Rehearsing the dance routine

A key part of the finals was a dance routine performed in pairs on stage.  Although this was an individual event, it was noted for the candidates during the morning that the most successful performances were those in which the dancers kept an eye out for the other for proper spacing and timing.  It was amazing to watch the transformation from morning practice to afternoon performances.  The little glitches and kinks in the morning seemed to be smoothed over in the afternoon with both practice and the adrenaline from the lights, judges, and fans.

All of the dancers auditioned to the same song, Christina Aguilera’s “Not Myself Tonight.”  During the morning rehearsals, that song was played over and over again.  For the finalists, they had spent a week practicing to that song.  Although this was a competition for precious squad spots, there was a supportive air of camaraderie among the finalists.  During Sunny’s morning practice routine, she earned oohs, ahs, and applause for sticking a move with a high degree of difficulty.  Rather than cut-throat, the atmosphere was more of finalists bonding, while raising each other up to perform their best.

Sunny's dance moves were too fast to be captured by photos, so here she is in bathing suit finals

Veteran Ben-Gal Teresha was instrumental in providing access to UltimateCheerleaders.com to this event.  Teresha works in the hospitality industry and she certainly puts the “hospitable” in “hospitality.”  We appreciate the time and effort she put in to getting access for us!  During the morning practices, she was dancing, smiling, and laughing like the most relaxed person on the planet.  When she said she was “SO nervous”, I told her that she seemed more relaxed than anyone.  Teresha said that she might be the goofiest one, not the most relaxed.  Either way, she makes everything and everyone around her a bit less nervous when her fun spirit springs forth.

Teresha shines in swimsuit finals

The morning featured practice time for the three main activities in the afternoon: the opening number, dance routines performed by a pair of dancers, and bathing suit modeling. Scores from the interviews and skill set evaluations were compiled the previous week at the semi-finals and added to scores from dancing and modeling at the finals.

Rehearsing the big opening number

Morning practice for the swimsuit modeling

In the morning, Head Captain Tara lead the practice session.  Tara is one of our superstar pro dancers for so many reasons: this will be her ninth season on the squad; Pro Bowl squad selection; competitor on the NFL Network’s cheerleader competition; completing her Ph.D. in cancer biology at University of Cincinnati; and co-author of a paper in the prestigious journal Nature Genetics.  During a brief respite between morning practice and the start of the show, Tara took time to fill me in on all the things swirling around in this busy time.  This is the time of year when fans of the squads find out if some of their favorites are coming back, and Tara said this year’s decision was down to the wire.  In her busy life, there is a lot going on but that being part of the Ben-Gals is fun, and keeps her energized and definitely never bored.

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Melissa Scalia has parlayed her Ben-Gal experiences, including making the elite Pro Bowl squad, into an entertainment career focusing on modeling, acting, and hosting/interviewing.  Her website and blog document her increasingly diverse resume and experiences, including meeting fashion legend Tim Gunn.   For those of us who followed Melissa on the Ben-Gal sidelines, it is amazing to see the range of looks that she can provide in her photo work.

On Sunday, May 16th, Melissa co-hosted the 2010 Ben-Gal final auditions, open to the public (and a hot ticket at that!) at The Syndicate in Newport, Kentucky.  Her co-host was a local meterologist, the “infamous” Steve Raleigh.  Besides her on-stage duties, Melissa interviewed each of the 65 finalists after their dances in the “cheer lounge,” so we could learn more about the passionate women inside the talented dancers. 

Melissa envies the role of “Dancing With the Stars” hosts Samantha Harris and Brooke Burke, getting the chance to interview the celebrity dancers after their performances.  Sorry to tell you Melissa, but Sam and Brooke should be envying you!  With fun, humor, wit, and spontaneity, Melissa gave the crowd laughs while we received insights into each of the finalists.  Sam and Brooke are lovely, but they don’t break me up.  Plus, 65 interviews in a span of a couple hours; whew, Melissa gets the interview endurance trophy too!

