Shalize of the Orlando Magic Dancers before Christmas 2012

Colette of the Indianapolis Tornados Syrens during Saturday night’s game

Stefanie of the Indianapolis Colts Cheerleaders

Kylie Crull, the Corporate Communications Manager for the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx, gives us the scoop that prep classes and auditions for the Minnesota Timberwolves Dancers are right around the corner!

Timberwolves Dancers Open Auditions Set for July 20 at Life Time Fitness in Target Center

Prep Classes Slated for June 30 and July 14;
Finals Held at Treasure Island Casino (Date TBA)

Minneapolis/St. Paul – The Minnesota Timberwolves Dancers, directed by manager Athenia Elie, are searching for talented and energetic women who are passionate about dance to become members of the 2013-14 team. The Timberwolves Dancers are holding open auditions on Saturday, July 20 at 3:30 p.m. (2:30 p.m. registration) at the Wolves Practice Facility in Life Time Fitness Target Center. The auditions are open to all aspiring dancers at least 18 years old (as of July 20, 2013). No previous professional dance team or cheer experience is required. After the open auditions, finalists will take part in interviews and training camp prior to the final auditions at Treasure Island Resort & Casino (date TBA).

“I’m excited about kicking off the 2013 Timberwolves Dancers audition process,” Elie said.” I’m looking for confident young women who have the passion, commitment, and swagger that it takes to perform alongside veteran Timberwolves Dancers who are considered the Twin Cities premier performance group.”

Details for the audition process are as follows:

What to Bring: Photo ID, Current Photos: Headshot and Full Body Shot (5×7 or larger preferred), Dance Resume and Professional Resume (if applicable), $30 Registration Fee
What to Wear: Crop Top, Hot Shorts, Dance or Tennis Shoes, Full Hair/Make-Up

Prior to the July 20 auditions, the Timberwolves Dancers will host two prep classes; one on June 30 and one on July 14. The prep classes will be conducted at Life Time Fitness in Target Center beginning with check in at 3:00 p.m. and classes being held from 3:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. The classes cost $30 per session and participants will gain experience learning the styles of dance routines the team performs, while getting an inside look into the brand and philosophies of the Timberwolves Dancers. Attire for the prep classes is comfortable dance clothes and non-marking sole shoes/sneakers. Participation in a prep class prior to auditions is not required, but is highly recommended. Discount bundled packages are available. For more information or to register for the prep classes, e-mail dancers@timberwolves.com or go to www.nba.com/timberwolves/dancers.

The Timberwolves Dancers are among the elite performance teams in all of professional sports. Last year they introduced Athenia Elie as their new Dance and Performance Manager. The Timberwolves Dancers represent the Timberwolves organization at all home games and at numerous events throughout the community each season. For more information on the Timberwolves Dancers and this summer’s open auditions, log on to timberwolves.com or e-mail dancers@timberwolves.com.

Contact information:
Aaron Seehusen, Minnesota Timberwolves, Call: (612) 673-1602, Email: seehusen@timberwolves.com
Dan Bell, Minnesota Timberwolves, Call: (612) 673-1603, Email: bell@timberwolves.com

Kelli Russell from the NHL’s Florida Lady Panthers shares the upcoming schedule:

Get an edge on the competition by attending our Prep Classes. Get a sneak peek of the choreography, meet current Lady Panthers, receive tips from the Director, plus your chance to receive a ‘FREE PASS’ which advances you to the Semi-Final phase of the audition.

CHEERLEADER PREP CLASSES:
Prep classes will be held on the below dates at the BB&T Center from 7:00PM – 8:30PM.

Fill Out Prep Class Form Online Here or Download Prep Class Form Here

Tuesday, June 18
Wednesday, June 26
Tuesday, July 2
Wednesday, July 10
Thursday, July 11
Wednesday, July 17
Thursday, July 18 – 7:00PM – 9:00PM – “Sneak Peek” Learn actual audition dance!

CHEERLEADER PRELIMINARY AUDITIONS:
Saturday, July 20 at BB&T Center in Sunrise, FL
Fill Out Audition Application Online Here or Download Audition Application Here

For more information, please visit us at www.floridapanthers.com/ladypanthers

Heidi of the Tennessee Titans Cheerleaders

Just as last Sunday’s Indy 500’s flying start featured the first row of the three speediest drivers roaring past the start/finish line, the 56th IPL 500 Festival Parade needed a triple boost to match its theme, “Turbocharging Indy.” So what better way to kick off the parade with the Indianapolis pro cheer triple threat of the combined Pacemates, Colts Cheerleaders, and the Colts Alumni Cheerleaders! In addition to a routine with the three squads on their own, they then danced during the parade’s opening singing number performed by country music’s Tate Stevens.

