On Sunday June 24th, Chicago’s HiFi Fitness center seemed like it transformed into “Going Pro (Cheer and Dance) University.” Walk into one room, and a former NBA dancer/director was teaching a jazz choreography session. Walk a bit down the hallowed halls, and a trainer was at the white board talking nutrition. And it was like a “University” rather than merely “Going Pro College” because the day also had tips for activities that seem conjoined to pro dance: pageantry and fitness competitions/modelling. So it was kind of an undergrad/grad school feel: info and classes for those interested in entering pro cheer for the first time, and information about other activities that current pro cheerleaders may want to pursue in the future. Add to this mix a group of vendors with apparel, make-up, and jewelry, and scores of dancers from Chicago, Milwaukee, Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, and surrounding areas in all directions, and you have yourself an expo. Going Pro Expo – Chicago, that is!

All of this was due to the work of the dean, err, CEO of Going Pro Entertainment, Laura Eilers. Besides being a former NFL cheerleader with the Chiefs and Rams, and directing the dance team for indoor football’s Richmond Raiders, Laura is the reigning Ms. United States. In addition, Laura founded and is CEO of Going Pro, whose “mission is to provide consulting and business services to further the success of future, current and former professional cheerleaders, dancers and teams.” Started in Kansas City in 2008 and then multiple cities in 2009, Chicago’s Going Pro Expo was a another step in Going Pro’s development.

“This is really our first event that we have gone outside of pro cheer,” Laura explains. “So we have some really talented fitness professionals, one on a recent cover of Oxygen magazine. Nicole Duncan is coming up from Atlanta, she was a Falcons cheerleader. A lot of them have ties to pro cheer, but we find that a lot of times, like me leaving NFL, my next step was fitness and then pageantry. So this is a new format, and we are very excited. We brought in a lot of new people, to satisfy different needs.“

Did Laura think when she started as a Chiefs Cheerleader that pro cheer would become such a big part of her life? “No,” laughs Laura. “But I am very, very happy.”

Kicking off the Expo was a jazz choreography session taught by Rebecca Girard. Rebecca is the former 10-year Director of the Detroit Pistons Automotion Dance Team, where she also was a performer on the inaugural team. Asked what she views as a need for women trying out for the first time for pro dance teams, Rebecca answers, “To me, it is not necessarily about dancing, as it is about overall fitness, endurance, and presentation.” Rebecca explains, “It is a tough job, especially the NBA, because there are so many games.”

And as the class progressed, Rebecca’s teaching focus went from the moves themselves, to the smiles needed to add the presentation aspect. Assisting Rebecca was Sandy who coaches the Detroit Mechanix Maximum Intensity Dancers of the Ultimate Disc league. Adrenaline Rush Dancer Nicole, the Chicago Rush’s Dream Team selection for the Arena Bowl, was also helping out.

Speaking of the Arena Bowl, the coach of this year’s Dream Team, Adrenaline Rush Director Gloria Esposito taught the second dance session of the day, Hip Hop. Gloria is thrilled with her Arena Bowl coaching role, with its component of teaching three routines and four sidelines to dancers all across the country. Before the Dream Team converges on New Orleans at the Arena Bowl, Gloria explains, “We are sending them DVDs and then we will practice once we get there. When we get there, I already told them, we are auditioning for who will is in the front and who is in back. So you better come knowing your stuff if you want to be in the front,” laughs Gloria.

Once on an AFL Dream Team herself for an Arena Bowl in Phoenix, Gloria knows it will be a busy few days for herself and the Dream Team-ers. Gloria describes, “We are up at the crack of dawn and don’t go to bed until night, then it is up right away again.”

During her hip-hop session, Gloria included one of the routines that will be part of the Dream Team dances in New Orleans. So how fortunate that Angela of the Milwaukee Mustangs Dance Team was one of Fillies that was a student in Gloria’s class. Angela was selected to be on the Dream Team to represent the Fillies, so watch out Dream Team, Nicole of the Rush and Angela of the Fillies may be making a head start for those front row spots!

