Are you a current, former or prospective professional dancer or cheerleader? Does your team need hot choreography? Would you like to meet others in the industry or hear about audition opportunities? Get ready for this upcoming event sponsored by Going Pro Entertainment.

AGENDA
** Learn choreography from elite NFL, NBA and AFL alumni
** Get tips from the pros on fitness, nutrition, makeup, attire and more
** Network with other performers from the east coast (and beyond!)
** Receive giveaways from sponsors including attire and cosmetics
** Directors receive complimentary lunch

COSTS
** Morning (9:00am-12:00pm): $45
** Full day (9:00am-4:00pm): $79
** Discount: 15% off early bird registration
** Directors: Bring 3 or more squad members and receive complimentary admission. All directors receive complimentary lunch and director’s roundtable session.
CHOREOGRAPHERS
Our choreographers will teach 6 sidelines and 2 routines in length of 45-60 seconds, representing all major sports leagues. Check out this line up, and view their bios and photos here!

** Jillian Gonzales, NBA Dancer – Philadelphia, MISL Director – Philadelphia KIXX
** Lindsay Rodolico, AFL Dancer – Philadelphia, AFL Choreographer – New Jersey,
AFL All Star, MLB Junior Choreographer – LA and Philadelphia
** Erin Donnelly, NFL Cheerleader – St Louis, NFL Pro Bowl Cheerleader
** Marla Viturello, NFL Cheerleader – Philadelphia, NFL Pro Bowl Cheerleader,
AFL Choreographer and Director – Philadelphia
** Laura Eilers, NFL Cheerleader – Kansas City and St Louis, AIFA Director – Richmond Lady Raiders (VA)

Complete info here.

It’s an the bye week for the Philadelphia Eagles, so no parties this week. But I’ve been so swamped at work, that I haven’t posted photos from last week’s Away Game Party from Buffalo Wild Wings in Delaware.

See if you can guess who was the sponsor of this party:

[Sarah at PhiladelphiaEagles.com]

[Tracey at PhiladelphiaEagles.com]

The San Francisco 49ers Gold Rush are in England as part of the NFL’s annual game in Wembley Stadium. Here are a couple of photos with London Mayor Boris Johnson.

More about the meeting between the Mayor and the Gold Rush here. And a BBC Video about the Gold Rush here.

By Jessica Baltes
MNSwarm.com

With the 2011 season quickly approaching, the Minnesota Swarm have selected the members of the Swarm Performance Team (SPT) after six hours of evaluations at CorePower Yoga in Highland Park. The event kicked off on Saturday at 5 p.m. with 29 girls in attendance.

Head Coach and Coordinator Tami Krause and Coach Allison Drusch welcomed the SPT hopefuls to the tryouts, along with their panel of judges.

“It’s very nerve racking as a contestant, but most of all it’s a lot of fun. They learn a quick routine and then they come and audition. It’s really a pretty condensed night,” said former SPT member and Coach Allison Drusch. “It is very difficult with only ten spots. There is so much talent there we could literally take almost every girl that is coming here to audition.”

Carrie and Krisandra, two former members of the SPT, were on hand to teach the girls the audition routine. The girls were then split into groups of three to perform the routine to JET’s “Roll Over DJ” for the judges.

Back Row: Jenna, Kara, Kristin, Annalisa, Kayla
Front Row: Betsy, Ginger, Jessica, Kelly, Beth

In addition to being able to perform at a high-level, SPT members have to be able to interact with fans and generate excitement. “We are looking for professionals that will be ambassadors on behalf of the organization. They represent the organization at appearances, out in the community, on game days doing suite visits, on camera elements and also being a marketing tool for the organization,” said Head Coach Tami Krause.

For the second year, the SPT is partnering with CorePower Yoga. The SPT members will be working out and taking classes at CorePower Yoga locations across the Twin Cities area.

The team will unveil their new uniforms at the home opener on Jan. 8 against the Rochester Knighthawks. The team will also produce a calendar for the second year in a row, which will feature an element of charitable cause.

“After a very tough decision making process we have selected what will surely be the best Swarm Performance Team to date! We have five veteran team members and five rookie team members – rounding out the perfect blend for the upcoming season,” stated Krause. “We couldn’t be more excited with the talent and can’t wait for the first game!”

Season ticket holders will have the opportunity to meet the members of the 2011 SPT at the Holiday Bowl on Sunday, Dec. 5 at Brunswick Zone XL in Lakeville.

By Mike Ruta
DurhamRegion.com

Everything Nikki Grant touches seems to turn to gold for her.

The 21-year-old Ajax dancer and actor says she “begged” her parents as a 10 year old to let her try dancing. After just one year at her studio, she made the competitive dance team. Eight years later Grant auditioned to become a member of the Toronto Raptors Dance Pak and for two seasons, 2007/2008 and 2008/2009, was its youngest member. She was accepted back for a third season but turned the job down as, after less than a year of taking acting lessons and acting, she landed a major role in a feature film.

