Western freshman joins the Seahawks Sea Gals

Kamrin Dishman
Western Front Online
Friday, 25 May 2012

As the song “Turn Me On” by David Guetta began, Western freshman Bianca Baze started the freestyle portion of her audition for the 2012 Sea Gals, the Seattle Seahawks’ cheerleading squad. She didn’t know what the song would be until it started.

After two eight-counts of her prepared routine, her mind blanked. She had to improvise the rest.

Baze said she was contestant number 174 in the semi-finals — the very last dancer to perform in front of a panel of about four judges.

To add even more pressure to the audition, fans could log onto the Seahawks’ website and stream the final audition live.

Baze waited and waited to hear her named called for the new roster.

“I was thinking in my head, ‘I definitely didn’t make it,’” Baze said.

As if auditioning last wasn’t nerve-wracking enough, “Bianca Baze” was also the last named called.

She was officially a Sea Gal.

Baze was humbled by the response from her family and friends after she found out she made the cut. Her Facebook exploded with nice comments and she received many congratulations around campus, she said

“We were elated,” said Sandi Baze, Bianca’s mother. “I thought Bianca nailed it.”

As part of the audition, the contestants had to tell the judges something unique about themselves. Baze talked about her “toe-thumbs,” — she said she has “Megan Fox thumbs.”

“My thumbs are really short and stubby,” Baze said jokingly. “At least one person from each generation of my family has these thumbs.”

It wasn’t as much what they said but how they said it that was important, she said.

She thought the judges wanted to make sure she could be comfortable speaking in front of a crowd. Until that point of the auditions, Baze said she had been shy, so she thought her lighthearted response would show the judges her personality.

A mix of Baze’s extensive dance background and natural stage presence landed her a spot on the Sea Gals after her first audition, Sandi Baze said. Some girls have to try out more than once at the annual auditions before they make it, she said.

Baze has been dancing since she was 3 years old and started dancing competitively at age 4.

Baze briefly played basketball in seventh grade, but Sandi Baze said they were probably happy when she didn’t come back.

“She was a bit of a gazelle,” Sandi Baze said. “She was just prancing down the court.”

It’s not just important to learn the moves and execute them, but the dancers also have to draw the audience in, Sandi Baze said.

“Something happens to Bianca when she goes on stage,” she said. “She executes it with such joy you just want to watch her.”

Baze said the Sea Gals perform mostly jazz, a lot of hitting, or sharp movements, and hair flips.

She has done all kinds of dance — jazz, modern, ballet and hip-hop. She said hip-hop is her favorite, but jazz is a close second.

“It’s kind of sexy stuff, which is fun to do,” Baze said.

Her love for performing goes beyond dance — she spent some of her childhood acting and modeling.

“My dream when I was younger was to be an actress on the Disney channel,” Baze said.

She also performed on Tumwater High School’s competitive dance team in Olympia and was the hip-hop captain her senior year.

Kim Hille, Baze’s high school dance coach, said Baze’s dance skills and the way she presented herself made her seem like she was much older, though she was only a sophomore. Hille said Baze got along with everybody and is a real performer.

“She [did] everything effortlessly,” Hille said. “If she’s on the floor, you can’t help but watch her.”

Hille said she thought Baze could have made the Sea Gals as a sophomore in high school.

Baze willingly went back to her high school dance team this past winter break to step in when a girl on the team couldn’t attend a choreography session, Hille said.

Baze learned a two-minute routine in only two days so the other dancers could learn the routine with the correct formations.

“Thats just the kind of kid she is,” Hille said.

Bianca’s family can’t wait to watch her at Century Link Field where the Seahawks play, Sandi Baze said. Her family is thrilled Baze is an NFL cheeerleader.

“I grew up as a [Green Bay] Packers fan, it’s in my blood,” Sandi Baze said.

Although Sandi Baze grew up in Wisconsin, she said she has made room in her heart for two teams.

“She will always be a Packers fan, but I think she’s a Seahawks fan now too,” Baze said.

The Seahawks home game against the Packers is the day after what would have been Bianca’s late-grandfather’s 89th birthday, which Sandi Baze said will be a special day for her family.

Baze will be commuting to practice in Renton twice a week and has to arrive at the Seahawks games four hours before kick-off on Sundays, she said.

Even with her new busy schedule as a Sea Gal, school will remain a top priority for Baze. She said she is trying to work her class schedule around practice. She is pursuing a degree is business, and she wants to work in the music or fashion industry.

Her spot as a Sea Gal is a paid position. Baze said the money will at least pay for gas for her commute.

“I feel like dance is one of those things that always sticks with you,” Baze said. “I just feel like I have to do it.”