As Melissa entered the hall during morning rehearsals, there were lots of hugs from her Ben-Gal sisters.  A former line captain during the last of her four seasons (2003-2006) on the sidelines, the Ohio University alum was a perfect fit as part of the festivities.  Melissa graciously agreed to discuss past, present, and future with UltimateCheerleaders.com

UC.com-What prompted you to try out for the Ben-Gals the first time?

Ben-Gal tryouts came around at the perfect time in my life!  I had just gone through some personal changes, and was really looking for something new and exciting in my life.  I always enjoyed dancing and really wanted to get into it again in some way.   I also wanted to get more involved in my community through charitable work.   Lucky for me the squad represented so many things I was looking for at the time!

UC.com-What are your memories of you first try-out finals?

Oh my goodness, was I nervous!  I remember looking around at all the beautiful women that were so talented.  That can be pretty intimidating!  I went into it not knowing anyone there.  My friends and I from the squad love to laugh about our first impressions of each another that day!  The girls I felt intimidated by ended up being some of my best friends, and women that I still truly admire!

I wasn’t sure if I’d make it or not, but I knew I gave it my all.  It was in God’s hands at that point, you can only give it your best.  We received our letters in the mail a week later, that indicated whether we made it or not.  I was in Las Vegas with a good friend of mine.  I figured if it was bad news I would still have fun in Vegas, if it was good news, I could celebrate there!  Needless to say, they gave us free dessert at Nine Steakhouse at the Palms when my friend told them I made the squad!  My parents were kind enough to check my mail and give me the great news.

UC.com-At the pro level, the importance of personality is almost as important as dance technique. But it seems like dance technique is more obvious on how to prepare. How should a candidate prepare for the personality/entertainment aspect?

Yes, your personality is a huge part of it!  Cheering for a professional team can be very demanding and fast paced.  It’s a team atmosphere; everyone depends on you to be positive and energetic, to help keep the team in good spirits.  If you have a bad attitude, your true colors can show rather quickly.  My best advice is to believe in yourself and BE YOURSELF!  If you stay positive and true to who you are, it will show in your dancing and your overall attitude.

UC.com-How has going through the try-outs and being on the sidelines helped you in your entertainment career?

Cheerleading gave me so much that has brought me to this point in my life with talent work.  Cheering for the Ben-Gals has given me the confidence to believe in myself and what I can achieve.  It showed me first hand that hard work pays off, and if you work hard and stay positive you can achieve anything.  The program has also taught me how to stay in shape, maintain a good work ethic, and to feel confident representing myself and the Bengals Organization on trips, charity functions, and other appearances.   I never thought I could achieve half of what I did on the squad.  I was Pro Bowl Cheerleader, had the opportunity to go overseas to express our gratitude to the troops, and was a captain my last year!  Now I’m ready to take on the next challenge.  Nothing is too far from reach, cheerleading helped show me that.

UC.com-How did you prepare for your co-host duties on Sunday?

To prepare, I was given some info on the girls so I could interview them after their dance during tryouts.  I’m so lucky I was able to meet and speak to every one of the 65 contenders!  They did not cease to amaze me with their amazing goals and genuine spirit.  Other than that, I really just brought myself back to what made it so special to me.  I looked through some of my pictures, and remembered what it was like when I was in their position.  When I was on the microphone, I was able to just genuinely talk about the girls and how amazing the day was.

Melissa with co-host Steve Raleigh at the 2010 Ben-Gal Audition Finals

UC.com-Why is your co-host meteorologist Steve Raleigh “infamous”?

Steve’s the best!  As you could see, he’s a true professional and has a great personality!  He really shines up there!  He has hosted the event a couple of years, so I think people really look forward to seeing him there!

UC.com-What advice would you give someone trying-out for the first time?

I would tell them to remember everyone there wants them to succeed: the audience, judges, everyone.  I’d also tell them to dance with confidence and because they love doing it.  Don’t dance for anyone else, dance for yourself and let your personality shine!

UC.com-What advice would you give to the husband/boyfriend of a new Ben-Gal who now is busy and in the spotlight?

