Several members of the 2010-11 Honeybees dance team traveled to Istanbul, Turkey for the 2011 NBA 5 United Tour.
It’s 9:30 pm on June 6th, and we’re on our last flight from Turkey back to New Orleans. I just woke up and flipped up my window shade to see a thin line of lights jutting out from the Southshore, creeping across the lake and into the darkness toward the Northshore. The Causeway…we’re almost there! We can’t wait to be home! Not because we didn’t have a great trip, simply because we’ve been traveling for 22 1/2 hours and anyone would be glad to be home at this point. The Honeybee trip to Istanbul was amazing…if Turkey isn’t on your list of places to go (it wasn’t on mine), add it! I’ve already added it to my list of places I want to go back to visit.
If you know nothing about Istanbul, you should know this…it’s a city on two continents. We landed at the airport on the European side of Istanbul, were greeted by our guide, Cagatay (this is as close a spelling as I can get it on my English keyboard. In Turkish, it looks a little different, but it’s pronounced Cha-tie), loaded up our van and after a short ferry ride across the Sea of Marmara, landed on the Asian side of the city. The ferry ride was a welcomed breath of fresh air with the most amazing views of both sides of the city. We stopped for lunch at a restaurant called Tike and let Cagatay take care of the ordering…he did an excellent job! We started our first Turkish meal with delicious appetizers of tomatoes, hummus and yogurt, followed by chicken and beef kebabs and rounded out with a “secret” dessert. Cagatay couldn’t explain what it was in English, so we decided it was similar to sweet grits with vanilla ice cream in the middle…it was very tasty and if I remember correctly, we didn’t leave any on the plate!
We spent the rest of our free time in Istanbul having fabulous lunch time meals on the quaint little patios in various restaurants throughout the Asian side of the city. We ate dinners with views of the Sea of Marmara. We also took a private boat across the Bosphorus Strait to a little place called Reina on the European side of the city, which was only the most popular restaurant/club in Istanbul! Everywhere we went, the food was good, the service was impeccable, and the locals were extremely hospitable…especially Cagatay. He was the key to our great trip and we are so grateful that he was so patient, accommodating and fun! So, I am glad to be home and am looking forward to sleeping in my own bed tonight, but to say we had a good time is an understatement. We looked around several times during our trip and said, “Can you believe we’re here? This really is a once in a lifetime opportunity!” and it was! But having had a taste of how awesome it was, I think we all plan to make a trip back in the future!
We’re about to land, so it’s time to put up the computer. Thanks for reading and I hope each and every one of you has an opportunity to visit Istanbul one day to see for yourself how special it is and make your own fabulous memories. Goodbye and Geaux Hornets!!
Ashley B.
[More diary entries and video]
[Honeybees in Instanbul Gallery]
By Jennifer Summer
KingswoodNews.com
Dancing has always been a passion for both Ashley Brown and Mackenzie Cota; they could even say it runs in their blood.
From the time they were both young girls, the Kingwood High School graduates started taking dance classes, learning different styles of dance and techniques, and working hard to progress as dancers.
Through their hard work and determination, Cota and Brown recently earned spots as cheerleaders on the Houston Texans cheerleading squad and will make their debut next football season.
“It was truly unbelievable hearing my number called as one of the 2011-2012 Houston Texans cheerleaders. I had put it in God’s hands and mentally prepared myself for either outcome, so I was pleasantly surprised to have made the squad,” Cota said.
The auditions for the squad can be grueling with more than 600 dancers competing for a spot on the team.
It was narrowed down to around 53 girls in the finals where only 35 would make it on the squad.
“Trying out for the Texans was a fantastic experience, trying but yet very rewarding. I learned a great deal through the tryouts and met a lot of great girls too. When it was announced that I made the finals and then chosen for the squad, it was thrilling, a moment I will never forget,” Brown said.
Brown fell in love with dancing after she sat in the front row of a dancing show on a cruise ship.
From there, she progressed from dance classes to a spot on the Kingwood High School Fillies dance team, which helped her learn how to perform on the field, and then to trying out for the Texans cheerleading squad.
It was only around two years ago that Cota considered becoming an NFL cheerleader when she realized how much she missed performing with a team.
“Dancing is still fun when you are taking classes by yourself or dancing with friends, but there is nothing like the thrill of performing in front of thousands of people,” Cota added.
Cota’s husband and mother supported her throughout the process even as her mom is battling breast cancer.
Brown and Cota are both looking forward to the 2011-2012 Houston Texans football season where they will get the chance to perform dance routines with 33 other ladies.
“It is beyond words that I made it. This truly has been the most exciting dance accomplishment I have made in my career,” Brown said.
Kara cheered for the Kansas City Chiefs for three years.
Kara is currently an Assistant State Attorney in Miami, Florida. She obtained her juris doctor from the University of Denver College of Law, and graduated from the University of Kansas with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.
Our every growing list of cheerleader/attorneys is here.
If you missed the first audition here is your chance to become a part of one of Richmond, VA’s HOTTEST semi-professional footballl organziations. The Virginia Warriors organization will be holding it’s second audition for ladies 21 and older interested in becoming a part of the Virginia Goldens (Lady Warriors) Cheer & Dance Team.
Informational meeting & auditions will be held on TUESDAY JUNE 28, 2011 from 7pm – 9pm at Have a Nice Day Cafe – 11 South 18th Street Richmond, VA.
Contact Virginia Goldens Director – Ashleigh Lofton – vawarriorscheer@gmail.com or (804) 504-1401 for PRE-REGISTRATION. You may also visit their website www.eteamz.com/VAWarriorsCheer.
Philadelphia Fight Vixens Dance Team - The Vixens are the Dance Team for the AMNRL (Rugby) Philadelphia Fight who play their home games at A. A. Garthwaite Stadium in Conshohocken, PA
Vixens Dance Team with coach/choreographer Heather Grasso.
Vixens Captain Maggie with the Junior Vixens, her students at Zero Gravity Dance Company
Captains Megan and Maggie
(more…)
Not many former NFL Cheerleaders have survived a plane crash, slept in jungles teeming with poisonous snakes, swum with hungry great white sharks, rappelled down a 14,000-foot sinkhole in search of frogs, and been charged by an angry silverback gorilla. But then, Mireya Mayor is not your typical ex-NFL cheerleader.
2011-12 Charlotte Lady Cats
After ten days of prelims, bootcamp, swimsuit photo shoots, media challenges, interviews, and finals, eighteen dancers have been chosen for the 2011-12 Charlotte Lady Cats.
Special congratulations to Checkmates Ashley and Kristi on making the team.
Looking forward to seeing the Lady Cats this weekend in Atlanta for P-R-O.
Plenty of photos of the new team here.
As part of the IFL Year End Awards, the Chicago Slaughter’s dance team earned the Best Dance Team Award based in providing the most talented and most attractive dance team. Uniforms, class, routines, and crowd interaction were also factors in deciding the award.
[Chicago Slaughter Dance Team]
The USA Sevens Collegiate College Championship featuring 24 men's and women's rugby teams was held at PPL Park in Chester back on the first weekend in June.
But why am I taking photos at a college event, when we usually only cover cheerleaders/dancers from professional sports?
The USA Sevens Dance Team. Recognize these ladies? Most are current/former members of the Philadelphia Wings Angels Dance Team.
Lauren
Cary
