Despite being the “unofficial” Detroit Lions dance team, the Detroit Pride Cheerleaders draw women from miles and miles away to be part of the squad. Of course, there are women from the local metro area, like second year veteran Sierra, but three of the dancers, including co-captain Shannon, roll in from practically “Another World” away, from Bay City, Michigan, up north. And, as you would expect from someone whose dad was a Cowboy (a Dallas Cowboy, that is), Kaiti drives in from the Wild West; two hours west, from East Lansing, Michigan. What prompts these young women to devote such time and effort to be part of the Lions unofficial team? Sierra, Shannon, and Kaiti shared with UltimateCheerleaders their motivations to be part of the popular DPC.

Shannon, in her second season with the squad was born and raised in Bay City, which is about a two hour drive from Detroit. “I attended college at Saginaw Valley State University where I received my Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and Business/Communications,” Shannon says. “I am currently employed as a customer service representative with a Michigan-based bank. I hope to return to school in the near future to earn my Master’s degree and pursue a job in human resources.”

Meanwhile, two hours to the west, Kaiti drives in from Michigan State to be part of the team. “I grew up in the small town of Hartland, which is about an hour outside of Detroit,” explains Kaiti. “My family has always instilled in me a big love of football! My father was an MVP player at Michigan State in the early 1970’s and was actually drafted to the Dallas Cowboys, where he played for a short time. I always knew that if I couldn’t play football myself, I would get as close to the game as possible! I currently attend Michigan State University. I am a senior majoring in Health, and I plan on attending nursing school next year to obtain my RN license. My ‘full-time job’ is school right now and I also work part-time as a bartender at a local college bar. My big goal is to become an Emergency Room nurse and work at a hospital downtown.”

Sierra was born in Detroit and has always lived in the Detroit metro area, including a time near Pontiac, the location of the Lions’ former dome field. Next semester, Sierra will begin her studies at Wayne State, as she explains, majoring in, “Criminal Justice, my minor is Dance. My dream job is to go into law enforcement, leaning towards forensic science.”

Unlike most cheer squads, the big performances by the Detroit Pride Cheerleaders occur long before kick-off, as they perform extended dance sets at tailgate locations around Ford Field. So, the DPC members don’t have to just be there early, they have to be in Detroit for hair, make-up, and in uniform to be ready to perform at 9:30 in the morning. Shannon explains, “Game day for DPC is a very long day especially for me and the two other girls that come from Bay City. Our day begins between 4:30 and 5:00 a.m.; shower, eating breakfast, and then heading out for our two hour trip to Luigi Bruni Salon to get our hair and make-up done. We spend about an hour there getting prepped and ready, with lots of hairspray and lip gloss to ensure our style will last all day. Somehow, with the excitement of the game, each other’s support, and a lot of coffee, we make it through the almost ten-hour day with very little down-time.”

For MSU’s Kaiti, planning to the n’th degree is key, as she says, “My preparation begins days in advanced. I try to follow a strict sleeping, nutritional, and fitness regimen as closely as possible at all times. However, that can be challenging when you live in a big college town like East Lansing! The self-discipline pays off though as I am usually not struggling to get in work-outs or diet in unhealthy ways when it’s time for games. On game days, I wake up about four hours before I am scheduled to be in attendance for hair and make-up, because my drive is just under two hours. My wake-up ranges from 3 a.m. to 5 a.m. I try to get a lot of sleep, and even pack up my game-day bag days before, just in case! I fill up my gas tank and have a new CD ready to go the night before as well, my expressway pump-up CD!” Wow, anyone under the medical care of Kaiti when she begins her career as a nurse will benefit from one well-prepared health care provider!

And although Sierra doesn’t have a long drive to get to Detroit, it doesn’t mean that sleep was abundant for her either prior to this season’s first real home game. “I was rolling around all night long, because this is the first regular season game,” recalls Sierra. “Nerve wracking!”