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Sunday’s Going Pro Expo/Chicago Pageantry 101 instructors, Laura Eilers, Ms. United States 2011 (former Chiefs and Rams Cheerleader) and Shannon Lersch, Miss Illinois USA 2008 (former Luvabull)

So, Green Bay Packers, if you need a little jump start to finally return pro dance to your sidelines, let me give you a little assistance. I have compiled a list of job requirements that you can use when you finally realize how patently obvious it is to include pro cheer entertainment as part of Lambeau Field’s game day experience. Plus, there is a leading candidate currently a bit south in the Milwaukee Mustangs AFL organization who would be perfect to make it happen. Alrighty, let’s start job requirements with, say,

– Experience as a Director of a pro dance squad absolutely required, preferably for football;
– Decades of dance experience, particularly in Northeast Wisconsin (optimally, being able to efficiently layer clothing like an art form is needed);
– Experience dancing for pro teams in the Green Bay or Milwaukee areas highly recommended. Dancing excellence, demonstrated by selection to dance on an All-Star team of pro dancers, is a plus;
– Based on the fact that the Packers are often in Super Bowls, experience performing during a Super Bowl pre-game or during the game is highly desirable;
-Also, experience with managing personal appearances throughout the Green Bay area required, such as serving as Miss Green Bay;
-College degree recommended and work experience in the orthopedic health field highly desirable;
-Priority will be given to the owners of the Green Bay Packers.

Well, the Packers could post this and go through all the HR time, but come on, let’s just give the job to Danielle of the AFL’s Milwaukee Mustangs, who is also Director/Dancer of their Fillies Dance Team, and call it a day. She can check off every item on that list in a heartbeat. But for now, Milwaukee’s AFL fans have the pleasure of seeing Danielle perform on game days, and throughout the community all over the Milwaukee area. In her fourth season dancing for Milwaukee AFL teams, and Director for two, Danielle works in the medical device field, is a pageant winner, and shares with UltimateCheerleders a dance journey that includes a trip to the Super Bowl.

Danielle was born and raised in Green Bay, and her love of her home town shines through. “I love Green Bay,” Danielle says. “It is a small town that rallies around a National Football League team. It is really unique.”

And Danielle was able to apply her affection for her beloved Green Bay with the unique opportunity to represent her home town Title Town by winning a title of her own. “I was Miss Green Bay Area 2007, a local title to the Miss America scholarship Pageant System and it was the perfect job for me,” Danielle explains.” I (was able) to represent the best city in the US and become more involved in my community.”

Danielle’s best memories of childhood include a little side business on Packers game day, and Packer fans may not have realized they were paying for college for Danielle. “Some of my fondest memories growing up were going to Mass Sunday morning and then rushing to Lambeau Field! My dad owned his own business near Lambeau so my mom and I would park cars in his parking lot on game day! We put the money we made in my college fund. No matter how cold it was outside, we would be out there three to four hours before game time, flagging cars in, and listening to pre-game talk on the radio! Once our parking lot was full, we would hurry home, drink hot chocolate, and watch the game!”

So Danielle, describe how much the Packers mean to the city of Green Bay? “Well, you are talking to one of the owners of the Green Bay Packers, so I can give you a great insight!” Danielle explains. “In case you don’t know, the Packers are the only publically owned team. Many people own just a few shares, but we all say we are owners, because we really are! The Packers mean a great deal to our city. We are truly a football city. You can walk around on game day and literally socialize with anyone! We all come together from different backgrounds, and jobs, and cities, to support our Packers. The Packers are very involved in community and donate a great amount of time, money and energy into making our community a better place to live. From a business standpoint, the amount of money that comes into the city from the Packers (fans staying at hotels, eating out, shopping, visiting the Hall of Fame, etc.) is crucial to our economy.”