This is a great question!  Sometimes people forget that besides the full time job, or school, along with practices, appearances, games…that there is also a social life and someone at home!  I’d say most are usually so proud of their significant other, and most of the time the guys end up getting to know each other and form friendships too!  It’s really hard not to talk about cheering when you come home from it.  I do think it’s important to sometimes leave it at the stadium and separate yourself sometimes.   I would just tell the guys to enjoy it while it’s happening, and know it won’t last forever.  I’d tell them to try and be supportive, because it is very demanding physically and emotionally.  It means the world to come home and have love and support….. and well, someone that cares to listen, even when you’re just complaining about buying too much pantyhose!

UC.com-What is your favorite memory from your days on the Ben-Gals?

Goodness, I have so many.  One would have to be when I was chosen for Pro Bowl.  We were doing our quarter dance and I looked over and saw my parents standing there.  Next thing I knew, Charlotte (our director) was handing me roses and I was on the big screen!  I experienced a dream come true that day, with all my friends and family there.  It was an amazing day that I’ll never forget!

UC.com-What on the horizon of your entertainment career is most exciting?

I’ve been really putting myself out there to see where it could take me.  The great thing is, I’m enjoying every step of the way!  It’s a big goal of mine to do what I love in my everyday life.  Cheerleading has taught me that with hard work and focus, I can achieve anything, so you’ll see more of me soon!

The sooner the better!!  Thanks Melissa and best wishes!

April 7th is National Start! Walking Day.  Downtown Indianapolis kicked off festivities on Monument Circle, and included amongst mascots, stock cars, and giveaways were celebrity treadmill walkers.  The Colts Cheerleaders were on hand to take turns on the treadmill and greet fans.

When you need to provide the best people in a moments notice, you call on your “A-Team.”  So on March 22^nd, after the New Orleans Hornets hosted the Dallas Mavericks, Honeybee Director Ashley Deaton gave me the wonderful opportunity to speak to two Honeybees.  She called on her own personal “A-Team,” Honeybees Ashlie and Amy, to fill the bill.  Director Ashley is a big fan of these two members of her squad, and for good reason.

Ashlie is in her second season on the squad and Amy is a rookie.  I wondered what was more nerve-wracking, their first try-out or their first game.   Amy immediately replied it was the first try-out, because “No one knew who I was.  It is your first impression.”  Amy made the squad on her first time trying-out, and, rather than nerve-wracking, found her first game to be really exciting.

Rookie Honeybee Amy

Rather than first try-out or first game, Ashlie wanted to add a third option to my multiple choice question.  “The second try-out was more nerve wracking,” explained Ashlie. “We had a lot of good girls come in this past year.  So there were so many good girls to choose from, it was scary.”  Ashlie’s second year anxiety was escalated by an unexpected change in the selection process compared to the previous season’s selection of twenty Honeybees.  “They announced the twenty girls, and they hadn’t said that they had chosen twenty-four,” recalled Ashlie. “Well, I was one of the girls not called yet, so I thought I was going home.”  But as the announcements continued, Ashlie found out she made it!

Second Year Honeybee Ashlie

I asked the veteran and the rookie what advice they would give to someone trying out for a pro dance squad for the first time.  Amy advised, “Just be confident,” and Ashlie added, “Have a lot of personality.  Have fun.  That’s the main thing, you have to enjoy it.”  Amy added “That is what they are looking for.  We are entertainers.   If you miss a step, make up for that with personality.“

Amy is a native Georgian, but still caught Saints fever

Even though they work hard to make it look easy on the court, with thousands of pairs of eyes watching them during games, there must be embarrassing moments that might arise during Honeybee careers.  For rookie Amy, her moments occurred before she was officially a Honeybee.  “At each audition, I missed a few steps,” volunteered Amy, “I was so nervous!”   So far for Amy, nothing embarrassing during the games, “Not yet, thank goodness.  I am glad I got it out of the way during the auditions.”