The game day for the Detroit Pride Cheerleaders extends from morning performances at tailgates, to greeting fans for extended periods after the game. When asked if her cheeks ever get sore from a day chock full of smiling, Kaiti responds, “My cheeks can get a bit sore from smiling, but I’ve noticed that right at the moment when I feel my smile hurting is the same time a fan will come up and say, ‘I am so happy to see cheerleaders at a Lions game, finally!’ When a lifelong season ticket holder makes that remark, it hits you what this is all about.”

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The synergy of creative singer/songwriters and supportive radio personalities took the 1960’s Motown sound from Detroit to worldwide acclaim. Such synergy is also exemplified by the two creators of the Detroit Pride Cheerleaders. Andrea Wilamowski, an experienced entertainer as a singer/songwriter herself, and Stacey Latona, a radio personality and media marketing pro, are in the process of taking their Detroit Pride Cheerleaders creation to more and more acclaim as each day passes. Andrea and Stacey saw a need for a talented and beautiful dance squad to support their local Detroit Lions, and have been through an interesting journey as they have formed the Pride as the “unofficial” Detroit Lions cheerleaders. The Pride Cheerleaders have become a visible fan favorite, with their indefatigable goal to take the next steps, actually dance steps, on the Ford Field sidelines. Andrea, the Director of Operations, and Stacey, Director of Marketing, now have a squad, in their second unofficial season, with the look and the presence of an experienced NFL dance team. Andrea and Stacey share with UltimateCheerleaders.com their complementary talents, their hard work and determination, and a look into their crystal ball of the Detroit Pride Cheerleaders’ future.

Both Andrea and Stacey are native Michiganders with their own personal history of cheer, dance, and fanatical sports support. Andrea explains, “I was actually born in Battle Creek, Michigan, but from the age of one, I grew up in a small city in northern Michigan called Frankfort. Truly a city where everybody knows your name! Football and school spirit is a huge part of life in Frankfort and I loved to watch it, learn it, and cheer for it! I cheered all through grade school, high school, and danced in college. I loved all sports actually and besides being a cheerleader, I played basketball and ran track. And, if anyone ever was to question my pride and spirit, let it be noted that even back in high school, I was voted ‘Most School Spirited!’ (among other things) in my senior year! I grew up with football in my family and probably watched almost every Detroit Lions game ever played! After graduation, I went to Michigan State University to study corporate business and pre-law. I was a part of the MSU Motion dance group as I have always been in love with cheering, dance, and football. I am a firm believer that they all truly go together to form an amazing experience!”

Stacey’s history includes pro dance, as she details, “I was born in Detroit, Michigan, and grew up in Farmington Hills, Michigan where I attended Farmington High School. I danced growing up from a young age and was a Farmington Rocket Cheerleader from eight years old to thirteen. I kept cheerleading into high school and later on danced semi-pro for the Mid-Michigan Great Lakers semi-pro basketball team in Saginaw.”

Sports in Michigan, and Detroit in particular, are an important part of the fabric that bonds their citizens. As Andrea explains, “It starts at an early age in Michigan. I grew up in northern Michigan where football is huge. People eat, sleep, and breathe football, especially Lions football. The proof is happening right now. The Lions suffered through so many losses but their fans continued to support them. Even when the economy was at its worst, fans still managed to save enough for tickets to come out and support ‘their team!’ The Ford family may truly own the team, but the spirit and pride of the people in Michigan is so great that they too feel a sense of ownership that dedicates them to the Lions.”

Stacey adds, “Detroit doesn’t have oceans to go hang out at or mountains to go hike. We’ve got boating and sports! Our teams are why we gather. We are all united in some way and it’s different than larger cities. When LA came to play the Pistons back in the day, fans found out where the Lakers were staying in Birmingham and were loud outside all night trying to keep them awake so they would play poorly the next day. Now that is dedication. My husband, who I was dating at the time and was from LA, said no one in LA would ever take the time to do something like that. We just love our teams and when we are winning, it’s like nothing else.”

