Kiss and makeup: Dance-team tryouts kick out girl next door
BY IAN WHEELER / STAFF WRITER
Orange County Register
February 9, 2014
IRVINE – When the judges asked for sass, sex appeal and killer dance moves during tryouts for the dance team of the Los Angeles Kiss football team, they did not know auditionees would offer much more.
“The talent level of these girls was over and above what I would have expected,” said dance director Brandy Bouchy. “They were all insanely talented and beautiful.”
About 37 women from around Southern California converged on Saturday at the Velocity Sports Performance training center in Irvine and were tested on a routine by choreographer LeighAnn Macias for several hours. Eighteen survived Saturday’s round and moved on to a final round Sunday.
Bouchy said she first hoped to add seven dancers to a group of nine chosen in a round of auditions last month, but ended up choosing 13 dancers on Sunday.
She said each of the final 13 dancers had an extra “it” factor that set them apart.
“It ranged from incredible dance skills, to tumbling, to a sexy confidence,” Bouchy said. “This is not going to be a cookie-cutter team. All are unique and different.”
“We hired a talented, sexy, edgy, rock ‘n’ roll team of dancers,” she said.
LA Kiss officials on Sunday released only the first names of the dancers chosen for the team.
Bouchy said rehearsals would most likely start next week. After that, she said the team has training camp and a photo shoot, among other activities in preparation for the team’s first performance on April 5 at Kiss’s first home game of the season.
The Los Angeles Kiss is an Anaheim-based Arena Football League team that will kick off its first season in March.
The tryouts were filmed on camera – its footage may be added to a reality show about all things LA Kiss. A 10-episode first season was recently given the green light by AMC.The Los Angeles Kiss, based at the Honda Center, is owned by Kiss rock band members Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley; their manager, Doc McGhee; and veteran league executive Brett Bouchy.
