By Steve Mazzucchi
Esquire
With New Orleans one win away from the Super Bowl, a living part of its home-field advantage is rolling her eyes at Kim Kardashian. Brett Favre? Not so much.
They lost three straight to close out an otherwise miraculous regular season, but after a 45-14 divisional playoff romp over the Cardinals, it seems like everything’s coming back together for the Saints. Drew Brees is tossing TDs left and right, Jeremy Shockey and Marques Colston are catching them, Reggie Bush is dancing past defenders, and even the D is stepping up. Lombardi Trophy, anyone?
Maybe. And if so, second-year Saintsation Amanda will be leading the celebration. This Mississippi native studied drama in New York, then moved to New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina. “After the storm, I wanted to help in any way possible,” she says. “I loved the city, and I knew it would come back stronger than ever.” Now she acts, helps with her family’s real-estate biz — and shakes just a bit in her leather boots at the prospect of taking on the Minnesota Vikings with the livelihood of a city at stake. Even with the NFC title game hours away, though, she’s already prepping to represent her NOLA in next weekend’s Pro Bowl. “I can’t wait to go to Miami and show them what the Who Dat Nation is all about,” Amanda says. Cautiously optimistic, she reveals how the Saints might just march into town a week later.
ESQUIRE: The Saints are one of five teams without a Super Bowl appearance. How certain are you that will change this weekend?
AMANDA: We’re taking it one first down at a time. It would mean a lot to this team and this town if we had the opportunity to go, but we have to focus on Sunday. Everybody’s got to bring their A game. It’s going to be tough, but I believe in our team.
ESQ: What is it that makes the top-ranked Saints offense go? Magic?
A: Drew Brees. He’s the best QB in the NFL. He’s always thinking — he and Sean Payton are very smart and methodical about what they do. It’s not just the athleticism of our players, but also the intelligence. We also have depth. There’s no one receiver or running back you can focus on — you never know who’s getting the ball.
ESQ: Vikings defensive end Jared Allen may wear jorts, but he also has fourteen-and-a-half sacks. How critical is it for the Saints O-line to keep him away from Brees?
A: It’s very important, and we’re going to do it. We’re expecting the Vikings to put up a good fight, but we want to give Drew the opportunity to do what he does best. I can’t even imagine the preparation going into this game.
ESQ: Meanwhile, can your up-and-down defense handle the Vikings second-ranked offense? And who’s more dangerous — Brett Favre or Adrian Peterson?
A: Our defense got off to a great start, then we had a lot of injuries, but now we’ve got a lot of guys back. With the bye week and a good win last week, we’ve come back strong, and the postseason is a whole other season. Darren Sharper’s been on fire — I think he’ll be key in this game. Favre’s more dangerous, because he’s well-seasoned, so to speak. You can’t underestimate experience.
ESQ: Got a hunch which Reggie Bush we’ll see this weekend… the one who ran all over the Cards, or the one who disappeared against the Bucs?
A: I think the Reggie Bush we all love is going to show up. He was extraordinary last game, and Sean Payton says he’s looking really good in practice. All that fancy footwork is starting to pay off.
ESQ: Better celebrity fan: Minnesota’s Prince or your own Kim Kardashian?
A: I don’t pay attention to all that stuff. I’m glad she supports the Saints and comes to the games, but I don’t think it’s something the media should be focusing on. I know that’s a boring answer.
ESQ: If he were dating a local librarian, they probably wouldn’t.
A: True. That’s not a diss of you guys — she was on the front page of the Times-Picayune yesterday.
ESQ: How big of an advantage is it playing in the Superdome?
A: The dome is our home down here. I can’t even tell you how loud it is. We feel very comfortable in it, and it can be deafening, so it’s huge for us to have home-field advantage. And we’ve never hosted this game before, so that’s big for the city as well.
ESQ: Saints fans say “Who Dat?” And Bengals fans say “Who Dey?” Which came first?
A: “Who Dat?” definitely came first. I got in an argument about this, so I looked it up. It actually originated from minstrel chants, and it’s been around since the late 1800s. It was taken up by jazz and big band performers in the ’20s and ’30s. It was also used during World War II among soldiers flying under radio silence. It’s been around a long time, so we definitely claim it.
ESQ: If the Saints do win, who might they face in the Super Bowl?
A: Good question. It’d be really exciting to play the Colts, to see those two QBs go head-to-head. Peyton and Drew talk on the phone and share tips. I think the Colts, but anything can happen, and both the Colts and Jets are worthy opponents. Let’s just hope our team makes it that far.
ESQ: Anything we forgot?