Besides her affection for her home town, Danielle is a big football fan herself. “I have been lucky enough to go to many Packer games!” Danielle tells. “I grew up best friends with a Packer player’s daughter so she would take me to games as well. I still go to quite a few! Play-off games are some of the best!”

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The dancers that have performed previously for teams like the Ohio Eagles and the Dayton Silverbacks are in the process of becoming a non-profit independent organization. They are now called the Dayton Babes! They are preparing to be THE pro cheer/dance team for the region, performing at a wide range of events. Tonika Heath informs us that try-outs are on the horizon, starting June 29th with finals on July 1st. Here is the schedule:

-Friday night, June 29, at 6:45 in Wright State Universities Pathfinder Lounge: Registration and a Dayton Babe over view. Bring your resume and a recent head shot!

-Saturday Morning, June 30, 10 am at Wright State Universities Dance Studio C located inside WSU Gym: First round of auditions. Please be on time – and ready to impress! You need to wear skin colored tights, a sports bra or crop top and glamorous hair and makeup! Please wear dance style tennis shoes and black spandex shorts. Bring water and snacks.

-Sunday, July 1, The TRY OUT SHOWCASE. Time T.B.D Wright State Universities Student Union. This will be an open audition for all family, friends and community to attend.

Email miamivalleyperformers.mvps@gmail.com with any questions or to pre-register with your full name and phone number before the auditions. You can get $5 off your application fee.

Since way before books had covers, people have jumped to conclusions based on outward appearances. For instance, take Angela, one of the nominees for the Arena Bowl Net 10 Dream Team of dancers from each AFL team. Angela is a rookie on the Fillies Dance Team, which entertain at the Milwaukee Mustangs games. A college student, Angela has an infectious joyous smile and engaging personality, and upon meeting her, one might assume that this pageant winner who has been dancing, training in gymnastics, and playing ice hockey since she was young is simply skating effortlessly through a charmed life. But when one learns about Angela’s very personal pageant platform, you realize that Angela’s life experience, even at her young age, has included dealing with and overcoming some monumental challenges.

When Angela was in third grade, her parents and teachers began to notice struggles, including in school not being able to repeat what someone said, and at home having the TV volume at its maximum and still complaining that she could not hear it. Angela’s shyness and struggles in school were caused by a deterioration of her ability to hear, and she was near complete hearing loss. Years of treatment and procedures eventually returned Angela to full hearing, but those impactful years inspired Angela to use her experience as a platform to help others, including a website that describes her tumultuous journey (located at this link). Angela shared with UltimateCheerleaders her story, and her future goals to make children’s lives better.

Angela is a native of Wisconsin, and she describes her favorite childhood memories as, “I grew up in the suburbs of the Milwaukee County with my parents and older brother. I have a lot of memorable moments in my life but my favorite would have to be when I was six and my cousin would come over to watch me. I would pretend I was a hairstylist and do her hair and make-up. Let’s just say I chose a different career path when I grew up!”

Angela began dance and gymnastics when she was very young. “I started dancing at the age of four in a studio for many years,” Angela recounts. “I (also) started gymnastics at the age of four and continued it for twelve years. My favorite event is floor because I enjoyed learning daring tricks as in back tucks. I had no fear in trying any new dangerous flips. Gymnastics helped me in dance with the concentration, technique, and form of every move.”

A childhood of dance, gymnastics, and hockey progressed, and when she began experiencing hearing loss in elementary school, adaptable Angela continued her dance development. “I started dancing at the age of four and my loss of hearing was not detected until I was in third grade,” Angela explains. “Since I was so young, I was fortunate to adapt to the beats of the music to be able to dance equally as every other dancer. I also always stood in the front row while learning a routine to be able to watch the choreographer and reflect each movement.”