Ashlie’s longer tenure has provided more memories.  Ashlie noted, “I’ve had a few embarrassing moments at the games,” to which Amy laughingly interjected, “You’ve had some good ones.”  Ashlie recalled one event that stood out, “During Honeybee Olympics, we did the wheelbarrow race across the court.”  Ashlie played the role of wheelbarrow, and “my partner was going too fast for my hands because I was crawling.  I slid across the court on my face.  That was real nice.”

Certainly, these two “got game” when it comes to dancing, but how about their hoops prowess?  I am a big UCLA fan, so I am very glad to see Hornets rookie point guard Darren Collision emerge during Chris Paul’s absence.  I asked Ashlie and Amy what part of their game is most like Darren’s (speed, shooting, steals?).  Both ponder, and Ashlie contributes, “My ability to steal the ball, and to do an alley oop.”  Amy offers, “I don’t know how accurate I am in the shooting, but I am pretty fast.  He has quick feet.”  Come to think of it, I think Darren and his quick feet might me a nice addition to some of the Honeybee routines, when the Hornets have the game in hand, of course.

Ashlie for President! She thinks the day after the Super Bowl should be a holiday

Amy has lived in New Orleans for two years, moving from Georgia when her boyfriend moved to the area.  Amy added, “New Orleans has always been a fun place for me.  I have friends here, so it wasn’t a hard move.”  Ashlie was born and raised in New Orleans.  I asked about how Katrina affected her, and Ashlie recounted, “We had three feet of water in my house, and we moved from New Orleans to the other side of the lake.  It was tough, but we made it.”

As an Indianapolis resident, this trip to New Orleans reminded me of the recent Super Bowl that made my city a different shade of blue for some days afterward, but justifiably electrified the home city of the Saints.  Super Bowl Sunday for Amy “was awesome.”  She added, “I was in the (French) Quarter.  I thought, I can’t be at home, I want to be in the middle of it.  It was overwhelming!  We were high fiving people we didn’t know, younger people, older people.  High fiving down the street, it was awesome!”  Ashlie remembered the throngs of people, “I was with every New Orleans Saints fan on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter.”   For Ashlie, the Monday after the Super Bowl was “unreal.” Amy added, “Nobody went to work.  Nobody went to school.  Actually, people started Thursday and Friday; I think some missed a lot of days, not just the Monday, in ‘preparation.’”

So, on this third day of my first trip to New Orleans, I had one personal challenge left.  The city had won me over: the friendliest people from the minute I stepped off the plane, food that can make your knees buckle in ecstasy, and enough fun that I went right to monster.com to look for local jobs.  But I wanted to pronounce the city’s name like a local, not like the lifelong Midwesterner I am.  I asked Ashlie to rate my pronunciation of “New Orleans” from one to ten.    Ashlie graded me, “I’ll give you about a seven.  You’re a little off on the Orleans part.  It needs to be one big word.  It’s all jumbled together.”  Amy advised, “Just spit it out.”  Unlike the often written ‘N’awlins,’ I sensed more ‘New’ than ‘Nuh’ in Ashlie’s pronunciation.  On about my attempt number six, Ashlie exclaimed, “Yes! That was it! That was perfect, that was a ten!”

Amy and Ashlie after the Hornets victory over the Mavs

Well, for me, the opportunity to speak with Ashlie and Amy definitely went to “eleven.”  They are beautiful, talented, personable, and as sweet as a Honeybee should be.  I asked to take some photos, and they apologized that their post-game look may not be optimal.  I think most of us would spend 48 hours straight prepping for photos and still come way short of a Honeybee after a couple hours of dancing.  Best of luck Ashlie and Amy on the remainder of the season, and many thanks for your time and dedication!

A personal favorite; My struggles with my flash provided me a photo that demonstrates their fun, sweet personalities

I’ve seen basketball announcer Dick Vitale name his college basketball “All-Thomas Edison Team” for point guards.  In his keyed up voice, he’ll say, “This is my All-Thomas Edison Team! They’re creators, innovators, pioneers!!”  Well, if I had to name my UltimateCheerleaders.com All-Thomas Edison Team for creativity, innovation, and pioneering spirit, Ashley Deaton would be among the top of my list.

