Congratulations 2014 Pittsburgh Power Dancers!

2014 Sparks Dance Team Announced
The 13-Member Sparks Squad Consisting of 10 Veteran Dancers is Set
PittsburghPowerFootball.com

PITTSBURGH, PA (January 28, 2014) – The Pittsburgh Power and the Sparks are pleased to announce the members of the official 2014 Sparks Dance Team.

“With all the positive off-season production in the football operations side, and now the Sparks, I couldn’t be more excited for the 2014 Power season to begin!” exclaimed Sparks Dance Team Director Jennelle Johnson. “We will be sure to light up the arena on games days for our amazing fan base and, of course, our Pittsburgh Power Football Team.”

The 13-member squad is made up of ten veterans and three newcomers. The Sparks Dance Team performs at all nine of the Power home games at CONSOL Energy Center. The dance team also has a strong involvement in the Pittsburgh community, making appearances at many local events throughout the season.

The Pittsburgh Power and the Sparks Dance Team will kickoff their 2014 season on Saturday, March 15, at CONSOL Energy Center when the Power host East division rival Cleveland Gladiators.

2014 SPARKS DANCE TEAM

Veterans:
Asia, Captain
Kim, Captain
Alisha
Brianna
Brittany
Caitlin
Cydney
Krissy
Melissa
Nikki

Rookies:
Katie
Rebecca
Victoria

LA KISS – Second Audition

They’ve got 11 dancers and they need 8 more. If you missed (or flubbed) the first audition, this is a second chance to make the squad!

And here’s another look at their choreography/style:

Congrats again to the ladies already selected to the team! (Pictured below with KISS guitarist/LA KISS co-owner Paul Stanley.)

Back Row: Tanya, Vanessa, Caroline, Alexis, Paul, Natllely, Jules, Angela
Front Row: Kaley, Lizzy, Brynn, Jessica

Sideline Prep DMV Workshop

Last weekend Sideline Prep held its DMV Workshop…

and as you can see the turnout was tremendous.

Sideline Prep co-founder GeNienne with coaches Suzanne, Jeanette and Kristie.

GeNienne with the day’s instructors: Jamilla (Redskins), Derric (Wizards), Kelly (Richmond Raiders) and Liz (Baltimore Blast)

Washington Wizard Girls

Bay Area Shuckers Dance Team

Richmond Lady Raiders

Metropolitan Lady All-Stars

Washington Redskins Cheerleaders

Chesapeake Bayhawks Hawkettes

Washington Redskins Cheerleader Ambassadors

Beltway Bombers Dance Team

Baltimore Blast Cheerleaders

[Make Up By Chaz]

[Island Glow Spray Tanning]

[It Works]

[J Keene Designs]

[LashMoi.com]

[Sideline Prep Workshop Gallery]

[SidelinePrep.com]

Denver Bronco Cheerleaders Reveal Exercise And Diet Routine: How They Prepare For Super Bowl XLVIII

By Amethyst Tate
International Business Times

The Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks are not the only ones training ahead of Super Bowl Sunday. The 26 Broncos cheerleaders are also working hard to make sure they’re in tip-top shape for the big day. There’s no question that it takes ultimate confidence to show off their dance moves in sexy outfits, especially in front of millions of audience viewers. And they get that sexy confidence by being super-fit. Here’s how they work out:

Lelanna

Lelanna, a benefits & HRIS administrator when she’s not cheering, is getting game-ready with fitness classes. “I’m a member of 24-Hour Fitness, so I go to classes like boxing, I do high interval workouts, or I run on the treadmill — I’m basically just making sure I’m physically fit,” she tells Cosmopolitan. “Especially because when we get to the game, we’re there hours before and then we’re dancing four or more hours once the game starts. Plus, one of our outfits consists of leather chaps that are heavy, so when you’re dancing around in them, you can get tired easily if you’re not fit.”

Emily M

Marine project engineer Emily M is going for less physically grueling exercises, sticking to yoga and strength training ahead of the Super Bowl. “My goal for this game is be toned, so I’ve been taking a lot of yoga classes at Core Power and going to the gym a lot to work my booty and abs.

I like going with friends to stay focused because you push each other more that way. We’ll be bundled up on game day since it’s in New York, but if we need to be in a half-top, I’ll be ready. We have four-hour-long practices twice a week, and since I have a full-time job, I try to fit in 30 minutes a day twice a week, or take a walk around my neighborhood, at the very least,” she says.

Sam

Sam, who’s been on the team for four years, focuses on both her diet and exercise regimen. “For a workout, first and foremost, I go to four-hour practices twice a week. That counts for my cardio. But aside from that, I go running about two times a week and then I coach a youth cheerleading team twice a week as well, so I dance with them while I’m there. A lot of the girls also go to yoga sculpt at Core Power, but I haven’t had time since the New Year.” But luckily, she also eats quite well.

