Reading Phils Candidates Dance Through Tryouts
By Michelle Park
Reading Eagle
Amanda L. Moreadith wanted the experience again: running onto the field at FirstEnergy Stadium and performing for a crowd of 8,000 Reading Phillies fans.
So, wielding red and silver pom-poms, the 19-year-old auditioned Sunday for the R-Phils Dance Team.
If she’s one of the 18 who make the cut, it would be her second year on the team.
“It just adds a lot of fun to my year,” said Moreadith, who lives in Muhlenberg Township. “I’m a huge baseball fan and the fans are amazing.”
Amanda L. Moreadith of Muhlenberg, center, waits her turn Sunday during auditions for the R-Phils Dance Team in the Fairgrounds Square Mall.
Twenty-six women 18 and older vied for the team spots during a final audition at the Fairgrounds Square Mall in Muhlenberg. College students, a mother of two and a former Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleader were among them.
The R-Phils Dance Team performs three times a game at all of the minor league baseball team’s home games. Its members also make community appearances.
The women are judged on choreography, showmanship, public speaking skills, physical appearance and physical fitness, said Jennifer F. Caputo-Pietrobone, team director.
The names of the women who make the cut will be posted by noon today on the dance team’s page at www.rphils.com. Those who auditioned also could call a hot line Sunday to find out.
Team members receive a stipend of about $200 and sponsorship packages that include tanning, gym memberships and beauty services, such as teeth whitening.