Four years of treatment were required for Angela to regain her hearing. “I was deaf in one ear and partially deaf in the other ear, so I had plenty of obstacles that I had to face in school, dance, and communicating with friends and family,” Angela describes. “I had what are called ‘tubes’ inserted into my eardrum that drained the fluid that helped me regain my hearing back. Unfortunately, it did not work and my hearing loss came back until I had to have three more procedures, and I was told if it did not work the fourth time, I would lose my hearing permanently. Those four years later, it finally worked and I now have my full hearing back.”

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Okay, Ron Howard, Brian Glaser, and all of those at Imagine Entertainment, let me pitch an idea for a new television show. The show’s central character is a talented, smart young woman who is a Director of Merchandising and Communications in the front office of a pro sports team, but also, when game day arrives, like a super hero, transforms by donning an orange uniform to captain the team’s dance squad. And on the family front, she has a bunch of older brothers who add a bunch of wacky fun to the goings-on. It has it all, the interesting situations and characters that are part of pro sports entertainment, handsome football players, and beautiful dancers.

Who inspired this brilliant show idea? It has to be Carlie, who not only is an Arena Bowl nominee, but captains the Fillies Dance Team, and by day is Director of Merchandising/Communications for the AFL’s Milwaukee Mustangs. An award winning journalism grad, with an impressive history of dance championships to her credit, Carlie uniquely is part of both the behind the scenes side of pro sports and is also on the field when the spotlight hits. Carlie shared with UltimateCheerleaders the varied aspects of her life, and although she claims it is not exciting enough to be the basis for a TV show (yeah right; Carlie, have you seen what’s on TV?), let me workshop it for you.

Carlie is originally from Sussex, Wisconsin, growing up with three older brothers. About the effect of being surrounded by brothers, Carlie says, “Even though I was always a girlie girl, growing up with brothers made me tougher and helped me establish a great sense of humor. While it hurt to be picked on by them as a kid, it helped me learn to laugh at myself and not take things so seriously, which is a very important personality trait.” So Carlie, were your brothers influenced to become excellent dancers because of you? “I can’t vouch for their dance skills,” Carlie reports, “But I thank them for my love for Metallica, raunchy comedies, and overusing expletives.”

Carlie’s lifelong love of dance goes back so far, she only recently found out how she started. Carlie says, “I asked my mom not long ago how or why I started, and she said, ‘You just asked me one day if you could start dance lessons.’ As they say, the rest is history.”

And her dance history started when Carlie was a little one, and continued until she herself was a coach. “I began dancing when I was three years old at a local studio, and I continued tap, jazz, ballet, theatre and classical ballet until I graduated high school,” Carlie remembers. “I also danced for two years on my middle school area dance team, four years varsity poms in high school, one year at UW-Green Bay and one year at UW-Milwaukee. I choreographed for a middle school dance team while I was in high school, I co-coached and choreographed a brand-new middle school dance team in Green Bay while in college, and I also am WACPC-certified and judge dance competitions around Wisconsin.”

“Without dance, I don’t think I would have an identity,” reflects Carlie. “It’s one of the only things I know I’m good at and that I feel good about doing, and I can’t imagine a life without it. It’s also given me good posture and a keen ability to count music.”

Carlie’s dance resume includes an impressive collection of award winning collaborations. Twice her high school team won the state Hip Hop championship, first place national titles for Anita’s Dance Center, first place at Nationals for UW-Green Bay Phoenix Dance Team, top 18 honors at UDA Nationals in Florida for UW-Milwaukee Panther Dance Team in 2009, and she also won an All-Star award at UDA camp. For Carlie, the key attributes of winning competitive dance teams are, “Discipline, dedication, and hard work. It sounds cliché, but it’s so true. My high school dance team, the Sussex Hamilton Chargerettes, was two-time state championship holders in Hip Hop during my four years on the team. My senior year, we were three points away from first. Our pom routines were always in the top four at state, but hip hop was our specialty. We perfected the dreaded ‘3-peat’ or ‘5-peat,’ where we’d perform one routine, rest thirty seconds, perform the next routine, rest one minute, and so on until we’d performed the two-minute routines three, four, or five times. We cleaned each routine extensively, performed in groups of two and used the ‘start and stop’ method, where if our coach saw one mistake, she’d stop the song and we’d have to start from the beginning. Dedication is key!”

