Duane Dudek
Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel
Tanya Fischer plays Zoey Waters, the coquettish secretary on "The Defenders.".
“I love being from Wisconsin,” said Tanya Fischer, 25, from the CBS series “The Defenders.”
Fischer, who grew up in West Bend, spent her youth “daydreaming among the cornfields” about being an actress and was involved in “all sorts of activities” in high school. After graduation, she joined the Milwaukee Bucks’ Energee! Dance Team. She moved to New York in 2004 with “$1,000 and one suitcase,” slept on a friend’s couch and worked odd jobs. She didn’t have money for acting classes but got experience by working for theater companies and performing on stage. Through that, she got an agent and landed a recurring role on the short-lived ABC show “Life on Mars,” which was shot in New York.
“Then the stock market crashed and the industry changed,” she said.
She started losing roles to more established actors looking for work. So when a band she was in visited Los Angeles, she went to a “Defenders” audition, and after several screen tests she got the role. “The Defenders” stars Jim Belushi and Jerry O’Donnell as Las Vegas lawyers. The season finale airs Friday night at 7.
Fischer plays their secretary Zoey, whose competence is camouflaged by her coquettishness.
She said she drew on Judy Holliday in “Born Yesterday” and “Monkey Business,” an early Marilyn Monroe film, in creating the character, whose trademarks are brightly colored Post-it notes and a pink fuzzy-topped pencil, a prop Fischer pocketed when the series finished shooting.
Belushi is the star of the comedy-drama hybrid, but “The Defenders” is also an ensemble show, of which Fischer’s character is “the wild card. The random piece of the puzzle.”
“The Defenders” is produced and written by Whitefish Bay native Niels Mueller, with whom Fischer shared “handshakes and hugs” during the Green Bay Packers’ run to the Super Bowl, albeit behind Chicago native Belushi’s back. She said that Belushi “runs a tight ship” but is “open to improvisation if you come prepared.”
John Candy’s daughter is Fischer’s stand-in, and Belushi’s son Rob has appeared on the show.
Fischer had no such show business connections.
“I’m no producer’s kid,” she said.
Far from it. Her mother, Peggy Fischer, runs Shooting Star Travel in West Bend. Her dad runs a martial arts studio. Her younger sister attends the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and her brother attends her alma mater, West Bend High School.
When we spoke by phone last week, it was the day after she had finished filming her final scene of the season, and she was on a giggly adrenaline high.
“Right now, they’re packing up the stages until we get word” if the show was picked up for a second season, she said.
She is optimistic – “we’ve been pulling in good ratings consistently” – but also philosophical about the show’s future, and her own.
She said that when she interviewed for the commentary track on the DVD boxed set of the first season and was asked what she liked best about the job, “I had to say ‘everything.’ I’m not crashing on friends’ couches or eating food that restaurants throw away anymore. I like knowing my rent’s going to be paid for a while. And I can send my sister some dough for college. Who knows how long anything will last?
“But the work we are doing is something I’m proud of, and the audience seems to like it.”
And renewed or not, her dream is the same as it was in that cornfield: “To be a great actress.”
“I just want to keep at it,” she said. “I can’t wait to see after years of being around, the roles I can play when I’m a crazy old lady.”
After four seasons as a member of the Calgary Stampeder Outriders, this is Stacy’s first year stepping into the role of head coach and choreographer and she is very excited for the challenge and added responsibility. Stacy has been, and always will be, a huge football fan, so it is really a dream for her to be a part of the Calgary Stampeders organization.
Stacy has been dancing since the age of five at numerous dance studios around Alberta. Her dance background includes jazz, tap, ballet, Highland, hip hop, lyrical, musical theatre, African, POM, contemporary and modern. She has taken many dance workshops and master classes around Canada and the United States. Stacy has formal training in ADAPT, RAD, Cecchetti, Al Gilbert and Vaganova syllabuses. She also was a student in the University of Calgary Dance Program.