Both Andrea and Stacey emerged from college to begin careers in entertainment, using their vocal talents in different ways. For Andrea, it was singing, “While at Michigan State, I was offered a singing contract on a major record label in Nashville, Tennessee, and I accepted the opportunity and moved there to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. I was fortunate to write music with many famous musicians, touring the states, and recorded an album or two. I lived in Nashville for eight years.”

On the flip side, Stacey was using her voice to begin a radio career with a sports focus, “After graduating from Specs Howard School of Broadcasting, I spent the next eight years as an on-air personality, from nights in Sault Saint Marie on WYSS Yes-FM to mornings in Toledo on WVKS KISS-FM to mid-days in Phoenix, Arizona on the EDGE. After my years on air, I turned to radio advertising sales and marketing. Since joining the sales side of radio in Detroit, I’ve worked for WRIF, WCSX, WYCD, to name a few. I was Sports Sales Manager at WXYT 1270 Sports Talk which began my love affair with sports marketing, account executive at 97.1 The Ticket, and am now an Integrated Media Specialist for Clear Channel Radio where my energies are focused on our sports station, WDFN 1130 The Fan. Since I love sports, it is easy to get clients excited about a sports station I’m passionate about.”

Andrea and Stacey take the sum total of their personal experiences, and applied them as they created the Pride Cheerleaders, as Andrea explains, “I learned so much and gained tons of experience in the entertainment world. Some things that I loved, some that I questioned, but all experiences that have helped me in the decisions and actions that have helped to form the Detroit Pride Cheerleaders. My experience in the industry is priceless and it has helped me to persevere, remain determined and focused, and not be discouraged through this entire process. Big changes like this don’t happen overnight. All I know is that I am having an amazing time meeting the fans and watching our program grow by leaps and bounds every day.”

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The only opportunity to be a pro football cheerleader in central Ohio is to be part of the Marion Blu Raes Dance Team. The Blu Raes are part of the Marion Blue Racers organization, an arena team in the Ultimate Indoor Football League (they just moved from the CIFL). The Blu Raes are a talented and lovely squad, that has a fun spirit at their core. Their tryouts are this Saturday!

The Official Blu Raes Pro Football Dance Team tryout will be held on Saturday, September 24th, at All Star Family Sports at 10am (6124 Busch Blvd, Columbus, Ohio, 43229). There will be a $30 Workout Fee for all participants who pay BEFORE Thursday, September 22nd at 5pm. Payment can be made credit or debit card if you call 614-987-0199.
ALL participants who pay at the door will be subject to a $40 Cash Fee.

By David Raterman
South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Peggy Exume began dancing during high school and now is captain of the Florida Panthers Ice Dancers. It’s her fourth year with the team, which is preparing for the upcoming hockey season, and she maintains a full-time job with a law firm. To do it all, she has a workout routine that cardiovascularly might be tougher than what the Panthers themselves do. And she relaxes occasionally with a glass of red wine.

Why do you keep fit?

In order to stay healthy and also to maintain my figure. Being a Panther Ice Dancer, sometimes you have a calendar photo shoot, and for games we wear a short top and a really short skirt. It’s imperative to keep your figure.

What’s your workout routine?

We audition in August and after auditions begin practices immediately. Hockey season begins in October, so from August to October we’re just practicing as much as we can, getting the routines down.

Ice Dance practice is very rigorous. We start at 7 p.m. and end at 10, after working a full-time job or [being] a student for some girls.

We practice Tuesday through Thursday and sometimes Mondays. We start with sit-ups and stretching and some toning like push-ups and squats. Maybe 15 or 20 minutes. Then we start with dancing. We try to go through maybe 50 dances, each a minute. I would say it’s 50 percent memorizing and 50 percent pushing yourself as hard as you can. When you perform the one-minute dance, it’s like sprinting for one minute straight, kicking legs as high and with as much force as you can to get it up to your face. We have a lot of dances with kick lines.

