Spending Some Quality Time with the Anaheim Bolts Dance Team

One of the best kept secrets in Southern California is that the Anaheim Bolts have an amazing dance team.  They’re gorgeous.  They’re sexy.  They’re really nice.  And over the last two weeks, I got to spend some quality time with Southern California’s best kept secret…the Anaheim Bolts Dance Team.

The Anaheim Bolts play in the Professional Arena Soccer League.  Indoor arena soccer is a fast pace game with lots of scoring action.   That the Bolts have a dance team adds to the entertainment value of going to a game.  It’s a great way to spend a Saturday evening.

Game day starts early for the dance team as they have a rehearsal on the field prior to the game.  I got to the arena as the girls were finishing up practice.  Soon after, they retired to their locker room freshen up and change into their uniforms.  They would only have a few minutes before their first official function of the evening.

About 45 minutes prior to kick off, the dance team made their way to the foyer of the arena to meet and greet the crowd.  Several fans took photos with the girls and I took the opportunity to snap a few posed photos of the dance team members.   That’s one of the things I love about coming to Bolts game…I get to shoot the girls in all sorts of fun ways.

After the meet and greet, it was time for the player introductions.  Like most dance teams, the girls run onto the field and line up for the introductions and the national anthem.  Now I want to point out for our boot loving friends that the dance team wore their spiked heeled boots for player introductions and I want to commend them because I’ve been on that field and the turf (or more properly the padding) can be a little uneven.  It’s a hot look with their uniforms, but unfortunately those killer boots are not danceable on that surface…but I digress.

After player introductions and the national anthem, the girls returned to their locker room to change into more practical footwear, namely white sneakers.  They would be performing three dance routines as well as a couple of on field promotions.

Prior to their to their first quarter break performance, the girls rehearsed their routine in the hallway.  As you well know, practice makes perfect.

Then it was time for their first on field performance.

I must say the lighting in the Anaheim Convention Center arena poses a challenge, but I think I did okay.  I took some videos with my iPhone and you can see how the quality of the light changes in the videos.

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Last year, the arena pretty much played music nonstop during game play and the dance team shimmied all during that time.  This year, they only played music after a score.  So when the Bolts scored, I took some photos of the girls dancing to the music of Kool and the Gang’s “Celebration”.

A few minutes before halftime, the girls once again made their way to the concourse to rehearse their halftime routine.

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And then it was showtime.

After halftime, the girls retired to the locker room to freshen up and get ready for the second half.  There would be one more performance at the third quarter break.  As was usual, the girls rehearsed the routine a few minutes before the break to nail down the routine.  Then it was back to the field for show time.

After the game, the Anaheim Bolts Dance Team signs autographs and takes photos with the crowd.  And let me say that they are quite popular with the young girls and boys that were in attendance…and they’re quite popular with me too!  They are one of the few dance teams that you can get up close and personal.  They are all quite nice and well spoken…perfect ambassadors for the game.

Let me just say that I love covering the Anaheim Bolts Dance Team.  The soccer is fast paced and entertaining.  The dance team is absolutely gorgeous and they look very sexy in their The Line Up uniforms.  All in all it’s great entertainment value and very fan friendly.  So, if you like soccer or just want to check out some of the hottest cheerleaders in Southern California, come on down to Anaheim to check out the Anaheim Bolts Dance Team.

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I want to express my gratitude to Bernie Lilavois, Lynae de Leon, and the Anaheim Bolts organization for allowing me to cover their dance team once again.   I had a wonderful time.  And many thanks to the dance team members for letting me share in your game day experience.

For more photos of the Anaheim Bolts Dance Team, please visit my personal blog: thehottestdanceteam.wordpress.com.  New photos of the ABDT will be up in a few days.