This is Stacy’s 14th year as a dance instructor and competitive choreographer. She has won many awards locally and nationally for her dance routines as a dancer and numerous high point and choreography awards as an instructor/choreographer.
Each year, she takes 20-30 routines to competition. This is currently her eighth season working with Airborne Dance Centre. Many of her students have competed on So You Think You Can Dance Canada or been part of The Young Canadians of the Calgary Stampede. Other students have gone on to successful dance careers in Canada and the United States.
Stacy was also a national level figure skater for years before dance took over her life. She participated in competitive singles, synchronized and artistic programs. Stacy was a figure skating instructor for five years and also helped to train and choreograph for other skaters. She volunteered for many years with the skating division of the Calgary Special Olympics.
Stacy is a former model and has competed in many beauty pageants such as Miss Teen Red Deer, Miss Teen Candance, and Miss Calgary. This has led her to be a choreographer in many runway shows in Calgary as well.
Formal education has been a very important part of Stacy’s life thus far. She holds a Bachelor’s of Kinesiology with a minor in Dance from the University of Calgary. Most recently, she has graduated yet again from the U of C with a Master’s of Science in the Field of Kinesiology with a Specialization in Sports Medicine. She also holds NCCP coaching levels 1 and 2 for figure skating and dance.
During the day, Stacy is living another one of her dreams by working as a Clinical Research Coordinator at the Alberta Children’s Hospital. In her spare time, she enjoys snowboarding, yoga, boxing, reading, Zumba, watching any football she can find and travelling the world. She loves animals and has a Siamese torti-point named CinderElla.
[Complete Audition Information]
By Jonathon Brodie
Toronto Sun
Jorie Brown is putting the pompoms down so she can teach kids about bullying, self respect, and individualism.
The Toronto Argonauts cheerleading coach was at Greensborough Public School to speak with 71 female students about bullying.
“Bullying happens to everyone,” said the Argos’ chief of cheering. “You might not think it’s a regular occurrence but whether you’re in school, outside in teams, or even a cheerleading team, bullying happens all around.”
Teamed up with Erin Schneider, the Argos’ coordinator of communications, Brown got the message across to students using personal stories.
“By the end of the assembly…we had to say, ‘Okay, we have a enough stories right now,’” Brown said. “They were non-stop opening up and sharing their stories which was really nice.”
Toronto’s mini football squad came to the school as part of the Argonauts Huddle Up Bully Prevention Program that sends players and cheerleaders to schools to encourage friendship and inclusion.
“Most people think of bullying as physical but with girls it tends to be not physical at all,” said Brown. “It’s all mental games, jealousy, and those kind of topics.
“It’s nice to have a female come in to talk to them. Someone they can relate a little bit more, too.”
The assembly ended with Brown showing the girls an Argo cheer, followed by a mob around the cheerleader seeking autographs and pictures.
“A girl talking can kind of make you feel more comfortable about an issue,” said Grade 8 student June Lee, who helped bring the Huddle Up program to her school.
Bullying between girls can be bad because it affects the victims emotionally, she said.
The message of mutual respect among girls is the most important thing, although the students enthusiasm was nice, said Schneider.
“I think they recognized that a difference needs to be made, and if they’re telling one person that means what we did today had an impact,” Schneider said.
By Caitlin Rung
Boston.com
Marblehead resident Michelle Nigro, 20, was recently awarded second runner-up in the Miss Boston Pageant 2011.
The Miss Boston Pageant, which was held on Feb. 20 at the Omni Parker House in Boston, featured 13 of Boston’s most dynamic young women competing for over $17,000 in scholarships and prizes. Eligible women were between the ages of 17 and 24, who live, work full time or attend school full-time in Massachusetts, are at least a high school senior, a US citizen, and able to meet the time commitment and responsibilities set forth by the Miss Boston Scholarship Organization.
Contestants competed in five phases of competition, including talent, interview, physical fitness, evening gown, and on-stage interview. In addition to placing second runner-up, Nigro won the swimsuit portion called ‘Lifestyle and Fitness’ and the Interview portion called ‘Walk, Talk and Win.’
