The wonderful Richelle Williams, Cheerleader Manager/Choreographer, of the NFL’s Carolina TopCats lets us know Audition Clinics and Auditions are just days away!
The information about clinics is at this link and the audition information page is here.
Melissa Dorn, the General Manager/Business Opertions of the San Diego Thunder, let’s us know that the highly successful semi-pro football team is adding a dance team, the Thundergirls! Alexa Flutie is Cheer Director, and their first set of auditions is Saturday!
Tiffany of the Galaxy Girls kindly sends us information regarding her dance team that entertains during the Missouri Comets MISL games. Last season, the Comets played in the MISL Championship game, and are back in the post-season again this season. Based near KC with home games in Independence (yes, and I will eternally regret missing Harry S Truman bobblehead night; love it!) Tiffany and her squad-mates work hard to represent their team and city.
You can see the Comets and Galaxy Girls next Sunday, March 9, 3:10 p.m. CT, as they take on Milwaukee at the Independence Events Center.
If you would like to see more of the Galaxy Girls, visit the links below.
Website: http://www.cometsindoorsoccer.com/galaxy-girls/
Facebook: CometsGalaxyGirls
Twitter: @MISLGalaxyGirls
There are also great game-day photos from Upper 90 photography here at this link, and I posted some of their excellent photos below:
Kylie Crull, the Corporate Communications Manager for the Minnesota Timberwolves & Lynx provides an update on the 2013-14 Timberwolves Dancers. The website highlighting their new team just launched at www.timberwolves.com/dancers. The site features several new videos, including dancer profiles and behind the scene footage of their swimsuit calendar shoot and more.
The Chicago Thunder Football Club, a proud member of the MidStates Football League of minor league outdoor football, is expanding its organization to include for the first time ever a professional dance team. Jenny Hinz, the Director of the Chicago Thunder Dancers informs us of their upcoming prep-classes, and additional information is below:
Chicago, Are you Ready to Go Pro?
Chicago Thunder Dancers Prep-Classes
March 16 11-1pm
*The Lab Chicago, 925 W Chicago Ave, Chicago Il 60642.
March 24 8:30-10:30pm
*FFC Gym East Lakeview, 3657 N Pinegrove Ave, Chicago Il 60613.
$15 per session or $25 for both March 16 and March 24 Prep Classes. Come camera ready as we will be filming the web series: Chicago Thunder Dancers, Making the Team! Email chicagothunderdancers@gmail.com to register or receive additional information.
Why Come to Prep-Classes?
1. Brush up on technique, flexibility, style and choreography
2. Get a vibe for the style of choreography
3. You obviously love to dance, so dance
4. Dancers who audition and make the team need to be featured in the web series we will be filming during the prep-class and auditions
Wynne Lacey, long associated with professional cheerleading both as a director and NBA dancer herself, has now written a book geared towards women who have been, currently are, or aspire to be in industries like pro cheer, where outer appearance is a major factor in determining success. As an author, Wynne explains her simple Life Formula designed to help any woman understand what it really means to be the’ Total Package.’ Wynne’s book is entitled An Enlightened Cheerleader: Volume 1: A Journey to Self-Mastery.
Wynne danced in the NBA with both Chicago (four years) and Milwaukee (one year). Wynne also danced/captained for the AFL’s Chicago Rush dancers before becoming a professional director of her own teams. Wynne’s most visible directorship is with the Chicago Blackhawks Ice Crew (2003 to present), in addition to directing the Chicago Soul FC Dancers and Promotional Outreach Team, Chicago Slaughter Indoor Football Dancers, the Adrenaline Rush Dancers, and Chicago White Sox Pride Crew. Also, in 2011, Wynne completed her professional Life Coach training.
Pro dancer, choreographer, captain, and dance coach Katie Knepler says about Wynne’s An Enlightened Cheerleader:
“Those who know me well know that I am not one to promote a book, because they rarely appeal or engage me so. But this, my new bedside bible, is now a stable foundation for the life I wish for myself. Wynne Lacey, for those who know her, has spent many a year in the public eye and has observed females in the professional world. Her reflections noted in this book are life changing. Being one who has been in the spotlight as a pro dancer, this book opens your eyes to what lies beneath all the glitz and glamour. What I never took into account was myself, and what my inner self was and truly meant. Even through years of working with Wynne and hearing some of her values and wishes for her teams and women alike, her words really drive it home in this book. I, after reading this, have the drive to find the pure joy in my inner self. I want people to know me for my soul and beauty in the inside, not just the outer beauty that pro dancers are known to hold and maintain. I want to thrive, not just survive. This book is a guiding light… Not just for women in the spotlight, but for all women! It’s an honor to know this wonderful woman, as she has been a role model, sister, coach, and wonderful friend in my life that truly anyone’s life would be enriched to be in her presence. Her book itself is the inner cheerleader that will give support to that woman out there that is buried beneath all the false beliefs of beauty and lack of identity and confidence. Every woman should read this book.”
Wynne shared with UltimateCheerleaders her goals in writing An Enlightened Cheerleader, her writing process, and what we can gain from a life coach:
Wynne Lacey (right) at her first book book signing, with her friend and fellow author Nicole Knepper
–UltimateCheerleaders: Wynne, what prompted you to write your book?
Wynne: I have been writing and researching for many years. But to actually publish a book and get it out in the public, it took a couple years of me as a certified life coach and seeing how this process was positively impacting other women. It took me a while (and a good editor) to finally take the leap to share with others in a way that wasn’t one-on-one but through writing.
-Who would you say the target readership is?
Any female who currently is, aspires to be, or is retired from industries (like professional cheerleading and pageants) where their outward appearance is a major factor in determining their success.