After our calendar unveiling, usually after November, I keep up with fitness by running two or three times a week on a treadmill at a gym. I don’t do weight training, just running. And I like to do the elliptical. I love yoga and Zumba, do them often. On Sundays, I like to run around my neighborhood.

Do you work out during hockey’s off-season?

In May, when season is over, I’ll take a week or two off. Then I’ll take a couple dance classes.

Have you played competitive sports?

In middle school, I was a basketball player. I also ran track and field. When I was in high school, I started dance with electives.

Do you have a personal fitness motto or philosophy?

Discipline is one day at a time.

Does your family keep fit?

My dad was a professional soccer player in Haiti. He wakes up at the crack of dawn at 4 a.m. and goes running. My mom likes running and Jazzercising. My brother was in the Army, so he likes to keep fit by working out and running.

What’s your typical daily diet?

I know it’s really bad, but I’m not a breakfast person, although sometimes I’ll snack on almonds or have scrambled eggs or boiled eggs.

For lunch, I love chicken salad. I love anything with chicken in it. And sushi. I love veggie and broccoli soups and all that. I love steak. It’s not that healthy, but I like it.

Dinner is the same as lunch: mainly veggies and chicken. I love Subway sandwiches. And once in a while, I’ll indulge in their raspberry cheesecake cookie.

I love popcorn. It’s considered a healthy snack. I eat it every single day. All kinds: buttered, kettle, “smart” popcorn.

What do you drink typically?

Water. I don’t like juice or soda. It’s a waste of carb intake. If you’re going to have carbs, you might as well have a sandwich. I love red wine on weekends. And I drink coffee in the morning, sometimes at work.

Do you take any vitamins or sports nutrition products?

No.

Where did you acquire your fitness and nutrition knowledge?

I do a little bit of research on the Internet. And talking to friends, girls on the dance team. They’ll do certain things that work for them and I’ll try it out.

Laura Eilers, former Chiefs and Rams Cheerleader, in addition to being the reigning Ms. United States (!), lets us know that auditions are coming up for the Portsmouth Cavaliers Dance Team.

The American Basketball Association features local men’s basketball talent and focuses on community and team spirit! The ladies selected to represent the Portsmouth Cavaliers will cheer on the sidelines, dance at halftime, greet fans, and perform in the community.

Online applications should be submitted by noon on September 22, 2011. If you do not apply online, you may download the application and bring it to the audition.

Candidates must be 17 years of age or older on or before November 5, 2011. There is no maximum age to audition.

Rehearsals are Thursday nights beginning in October and for one-hour just prior to games. There will be occasional additional rehearsals. The dance team performs at 12 home games on Saturdays and occasional Sundays. Please see the game schedule on the application site.

Visit the official application site for additional FAQs, including audition material and attire, at http://www.cavsauditions.eventbrite.com/.

Mekial has been a member of the Adrenaline Rush Dancers for six seasons, but it only took one game for her to understand the true meaning of the squad’s name. “My first memorable moment dancing with the Adrenaline Rush Dancers was my very first game,” Mekial explains. “No matter how many games I perform and participate in, nothing can replace the feeling or experience of your first performance. During the opener, the lights were turned off, there were fireworks, sparks, flashing lights, and smoke. To hear the announcer introduce us over the speaker, and to hear the fans cheer for our team was the best feeling I have ever had. When I first became a member of this dance team, I couldn’t understand why we were called the Adrenaline Rush Dancers. It became apparent during the opener of my first game when my adrenaline literally rushed throughout my entire body.”

And luckily for Chicago Rush fans, Mekial has not been in a rush to leave, having the longest tenure on the squad that just completed their 2011 AFL season. UltimateCheerleaders had the wonderful opportunity to learn about multi-talented dancer Mekial, who also plays four musical instruments and wrote a Master’s thesis on the terrorism threat. And once a year, Mekial leaves her mark on the Mall of America’s inventory.