Ashley is director and choreographer for the excellent dance squad for the NBA’s New Orleans Hornets, the Honeybees.  A native of Louisiana, Ashley graduated from LSU, where she was also a member of a national championship-winning dance team.  She then was a member of the Honeybees for three seasons when the Hornets moved to New Orleans.  After this, Ashley became the Honeybees’ director and choreographer. 

Two months into her new role, Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, and the Hornets needed to relocate for two seasons to Oklahoma City.  Half of the pre-storm Honeybees had to stay in Louisiana and rebuild, so Ashley had to hold tryouts for ten new dancers from Oklahoma City to fill out the squad.

Since then, the city is back, the Hornets are back, and Ashley leads a squad known for innovative dance routines, cutting edge apparel, and high visibility at the games and in the community.  It is immediately recognizable after meeting Ashley, that she LOVES her job and has a passion to excel in all of its diverse challenges.  Recently, Ashley graciously participated in an interview with UltimateCheerleaders.com.

Director of the Honeybees Ashley Deaton during a recent Hornets-Mavericks game

UC.com –Ashley, tell me about the genesis of your love of dance

Ashley – I’ve loved to dance as long as I can remember.  My mom would often find me off by myself dancing up a storm.  I would even dance down the aisles of the grocery store…and we all know how lame the music is that they play in the grocery store. That’s passion!  I actually grew up with two older brothers so I played a lot of sports with them.  I always danced as a hobby with my friends.  I even forced my little brother to learn some choreography and perform with us.  Poor kid! But now that he’s in his mid 20’s the ladies love his dance moves.  I LOVED to choreograph dances and had a lot of musicality at a young age.  I became more serious about it when I was in high school and continued on from their working as an instructor for summer dance camps.

 

UC.com – I assume dancing on the LSU squad were some of your first performances on a “big stage.”  What was that experience like?

Ashley – In the summer of 1997, I was heading into my junior year in college and heard the news that LSU was holding tryouts for a new dance team that would perform for the basketball games. I made the inaugural team and we even won UDA’s National College dance team championship in our second year in existence.  Performing on that level was such an amazing experience.  It challenged me and made me such a better dancer.

 

UC.com – At LSU, what was it like preparing and performing in a competitive setting versus preparing and performing at home games?

Ashley – Competition preparation was definitely more intense than game preparation.  Competition routines are obviously more difficult and longer than an average performance.  Typical rehearsals were 2-3 hours long.  But I remember have three practices a day for two weeks preparing for competition.  We’d start in the morning, break for lunch, have an afternoon practice, break for dinner, and then finish with a rehearsal that night. Needless to say, we were in great shape and not a hair was out of place in our routine.  When the competition is fierce it takes inspiring creativity and absolute perfection to be the best.  When I watch competitions now, it amazes me how far dance has come.  The talent and skill level is unbelievable and the bar is raised year after year.

 

UC.com – What aspects do you find dancers who were successful at the college level still need to concentrate upon to move up to the professional level?

Ashley – In my experience the college level focuses more on technical skills.  Although NBA dancers need technical ability as well, there’s a much higher concentration on the glamour of it all.  NBA dancers do more than just perform.  They are spokes-models for the organization.  They are required to be at peak physical condition.  They must look beautiful and glamorous in photos and on the court. With so many appearances in-game and out in the community, they also have to be outgoing and approachable to really connect with fans. 

 

UC.com – At what point did you think you might be interested in moving from dancer to director/choreographer, and what is the best way to prepare for that position?

Ashley – For me the transition was very natural.  I started my NBA dance career as the choreographer and a team leader.  After three years on the team our manager decided to leave, and it was an ideal opportunity to take over.  It was perfect timing as I was ready to move on from being a dancer to playing a bigger role in the whole operation.  I worked closely with our manager the three years before and had gained invaluable experience as a dance instructor for seven years before that. Managing people is never easy, but being passionate about what you do helps a lot.  Just like any other job it’s important to learn from your mistakes, strive to constantly be better, and truly value and respect those who work so hard for you.

