During Sunday’s game against the Lions, the Minnesota Vikings Cheerleaders wore military tribute uniforms. Reader Steve sent us a few photos of the MVC.
[Minnesota Vikings Cheerleaders]
Carolina Correspondent Rick reports from New Orleans:
I made my annual trek to a Panthers Away game down in New Orleans this past weekend. We had an incredible time checking out Bourbon Street, The French Market, and the Garden District. As an added bonus, I also attended a New Orleans Hornets game.
The Panthers gave the Saints all they could handle before falling behind for good in the fourth quarter. The Superdome was a lot of fun as all the fans were pumped up about their undefeated Saints. We saw longtime kicker Morten Anderson get inducted to the Saints Hall of Fame, and a Saintsations Alumni Reunion at halftime.
Everyone treated us great and we had a wonderful time in the Big Easy!
Saintsations alumni reunion
Rachel
Miranda
Jessica and Lashelle
Saintsations and Morten Anderson
Danielle H.
Ayesha
Bethany
Honeybees: Ashley, Amanda, Christina and Ginger
[New Orleans Hornets Honeybees]
The Wilmington Sea Dolls, the dance and cheer team of the Wilmington Sea Dawgs, are pleased to announce open audition workshops and interview/tryouts for the upcoming 2010 season.
Interested participants should plan to attend one or both of the following open audition Workshops taking place Monday, November 23rd and Monday, November 30th at 8:30 pm. There is no charge to attend the workshops.
Those that participate in at least of one of these workshops will then be able to participate in the interview and audition event which is scheduled for Wednesday, December 2nd. More details on this event will be available soon.
Both the workshops and the auditions will take place at A Leap Above Dance Studio which is located at 5015 Wrightsville Avenue in Wilmington, NC.
Stacey Bell, Choreographer for the Wilmington Sea Dolls will be coordinating the auditions and try outs.
“The Wilmington Sea Dolls are looking for dancers who are dynamic, well spoken, and talented to represent our organization.” says Bell. “If you have the drive and dedication that it takes to be a professional dancer, then come and tryout to be a Wilmington Sea Dolls team member”.
The audition requirements are as follows:
* Must be 18 years of age or older
* Dress in two-piece aerobic/workout outfit (jog bra and bike shorts) or a two-piece leotard
* Only dance or athletic shoes with non-marking bottoms allowed
* Provide a head and shoulder color photo
For more information or to receive an application please contact Penny Millis, Sea Dolls Coordinator at 910-791-6015, send an email to pmillis@seagatemgmt.com.
The weather was unseasonable mild for the Broncos-Redskins game on Sunday. Reader Kevin sent us a few photos of the Redskins Cheerleaders enjoying Indian Summer.
[Washington Redskins Cheerleaders]
By Steve Mazzucchi
Esquire
With Tennessee suddenly rolling, a second-year Titan-eer weighs in on a QB’s rise from depression, a running back’s Michael Jackson-style moves, and a city’s insanity for missing a $100 million man
Undefeated. That’s what the Titans are since running back Chris Johnson claimed they could win ten straight, since Vince Young regained his starting QB job, since a Peyton Manning jersey-wearing Jeff Fisher told a charity function he “just wanted to feel like a winner.” If all that hadn’t come on the heels of an 0-and-6 start, Nashville might be more excited. But after C.J. (232 total yards, two TDs), V.Y. (239 total yards, one TD pass), and the D (two picks returned for TDs) led a 41-17 romp over the Bills, the melody is merry in the Music City.
And so is Titans cheerleader Ashley Danielle, a former dance instructor (“I used to teach Steve McNair’s son hip-hop”) and part-time seamstress (“My dream is to open my own boutique”) who sews her own swimsuits for the team calendar and even crafts some of the squad’s costumes (“It’s a little cheaper to pay me than somebody else”). A Nashville native who has rooted for the franchise since it arrived in ’98, Danielle gets real about a team — and a town — experiencing its most topsy-turvy season yet.