Mekial was born and raised in the Chicago area, within a close-knit family. Mekial’s parents and brother played an influential role. “Some of my favorite childhood memories definitely revolve around my family,” Mekial shares. “My family means the world to me and I don’t know what I would do without them.”

Mekial’s father taught her to stretch her boundaries. “During my childhood, my father always took me fishing or I would sit in the garage on the ground and watch him work on cars,” Mekial recalls. “My father would teach me the difference between a screwdriver and a wrench. As a child, I would fetch his tools whenever he needed them. My daddy always taught me that even though I am a girl, I still needed to become familiar with certain activities that were male dominant.”

Mekial’s mom created special memories during the important seasons of the year. “My mother always made my holidays special,” Mekial describes. “If it was Easter, she ordered a life-size Easter Bunny to visit my house for an hour, and if it was Christmas, she always taught me how to make gingerbread houses. No matter what kind of group or function I was a part of, cheerleading, school plays, dancing, graduations, piano recitals, et cetera, my mother made my childhood special and unique because of one contribution: support.”

Mekial’s brother provided an example path for her to follow as needed. “Having an older brother always had its perks during my childhood, “Mekial recounts. “No matter what my brother did, I wanted to be just like him. I would follow everything he did. As I got older, I continued in my brother’s footsteps in life, and he is the main reason why I earned my Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees in the field of sociology and criminology.”

Mekial’s academic path lead her to a degree in MALS Futuristic Methods. “MALS was my major for my graduate degree,” Mekial explains. “It stands for Master of Arts in Leadership Studies with an emphasis on Futuristic Methods. Futuristic Methods concentrates on the driving forces, factors, and variables of the past and present to determine and forecast the most logical outcome in the future. I completed a 60-page thesis dealing with ‘The Alternative Futures of Fighting Terrorism in the United States.’ Since the interest has heightened at an alarming rate in the past several years, as the result of the 2001 terrorist attacks on our U.S. Soil, our United States Government has been implementing a short term view on the war of terror. This thesis forecasted three alternative future scenarios of the role the United States and Homeland Security could possibly utilize to help fight terrorism. Some futurists foresee that America must field its own counter-terrorist army of trained, experienced, and open-minded personnel who can understand terrorist groups, such as al-Qaeda. In this thesis, I felt that there was a slim chance of terrorist attacks decreasing over the next seven years’ my forecast covered and focused on the future up till the year 2015.”

Mekial’s well-balanced canvas of diverse interests also includes a lifelong devotion to music, as both a performer of music and dancer. “I play four musical instruments,” describes Mekial, whose musical heroes include Jackie Wilson, Michael Jackson, Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, Lena Horne, Ray Charles, and Elton John. “I started playing the piano at the age of four. I was enrolled in the Wheaton College Suzuki Prep Program for the piano. This is where my classical music training began. I graduated from the Suzuki prep program at the age of seventeen. I started the saxophone at the age of eight and became first chair in my junior high and high school bands. I began playing the flute at the age of twelve. And I became intrigued with the violin at the age of thirteen at the Suzuki Prep Program.”

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“Emily loves applause.”

That was the first line in a newspaper story about Emily of the Adrenaline Rush Dancers back when she was in elementary school. Her local paper did a piece about Emily’s fourth/fifth grade holiday season program back home in the Bay Area of northern California, and Emily was quoted in the article saying, “Hearing the applause makes me feel like I’ve done a good job. (Our teacher) cries when we do a good job, and she cried at this one, which means we did a really, really good job.” Emily was quoted about one of the holiday dances that she performed, “The dance had lots of steps and kicks.”