A: I just want to say how on fire this city is. We have the Saints to thank, but it’s about so much more than football here. It’s about rebirth, spirit, and faith. I do believe it’s our time, and I do believe we’ll go all the way. But no matter what happens, it’s been the best season in franchise history, and incredible to be a part of it.
The Milwaukee Iron of the Arena Football One will hold open auditions for dancers and ambassadors starting Friday, February 12, 2010. Preliminary Auditions will be hosted at Next Level in Hartland, WI.
Platinum Dance Team Director Amy Vallozzi, and Coordinator and Choreographer Tiffany Campbell, will insure that the Platinum are in top-notch shape for game day performances as well as appearances. In addition to mandatory practices two times a week, and their full time work, school or parenting schedules, the Platinum participate in a variety of community events that involve the Milwaukee Iron, numerous charities and area businesses. The Platinum also host a Junior Platinum program for young cheerleaders/dancers and other great events throughout the Milwaukee area.
The minimum requirement for auditions is that each young lady be at least 18 years old by the first audition date in February. There is no age limit. Formal dance and/or cheerleader experience is not mandatory but extremely helpful. Being a Platinum Dancer requires a lot of time and dedication. You must have a significant amount of availability in order to fulfill your commitment as an arena football Dancer. A Platinum Dancer is obligated to participate in all nine home games.
The Platinum Ambassador Squad is a small group (8-10) of young ladies that are “non-performing” Platinum members. They are chosen specifically for their specialization and availability for public appearances. You need to be pleasantly outgoing and conversational for this position. A Platinum Ambassador is considered an arena football Platinum Dancer and receives a Platinum Dancer uniform and participates in all Platinum events, home Iron games for floor and game ops and projects such as the calendar. They attend fewer meetings/practices but are still required to adhere to all PDT rules & regulations. The Ambassador Squad is expected to have a significant amount of availability in order to fulfill their extended requirement of personal appearances. Platinum Ambassadors must excel at public speaking, presentation skills, confidence and mingling with others. Young ladies auditioning for the Ambassador squad are expected to attend all audition dates. If you do not make a cut, you do not attend the later dates. The final Ambassador squad will be announced the same day as the Dance squad. If you audition for the Dance squad and do not make 1st or 2nd cuts, you need to be invited to continue the audition process for the Ambassador squad.
AUDITION DATES:
Preliminary Auditions:
Feb. 12th 5:45-10pm, at Next Level in Hartland, WI
Feb. 13th 9am-1pm, at Next Level in Hartland, WI
Final Audition:
March 13th, location and time TBA
[Milwaukee Iron Dance Team Auditions Details]
The North Texas Stampede Dancers make their 2010 debut with two routines tonight (Jan 23rd) for the MLK Bowl @ 7p on the HEB Pennington Field in Bedford, TX.
[North Texas Stampede Dancers]
(Okay, now I am only 13 days behind with photos!)
The 2010 Philadelphia KiXX Dance Team made their debut at Temple University’s Liacouras Center back on January 9th.
I had some camera and lighting issues so unfortunately many of the action shots didn’t come out as well as I had hoped.
AJ during pre-game rehearsal
Missy during the 1st quarter
Fans put up a banner for Team Captain Colleen
Gina during the 2nd quarter
Colleen at the end of the 3rd quarter.
Wendy, Liz and Missy during the 4th quarter.
[Philadelphia KiXX Dance Team]
By Danielle Turnbull
Ball State Daily News
Lauren Greene is a senior marketing major at Ball State and is in her second year of cheering for the Colts following years of cheering and dancing in her youth. She grew up surrounded by football because her dad was the football coach for her high school.
“I pretty much grew up on a football field,” Greene said. “I cheered as soon as I was able to in school.”
Four years ago, Greene came to Ball State to cheer for the football team. For her sophomore year, she joined the Code Red dance team. Her fellow dancers on the team encouraged her to try out for the Colts.
“So I just decided to go for it,” Greene said.
Senior dance and exercise science double major Sara Falconer became a Colts cheerleader when a friend of hers wanted to try out for the squad. Her friend had always talked about it, so the two of them tried out together. They looked up information and started going to clinics. Tryouts rolled around, and the two of them made the team on their first shot.
College kept senior telecommunications major Lauren Madden from trying out for the Colts earlier than last April. She was in a sorority and busy with schoolwork. However, now that she’s in her fifth year at Ball State, her schedule has opened up, allowing her the opportunity to try out. She said friends and family helped throughout the process.
“I had a lot of friends on the squad already, and they helped me,” Madden said. “My mom was definitely a huge help. I tried out, and it was probably the most nerve-racking thing I’ve ever done.”