 

UC.com – It seems like the Honeybees have always been fashion forward in their apparel.  What role do you have in the ideas and designs?  Have you always been interested in clothing design?

Ashley – Well thank you!  It’s funny that you ask because I remember when I was in 4th grade my dream job was to be a fashion designer.  At some point, dance became more important, but I still love costume/clothing design.  I come up with all of our costumes with the help of a few different seamstresses.  I pull ideas from different trends and adjust them to work in the appropriate capacity.  It can be a bit of a challenge to come up with creative concepts that are figure flattering yet supportive enough for the style of athletic choreography that we like to do. But I like a challenge.  It’s so fun!

 

UC.com – Are there things you hear coming out of your mouth as director to the squad you’d never thought you would say?

Ashley – Once in a while I’ll surprise myself with the words that come out of my mouth, but what surprises me more is the way the girls react to me.  I have an awesome group of talented ladies, and they work really hard.  They hear my voice so much though that I think I become like the squeaky fan who’s steady rhythm puts you to sleep at night…after a while you don’t even hear it any more.  It often reminds me of how good I was at tuning out my mother when she spoke to me.  It’s an interesting feeling to be the “mother” of the group.  I know how dedicated these girls are and how much they have on their plates, and I can totally relate having been in their shoes myself.  I know that they do respect me and care about what I have to say.  It’s just part of the job.

 

UC.com – Two months after you were named director of the Honeybees, Hurricane Katrina affected your city like no other has been in years.  Describe the process of the decisions that were made to deal with how to provide a dance squad for two seasons away from New Orleans?

Ashley – Well, that situation definitely threw me into the fire so to speak.  I was new at the job, we just had our auditions to select our new squad, and then Hurricane Katrina hit.  The whole organization fully relocated to Oklahoma City full time and brought as many full time employees along.  With the start of our season being weeks away, we decided to take 10 of our dancers with us.  Several of them were completely flooded out of their homes and really had no home of their own to go to, so it was a great opportunity.  Oklahoma City welcomed us with open arms and really made us all feel at home.  We had a quick audition in Oklahoma City to select the rest of our squad. We felt that it was very important for us to have dancers on our squad who were from the city that embraced us.  It was such a unique combination of ladies and a great representation of both New Orleans and Oklahoma City. We lost all of our costumes when the New Orleans Arena was flooded so I had to be very resourceful.  We were cutting up jerseys, putting rhinestones on t-shirts, and raiding all of the local dance shops to get it all pulled together in two weeks. We managed to pull it off and continue to grow each year. 

 

UC.com – Did any of the Oklahoma City Honeybees go on to dance for the Thunder?

Ashley – Yes. I think there have been about five girls that were on my Honeybee squad that have (or still do) dance for the Thunder.  I’m proud of those girls and really glad that they decided to continue their professional dance careers.

 

UC.com – What surprised you most about the New Orleans ability to recover?  On the flipside, is there something about pre-Katrina New Orleans life that hasn’t returned that you miss? 

Ashley – From my perspective New Orleans is bigger and better than before.  There is such an interesting and unique culture here that you just can’t find anywhere else. True New Orleanians won’t just give that up and walk away.  It feels good to be involved in an organization that does so much to give back to the community, and I do believe that we’ve been a significant part of the rebuilding of this city.  

 

UC.com – What were New Orleans and its people like the day after the Super Bowl? 

Ashley – The Saints’ Super Bowl win has energized this city in a whole new way.  New Orleans has been down for so long and battling against some major odds to thrive, to be taken seriously. That win means so much to this community and pride is running rampant through a town that’s been kicked down quite a bit.  The odds that the Saints have faced throughout the years are a good representation of the city of New Orleans, and now there’s a new hope across the board…a sense of importance with a real value to offer the world. The party is still going on and I’m not sure that it’s going to end any time soon.  

 

 

 

Thanks so much Ashley for your cooperation, and continued success with your excellent squad!