With the Pacemates in their Memorial Day weekend traditional checkered tops, the Colts Cheerleaders in uniform, and the Colts Cheer Alumni in their blue tops and silver poms, the parade had a perfect injection of energy! And if you remember, last November Colts Cheerleaders Megan (above) and Crystal Anne (below left) had their hair shaven during a game to support Colts coach Chuck Pagano, who was fighting cancer. Well, Megan is now an alumni, and Crystal Anne is back on the squad, and their locks are returning quite nicely!

We asked veteran Colts Cheerleader Allie (pictured above right) about this unique performance venue:

What was it like to perform on the unique “stage” to open the parade?

Allie: Performing at the start line of the Indy 500 Parade was exhilarating and surreal. We were joined by 50 of our Alumni, as well as the Indiana Pacemates, to perform a short dance number around an Indy 500 pace car centerpiece. After that performance wrapped up, Tate Stevens (winner of this season of The X-Factor) emerged from the pace car, surprising the crowd, to perform his hit single, “Holler If You’re With Me”.
Dancing to his flawless live performance in front of such an electric crowd coupled with a finale of streamers and confetti shooting in to the stands made for one of my top five favorite appearances in my three years as a Colts cheerleader!

What was the experience of walking in Indiana’s largest parade like?

Allie: Having the honor of leading the 2013 Indy 500 Parade down the streets of Indianapolis surrounded by a crowd of nearly 300,000 was something I never envisioned having the opportunity to experience! My cheerleading career has consisted of a number of local small town parades, however, the Indy 500 Parade was in a different league. At a certain point on the parade route, I began to compare the experience to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The animated floats, character balloons, and energetic crowds were dazzling!

Did you like being able to perform with Pacemates and ICC Alumni?

Allie: The Indianapolis Colts are in our 30th year as an organization so being able to celebrate that accomplishment with members from each of the 30 squads was such a special opportunity. We met at the training facility to practice a couple weeks before our big performance and were able to get to know the alumni and hear stories of their experiences. One highlight was hearing from one of the original Colts Cheerleaders about a surreal and hilarious moment while browsing an antique shop and finding a photo of her 1984 squad for sale!

What are you looking forward to as next big events for the Colts Cheerleaders this summer?

Allie: This is an exciting time to be a Colts cheerleader. We have a few photo shoots coming up in the next couple of weeks including our annual swimsuit calendar, our training camp to prepare routines is upon us, and most exciting of all is that the beginning of another winning football season is just a few months away! GO COLTS!

Thanks Allie for sharing your thoughts about this experience!

So the parade gave us a chance to see the cross-section of seasons, with the Pacemates still cheering on the Pacers in the Eastern Conference championship series, and the Colts Cheerleaders preparing for an NFL pre-season that will be here before we know it. Maybe both the Pacers and Colts can add another parade to Indy’s future: championship parades! “Holler If You’re With Me” on that one Tate!

Click on this link for a bunch more photos.

Monday Night Football may be a few months off, but Monday Night Auditions are here! Watch the TopCats Final Audition tonight on panthers.com beginning at 7:00 p.m!

If you know parents with young ones that are a bit behind in their coordination, take a listen to Laura Eilers Clark. “I was about three years old when I was ‘prescribed’ to attend dance classes by my pediatrician,” explains Laura. “Apparently I was quite clumsy, tripping and running into walls. He thought it would be good for me to learn some coordination, so advised my parents that I take dance.” That little girl would go on to win the crown of Ms. America 2011. And if you know someone who started off by not making their life’s first big try-out, also take a listen to Laura. “Junior high was my first chance to audition for the cheerleading squad and I did not make it but my very best friend did make it,” Laura recalls. “I cried for weeks and weeks, I was so jealous and sad.” That pre-teen would go on to a life that included cheering for two NFL teams, the Chiefs and the Rams, over six seasons.

Plus, in the world of pro cheer, there are still lots of reasons to still listen to Laura because she is Founder and Executive Director of Going Pro Entertainment, a leading resource for professional cheerleading and dance services, and also Sales Director for Angela King Designs, Inc and Go Wild! Wear, leading outfitters in the world of pro dance and cheer. In addition, Laura is Director for the Maryland, District of Columbia, and Delaware Miss United States Organization. And after a whirlwind 2012, when Laura finished her reign as Ms. United States, married her husband Matt, and moved to a new city, things are picking up again as the 2013 spring/summer Pro Cheer All Stars Convention and Workshop Tour is underway, including Going Pro Expo – Atlanta, this Sunday, May 5th. Last summer at Chicago’s event, I asked Laura if she thought that pro cheer would become such a big part of her life when she started as a Chiefs Cheerleader, and she laughed, “No, but I am very, very happy.” Laura recently shared with UltimateCheerleaders the details of her cheerful life, both on the sidelines and off, including entering the first pageant of her life and winning its state and then a national title.