“I’m a vegetarian, so I don’t eat a hefty amount of protein, but I’ll usually have two eggs for breakfast with sautéed vegetables (spinach with mushrooms or peppers), a glass of juice, and two cups of coffee. For lunch, I try to make my own meal… always try to snack on nuts if I need a pick-me-up. And then for dinner, I’ll typically eat a pasta with red sauce and legumes to add fiber and protein. I’ll also have a small salad on the side with some vegetables,” she says.

[Denver Broncos Cheerleaders]

Olympia Sea Gal, Stephanie Hemphill, Looks Ahead to Super Bowl

By Tom Rohrer
ThurstonTalk.com

Amidst the chaos that was present following the Seattle Seahawks 23-17 victory over the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game, Stephanie Hemphill tried her hardest to take in the moment.

Hemphill, now in her fourth year as a member of the professional cheerleading team, Sea Gals, has seen first-hand the franchise’s latest transformation into a championship contender.

“I really savored every moment. I knew it was the last time this season I would be performing (at CenturyLink Field) so I wanted to take everything in,” said Hemphill. “There was just a different level of excitement around the game. It was something I’ve never felt before.”

Over the course of her four seasons of performance at CenturyLink Field, Hemphill has been able to form a bond with the season ticket holders and die-hard Seahawks fans that make up one of the NFL’s most famous fan bases.

“We’re there every game. We see the same ticket holders and just seeing them erupt after (Seahawks cornerback Richard) Sherman tipped the ball, that was the most memorable thing,” said Hemphill, the newly appointed Executive Director of the Lacey Chamber of Commerce. “The city needed that, and the fans deserved that. Our fans put so much into this team and to see them smile like that is something I’ll never forget.”

Hemphill and the rest of the Sea Gals will be heading to New York City on Thursday, three days in advance of Super Bowl XLVIII, which will pit Seattle against the Denver Broncos on Sunday, Feb. 2, at MetLife stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.

The fact that Hemphill will be performing on the world’s biggest sporting stage has not quite resonated at a personal level.

“It’s something that I won’t feel the enormity of until I’m actually there. I’ve done this for four years now and I know what to expect when I perform and I’m just going to prepare the same way I do for every other game,” Hemphill said. “I don’t know if I will realize the impact of this game until I’m there. I think it will hit me right when I step out onto the field.”
seattle sea gals

“Our fans put so much into this team and to see them smile like that is something I’ll never forget,” says Hemphill when reflecting on the NFC Championship win.

Over a week has passed since Seattle’s big victory in the NFC championship game, giving Hemphill a buffer to come down from the victorious high. However, after speaking with Hemphill, it’s clear the excitement is still coursing through her veins.

“Right after the game, I was driving from the stadium and my ears were still ringing,” said Hemphill. “I went to my parents for a celebratory dinner. They recorded the game, so I watched it and cried all over again. Even now, I’m getting butterflies talking to you about everything.”

Staying in the heart of downtown Manhattan, Hemphill and the rest of the Sea Gals will be exposed first-hand to the excitement and build up for the big game. While the Sea Gals perform at every home game, they do not travel for road contests.

“It’s a new experience for us, and we are, like the football team, looking at the Super Bowl as a business trip,” said Hemphill. “It’s the first time for me traveling to the area, but we’re going to be so busy with appearances leading up to the game that there isn’t really time for sightseeing.”

Unlike their performances at Century Link, the Sea Gals will be dancing in front of a mostly neutral crowd. Still, Hemphill believes the 12th Man fans will be represented in New Jersey, and that the expected cold temperatures will not phase her and the rest of the squads’ performance.
seattle sea gals

“Our performance level won’t change, but the energy on the field will be different. All we know is Seahawks fans are everywhere and it may surprise people how many are in the stands,” Hemphill said.

“For the weather, we’re totally prepared. We’re an outdoor team in the northwest and have a snow forecast from time to time,” said Hemphill. “If it snows, we will be prepared. If it’s cold, we will be ready. That’s part of the job.”

While Hemphill could not go into detail regarding the Sea Gals itinerary leading up to the game, she noted the squad will be making both local and national television appearances. Following the Super Bowl, regardless if the Seahawks win or lose, Hemphill and all other Seahawk employees will be attending a party organized and hosted by franchise owner Paul Allen.

Being a part of a Super Bowl season has been special for Hemphill, but it’s the development of Seahawks fever throughout the entire state that has been most memorable for the self-proclaimed die-hard fan.

“Four year ago, you would see a few people wearing in Seahawks gear on Blue Friday. The year after, a little more, and last year it got way bigger,” said Hemphill. “Now, you see everyone buying in. I love it, I’m a true passionate fan, and I think the more the merrier. That’s what makes this team so, so special. It’s the people who support it.”