If you think the networks are a little too fond of cheerleaders, you may be mistaken: In these broadcasts, only two networks showed cheerleaders at all. And when they did, they were only on camera for an average of three seconds. “We make it a point to get Dallas cheerleaders on, but otherwise, it’s not really important,” says Fred Gaudelli, NBC’s Sunday Night Football producer. “If we’re doing the Jets, I couldn’t care less.”

When it comes to showing the cheerleaders, CBS won the day with about seven seconds. NBC had just over four seconds, and Fox and ESPN had no cheerleaders whatsoever. “Cheerleaders are bigger in college,” says Mr. Brown of Fox, who notes that NFL cheerleaders from the visiting teams don’t travel to road games and aren’t as ingrained in the game as they are in college. “It’s not that we don’t like them,” adds ESPN’s Mr. Rothman. “They’re just not our motivation.”

In the Thursday special section of the Indianapolis Star, “Colts Nation,” Colts Cheerleader Alison M is featured.  The story is below, some photos are online here, and some photos I took of Alison and her notable husband from the Jets game on December 27th are posted at the bottom:

A FAMILY AFFAIR

Robert Scheer

Indianapolis Star

Before the team arrives, before the tailgaters have fired up their first grill, a Colts cheerleader makes her way into Lucas Oil Stadium to start her day.  Alison M. (squad members do not use their full names as a security measure) hauls in a suitcase full of makeup and clothing before the Broncos game.  Alison, a member of the squad for the past four years, is on time for practice at 7 a.m., six hours before kickoff.  After an hour or two of practice, the cheerleaders deal with makeup, hair, and autograph sessions before performing a dance routine before kickoff.  During the game, the Colts mascot, Blue, is always friendly with Alison.  “Blue is definitely one of my favorite people on the field.  He always makes me laugh.” That might be because Alison is married to Blue.  They met and fell in love because of the Colts.  Alison defends her husband’s career choice with a laugh.  “That’s his full-time job.  He dresses up like a horse and gets to be a big kid.”

The Indianapolis Colts Cheerleaders responded to a survey with results at the Indy.com and Metromix web sites.  Check it out here

As I attend games and have the wonderful opportunity to photograph and report on the cheer squads, occasionally there are moments that remind me why I so admire these talented performers.  As I walked into Raymond James Stadium, the sun shined on spectators in unseasonably warm Tampa.  Temperatures were in the 80s on this December afternoon, where the green of visiting Jets fanned were numerous, although not quite matching the numbers of fans wearing the apparel of the home Buccaneers.   It was my first visit to a Bucs game and my first chance to see the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cheerleaders.

I waited as I saw the squad lined up in the tunnel, awaiting the opportunity to line up for the Buccanneers’ run onto the field.  As the sound system played the Black Eyes Peas “I Gotta Feeling,” the Bucs cheerleaders walked onto the field to line up.  Although a little afternoon, it was not the lyrics “good good night,” it was the start of a great great afternoon performance by the cheerleaders.  I was truly impressed by this squad and they are now one of my favorites!!

The cheerleaders performed wonderfully all afternoon, and reflect the multi-dimensionality of talents that are required to be a superlative squad.  During the game, I empathized with the dancers that their active sideline role was difficult given the sun and heat.  Then I remembered, this is their eighth game since pre-season, and except for the game in London, the Florida heat is probably a typical part of game day for a Bucs cheerleader.  Despite the heat, the squad was active and smiling.  They were superb!

The cheerleaders donned their holiday apparel on this day.  I am not sure if it a weekly event or because of the special holiday uniforms, but the cheerleaders paused to group together for photographs taken by one of their staff each quarter.

One of the things one observes when visiting a new stadium is their local traditions during the game.  Often during the game, the sound system plays “Yo Ho (A Pirate’s Life for Me),” the song I know most from hearing in the Disney ride “Pirates of the Caribbean.”  During Bucs games, this song is occasionally played at which time patrons on the endzone pirate ship throw beads and other prizes into the crowd.  During the song, the Buccaneers cheerleaders perform a swashbuckling dance, and though I have always loved the “Pirates of the Caribbean” rides, I now know they could be so much better with some of the cheerleaders along for the ride.