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Congratulations to the 2012 TopCats! They are in for an exciting season and a world of memories.

And they just have to ask one of the original TopCats to learn the impact the experience can have on them. When I visited the TopCats last October, I met Janelle Rayford. She was a TopCat on the inaugural squad in 1996, and after cheering, she has been helping the TopCats every year on game days. Janelle told me, “The organization is just phenomenal, it was a great start for a great career for me. They teach you how to be professional. A lot of people think, ‘Oh, cheerleaders,’ but the Panthers run a class A organization.”

Janelle, who is a project manager who also dabbles in real estate, tried out as a whim originally. Janelle remembers, “It was like 400 girls, and I just went to have fun. (I thought), ‘I am not going to make it, look at all of these women!’ I had been with the Charlotte Rage, Arena Football, and I had fun with that, but that’s not (major league) professional. But I thought I will go and try out, my friends talked me into it. I said, ‘I am not going to make it, so we’ll just go here and have fun,’ and I kept making through the cuts. I’m thinking, ‘Well, wait a minute, I might have a chance.’ So I felt bad, the girl I drove with didn’t make it, so she had to wait for me all day.”

I asked Janelle if things for the TopCats had changed over the years, and she told me, “It has definitely changed. Our uniforms, we had the cat collar, one piece..” But does Janelle ever wish she was back out there dancing on the field? “Sometimes I do,” Janelle said, “When I see them out there, I think, ‘Ohh, I would love to put a uniform on and go back.”

For the new rookie TopCats, get ready for lots of high kicks, for in my humble opinion, the TopCats signature is the super high, explosure, outta nowhere high kick. I told Richelle Grant, TopCats Coordinator/Choreographer how impressive they are, and Richelle told me that during the routine when each TopCat is introduced to the fans at their first game, “It was so many kick lines in that routine, I was amazed at how they kept their stamina up. ”

So congratulations TopCats, you will definitely “get a kick out of” your upcoming season. (And observant Buffalo cheer guru Phil tells us, “Ashley W, the redhead on the right in the front row, spent 2008 and part of 2009 on the sidelines of Ralph Wilson Stadium as a Buffalo Jill.”)

Bryan Strickland/Senior Writer
Panthers.com

CHARLOTTE – For aspiring TopCats like Katy Plant, it’s a dream come true.

For veteran TopCats like Eiesha Williamson, the dream lives on.

Thirteen returners and 11 rookies have been selected to represent the Carolina Panthers as TopCats cheerleaders for the 2012 season after surviving a month-long tryout process that started with about 150 hopefuls.

“I’m so excited,” said Plant, who just graduated from Appalachian State University. “It definitely was tough. It challenges you mentally, physically and emotionally.

“But I have never felt so welcomed. It was an exhilarating experience and an amazing experience. I can already say I’ve made friends for a lifetime. It’s a little sisterhood, and I’m excited to be a part of it.”

While Plant didn’t know what to expect when she decided to try out, Williamson certainly did. Shelby Williams is only TopCat with more experience – she made it for the fifth time – but Williamson was first on the squad in 2005 before taking a break and now returning for a third consecutive season.

“You’re even more eager to try out as a veteran because you know what’s at stake, you know the excitement that’s going to take place in the year to come,” Williamson said. “At the same time, that brings more anxiety because you want it so bad.

“It also gets more difficult. The dancing improves every year, and there’s more physical training involved with auditions. When I came back in 2010, the expectations were higher. The squad just gets better every year.”

And making the squad gets tougher. Cheerleader choreographer/coordinator Richelle Grant said the 40 finalists were pushed harder than ever this year, having to learn three different routines from scratch on three consecutive nights before taking the weekend to prepare for the final audition.

