Road to Timberwolves Dancer Auditions (Part 2)
Timberwolves Dancers Director, Choreographer and head coach Natalie Alvarado weighed in on the third and fourth Timberwolves Dancer Audition Prep Classes that were held on Friday July 15 and Sunday July 17 at Target Center Life Time Fitness.
Natalie Alvarado
Timberwolves Dancers Director
Minnesota Timberwolves
July 20, 2011
Wow, the audition prep classes are just flying by! We’re having so much fun and I know that the girls are gaining more than they even expected in these classes. This past weekend we held our third and fourth prep classes and again, it felt great to see the returning participants who have been to every class thus far, as well as a few fresh new faces!
Friday: The third class focused on an across the floor, short combo, to Beck’s “Milk & Honey” – this combination called for more of a technical style of dance. The technique was very sexy and advanced, but it also contained a lot of the NBA style of traveling across the floor (the “Beyonce confident power walk) – that’s what I like to call that kind of traveling. This particular short combo gave me a chance to see the dancers who are more comfortable with this type of dance style shine, but it also gave the girls who weren’t very comfortable with it an opportunity to try something new, as well as be challenged a little bit!
Sunday: The fourth class was unique, as I asked our former Timberwolves Dancers captain Gina to come in and teach a sideline routine set to Chemical Brothers “Galaxy Bounce.” Sideline routines are short routines performed with pom poms during the 4th quarter of a game, hot time outs and on the sidelines during 20 second and regular game time outs. These sidelines are quick choreographed routines, which are versatile enough to be performed to any piece of music whether it’s an up-tempo song, an oldie or even NBA basketball classics such as “Mony Mony” and “Shout!” It is very important for me to see the girls who are already strong dancers and performers do the cute, sassy, easy and energetic movements with a set of pom poms! So, it was fun to see some of the girls dance with poms poms for the very first time, and have to be bubbly, where as the previous prep class routines called for more attitude and aggression. In this class I decided to split the girls up into groups of five to perform the sideline routine in front of one another. This definitely turned the pressure on and helped them realize just how quickly the auditions are approaching! They were also all made aware that they’ll be auditioning in groups of four to six at opening day of Timberwolves Dancer Auditions on August 1.
Overall, the participants are keeping up with the choreography and more importantly, getting what they came here for – the “one-up” on the audition competition! As I explain to them at the end of every class, I’m really here for them and these prep classes are 100% THEIRS! Whatever it is they need, want to know, want to ask…I’m all theirs. They’re doing great and I’m happy to see the talent and potential of these young and talented women!
There are only two classes left and they’re by far the two most important ones! I’m going to go above and beyond everything that we’ve done in the first four classes and gear more towards the new hip-hop, aggressive, sexy dance style of the latest Timberwolves Dancers. We’re going to make magic happen and I want and am looking for the best of the best, and hey, I’ve even seen some of the best in these Timberwolves Dancer Audition Prep Classes!
The final two Timberwolves Dancer Audition Prep Classes are Friday July 22 and Sunday July 24 from 6:30-8:30pm at Target Center Life Time Fitness. Click here for more information on Timberwolves Dancer Auditions and we hope to see you there!