ESQUIRE: Huge win over the Bills to raise the Titans record to 3-6. What were the keys to victory?
ASHLEY DANIELLE: The Bills had a few injuries on defense and offense, and a lot of penalties, and we capitalized. Their lack of good football enabled us to turn things around, and we were all over their quarterback. Having Vince Young back at QB has definitely changed things for the better. The receivers are receptive to him, and there have been more plays downfield. I never saw Kerry Collins go for a 40-yarder. Vince and Chris Johnson are like a tag team, and people just can’t stop C.J.
ESQ: In the three straight wins, Johnson’s compiled 600-plus yards and six TDs. Yes, that’s against the Jaguars, 49ers, and Bills, but what makes him so good?
AD: Every time C.J. gets the ball, the crowd goes wild. He’s like Michael Jackson. But he’s also a very humble player and a great person. Sometimes, instead of running north/south, he’ll run east or west. He loses yards that way sometimes, but he also finds holes. And unlike some speed guys, he’s not afraid to take a hit, or hit defenders.
ESQ: The Titans started 0-6 after going 13-3 last season. Was everyone kind of in shock?
AD: You have no idea. Nashville turned into a ghost town. Tumbleweeds everywhere. It was just bad all around. When they win, we line up near the visitors’ end and dance them off the field, and we weren’t able to do that. We couldn’t do a touchdown dance. We couldn’t even do a first-down dance. Some of the girls are, like, you know, “Yay!” They don’t know what’s going on, but I actually watch football. I have NFL updates sent to my phone, so at halftime, I know what’s going on across the league. It’s been fun to get back to winning.
ESQ: Do you think losing star defensive end Albert Haynesworth to the Redskins was a big factor in the early-season struggles?
AD: Honestly, I don’t. I love Albert to death. He was probably the best in league, but he’s one player. When he was here, he was pretty much always hurt. And now he’s hurt for the Redskins! I wasn’t caught up in the hype. He’s a good person, but to pay him $100 million? That’s insanity.
ESQ: Have you noticed any changes in Young since his alleged breakdown last season?
AD: I want to state that it’s not alleged. I do recall seeing him a few times a little depressed. Fans were brutal to him last year — it had to have been a shocker for him. I could tell, and I only see him for appearances and on the field. He’s much more social this year, a little more back to himself, how he was when he got to Nashville. I can imagine he’s excited to be playing again.
ESQ: Young also made headlines this summer when he told Esquire he’d be the next black QB to win the Super Bowl, and that he’d be in the Hall of Fame. Was that craziness, cockiness, or simply confidence?
AD: I remember thinking, This man is crazy. You have to have confidence in order for it to happen, but that’s something you should say to close friends and family. But he’s a good guy. I hope that it does happen.
ESQ: What did you think of the Jeff Fisher-in-a-Peyton-Manning-jersey soap opera?
AD: I thought it was hilarious. We had just gotten our butts kicked six games in a row — might as well have a sense of humor about it. I made light of it. The fans here in Nashville did not. The talk of the town was, “Will he be the coach next year?” But as long as we’re winning, everyone is happy. And we haven’t lost since.
ESQ: Johnson’s prediction doesn’t look as crazy as it did a couple weeks ago, but it still seems far-fetched. What’s the feeling on the sidelines?
AD: I’ve been skeptical. Yeah, that would be nice, when pigs fly. As long as they play like they have the last few games, ten straight would be good, but you’ve got to look at the matchups and take it one game at a time. C.J. can have his one little cocky moment. If they keep themselves humble, it could happen. Anything’s possible.
[Ashley at the Titans Website]
By Lee Nessel
Florida Today
This group doesn’t just think they can dance, they know they can. But the Surge dancers still seem to be a too-well-kept secret. You need to see them to understand the level of talent we’re dealing with here.