-Your book’s cover art contains a key, butterfly, amidst other graphics; tell me about the artwork’s inspiration, meaning, and your role in its design.
My sister (Fairel Rank of Fairel Anne Designs) designed this graphic and it contains my three favorite symbols. I believe the KEY to unlocking our potential is to embrace our feminine traits (FLEUR DE LIS) that honor cooperation over competition and will also show us the way out of our self-imposed cocoons into becoming the rest of her story – the BUTTERFLY!
-Do you think the current generation of young women has new, unique challenges as they try to advance in their own journey to its optimum goals?
I think we actually have unique ADVANTAGES right now instead of the challenges of the past. At this point in time women have more power over their lives than they ever had. I believe that if we started to follow our own feminine design, one of cooperation, nurturing and support and stopped following the old masculine rules of getting ahead, there is nothing we can’t accomplish.
-Is there a young woman that is memorable to you who took the concepts that you teach that allowed her to achieve the next level of success?
Katie Knepler is a great example! She is leading a small team at North Park College who just won their dance competition because Katie doesn’t give up on ANYBODY! She embraces her heart-space and uses it to help others advance.
-What was your writing process? What did you learn about yourself as you put your thoughts in writing, and do you have any advice for new writers?
I did two things at once – journaling about my own experiences and researching other works to help find answers to what I was asking about in my own life. I have been writing for many years….and it is true therapy! I would have a hard time giving advice about writing since mine was so personal. I think I would want people to understand that this book of 100 pages was 1000 pages at one time and I pared it down to make it enjoyable to read. Someone once told me that “people don’t have to know everything I know, just what would be useful to them.”
-Describe what a life coach does and what types of people that it would be beneficial to have a life coach?
The best way to describe a Life Coach in my opinion is to compare them to a therapist. A therapist takes a person from dysfunctional to functional. A Life Coach takes you from functional to optimal. Everyone could benefit from a Life Coach the same way as a sports coach…having someone who knows what you can do, wants you to constantly strive for your best and doesn’t let you fall short of your goals. If the whole world strived for greatness in their personal life, we would be at a very different and higher level of collective consciousness.
-Where were you born and where did you grow up? What is the derivation of a very appropriate first name, Wynne?
Born in Wheaton/Winfield area and grew up in Naperville, Illinois. That is my full name – Wynne. And it’s funny – every team that I directed a pro team for (White Sox, Slaughter, Rush, Hawks) won their championship while I was there! I am a good luck charm!
-Who were particularly influential in unofficially ”life coaching” you as you grew up?
As I grew up I didn’t have any “life coaching” mentors that really guided my life. I think that is why I longed so much for the support as an adult and want to be a “personal cheerleader” for others.
-Tell me about your dance journey…when did you start dance and the “steps” (as it were) that you took prior to trying out for the NBA?
I didn’t remotely consider dancing until I was in high school. I didn’t make my volleyball team. My brother told me that to be popular I should do cheerleading or poms…so I did! I became captain of the Naperville Central Arrowettes. After a brief try at college Rugby, I went back to dancing as an Illinette at the University of Illinois. Then after graduate school I tried out for the Luvabulls and didn’t make it. I went up to Milwaukee to dance for Energee! and loved it. The commute was tough so I went back to audition for the Luvabulls and stayed there as a captain for three of the four years. Dancing for me has been a way to use my athletic ability and create friendships…not the traditional creative outlet so many dancers find through dancing.
-What are your favorite memories of your time dancing in the NBA?
For sure I have some hilarious memories of being on an NBA dance team. The best memories were creating inside jokes among some of my closest team mates that you would not remotely find funny because you had to be there to experience our weird senses of humor! I think traveling to Amsterdam for the Holland Basketball Tournament created the most sleep-deprived humor that we still joke about to this day.
Well, the weather outside was FRIGID, but the Pacers excitement inside Bankers Life Fieldhouse these days is SO delightful.
On one hand, Indianapolis is having a lovely winter with a cycles of heavy snow followed by days of intense cold. But thankfully, the Pacers are hot, sporting the best record in the NBA, and of course, fans also get to see the wonderful Pacemates throughout the game.
But even an hour before tipoff, the Pacemates are at tables signing autographs, filming the fourth quarter “GET LOUD” video with fans, greeting fans, and hanging out with that kooky mascot cat Boomer. In addition, the Boom Babies were also on hand to give out prizes to fans playing games like Pacers Plinko. For those of you outside of Indy, Pacers former coach and current radio announcer Bobby “Slick” Leonard yells out, “Boom Baby” after Pacer three pointers, hence all the “Boom”-ing references.
And happy news that Pacemates Coach/Choreographer (and long-time Pacemate herself) Michelle Duggan recently became mommy to a beautiful baby boy, joining his big sister at the Duggan household! Wonderful news Michelle!
Twillie Cottingham, the new Director of the Alabama Hammer Girls (the dance team for Huntsville’s Alabama Hammers, the defending 2013 Professional Indoor Football League Champions) sends information about their upcoming auditions:
-The auditions are Saturday, February 15th
-At the Von Braun Center Ballet Room in Huntsville, Alabama
-Registration is from 8am-9am and then 9am-1pm will be tryouts
-Their first game is March 29, 2014
Ashley Pavone, the Director/Choreographer of the excellent Boston Cannons Dance Team of Major League Lacrosse, lets us know that auditions are just a few weeks off!
And you may have noticed, Ashley has a new last name since last season! Ashley was married on October 19th; wonderful news!
Click here for pdf:
Raiderette of the Year Tori yesterday represented Oakland in the Pro Bowl