“It was definitely the most challenging audition we’ve had from a learning and execution standpoint,” Grant said. “We have raised the bar each year. They handled it very well.”

Dancing ability is a big part of the equation, but it’s only a part of the puzzle when selecting the squad.

Williamson epitomizes the total person the TopCats covet. Already having earned undergraduate and master’s degrees, the Charlotte resident is on track to earn her Ph.D. in organizational management and business in 2013.

In the meantime, the business she founded in 2001 as a part of the Miss Virginia pageant, MADE Today Inc., now has four Charlotte locations teaching more than 300 girls cheerleading, dance and gymnastics.

“Education is huge to me,” Williamson said. “I believe I’ll technically be the first doctor TopCat.”

Plant is just starting on her journey, managing to participate in the protracted tryout process as she put the finishing touches on earning a degree in management. She is one of three recent Appalachian State dance team members to make this year’s TopCats squad, along with Maegan Eichinger and Katie Guthrie.

“When I went to my first Panthers game when I was eight years old, watching them dance really inspired me as a young girl,” Plant said. “Seeing the TopCats at such a young age helped give me the kind of passion I have, so I figured I’d go out on a limb and go after a childhood dream.”

2012 TOPCATS
Marissa A
Courtney A
Hailey A
Myra A
Whitney B
Jenny B
Laura B
Katie B
Lindsey B
Nayfe C
Laken C
Lauren D
Maegen E
Katie G
Kristy P
Shannon P
Katy P
Stacey S
Lauren T
Jeri W
Ashley W
Shelby W
Eiesha W
Lindsey Y

And for those of you, like me, who just CANNOT wait for NFL season, here are some photos of the TopCats from last October, including returning Eisha at this link.

http://procheerfans.smugmug.com/Sports/Carolina-Panthers-TopCats/23312790_rkDVkm#!i=1881548310&k=w8N49qP&lb=1&s=A

In their AFL game against the Georgia Force, the Milwaukee Mustangs could not pull out the win in a dramatic finish, after twice holding 21-point leads. However, their dance team, the Fillies, on the field as vast underdogs in their competition at halftime, pulled out a victory of their own, literally.

But that was just one component of their activity that night. Think the Mustangs rely on their Fillies Dance Team? Well, during the May 18th home game against the Georgia Force at the Bradley Center, as gates opened, the pre-game advertised promotion was Fillies poster autographs. At halftime, the Fillies not only performed but also participated in tug o’ wars against firemen and policemen, and at the end of the night, the Fillies were signing autographs during post-game when the fans are able to visit the turf. All this surrounding a game filled with routines and being part of the game break entertainment, you can see that the Fillies are one visible squad on game day.

Fans entered the Bradley Center and had a really tough decision: which table of Fillies should they start their autographs? It was Military Night, so veterans, current military members, and their families were prominent among the entering fans.

Soon, it was time for the Fillies to return to the locker room for a little pre-game prep. In a city that features a Harley-Davidson Museum, it was natural that right outside the locker room, motorcycles and one different type of Mustang, awaited to drive that the Fillies onto the field for pre-game introductions.

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Nicole Leblanc, Director of Media & Public Relations for the AFL’s Milwaukee Mustangs, informs us that the Fillies dance team has a clinic coming up, with information at this link.

Dance with us!

Kids ages 5-17 will have a chance to dance with the Milwaukee Mustangs’ Fillies Dance Team members at their inaugural Lil’ Fillies clinic that will take place on Saturday, July 14 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

You will:

-Perform at halftime at a Milwaukee Mustangs game on July 14

-Enjoy a three-hour clinic with a professional dance team

-Learn choreography from a professional choreographer

You will receive:

-A special edition Lil’ Fillies T-shirt

-Pair of poms

-One free ticket to July 14 game and discounted tickets for friends and family

-A Fillies Dance Team autographed poster

-Ability to purchase photos from the performance at discounted rate

For questions or to pre-register, please call 414-224-4000.