Gee “GB” Bethancourt, 28, and his wife, Colleen, 29, own Evolution Dance Center in Port St. John. They have brought years of experience dancing and choreographing to Brevard County, and are part of the five-member Surge Dancers that perform at all home games for the Florida Winter Baseball League team — the Space Coast Surge — based at Cocoa Expo.
My first impression when seeing the Surge Dancers do their thing at a sparsely attended Surge game on Halloween night: Wow, this is very high-level entertainment for Brevard County. I could watch them dance all night.
So it came as no surprise when I learned that the Bethancourts have been working with the Orlando Magic, choreographing for their dance team since 2002. Or that Colleen, a master choreographer, worked in Las Vegas and with Disney. GB has worked for Universal Studios and with Aretha Franklin and Marc Anthony.
And after coming to understand the sincere passion they have for what they do, it’s refreshing to hear they are teaching and sharing their talents with local children and teens, and do a lot of work with non-profit organizations.
The Bethancourts moved to Brevard from Orlando and opened Evolution Dance Center in August 2007.
“We wanted to bring what we do to this side of town,” GB said. “The arts needed a push.”
So, what has the reception been like?
“I will say that it has been tough, but people are starting to open their minds to something new and different,” GB said.
The dance team does short routines between innings, interacts with the crowd and hosts fun fan activities on the field.
A random meeting with Surge general manager Sean Boudreaux led to the gig. When asked what they could do, GB said: “You give me the green light . . . we’ll choreograph some routines and dance on top of the dugout.”
That’s exactly what they do, GB throwing in some unfathomably high backflips. The dance team also supports and motivates the players.
“We’re really getting into the games, cheering for the team,” Colleen said. “We’re not just there to dance, we’re there supporting the team.”
The Surge are 2-13, and in last place of the four-team league. They only had three home games before hitting the road for most of November. Not much time to build a fan base.
“Whether there’s one or 1,000 (fans), we’re still going to be the same,” GB said. “We still have to provide the entertainment. It does not matter, really. Yes, of course if you had 1,000 people sitting in these stands, the energy of the game would be a whole lot better. But you can’t rely on that if you are the entertainment.”
The Surge’s next home games start on Nov. 27, when Brevard fans can check out both the professional baseball and professional dance talent through the middle of January. Not bad for a $5 general admission ticket.
“When I first found Gee Bethancourt I could not believe that level of talent would be available to us here locally,” Boudreaux said. “Their diversity makes it a good fit for any audience of any age or background. I truly feel it is equivalent to NBA entertainment at a baseball game.”
But don’t take our word for it. Go catch some winter baseball and energized entertainment.
By Sara Conrad
The Times Union
Just about everyone in town knows about the Jacksonville Jaguars’ ROAR Cheerleaders. But do you know who they are? Did you know that one of them might help find the cure for cancer or that one is on her way to serving our country in the military? Most people don’t know that in addition to practicing with the team several times a week and attending preseason and home Jaguars games to perform, that members of the ROAR also must either have a full-time job or be a full-time student or full-time parent.
TaJonda MeadowsTaJonda has been a ROAR Cheerleader for two years and was voted by her teammates as Cheerleader of the Game after the Jaguars vs. Titans game this year. She also might someday contribute to finding a vaccine for HIV or a cure for cancer.
TaJonda’s interest in medicine starts at home. Her stepfather has been battling cancer for five years. It is now in remission but has required several rounds of chemo and radiation. His illness was part of what inspired her to study fatal and infectious diseases. Armed with a bachelor’s degree in biology, she now attends the University of North Florida in pursuit of her second bachelor’s degree, this time in nursing.
“I hope to one day find a cure or vaccine for HIV. It’s such a preventable disease, and it’s so hard to see so many people touched by it. … It affects so many black females,” she says. “It’s such a political disease.”
She first had her sights set on becoming a doctor, but now she is pursuing nursing so she can spend more time with patients. “I want to do more than just sit in a lab looking through my microscope and want to see how the disease affects them,” she said.But TaJonda is intrigued by other aspects of nursing and medicine. She would like to be involved in things like clinical trial research and evidence-based nursing practices to improve the care of patients. She has also considered joining a research team studying diseases, which means going for an advanced degree.