Grant admits she got into acting to become famous. And while that may happen in the future, she’s had a change of heart.

“It’s definitely for the love of the art because if you don’t have that it’s hard to succeed in this business,” she says.

The aforementioned film is Beat the World, due for release in March. Grant plays Cherry, a dancer who she says doesn’t have a lot of self-esteem and uses arrogance to hide the fact. She was in Berlin this past summer where some of it was shot.

“It’s about three dance crews from across the world that are battling to get to Beat the World, this dance competition,” she says, noting Cherry is “basically the bad girl” who has designs on one of the male dancers, who has a girlfriend.

Just as she was finishing up her work on Beat the World, Grant found herself on another set, dancing in Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam, released in September on the Family Channel and starring the Jonas Brothers. She followed that up with an appearance in an episode of a new TV series, Lost Girl.

If all of this seems like a natural progression, it was: Grant says she got into dancing because a few friends danced. And while she was a member of the Dance Pak, she learned a lot of the other dancers acted as well and she decided to give it a shot.

As you might have guessed, Grant’s extremely outgoing and loves performing in front of a crowd. So, when it came time to be in front of the camera, nerves were not an issue.

“It was so exciting to me,” she says. “It is as if the camera wasn’t there and I was another person.”

She likes acting because it allows her to explore different aspects of her personality.

Grant says the support of her parents is what has carried her though all the rapid changes she’s had in her life in the past few years.

It’s no surprise that the former Ajax High School student has her sights set on her next challenge.

“My next big goal for myself is I’d like to be a series regular on a TV show,” Grant says.

[Nikki Grant at imdb.com]

From KARE11.com

The Minnesota Timberwolves open the regular season with plenty of new faces cheering them on. The dance team has 16 girls this year, 13 of which are rookies. The girls were chosen out of 200, which was the highest turnout on record for the franchise.

They practice two times a week for four to five hours, make community and charity appearances and of course dance at all the home games. In addition, almost all of them have other full-time jobs or are full-time students.

[Minnesota Timberwolves Dancers]

By Steve Mazzucchi
Esquire

Down 20-3 entering the fourth quarter, a lot of teams might start daydreaming about hot showers, cold beer, and women not unlike the one pictured above. Especially against Tom Brady and the Patriots. But after finding innovative ways to give away a game — easy turnovers, dropped passes, ill-timed penalties — the Chargers somehow rallied to within 23-20 and lined up for a game-tying field goal with under 30 seconds to play. Then came another penalty, and a thunderous clang off the post: this year’s 2-5 Bolts in a nutshell.

And yet, if this troubled but talented team possesses half the electricity of rookie cheerleader Melissa, a playoff run may still materialize. The Brooklyn-born, 100 percent Sicilian runs half-marathons, started her own web-solutions company in 2005, and is developing an online community for people who are deaf or have severe hearing loss like herself. “I would love to be an ambassador to kids, to show them they don’t have to let a disability get them down,” she explains. Consider us inspired.

ESQUIRE: Let’s start off positive. Is the weather at least nice in San Diego these days?

MELISSA: You know what’s funny, finally the sun came out today, but it’s been raining for the past two weeks. Every home game, the weather’s been gorgeous.

ESQ: Ever seen such a combination of brilliance and ineptitude in the same game?

MEL: This one was really crazy. We were night-and-day from the first quarter to the fourth quarter. I guess it takes a while for the guys to get warmed up. After the first half, they start to come together as a team. You can see when it clicks, and they start to play really good football.

ESQ: Had the fans bailed by then, or did they stick around?

MEL: They stuck around! This was the first home game that wasn’t blacked out, the stadium was the loudest I’ve heard it, and it was completely packed the whole four quarters. A girl near me was holding up a sign that read, “True Charger fans never give up.” Even when we’re losing, they still support the team.

ESQ: How big of a factor is LT leaving, Shawne Merriman hardly playing, and Vincent Jackson not playing at all so far?

MEL: Going into the season I was a little bit worried. LT was the first Chargers jersey I ever bought. But I think we have a great mix of youth and experience. Antonio Gates is incredible. He’s like 10 of me, but he’s fast. He now has the sixth-most receiving yards ever for a tight end. Philip Rivers is phenomenal and a great leader. Darren Sproles, Patrick Crayton, Mike Tolbert, Ryan Mathews, Malcolm Floyd, who was out today — all those guys as a team can make it work.

ESQ: Any encouraging signs from this game?

MEL: Well, yeah, the fact that we did come back in the fourth quarter. Our defense did great, sacking Tom Brady four times and hitting him a lot. We had twice as many yards as the Pats did. Silly mistakes are costing us games, but I think it’s something that’s fixable and that we can overcome. We have the number-one offense and defense. We’re the best 2-5 team in the NFL.

ESQ: Plus, your quarterback doesn’t have girl hair.

MEL: Oh, right. I had never seen the Patriots play in person before. I was expecting Tom Brady to be dominating, such a hot shot. And they won, yes, but I don’t think he played very well. Rivers was the better quarterback. Brady’s hair might be slowing him down.