Being a cheerleader for an NFL team is not an easy job. The cheerleaders have two practices a week on Tuesday and Thursday nights from 6 to 9 p.m. They also have 20 community service appearances throughout the state that they’re required to complete each season. These two-hour events include signing autographs and meeting fans in the Indianapolis area.
All members of the squad are required to be at games six hours early, which means they have to be in Indianapolis at 7 a.m. if a game is at 1 p.m. In these cases, they have to leave Muncie by 5:30 a.m.
“It’s an early, early day for all of us,” Madden said.
There’s also a diet and workout plan the cheerleaders must follow. They must workout with their trainer at least once a week. Along with that, they have to make it to the gym four to five times a week.
Despite the rigorous demands, Falconer said her schedule doesn’t bother her or her schoolwork.
“I wouldn’t say that it interferes,” she said. Other than being unable to schedule classes late on Tuesdays or Thursdays, “I haven’t run into any problems at all.”
Instructors on campus help make this easier. Professors have been understanding of the cheerleaders’ situation and allow them to make up work whenever they need to. Greene said that they’re treated like other student athletes on campus. It’s really all about organization.
“I constantly live off a list. I have a list everyday of what I need to get done and what time, and I just go by that list and try not to alter from it,” Greene said.
However, the women won’t even be thinking about schoolwork this weekend as the Colts take on the Jets in the AFC Championship. All the girls are excited for the big event.
“I’m ecstatic about the Colts being in the playoffs,” Madden said. “I mean, I thought the regular season games were fun, but the playoff games are amazing. There are just so many people there and the fans are even more riled up than usual.”
Greene has seen the day coming all along.
“I knew that this team was a really strong team,” Greene said. “We’ve had some really good rookies come in and we had some younger guys from previous years that have stepped up to starting positions.”
Greene said that cheering for the Colts is not just a good gig, but a life-changing experience.
“It definitely made me a very independent person because I’ve had to really rely on myself to be able to stay focused and stay determined and get through school, get through workouts every week and practices and get to and from there and to be able to maintain a part-time job,” Greene said.
Madden said that the experience has led to her meeting other people she never would have met otherwise.
“I’ve met so many girls that I have a lot in common with that I probably would have never met if I hadn’t done Colts, even the girls from Ball State,” Madden said. “It’s just been a great experience. I mean, just saying that you’re a Colts cheerleader is really cool. It’s a great job, why not? You get to throw on your makeup and your rhinestones and go out on the field and dance for fans.”
Falconer agrees but adds that she’s gained much more than responsibility and friends. It has given her the opportunity to be a role model for young girls, especially young cheerleaders. She said they watch her every move.
Auditions for the 2010 Tampa Bay Storm Dancers will be held Sunday, February13th at the St. Pete Times Forum, Icons Restaurant.
Required to Register:
* Must be 18 years old and have a High School diploma or equivalent
* Photo ID
* Recent Photo (will not be returned)
* Dance Resume (simple typed history of experience if applicable)
* Completed Medical Liability Release
* Completed 2010 Dancer Application
Registration will be from 10-11am on Saturday, February 13th.
Auditions are closed to the public – NO EXCEPTIONS.
You should wear a form fitting, two piece dance outfit and comfortable shoes. NO jazz pants or baggy pants will be allowed. Please wear dance briefs or boy shorts and skin tone pantyhose. You may want to bring make-up/hair products, a towel, bottle of water and a snack.
DAY OF AUDITIONS – After introductions and warm-ups you will learn across the floor combinations including basic kicks and turns and then a few short, repeating sideline/dance routines. You will perform in small groups and cuts to the group will be made.
After the first round of cuts a jazz/hip-hop routine will be taught to the remaining candidates. You will be given a short time to ask questions and rehearse with the music on your own after the routine is taught. The room will be cleared and you will perform the routine before a panel of judges 2 at a time. A second cut will be made and the finalists will be announced.
Finalists will need to stick around for a short meeting and interviews after auditions.
Interviews will be held immediately following auditions on Saturday, February13th.
The 2010 Tampa Bay Storm Dance Team will be announced on the web site after 12pm Monday, February 15th.
There will be a MANDATORY meeting for all 2010 team members the following week.
Practices and work-outs for the 2010 season will be in Tampa and will start immediately on weekday evenings.
Please call (813) 230-2416 or email to storm_dancers@verizon.net for more information.
Totally missed this went it first went online, but the amazing women of the Charlotte Lady Cats are featured at Maxim.
[Follow the Lady Cats on Twitter]
By Tara Jones
Ball State Daily News
At 11 p.m., Breanna Fonner is just getting back to her apartment in Muncie. Even though she still has homework to do, she is unable to focus because her brain wants to “shut down.” Her day began at 8 a.m. and since then she had juggled attending class, studying, working out, an hour car ride to Indianapolis with five other girls, three-and-a-half hours of learning new routines and another hour trip back to Muncie.