In Laura’s pro cheer enterprise, part of the mission of Going Pro is providing an opportunity for those with a pro cheer dream to get the information they need to maximize their potential. Laura knows the importance first-hand from her own experiences during her initial NFL try-out. “It’s funny because the first time I auditioned for Chiefs, it was because I was graduating college and wanted to continue performing,” Laura explains. “And when you live in an NFL market, that’s just what you do! I had no idea everything that went into auditions or the job itself. I was NOT ready. My first year I attended some prep classes, but I really took for granted the responsibility behind becoming an NFL cheerleader. I did make finals, but I did not make the team. I actually fell during my audition. I’m pretty certain I wore a very generic black top and black short, and not nearly enough makeup. I learned so much before going back to audition again, and luckily I had some friends on the team to guide me and provide some feedback. Dance always came easily to me. I had to work more on the look and knowledge. I adopted a new hair color and style, a little more glam, more body tone, a better understanding of the attitude needed to represent the NFL. I’m really blessed to have made the team. There are many very deserving women who don’t get that chance.”

Laura started her NFL career where she born and raised. “I was born near Kansas City in 1979,” says Laura. “I’m actually quite thankful I was born in that year; a child of the seventies! I lived in the same house my entire childhood until I left for college. I’m an only child so life was very different from most of my friends. I became very independent and learned to occupy my time with projects and discovery.”

“I always did well in school,” Laura continues. “My ‘thing’ was spelling bees. I would study spelling books for hours, and in sixth grade I won the school spelling bee, then the county spelling bee, then placed very high in the district spelling bee. I won an encyclopedia set!”

Laura always has spelled out fitness as a key to her life. “I was always involved in the dance studio, gymnastics, volleyball, and track,” explains Laura. “I remember quite clearly the first jog I took with my mom I think we went about four blocks and I was in tears. It became one of my favorite things over time to run, and in high school I competed in sprints, relays, and hurdles.”

After her pediatrician prescribed a bit of dance for little Laura, dance became a central part of her life. “I loved it; all of the tap and jazz classes,” Laura recalls. “I hated ballet. I think I was kicked out. It moved too slowly for me. That is one of my biggest regrets is that, even though I continued to absorb technique, ballet is the foundation of dance and I envy those who find technical skills and form much easier.”

And although she was so disappointed that she did not make her first junior high cheerleading team, Laura reflects, “But I’m happy for that now, because it allowed me to dive into some other opportunities like track, volleyball, and student council. I became my class vice president, giving a speech in front of the whole school. I think that more than anything increased my confidence. So a year later I auditioned again and actually made the Junior Varsity High School cheerleading squad. My jumps were getting better, and I was not so awkward.”

But the next steps put Laura on the course towards NFL sidelines. “We could not be on the ‘Drill Team,’ aka the dance team, until junior year, and I auditioned and made the team,” remembers Laura. “Things changed from there! I loved being on a team, learning new routines, going to camp, supporting my school. Cheerleading was fun, but dance for me was my creative outlet. It was a challenge and my absolute favorite thing. I knew I wanted dance to remain in my life forever. I received a dance scholarship to William Jewell College, a small private liberal arts college in Liberty, Missouri, where I was a Public Communication major.”

“It was at that time, I learned about the process of auditioning for the NFL,” Laura says. “Many of our dancers auditioned each year for the Kansas City Chiefs Cheerleaders, and many of them made it each year. I was incredibly blessed to be offered a job working with Universal Dance Association teaching summer camps, and our college team was very successful competing at nationals, so I decided to concentrate on school and take my time before entering the NFL. My college team placed sixth at nationals while I was there, and I became the team captain. I also was promoted to the UDA head instructor for Kansas and Missouri, where I remained for four summers. It was through UDA that I continued improving my technique and made some great team contacts for judging and choreography.”

“But Chiefs was always a goal,” Laura explains. “My parents had season tickets, and when I was a college senior I went to a Monday night Chiefs game. I remember looking down from the top level of the stadium at the player intro tunnel, lined with sparkling sequins and pom poms. Wow! I knew I would be there one day. I guess I have never feared a challenge, and while everything in life does not come easily to me, I am willing to work for it.”

