once again got a jump on the rest of the NFL and announced their new squad yesterday afternoon.

From KCChiefs.com:

After a long weekend of interviews, dance routines and intense fitness tests, the 2013 Chiefs Cheerleader squad has been decided.

Director of Chiefs Cheerleading, Stephanie Judah, is excited about the 2013 squad and has high hopes for what this squad can accomplish this year.

“I’m so excited about this year and I think this may be one of the best teams ever,” Judah commented. “These girls have phenomenal talent. However, not only talent, but these women have amazing character and they are beautiful on the inside and out. It’s going to be an amazing team!”

These 34 women will be representing the Chiefs on the field on game day and in the community throughout the year.

See the entire new squad here.