TaJonda was born in Georgia but considers herself from Panama City, where her mother raised her as a single parent. She said her mother is a big part of her success.
“My mother always told us if we wanted something out of life [to go for it]. … She expects the best out of us. She’s the biggest motivator in my life,” she says.
TaJonda is also interested in arts and crafts and keeps stress at bay by painting and getting manicures and pedicures.
“I’m interested in contributing to something that is bigger than me that affects so many people,” she said. “I just think of myself as a person going to school, but [kids] look up to me so much, and it’s unreal.”
Laurie ConleyLaurie has a personal connection to the U.S. military. Her grandparents, father and aunt all served in the military, and now the five-year Roar veteran wants her turn. Having already earned her undergraduate degree in health administration, she now is hoping to get accepted into the Navy’s health administration program.
“I want to give back to my country, and if [I’m doing] something I like to do … I might as well give back,” she said.
Laurie has always set high goals for herself, and so far has an excellent success rate. She started cheering at age 6 with a Pop Warner team her mom coached. When Laurie was in fifth grade, her teacher hung up an article with a football player and two Jaguars cheerleaders in the classroom. That night, Laurie told her mom that she wanted to be a Jaguars cheerleader. From that point on, her mission was to stay healthy and fit and continue to cheer and do community service.
At 17, Laurie founded ProjectGirlTalk, an organization that encourages preteen girls to talk about their goals.
“These girls’ faces light up every time I tell them [being a ROAR cheerleader] was my goal, and they get so excited,” she said.
Laurie was already a Pop Warner cheerleading coach at the time she started ProjectGirlTalk and was already preparing to be a member of a professional cheerleading team. Now, at 24, she has been a Roar cheerleader for five years. Last year, she was named Miss River City 2009.
“It started as a personal journey and I realized that where I came from and where I am now would [give me] the ability to talk to other girls,” she said.
Laurie not only loves the cheerleading; she also loves the opportunities to interact with the community.
“Kids think it’s not attainable for them to become a ROAR Cheerleader,” she said. But she wants to show them through her organization that anything is possible if you have goals.
“No one talks to [girls] about goal setting and that sometimes there will be setbacks,” she said. So Laurie travels to schools the state has rated as C, D or F and where the girls especially need role models to help them define their goals. Laurie also coaches Episcopal High School cheerleaders.
When Laurie isn’t coaching others, she is working as a sales manager or spending time with her fiance, a restaurant owner, who shares her passion for food. “I love food so much, so anyone who says cheerleaders don’t like food is wrong,” she said, laughing. One of her favorite things to do for lunch is share sushi with her mom, who she considers her best friend and guardian angel.
After Laurie earns her master’s degree, she will retire from the ROAR after this year’s season to pursue her military career. She said she will be excited to start her new military career, but will miss the friendship of her team members.
“What I like best about cheerleading is the friendships that you form. Once you become a member of the Roar, you just become like family,” she said.
You can find out more about ProjectGirlTalk at www.laurieconley.com.
Erin O’NeillErin is a rookie ROAR cheerleader and a graduate pharmacy student.
“I feel like people at school don’t know I’m a cheerleader, but the cheerleaders probably don’t know that I’m kind of a dork,” she said.
She’ll be attending the University of Florida for four more years to earn her doctorate in pharmacy studies, something she really enjoys.
She has always been interested in science, health and helping people. She thought about pursuing speech pathology and sports therapy before landing on pharmacy studies. She learned from her grandparents how confusing medications could be for a lot of people.
“I never realized how many medications some people take. I’ve lived in a kind of sheltered life, and my family has been healthy,” she said.
Growing up in Jacksonville, many of Erin’s dance teachers cheered for the ROAR. They became her role models. She first began taking dance in preschool and became serious about both dance and acrobatics in second grade. Jazz and tap dancing were her favorite. In fact, she still holds on to her tap shoes, even though she doesn’t dance tap anymore. In high school she veered away from tap and started concentrating on cheerleading. She was the cheerleading captain her senior year at Stanton College Preparatory School.