Nigro’s success is in no doubt due to her wealth of experience. The former Miss North Shore Outstanding Teen has been performing in competitions since she was 10 years old.
“I thought it was a lot of fun and loved getting to make up a dance to perform and wear a pretty dress,” Nigro said. “Now that I’m older I’ve also realized it is gratifying to be able to represent a platform I’m passionate about as well.”
During the competition, each contestant discussed her chosen platform, a social or community issue of concern to herself and society at large. Nigro built awareness about the Young Survival Coalition, an international organization that addresses issues unique to young women and breast cancer. She has planned and implemented six fund-raising and awareness events for the YSC in the Boston area since February 2010.
While she performs community service and works to prepare for pageants, Nigro is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism with minors in marketing communications, public relations, and advertising as a junior at Emerson College. She hopes to one day become a news anchor. She has also studied ballet, tap, jazz, and hip-hop for 17 years, and performed a jazz dance routine for the talent portion of the pageant.
Nigro is currently a New England Patriots Cheerleader, an employee of Benevento Insurance Agency, and is a former field hockey instructor.
Despite her many achievements, Nigro remains humble during the pageants.
“All of the girls in Miss Boston were wonderful. Everyone had gorgeous gowns and great talents,” she said. “They were not only beautiful, but also very well-spoken, intelligent, talented, and extremely nice. It was a pleasure meeting them all and I made some great new friends.”
The winner of Miss Boston, Sara Carlisle of Acton, was awarded over $5,000 in scholarships and prizes to fund her graduate school education.
The Miss Boston Pageant is an official Miss America preliminary and each year the woman crowned has the opportunity to compete for the title of Miss Massachusetts in Worcester.
“I am definitely happy I did the pageant. It was a good opportunity to work on my public speaking and interview skills,” Nigro said. “I’m relieved that my hard work paid off and it was a great experience. Currently my main focus is Patriots Cheerleader Auditions that are coming up again next month, which I’m really excited for!”
The Toronto Raptors and the New Jersey Nets are playing two game in London this weekend. It’s the first time the NBA has played regular season games outside of North America.
The Nets Dancers along with Team Hype and mascot Sly flew out yesterday to get a start on promoting the games.
Be sure to check out news on their trip on the Nets Dancers Blog.
[Compete Audition Information]
Philadelphia Wings Angels Dance Team member Cary is a journalism major at Temple University and a columnist for the school newspaper. In her latest column she writes about the diet and exercise requirements of dancing for the Wings.
Imagine being magnified on a Jumbotron in front of hundreds of people, wearing little white shorts and a red sparkly top and baring your entire midriff.
It’s just as terrifying as it sounds, and I do it every other Saturday as a member of the Philadelphia Wings Angels – a performance group in the National Lacrosse League. Cary Carr a healthy balance
But that’s only part of the responsibilities involved with being on a professional dance team. I’m constantly watching my diet, fitting in as much exercise time as a full-time student possibly can and learning new choreography every week.
When I auditioned for the dance team, I was at a healthy weight, regularly went to the gym and watched what I ate, but I took a day off here and there for the occasional soft-serve splurge.
Read the rest of Cary’s column here.
[Philadelphia Wings Angels Dance Team]
From the Fort Worth Star-Telegram:
It is 6 p.m. on Tuesday, more than an hour and a half until the puck drops in the Dallas Stars-New Jersey Devils game at American Airlines Center. The fans haven’t arrived yet , but the Dallas Stars Ice Girls are already hard at work, practicing the evening’s routines underneath section 109. The 12 women have been split into two groups — the skaters, who will be on the ice during TV timeouts and intermissions, and the dancers, who will be on the platform cheering and generating excitement among the fans.