Well, I hope Emily still loves applause, because she hears a lot of it as she performs with her ARD sisters at Chicago Rush AFL games. The Rush made it to the final four of the AFL, but Arizona sidelined their ArenaBowl plans for this year. But around the time of the season’s final regular season home game, Emily graciously participated in an interview with UltimateCheerleaders. We will learn about Emily’s path from Cali to Chicago, her love of both dance and chemistry, including Emily’s favorite element. And not her favorite dance element, but the elements in that big periodic table of chemical fun.

Emily was born and raised in Sunnyvale, California, not too far from where the AFL’s Saberkittens perform now for games in San Jose. Family time was a precious time for Emily growing up, as she explains, “My favorite childhood memories definitely involve family gatherings. Every summer we would go down to Carmel Valley and spend the month with my Dad’s whole side of the family. Holidays were also some of my favorite times because we would get to spend time with the entire extended family, including relatives that lived across the country. I love my family and they are a big part of who I am so most of my favorite memories involve them.”

During these formative years, Emily developed two keen interests, dance and chemistry. Emily says, “I have been dancing ever since I can remember. When I was little I used to put on Disney movies and act them out in my living room, including dancing and singing during all the songs. I didn’t start formal classes until I was older, but the passion has always been there. My parents were always supportive of me in whatever I wanted to do, so dance was no exception. My dad always said I didn’t seem complete unless I was dancing, and he was right!”

The other side of Emily’s brain was also finding a source of interest in other topics. “I have always enjoyed the math and science subjects,” Emily explains, “But my high school chemistry teacher was the first person to spark my passion for chemistry. He taught it in such an engaging way and I took to it right away. I just find the subject so interesting and exciting, and there is always something more to learn.”

Emily soon would be on the move to SoCal, to become a student at USC. “After high school, I went to the University of Southern California for school where I met the best friends anyone could ever have, and had probably four of the best years of my life,” Emily recalls. “I double majored in Chemistry and Psychology and was involved in a myriad of clubs and leadership activities.”

Emily’s next steps would soon send her to the Midwest, and she explains, “After graduation, I spent another year in Los Angeles working as a pharmaceutical sales representative, but I always knew I wanted to go back to school. I moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan to attend the University of Michigan to get my Ph.D. in Chemistry, so I could one day teach at a university. During my time there, I fell even more in love with teaching, but realized the research aspect of the program just wasn’t for me. I left the program with my Master’s Degree and moved to Chicago to start the next chapter of my life. And here I am!”

When asked about her ‘dream job,’ Emily responds, “My dream job would be to teach organic chemistry at a University. I really enjoy working with college students, and I would want to share my passion of the subject with others and potentially influence them to think of the subject differently.”

But in all those years of chemistry, did any experiments ever not go as planned? Did any ever go ‘ker-blew-y’? Not all experiments go ‘swimmingly,’ as Emily explains, “Chemistry experiments go wrong all the time, so I have had plenty that have not worked. I have never had an experiment blow up or anything, but I have flooded the lab with water before!”

So, in that big periodic chart that hangs in chemistry classroom walls, full of noble gases, metals, no-metals, and halogens, what is Emily’s most favorite element? “I have never really thought about having a favorite element, but since I like organic chemistry I would say Carbon,” answers Emily. “It is such an important element that is involved in making up so many things in this world, which is just incredible. The same element makes up the human body, charcoal, and diamonds!”

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Ashley F. is one of three “Ashleys” on the Adrenaline Rush Dancers (wonder if they lead the league in Ashleys?), and the “F” must stand for fashion. After all, how many people have kept a “fashion journal” so they don’t repeat outfits within a few months (listed by Ashley as her “Worst Habit” on her on-line bio at the Chicago Rush website)?

For Ashley, fashion has been a lifelong love, as she says, “I was always into fashion! I was the little girl that dressed up for any and every occasion! Although, I must say I went thru many trends and fads.” Ashley continued, when asked when she recalled first insisting on dressing herself, “I can recall being in 4th grade when my mom told me she had picked out an outfit for me, but I insisted that I could put something together myself. I clearly thought it was a ‘cooler’ outfit of course, too.”

