By Lauren Lowrey
WISHTV.com
When the Indianapolis Colts take the field Saturday, Aug. 24th for their preseason game against the Cleveland Browns, 150 former cheerleaders will join them. The women will participate in a special halftime performance celebrating 30 years of the Colts organization in Indianapolis.
“We were talking about doing a reunion – something simple, just a dinner for the girls to get everyone together,” says Andrea Farrell, a Colts cheerleader from 2002 to 2004. “Through that, the Colts organization felt it would be good to have the alumni tie the reunion into a game. So, our simple little dinner turned into a half-time performance on Aug. 24th.”
Each of the more than 300 alumni cheerleaders were asked to participate and about 150 committed – even women from the original 1984 squad. The women will be divided into five groups based on their first year on the squad and will perform segments that reflect the three decades of the Colts’ presence in Indianapolis.
“Then we’ll come back together to form a wonderful kick-line across the field as a finale,” says Farrell.
Our WISH-TV cameras were at the L.A. Fitness in West Carmel as one of the alumni cheer groups practiced. Dancing has proved to be a test of their fitness, years after these women hung up their pom-poms.
“I do workout DVDs in my home a few times a week, plus, I’m a pediatric nurse in the ICU at one of the local children’s hospitals, so I’m up on my feet about 12 hours a day, but I did feel a little sore when we started to work on the kickline,” says Jill Eicher, 34, Colts cheerleader for four seasons from 1999 to 2002.
Former Pro-Bowl cheerleader for the Colts, Jennifer Trock Barbera, 33, cheered for the Colts for seven seasons from 1999 to 2005. She recently gave birth her first child, a boy, and said she worked out before during and after pregnancy.
“I do total fitness, I love Zumba, anything like that. We just turn on music around the house and I just dance around with my son. He’s 20 pounds so that works!”
Trock Barbera is a physical therapist who stressed how important it is “to keep exercise as part of your daily life just to stay healthy, keep your heart rate down, and keep your blood pressure down.”
During their time as Colts cheerleaders, these women spent countless hours exercising each week. Farrell says during the three seasons she was on the squad “we practiced 2 to 3 nights per week; before each practice we had to arrive early to run 1 to 2 miles and then we would work out with our trainer before practice one night a week.”
Farrell says members of the squad were also required to log 2 to 3 gym workouts per week, outside of their team practices. On game day, the women would arrive 6 hours before kick-off to run the field, stretch and run through the game day routine. After a break for hair, makeup and a meal, the squad would take the field for the four hour game.
“Because you put so much time into practicing and preparation while you’re on the squad, keeping up your appearance and your fitness is still important,” says Farrell.For their Saturday night performance, the alumni will wear special jerseys with the number “30” on the back, representing the thirty years of the Colts’ presence in Indianapolis. Either their name or the word “alumni” will be printed above.
Watch a video of this report here.
Auditions for the 2013-14 CheckMates squad are in full swing and we need you to help pick this year’s team!
Choose up to 10 girls below to form your ideal team and your picks will be given to the judges at final auditions on Thursday evening. In addition to fan voting, prospective CheckMates will be judged on dance ability, showmanship and an interview. Voting ends Thursday, August 22, at 5 p.m. and the 2013-14 CheckMates will be announced later that evening.
So ten years ago a big event happened in Eagles history. No, not the the opening of Lincoln Financial Field. It was the debut of the Vera Wang designed Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleaders uniforms. Sasha would know better than I, but I think that was the first “Name” designer involved with an NFL Cheerleading uniform. Since then we’ve had Marc Ecko design for the Jets Flight Crew, and most recently Sondra Celli for the Patriots.
After ten years the Eagles decided it’s time for a new look. The new uniform will still be designed by Vera Wang. And it’s a closely guarded secret. For the pre-season the cheerleaders wore the “old” uniform. So the best guess is we’ll get to see the new look at the Eagles home opener on September 15th.