The skaters, who wait in the tunnel leading to the visitor’s locker room, will hit the ice at the 14, 10 and 6-minute marks of each period. By NHL rules, the ice surface must be cleaned during the three TV timeouts each period in four designated areas, including in front of the goal. By removing the loose ice, it speeds up the pace of the game and increases scoring chances. While many teams will have as many as 10 men perform this task, the Stars depend on the beautiful Ice Girls to do the job, getting on and off the ice in less than two minutes.
They manage to make this hard work of cleaning the ice appear graceful in front of thousands of people at each of the Stars 47 home games. That’s a direct reflection of the the Ice Girls third-year coordinator, Wendy Dutton. She handpicked this group and maps out their positions on the ice in advance. She also decides who will be up on the platform, performing and dancing for the crowd. Each of the girls can do both. When the squad was first selected, over half of the girls knew how to skate while the other girls picked it up quickly.
The Ice Girls are also very knowledgeable on the specifics of the game of hockey as well as the Stars. While several of the girls grew up close to hockey, the others rapidly developed a passion for the game. When they were originally selected, they were quizzed on when the team came to Dallas from Minnesota and what year the Stars won the Stanley Cup to details such as icing and major and minor penalties.
Away from the ice, the women all lead very different lives. They have jobs and careers as varying as dance instructor to a paleontologist. One is a dental hygienist, while another works in an oil field. Two of the Ice Girls are teachers. One of the girls is a nurse while another is an assistant to a buyer. Half of the girls are in college with studies ranging from teaching to Radio-TV-Film.
In addition to ice skating on their own, the girls meet up to practice every Sunday. The skaters and the dancers each have a captain who is responsible for making sure everyone is in the right spot at the right time, whether it’s at intermission on the Zamboni or mingling with fans for photos. For this game, veterans Kaime (skaters) and Rachael (dancers) took control of their groups for flawless performances.
The Ice Girls who skated on this night were Kaime, Robbyn, Candace, Christina, Alisha and Katharina. The dancers were Rachael, Laura, Jamie, Shahriela, Shanelle and Megan. While they are essentially cheerleaders for a pro sports team, they do so much more than just rooting on the team. While the Dallas Stars hockey team has been in a bit of a tailspin in the Western Conference standings as of late, the games are still a place to be seen due in no small part to the hard work and effort exhibited by the Ice Girls.
By Nancy Wride
ProtectConsumerJustice.org
Mayra Fornos had big dreams, and they’d all come true by age 24. Newly married to a handsome USC student, Fornos lived across the street from the sands of Manhattan Beach, he a surfer bound for law school, she the tall and stunning fashionista. The future seemed set: He would become a lawyer; she would launch a career in apparel marketing. She was already one of three top models in Los Angeles that shaped Guess and other brands in the $2 billion jeans industry. She’d already been a Rams Cheerleader.
Then, it all cratered, with the break of a wave.
On that day in 1979, six months before graduating USC, Ralph Fornos walked into the waves with his board, and had to be carried out. Perhaps a wall of water slammed him to the ocean floor, or he hit a sandbar. He floated to the surface alive, but unmoving, a quadriplegic.
In the years that followed, her husband’s life in a wheelchair drastically changed hers. “After my husband was injured, he said ‘that’s it. We have to change the world,’ ” Fornos recalls proudly. It started with Fornos turning the pages of his law books. Immersing herself to help him with classes at University of West Los Angeles School of Law, Fornos decided to become a lawyer herself, and practiced with her husband until his death in 2002.
She views the Americans with Disabilities Act as the greatest civil rights law passed since the Civil Rights Act itself.
Today, it’s fair to say that Mayra Fornos is the only lawyer in Southern California whose entire workforce is either paraplegic or quadriplegic. She is one of the best-known Los Angeles attorneys specializing in Americans with Disabilities Act claims, and a widely respected advocate for the profoundly injured.
Working tirelessly both in and out of court, she has changed access policies, she has changed bicycle safety routes, she has changed hospital protocols. Friends say she never focuses on the money, but the cause. She has helped found two charities for the disabled.
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