“I auditioned for the first time as I was graduating college, made finals and did not get selected. That was back when auditions were one weekend, closed to the public, no rhinestoned audition attire needed,” laughs Laura. “Things have sure changed! Now I know that I was not ready to take on that job. I thought, ‘Well if I made it to finals my first year, I must not be far off!’ I sought out more advice on hair, makeup, fitness, and performance style, and two years later, I returned to auditions and did make the team. I was one of seven rookies selected. I was on the team for five years, was captain for two years, performed in seven countries while supporting our troops. I appeared in the swimsuit calendar, choreographed many field routines and junior routines; it was an amazing experience. I made so many great friends and was guided by amazing leadership.”

Laura’s first game as a Kansas City Chiefs Cheerleader was memorable in so many ways: its location, special preparation, famous people, and extreme weather. “I very clearly remember my first game cheering for the Chiefs,” remembers Laura. “It was the 2003 Hall of Fame Game versus the Packers in Canton, Ohio. We had to perform seven routines; which for a rookie is intense because there is so much new material. The whole week was very memorable because I met Hank Stram, the original football coach for the Chiefs who won Super Bowl IV. He is a Kansas City legend.”

“When we were cheering at the game, it started to rain during halftime, so we headed to the locker room, which was underneath the stadium with an outdoor entrance,” continues Laura. “Halftime continued to be delayed because of lightning, and then just a few minutes later, water came rushing into the locker room under the door. I don’t know where all that water came from, but it was like a flood. All the cheerleaders jumped up in uniform on the locker room benches to avoid the water. The game ended up getting called for rain and lightning, so my very first ‘half game’ was in the books.”

(more…)

There is the short version of Spurs Silver Dancer Anncell’s move from Los Angeles to San Antonio. Last year in LA, Anncell decided at the beginning of the week to try out in San Antonio for the Silver Dancers, and by Friday, Anncell was jetting to San Antonio, and by Tuesday she was a Silver Dancer. But the reality of Anncell’s back story is that this weeklong whirlwind only happened because of Anncell’s lifelong commitment, drive, and devotion to pro cheer, with hard work and determination to always improve every aspect of her skills. Her positive spirit opens up horizons that most others would not glimpse, much less pursue. Anncell shared with UltimateCheerleaders her path from aspiring pro dancer to ChivaGirl to Laker Girl to Silver Dancer, with a path that included auditions that ranged from disappointing to those with exhilarating conclusions. But like her NBA moves, no matter what, Anncell is in perpetual motion, and with an ever-present smile. And we just love love love any pro dancer who lists UltimateCheerleaders as their favorite website on their bio. You will see why everyone who encounters Anncell soon adds her to their own personal list of “Favorites.”

Anncell was born and raised in Los Angeles, and lived there until she moved to San Antonio last year. When asked if from birth, she was ‘born to perform,’ Anncell laughs, “I’m not sure if I was ‘born to perform,’ but if you ask my family or friends I’m sure they would beg to differ. Let’s just say I’m very energetic.”

And from day one, Anncell’s relationship to her parents has been truly special. “I cannot even begin to say how truly AMAZING my parents are,” Anncell explains. “They have been so supportive in each and every area of my life and are my biggest cheerleaders. Although I thought they were too strict when I was younger, I now appreciate them and all the opportunities they’ve afforded me. I’m so thankful for their unconditional love, guidance, and support.”

“My favorite feature about my mom is her wisdom,” Anncell continues. “No matter what’s going on in my life, I know I can count on her to give me sound advice. My dad is very corny and goofy but that’s definitely what I love most about him.” So what traits from her amazing parents does the amazing Anncell attribute to them? “As far as my personality is concerned, I’m a mix of my mom’s sass and wisdom and my dad’s generosity and sense of humor,” Anncell answers.

Dancing was not always ‘love at first tap’ for Anncell. “My love for dance did not start in the typical way,” Anncell explains. “When my mom was growing up, she really wanted to be a dancer but her family couldn’t afford it. When she was a senior in high school, she finally was able to be a cheerleader, and went on to cheer in college and even joined a dance company. Because of her love for dance, she put me in dance classes at a very early age. To be completely honest I HATED it. I would cry on the way to Saturday morning dance classes because all I wanted to do was stay at home and watch cartoons, or go to the mall with my friends. I even went to a performing arts high school, so I had to dance at school, too. I really didn’t apply myself and didn’t realize at the time how much I loved dance because I was too focused on the fact that I didn’t want to do it.”

But once she could choose not to dance, Anncell made a surprising choice. “When I turned eighteen and started college, I had my way,” Anncell remembers. “I no longer had to dance. By the end of my first semester I felt like something was missing in my life, so I signed up for tap class as an elective. Taking the tap class is when it hit me. I knew what was missing. I missed the feeling of performing and expressing myself through movement! I missed it so much I ended up joining the cheerleading squad.”

(more…)