One last look from the Eagles final home pre-season game this past Thursday.
Marissa
Alicia
Jamielee
Cat
Erica
Cheryl
By Sarah Tressler
MySanAntonio.com
If you happen to be looking for a career with the Spurs, there’s good news and bad news. The good news is that a position is about to open up. The bad news is you’ve got some pretty petite shoes to fill – size 7, to be exact.
Raquel Garcia, 39, has been the Spurs Silver Dancers choreographer for more than a decade, but on Sept. 15, her contract will expire, and, with a set of 3-year-old twins and a 6-year-old son, she has decided to resign from the team, as well as from her position as choreographer for the WNBA Silver Stars SBC Star Squad dance team and The Rampage Ice Girls dance team.
“We’re in the process of looking for someone else,” said Spurs Director of Game Operations & Special Events Chris Garcia. (Full disclosure: Chris Garcia and Raquel Garcia are married.) “She reflected over this past year, and she figured it was probably time to move on and focus her family.”
The 2013 season was a big one for the Spurs, and thus a big one for the Silver Dancers.
“This past year was amazing; even though we weren’t champions at the end, it was just an awesome ride,” Raquel said.
But all those extra games at the end of the season started to add up for the new mom. She finally made the bittersweet choice to leave.
“The deciding factor for me was when I looked back at this past year – if I counted the nights when I was at rehearsal and the nights that I was working games, whether that be Spurs, The Rampage or our WNBA Silver Stars, which we’re currently in, I was away from my children 150 nights. So someone else put my own children to bed. And it should be their mommy,” Raquel Garcia said. “There’s no price tag I can put on that.”
The audition process to select next season’s Silver Dancers started Aug. 10 and was one of her last orders of business.
More than a hundred girls in hot shorts and fitted tank tops twirled, kicked, coupe-turned, and whipped their hair to Miranda Lambert’s “Mama’s Broken Heart” for the first round; after cuts were made, the remaining 60 or so learned a new routine to Maroon 5’s “Love Somebody.”
Throughout the instruction period, Raquel Garcia, energetic and petite, stood on a small stage and danced through the whole routine with the girls over and over, keeping in step while giving precise instructions through a microphone.
Just before she stepped out of a curtain-enclosed area to teach the second routine, she fished through her Louis Vuitton handbag for a stick of deodorant.
“Don’t want to stink-a-roonie!” she chirped. This neatly summarizes her personality – disarmingly sweet with an emphasis on presentation. She’s not unlike the quintessential Disney princess.
Raquel Garcia worked her way up from her high school pep squad to the to the cheer team and on to the Kilgore Rangerettes dance team in college. After graduation, she set her sights on a professional dance career and made the Silver Dancers team in 1994. With five seasons with the Silver Dancers under her belt, she took a job with an ad agency, but her passion for dance endured. In 2003, she became the choreographer for the Silver Stars dance team, followed by her position as the Silver Dancers choreographer.
Now, her plans are simple: PTA, church and working from home with a uniform-design agency outfitting pro and collegiate teams in Texas. But most importantly, “I’m gonna be a stay-home mommy,” she said.
So what does Raquel Garcia’s husband, the Spurs director of game operations, think about the end of going to work with his wife?
“It’s fantastic,” Chris Garcia said. “It’ll be nice to just be able to hold hands and walk around at the games and be married.”
There is a new Professional Cheerleading team being added to the Boston sports Dynasty. The National Spring Football League (NSFL) is a brand new Professional outdoor football league that will start playing in the Spring of 2014. The inaugural season will include 12 teams from around the country including the Boston Freedom Fighters.
Although March seems far away, it will be here before we know it and there is a lot to get done. First up on our list is to field a professional cheerleading team by hosting auditions for the “Boston Belles”.
Under the direction of head coach Alisa Borselli, this NFL style cheer team will bring energy and entertainment to the sidelines and halftime at the home games being held at Memorial Stadium in Lawrence, Mass.