At the two minute warning of the first half, the cheerleaders left the sidelines and lined up on playing field and performed a routine to “Run, Rudolph, Run.”  On the large video screens right before the performance, clips of several cheerleaders introducing themselves were shown.  For example, Kristin introduced herself as a University of Colorado graduate and medical device sales associate.   I wish I had some photos of Kristin, but the only downside of this great day was that an official golf cart’s roof blocked my view of a few cheerleaders each quarter.

In the second half, the cheerleaders performed two routines in the end zones.  First, they performed to “Let it Snow” between quarters (the cheerleaders’ internal sentiment was probably, “Let it be less than 80 degrees”).  At the two minute warning, they performed to “Last Christmas.”

After attending a couple of Rams games this season, I have seen the discouragement of local fans.  One of the Bucs fans in my row wore a bag over his head in the second half, and the Jets fans certainly had the volume if not numbers on this day of a Jets win.  But Tampa Bay certainly has one of the best cheerleader/dance squads in the league.  If I I were to name every standout, I would need to list 30 names.  Jennifer is a seven year veteran and is a wonderful dancer; the lovely Rochelle is in her second year on the squad and is a communications major; and Holly was a standout during the first quarter line that rotated in front of me.  During the second quarter, I had the privilege of sitting near Jaime, who a superb dancer.  And it seems like there is one every game: Courtney turned out to be the squad member in which I realized when I was back home in the chilly Midwest that I had a ton of great Courtney photos.  Tramane was great in the last quarter, with dimples to die for.

So it was difficult enough to go from 30 to a single Sideline Standout of the Game, so I will name two for their wonderful sideline presence and dancing.  Stephanie M is a two year veteran and a surgical dental assistant.  It is painless to name Stephanie as one of my Sideline Standouts, for wonderful smiles and perfect dancing beyond the call of duty.  Second, I have to name Sara as the second Sideline Standout of the Game.  Sara is a three year squad veteran and a Biomedical Science major.  Sara is a spectacular performer and a great sideline distraction for the disappointed Bucs fans.

As I left Raymond James Stadium, I couldn’t get that “Yo Ho (A Pirate’s Life for Me)” out of my head.  But they lyrics in my head had changed to “Yo ho, yo ho, the Bucs cheerleaders rule!!”  Great job!!

Line up for pre-game player introductions

Lining up for first quarter pics

Rochelle

Happy “Holly”-days

Second quarter photo time

Tiffany

Meagan

Jaime

Courtney

Ashley

Stephanie M

Congratulations to Holly B, who was named the Colts Cheerleaders’ Pro Bowl selection for 2010!  Besides her six year commitment to the squad, Holly resides in Terre Haute, so over an hours drive from Indianapolis.  Holly is a graduate (marketing and sales) of Indiana State University in Terre Haute, and I believe that she is the best thing out of ISU since Larry Bird.  Come to think of it, Holly and the Colts are having a much better season than Larry’s Pacers, so I’ll take Holly over Larry any day.

Besides cheering for a team that requires quite a drive for appearances, practices, and games, Holly merely manages a medical practice, is investing in a new restaurant/nightclub, serves as a fitness instructor, runs in marathons, spends time with her loves (her husband and two Shar-Peis, Raisin and Reecie); ergo, not too much going on with Holly!  Holly, you are exhausting me!!  No wonder Holly prides herself on being very organized and ready for a challenge.

Holly has performed representing the Colts on three military tours, including trips to Egypt, Jordan, Greece, Italy, Spain, the South Pacific, and Kosovo.  After all Holly has provided in terms of talent and time to the Colts organization and the community, it is certainly a well deserved designation that Holly will serve among the best of the best on the sidelines for the Pro Bowl.  Congratulations Holly!!!!!

Holly cheers at the 27Dec game versus the Jets

Well deserved Holly!!