When asked if she remembered any outfits that she thought particularly “rocked,” Ashley recalls, “As far as an outfit I thought rocked, it just depended on the grade and style I was going thru. If you asked my mom she would take it back to 3rd grade when I had my striped Unionbay t-shirt with my tan corduroy shorts that I wouldn’t want to take off. I had a pleather black skirt and a red Minnie sweater that I thought was adorable when I was four! In 6th grade I went thru an Adidas stage, 8th grade consisted of poncho sweaters, and high school I went thru a creative unique stage and slowly transitioned into business attire consisting of dress pants and skirts. Usually whatever I was wearing, I felt I rocked because I was so in love with keeping up with fashion.”

So, Ashley, if you were on “Project Runway,” would you prefer to be a designer, model, or judge? “If I were on ‘Project Runway,’” responds Ashley, “I would want to be a part of every aspect of the show; designer, model, and judge! I’ve taken sewing classes in high school and I loved it so much I retook the class! Being creative and brainstorming on how you could influence others by designing something a customer could essentially fall in love with is just amazing to me so designing would be such an honor. Modeling would be just as fun; being involved with fashion shows, walking the runway, being involved with designers, et cetera, how could it get any better? Lastly, is the power you would have as a judge. You’re able to give your feedback and explain why you may or may not see that outfit or product sell or be beneficial to a designer’s collection. Every part of that show is full of excitement!”

Ashley’s love of both fashion and dance are reflected in her college studies, “I went to Purdue University Calumet and graduated this past May with a major in Business Retail and a minor in fitness.”

“My love of dance started when I was three,” Ashley, who was born and raised in the Northwest Indiana section of the Chicago Metro area, recalls. “My mom put me in a dance class at our local community center for a session or two. I quickly moved into a studio in which I like to say I ‘grew up’ in and took tap, ballet, and jazz until I was 18. I also belonged to a singing and dance troupe where we performed at various places around the community, Sea World, Universal Studios Orlando, and ended at Disney World for the 4th of July. I also was on my middle and high school team, and then also on my college team.”

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Born and raised in Chicago, it should be no surprise where Brittanie would like the AFL’s ArenaBowl to be held. See, Brittanie is the Adrenaline Rush Dancers’ (who entertain during Chicago Rush games at Allstate Arena) representative on the Dream Team of 18 dancers that will perform at the ArenaBowl this year. When asked, if not Chicago, what AFL cities would Brittanie like to visit for the ArenaBowl, she responded, “Hands down, I want it in Chicago. There really is nowhere else I would rather be than my hometown. I’d love for my team and family there to support me out there, and best of all, Chicago’s fans are the best; they would definitely be on their feet cheering the entire game. With that all in mind, I can’t even think of a better place to have the Arena Bowl!”

Well, the Rush still have a chance, one of four teams left in the AFL playoffs, so maybe Brittanie will be able to be a “stay at home” dancer, although Phoenix, Jacksonville, and Atlanta would all be nice places for her all-star appearance.

The Dream Team was selected by on-line voting, with two members of each cheer squad on the ballot. Brittanie found out she was a candidate when, “My coach had pulled me aside one practice and told me about the great news, and honestly I was at a loss for words. I know that sounds corny but in a dancer’s eyes this is a huge accomplishment. It was rough going against my fellow teammate since we all are so close, like sisters. However to just be nominated for something like this is amazing, so even if I wasn’t picked I’d still feel honored!“

As we also learned from about her ARD coach, Gloria Esposito, Brittanie was a bit shy when she was young, but dancing helped her show her true spirit. “I was actually very quiet and shy growing up, but when I was on the dance floor it was a whole different world,” explains Brittany. “I could take center stage without being shy at all, and I loved all eyes upon me. Thank you to my parents for starting me off in dance, if it wasn’t for them I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

Brittanie is studying to be a teacher, and in the meantime works as a bartender, which can be quite an interesting study of human behavior. “Being a bartender has its ups and downs, as do all jobs,” says Brittanie. “I love it very much because I get to talk with people all day long, and meet new people every day! Bartending definitely helped me come out of my shell and really learn more about myself and others.”