If you were looking to take your cheer/dance career to the professional level, this is an opportunity you don’t want to miss!!
Audition Dates
Preliminary round …. Saturday September 14th 2013 9-12 and 3-5
* cuts will be made after first round
* personal interviews will be scheduled leading up to the final round
* Finals…. Wednesday September 18th 2013 7pm
*** all candidates must attend every round to be considered for the team
Location (preliminary rounds only)
Jag Cheer Training Center
295 Salem Street
Woburn Ma 01801
Finals… tbd Please follow our facebook page “The Boston Belles” for up to date info.
For more information, questions or registration forms, email: aliborselli87@gmail.com
An Orlando Predators Prowler
Photo Credit: Miami Dolphins
Third-year veteran Lauren J. is Miss September in the Miami Dolphins Cheerleaders’ 2014 Swimsuit Calendar.
[Lauren J @ MiamiDolphinsCheerleaders.net]
From The Texas Legends Website:
The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders have announced their 2013-14 roster which includes a former Texas Legends Dancer.
Courtni Wedeman was a member of the 2012-13 Legends Dance Team directed by Jen Contreras and Next Step Dance. This was Courtni’s first season as a Legends’ dancer as she made the team straight out of Texas Tech University. While at Tech, Courtni was a member of the Red Raider Pom Squad.
To make the team, the ladies had to survive multiple rounds of auditions before being invited to “DCC Training Camp” where the final cuts were made.
Jen Contreras, a former Maverick Dancer, has been the team’s Director since the first season while also teaching classes at Next Step. “We are extremely proud of all of our girls getting call-ups this off season. Courtni has been an incredible addition to the Legends’ squad but we are so happy to see her take that step and perform on such a large stage” said Contreras.
The Dallas Mavericks Dance Team has announced the 2013-14 roster, which includes two former Texas Legends dancers.
Amy Boyer and Kass Armendariz were both members of the 2012-13 Legends Dance Team directed by Jen Contreras and Next Step Dance. Amy completed her second season with the Legends while it was the first for Kass. The girls were put through two rounds of auditions before being accepted into Training Camp where the final cuts were made yesterday for next season’s team.
Jen Contreras, a former Maverick Dancer, has been the team’s Director since the first season while also teaching classes at Next Step. “Like our basketball team we strive to train our girls with the goal in mind of getting that call up. We’re very proud of Kass and Amy and excited to watch them on that stage next season” said Contreras.
Sasha here, if I may butt in for just a moment, the Dallas Stars Ice Girls have also snapped up two members of last year’s Legends team for this year’s squad. Congrats to Belinda Linker and DeAmber Houston-Dailey!
A new dance team is coming to the Atlanta area. The National Spring Football League (NSFL) is a new professional outdoor football league that will begin play in the spring of 2014. The inaugural season will include twelve teams.
Under the direction of the multi-talented Mesha Rainey, this NFL-style dance team will bring entertainment and excitement to the field. The dancers will also represent the GA Blaze off the field and in the community. If you want to take your dance career to the professional level, this is your chance!
PREP CLASSES
August 24 and September 7, 2013
11-1pm
MetroFX, 1959 Metropolitan Pkwy, Atlanta, GA
Fee: $20 (cash or money order; non-refundable)
Come learn jazz and hip hop dance moves by some of the distinguished choreographers in Atlanta, get your auditions questions answered by the coordinator, and learn tips for how to be successful at auditions.
AUDITION DATES
Sunday, September 15, 2013, 2pm
Location: M.L. King, 545 Hill St, Atlanta, GA
Fee: $15 (cash or money order; non-refundable)
PREPARATION
Ladies must be 18 and up
Bring photo ID, head shot, and dance resume (optional)
Wear a two-piece outfit, which compliments you
Hair and make-up should be glamorous
For more information or questions, email: mrainey@georgia-blaze.com.