But from about the time she was in kindergarten she was also training to be a swimmer. When she was on her high school swim team, one of her coaches encouraged her to shoot for the Junior Olympics. But her mom asked her to give up one sport, so Erin chose to stay with dance and cheerleading. She would ride the school bus and wait for dance classes because her mom worked full time.
Erin loves the thrill of dancing as well as watching football — especially after the Jaguars came to Jacksonville.
“It’s hard for me not to get excited about it. … Sometimes I’m on the field, and I get so into the game,” she said. “A lot of us on the team love dancing, and it’s not a job for any of us I don’t think.”Her favorite thing about performing is the adrenaline rush. “I feel like I dance 10 times harder and better when I have an audience,” she said.
When Erin isn’t studying, she is either playing with her new puppy, a golden retriever named Bella she got for her graduation, or spending time with her family.
On November 20 at 8:00 p.m., the front steps of the AmericanAirlines Arena will be transformed into a scene right out of a nightclub complete with music, lighting, and the 4-time Most Popular Dance Team in the NBA—the Miami HEAT Dancers! The event will mark the formal unveiling of this year’s Dancer poster and the ladies are pulling out all the stops. They’ll be hitting the catwalk, and projected onto the 3-story high MiamiMediaMesh, giving you 3400 sq. ft. of attractive, spectacularly fit women rocking bikinis and eveningwear. This event is open to the public so bring your friends and start your weekend off with a healthy dose of the Miami HEAT Dancers. You would want to be here.
Carolina Correspondent Rick reports:
This past Sunday in the Queen City was full of sun and 76 degrees. It was a beautiful day for a Panthers game (and a Checkers game later that afternoon). It brought out the TopCats, LadyCats and Checkmates! All that star power helped the Panthers defeat the rival Falcons.
Checkmates Amoura and Jenny
TopCats Kelli, Lisa, Dana and T’fanni
Checkmates Julie and Sheena with a friend
Lady Cats Stephanie and Jessica
TopCats Megan and Ava
Checkmates Amber, Sarah and Kristi
TopCats Michelle and Stacey
Sunday at the Eagles Away Game Party at Kenny’s Spirited Eatery in Southampton, I met two fans of the Blog: Tracey and Lindsey:
The Cheerleaders gave me a little more information about the movie they were involved earlier this year. Back in September two dozen or so Eagles Cheerleaders were on location at Drexel University where the movie was shooting. It’s still listed as the Untitled James L. Brooks Project over at imdb.com, and is due out next December. Folks from the casting agency visited th Eagles Phlite Deck, saw the Cheerleaders and thought they’d be perfect for the film. Tracey and Lindsey were both there and had a chance to meet Owen Wilson and Reese Witherspoon.
Tracey shows off her calendar photo. She’s graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance from Muhlenberg College, and works as a Casting Assistant, (not for the agency that cast the James Brooks film) and Hair and Make-up Artist.
Lindsey is majoring in Jazz Dance Performance and after graduation she plans to pursue a career as a Professional Dancer and Choreographer. She told me she has the photo I took of her and Marisa at the Calendar Unveiling Event on her desktop. Here’s another look at that photo:
Marisa and Lindsey
Saturday Amanda C. and Lindsey were at the ACME Supermarket on Roosevelt Blvd.
I’ll be covering Amanda’s former team, the Baltimore Blast Cheerleaders this Saturday. Watch a report on Amanda from Baltimore TV here.
Lindsey again. Lindsey says her mom is also a fan of the blog.
Bonus photos from Reader Mike. Stephanie S. and Jenna at a jewelry store in South Jersey on Saturday.
Jenna has a degree in Occupational Therapy from Elizabethtown College.
Stephanie graduated from Drexel University with a Bachelor of Science in Design and Merchandise.