Through work, Brittanie was encouraged to try out for the Adrenaline Rush Dancers. “It was my manager, Heather,” Brittanie recalls, now in her second season with the Rush. “She is the one who told me about Rush and encouraged me to tryout! Once I got there I was extremely intimidated by all of the talented girls.”

But now Brittanie is amongst the elite of those talented girls. There are some interesting notes about Brittanie in her biography Q & A on the Rush web site. One interesting on-line answer was,

Q: Five years ago I was? A: Learning how to drive…unsuccessfully

Hmm, please explain Brittanie. “Well, needless to say I am not the greatest driver; I hit curbs a lot and I am the WORST at parking,” Brittanie smiles. “My motto: ‘On the line is in the line.’”

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Pro cheerleading can launch someone on a path from extremely shy child, refusing to dance on stage, to shooting off machine guns with the troops in Kosovo. This has been part of the journey of Gloria Esposito, now the Coach/Choreographer of the AFL’s Adrenaline Rush Dancers, and a former NBA Luvabull and Adrenaline Rush Dancer herself. Cheer and dance have been so impactful, as Gloria says, “No one thought I would make (the squads) because they said I was shy, but I honestly think that because of the Luvabulls and the situations I had to deal with, I came out of my shell and am the person I am today.” Recently, the Adrenaline Rush Dancers took time to reflect on their own history with a ten year reunion during the last regular season game of the Chicago Rush, and Gloria also took time out to share with UltimateCheerleaders her story of going from reluctant dancer to leading an entire squad.

Born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago, Gloria shares her last name with some notable Chicagoans, from news anchors to athletes, most noteworthy, the Chicago Blackhawks’ legendary goalie Tony Esposito. “No, I am not related to anyone famous, although I could use it to my advantage if I was that type of person,” Gloria shares, “Because everyone’s first question is ‘Are you related to Tony Esposito?’ Nope, I am not, but my dad does have a signed hockey stick!”

Gloria’s dance career started with, well, not really a start at all. “Well, believe it or not, I was EXTREMELY shy growing up,” Gloria recalls. “I mean, we would visit family and I would hide behind my mom. She put me in dance class when I was six because my friend was doing it, and they thought it would help me. Well, it came to my first recital and everyone paid to come see me. I took one step out on stage, and turned around and would not go out there. So my mom said I could never do it again. Then in Junior High, I wanted to be on the pom squad for our junior football team in town, and she said no, the only way would be if my sister would do it with me. So I convinced her to do it and we did it for a few years. When I got into high school, I wanted to try out gymnastics did that for two years and found myself back on the pom squad my junior and senior year. I went to college and continued.”

With the goal of making the NBA’s Luvabulls one day, Gloria’s first venture into pro dance was trying out for Chicago Condors dance team of the ABA basketball league. “Well, I tried out for the Condors because I wasn’t 21 yet, and I knew the girls running it used to be on the Luvabulls so I thought I could use it as a networking experience,” says Gloria. “One of the girls who made the Condors had tried out for the Luvabulls numerous times and didn’t make it, so that made me double-think it, but I thought, nope, this is what I want. I am going to do it.” The Condors ended up folding less than a year later, so the dancing for the Bulls was the obvious next step.

“I tried out for the Luvabulls because it was something I always wanted, and seeing them when the Bulls were winning made me want to do it even more,” recalls Gloria. “So when tryouts came around, I signed up, and on the first day I was nervous, and I am not someone who gets nervous. I do remember being one of the first girls there that day, and meeting four of my future best friends that morning! None of us knew each other, or knew if we would make it, but we clicked. We went through the audition process, and on that last day, we saw the five of us standing there together, looking shocked that we all just made the new team! To this day we are all still friends!”
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