[Stephanie at Sehawks.com]

MLT Elementary teacher has a reason to be on Super Bowl sidelines: She’s a Sea Gal

MLT.com
January 30, 2014

While the 12th man will be firmly focused on what is happening on the gridiron of MetLife Stadium this Sunday, many young Seahawk fans in Mountlake Terrace will be hoping that the television broadcast of Super Bowl XLVIII include many looks at the action on the sidelines.

Students of Mountlake Terrace Elementary will be looking for the school’s physical education teacher, Carli Brockman, who is a member of the Sea Gals, the Seahawk cheer squad.

“We have Super Bowl fever at Mountlake Terrace Elementary,” exclaimed the school’s office manager Cathy Fiorillo. “We are proud of you, Mrs. Brockman.”

Brockman and the rest of the 33-member Sea Gals cheer team were scheduled to leave Seattle Thursday morning for the New York/New Jersey area, where the squad will make a number of appearances prior to the game on Sunday.

The excitement of having one of their own at the Super Bowl only adds to the celebratory mood at MLT Elementary this week. “Friday, students and staff are welcome to wear their favorite Seahawk gear if they have it, or blue and/or green,” Fiorillo said.

Kent, Auburn Sea Gals Super Bowl bound

by Steve Hunter
The Kent Reporter
January 30, 2013

“That last play when Richard Sherman tipped the ball, that was the moment when all of the Sea Gals looked at each other and starting tearing and crying, and we were like ‘this is happening, we’re going to the Super Bowl,'” says Jacqueline, a 2012 Kentridge High School graduate and one of 33 members of the Seahawks NFL cheerleading squad.

“I looked in the eyes of our fans and saw their faces all lit up and that just set my heart on fire,” says Geraldine, a 2007 Kentwood graduate about the tip heard around the world.

The Sea Gals, including four women who graduated from Kentridge, Kentwood or Auburn Riverside high schools, flew out Thursday to New York. They will make several promotional appearances before they perform on the sideline Sunday of Super Bowl XLVIII at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey between the Seahawks and the Denver Broncos.

Off to the big game: from left, Jacqueline, Laura, Zoe and Geraldine are four Sea Gals from the Kent and Auburn area who will cheer on the Seahawks from the sideline at Super Bowl XLVIII in East Rutherford, N.J., on Sunday. — Image Credit: Ross Coyle/Kent Reporter

The Sea Gals are only known in public by their first names for security reasons. But sit down for a short conversation with the cheerleaders and the outgoing personalities makes it easy to know them on a first-name basis.

“Being from Kent it means a lot to me that I get to represent the city of Kent at the Super Bowl,” says Geraldine, in her third year on the team. “A small town girl makes it out to the biggest stage in the world.”

As many as 300 women try out each year for the Sea Gals. A spot on the current squad doesn’t guarantee another season as everyone must audition each year in the spring.

All have dance backgrounds. Some are college students as well as work part-time jobs. Others work full-time jobs. They practice two evenings a week at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton, the training facility for the Seahawks. The Sea Gals perform at every home game at CenturyLink Field and do a variety of promotional appearances.

Zoe, an Auburn Riverside graduate and a Portland State University student, is one of a dozen rookies on the team. She commutes from Oregon for practices and games. She says it’s worth the drive.

“I’ve transformed as a dancer and a person,” Zoe says. “It teaches you more than dance. It teaches you how to model, how to pose, how to speak well and how to represent a community. It makes you a well-rounded super woman.”

Laura, a 2006 Kentridge graduate and 2010 Washington State University graduate, returns as a veteran Sea Gal.

“It’s my fourth season so I’ve kind of watched as (coach) Pete Carroll has come in and made this what it is,” Laura says. “I’m just so happy to be a small part of this organization.”

The Sea Gals aren’t allowed to talk about how much they get paid, but they are paid. Each also receives two season tickets to give to family or friends. They aren’t allowed to fraternize with players.

Thrill of a lifetime

But there’s no doubt these women are having the time of their lives.

“Nothing beats the type of thrill and adrenaline you get on game day especially getting the chance to do it with some of the most amazing women I’ve ever met,” Jacqueline says. “My teammates are very beautiful, very intelligent and kind. We’ve become really close friends so on game days I look at my teammates and it makes the experience that much more exciting because I experience it with them.”

They make their family and friends proud as well.

“I talked to my grandma and she started crying and she’s not an emotional person,” Zoe says about reaction of relatives to her Super Bowl trip. “For her to be, ‘I’m so proud of you,’ just felt really good.”

In addition to beauty and dance skills, it takes a certain kind of woman to make the Sea Gals.

“Everyone’s very humble, has a good sense of humor yet works very, very hard,” Laura says. “We all have that in common.”

They also know which team will win.

“We’re going to win for sure,” Jacqueline says. “I have a very good feeling about this game and this team. It’s kind of been a very magical season. A lot of great things have happened. I feel it’s finally our year to bring home that Lombardi trophy.”