ESQ: The 2008 Chargers started 4-8, then won their last four games to capture the division. Think something similar could happen this year?

MEL: We always seem to start slow, and we always seem to come back at the end of the season. I would love to be cheering at a couple playoff games. Of course it’s disappointing when we lose, but we’ve won the AFC West the past four years. Until that doesn’t happen, you’ve gotta believe.

ESQ: Last week, the NFL announced it would suspend players for dirty hits. Did this game look any different to you?

MEL: I don’t think players were being any less aggressive. I can understand the frustration of players to be fined and suspended for doing what they know, but safety should be the top priority, and it’s not like this is a new rule, it’s just being enforced. They’re still playing football out there. No one got hurt during the game, so maybe it’s having a positive impact already.

ESQ: This is your first year on the squad. Have you made any rookie mistakes?

MEL: We have this thing where if you forget to bring something to practice, you have radio duty. You have to lug around this big boombox that plays our music. I forgot my warm-ups the second practice, so I was the first rookie to have radio duty. Fortunately someone else forgot something the next day.

ESQ: You do half marathons. Does a guy have to be able to run that far to impress you?

MEL: Fitness is important to me, but I like to be able to run circles around him! So I guess he can’t be so out of shape that I can’t because it takes too long. He doesn’t have to look like he’s on Jersey Shore, but yes, he should be fit.

[Melissa at Chargers.com]

We are looking for more beautiful-fun-fit-energetic ladies! Our squad is the official cheer/dance team for two football teams and two basketball teams!

“The Diamonds & Pearls Show Team”
Atlanta’s Elite Professional Dance Team

Preliminary dance auditions are November 6, 2010 from 10:00am to noon at Gold’s Gym downtown Atlanta
215 Peachtree Street, Lower Level, Atlanta, GA 30303 (Next to Hardrock Cafe)
$10.00 audition fee (cash only)
*You will be taught a brief routine

Finals will be held on November 7, 2010 from noon to 1:00pm at Club Echelon 3000
The finals are open to the public. Dancers are encouraged to invite family and friends out to the finals. You will be given extra points on crowd appeal!
FINALS: FREE ADMISSION- FREE PARKING- DRINK SPECIALS- BUFFET- ALL FOOTBALL GAMES WILL BE ON THE FLAT SCREENS

OUR STYLE: Hip-hop jazz fusion (similar to NFL/NBA squads)

PERFORMANCES:
Atlanta Xplosion Football games, West GA Falcons Football games, GA Lions Basketball games, GA Knights Basketball games

Requirements
• Female Dancers who are 18 years of age or older by the audition date
• Must be available for all phases of the audition process and be prepared to stay as long as necessary
• Must provide one non-returnable photo (5″x7″ or larger preferred). Photos are used for identification purposes.
• Must be of good moral character and successfully complete all pre-employment screening
• Must have dependable transportation to rehearsals, performances, and appearances.

Attire
• Dance or athletic half-top (stomach must be showing)
• Hot pants, dance trunks, or shorts (no full or capri length pants)
• Dance sneakers, tennis shoes, or jazz shoes with non-marking soles
• Flesh tone hose, tights, or fishnets
• Performance ready hair and make-up

What we’re looking for
• Showmanship, personality, energy, and enthusiasm!
• Dancers who are well spoken and can represent the “Diamonds & Pearls” in a professional and mature manner
• Dance technique, style and ability to pick up dance choreography
• Consistent positive attitude
• Strong teamwork skills
• Physical fitness and personal appearance
• If you cannot commit for the full season, please do not audition

What you can expect if you are selected as a member of the Season two squad
• Experiencing the excitement of performing in front of crowds
• Local and national exposure
• Making a positive and profound impact in the Metro Atlanta Community and surrounding areas
• Making lifelong friends with your teammates
• MOST IMPORTANTLY…BEING PART OF THE ACTION

[DiamondsAndPearlsShowTeam.com]

*Need assistance with audition attire? Visit our website and Facebook page for ideas

This Monday (November 1st) on MTV’s World of Jenks, the TennesseeTitans Cheerleaders (and Director Stacy Kinder) will be the subjects of this week’s episode where director, Andrew Jenks discovers what it’s REALLY like to be an NFL Cheerleader. The primary cheerleader featured is Jessi and she does a GREAT job representing the team. Tune in: Monday, 9:00pm Central (10 on the east coast) on MTV.

Watch a preview here.

Eleven current and former Professional Cheerleaders with science-related careers came together at the US Science & Engineering Festival this past weekend to help gets folks interested and excited about science.

The Science Cheerleaders are the brainchild of former Philadelphia Sixers Dancer Darlene Cavalier.

Darlene founded ScienceCheerleader.com and its sister site ScienceforCitizens.net with the goal of getting people excited about and involved with science. She’s also a contributor to Discover Magazine and a mother of four.

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