This is just a typical day for Fonner, a Ball State University junior and NFL cheerleader for the Indianapolis Colts. However, she isn’t alone — five other Ball State students/Colts cheerleaders manage working a full-time job and being full-time students.
OVERCOMING MISCONCEPTIONS
Jessica Mendez, a senior telecommunications major from South Bend, has been cheerleading competitively for 10 years and is in her third season with the Colts. She decided to transfer to Ball State from Indiana University South Bend because her parents were Ball State alumni and she could be closer to the training facility. However, the Ball State six are not the only cheerleaders attending college.
“I think we’re the biggest group from a university,” she said. “We pull up and people say, ‘Oh, the Ball State girls are here!’”
Some of the other cheerleaders on the Colts squad are attending Purdue University, Indiana State University, Indiana University and IUPUI
“That’s one of the biggest misconceptions,” she said. “Many people think we’re just pretty faces with nothing else to us. But we’re intelligent women. Nearly everyone on the team is either in college or just graduated,” she said.
BEGINNING A DREAM
Fonner, a human resource management major from Evansville, was always a fan of football but becoming a Colts cheerleader was a dream she envisioned in college.
“I had two older brothers, so I grew up watching football,” she said.Fonner never participated in cheerleading before, but had been dancing since she was 3 and performing since she was 8. However, during a visit home her freshman year at Ball State, she was inspired to start cheerleading when her family was watching a Colts game.
“I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, that looks like so much fun!’” she said.
Even though her family was skeptical she would pursue it, she looked up information online and continued to gain interest in cheering for an NFL team. Her efforts paid off after she went to tryouts and made the squad.
For Larissa Stanfield, a public communications major from Peru, Ind., becoming a Colts cheerleader was a dream of hers since she was young, especially since she was raised as a Colts fan.
“My dad took me to the games when I was younger. I’ve always wanted to be a Colts cheerleader,” Stanfield said.
THE MOST STRESSFUL MONTH
Stanfield has been cheerleading since the fifth grade and has been dancing since she was 3 years old. After looking up to a girl who was an Indiana Pacers cheerleader, Stanfield decided to try out for the Colts when she was 19. She reached the finals but didn’t make the team. After taking a year off and working hard, improving her fitness and taking dance classes in Indianapolis, she once again tried her luck for the squad at the Colts Training Facility in Indianapolis.
This tryout process takes about a month and can begin with as many as 400 women who must learn routines and perform them in front of a panel of judges. If women weren’t cut in the initial round, they can be invited to practice as a team for three weeks, where cuts will continually be made throughout, Stanfield said. Last year it began in April, so not only did she have to prepare her routines but also for Finals Week.
“It was the most stressful month of my life,” Stanfield said.
This process ends with the final audition night where cheerleaders-to-be showcase their talents in front of family, friends and judges at the Pavilion in Indianapolis. At the end of the night, and as the hopefuls wait in a different room, the names comprising the new squad are announced.
Even with her improvements, she never believed she would make the cut, she said.
“There are so many other girls, they’re all so beautiful, fun and great dancers. They only took 32 girls, but everyone there deserved it,” Stanfield said.Despite her doubts, Stanfield made the squad and is now in her second season for the Colts.
FULL-TIME JOB
Not only do the six Ball State students cheer for the Colts during their home games; they are also required to make 25 public appearances before the playoffs — if this isn’t accomplished, they do not get to cheer.
Practices have also been extended to learn new routines for the AFC Championship this Sunday. Despite the work involved and not being able to live the ‘typical life of a college student,’ being a Colts cheerleader has been a life-changing experience for Fonner.
“I get to meet 300 fans in one day. It’s exciting, something I’ll never forget,” she said. “It’s a lot of work, but it’s worthwhile.”
[Indianapolis Colts Cheerleaders]
The Finalists from the Mermaids Open Auditions will move on to perform at the Marlins Mermaids Audition Finals Show. Prior to the show, the Finalist will be put through a week of intensive dance training & at the Mermaids Audition Finals Boot Camp.
The 2010 Marlins Mermaids Squad will be announced at the Marlins Mermaids Audition Finals Show. The Marlins Mermaids Auditions Finals show will be at Seminole Hard Rock Casino on Friday, January 22, 2010 at 9 p.m.
This week the Orlando Magic Dancers are featured at Maxim.
And best of luck to 5-year veteran Christy who has just been cast as a singer/dancer in the 2010 FMA Live Tour!
