Every year, The Line Up creates a complete wardrobe of practicewear for the Minnesota Vikings’ Pro Bowl Cheerleader. This year, MVC Melissa went to Hawaii with SIX different outfits from The Line Up. The company also chooses one of their new styles and makea a version of it for each Pro Bowl Cheerleader (in her team’s colors, of course.) Click here to check out the Line Up’s Pro Bowl gallery on Facebook, where many of the ladies are also wearing their team uniforms, which are also from The Line Up!
Stylist.com: We all know today’s cheerleading staples: short skirt, and tiny tops – but what about before the barely-there uniforms? Take a look at the evolution of the hottest cheerleaders this season, the 49er Gold Rush girls and the Baltimore Ravens squads who will be cheering on their teams in Super Bowl XLVII.
The Baltimore Ravens joined the NFL in 1996 and the cheerleaders followed in 1998. The San Francisco 49ers, however, have been in the NFL since its inception in 1949. The name doesn’t actually come from the year that the National Football League was formed, though. The 49ers are actually named after the gold prospectors that flooded Northern California back in 1849 and they’re the oldest major professional sports team in California. The cheerleading squad is officially known as Gold Rush and was first created in 1983. One of their most famous alumus is Teri Hatcher, famous for her roles on Desperate Housewives and Lois & Clark.
Click the gallery [here] to brush up on more of the franchise’s cheerleading history!
By Dewey Fox
Baltimore Sun
February 1, 2013
One of the greatest rewards in this world is seeing a return on the investment of hard work and sacrifice, and for a group of women who live in Harford County, the hard work they have put toward earning and keeping spots on the Baltimore Ravens cheerleading squad is paying off with a trip to the Super Bowl.
Serena B., a John Carroll graduate who lives in Bel Air; Angel P., of Bel Air; Joanna P., an Abingdon native who went to Edgewood High; and Jaime A., a West Virginia native who resides in Abingdon, Ravens Cheerleaders all, were recently put on the list of 32 squad members who would be making the journey with the Ravens to New Orleans, where Baltimore will square off with the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII on Sunday. (The NFL doesn’t allow its cheerleaders to reveal their full names in public forums.)
Joanna, Serena, Jaime, and Angel
“Everyone is buzzing with excitement,” Serena B., a four-year member of the squad who teaches tap and ballet at the Bel Air Athletic Club, said. “We have put in endless hours this season, and are continuing to do so during the post-season. We couldn’t be more thrilled to prove to everyone, once again, that they shouldn’t underestimate the Ravens.”
“We are just as keyed up as the whole city and state, along with every Ravens fan in the world,” Angel P., who has been dancing and cheering since age 4, and has been with the Ravens for six seasons, said. “We always cheer on our team, win or lose, but this is amazing.”
JoAnna P., who began her cheerleading career at 5 with the Bel Air Redskins rec team and has been cheering with the Baltimore squad for four years, was at a loss for words when asked how she was feeling about the impending trip down south.
“I don’t know that I can find the words to truly express all of my emotion and excitement about the team making it to the Super Bowl, and the 32 of us that get to go cheer them on in New Orleans,” she said. “I’ve never felt more honored, and I’m ecstatic about the opportunity to cheer at one of the biggest games in the NFL.”
Jaime A., one of the Ravens’ senior cheerleaders, having been on the squad for eight years, and who was a member of the teams at West Virginia University and Morehead State, summed up the feelings of her fellow team members quite succinctly: “Everyone is so excited about this entire experience,” she said.
“This is probably the biggest dream of any NFL cheerleader, and we just can’t believe we are living it.”
No easy days
Though you would never be able to tell from the attitude they project on the field, the women on the Ravens cheerleading squad are under an intense amount of pressure. Getting a spot on the team is hard, and keeping one is every bit as tough.
Angel P., who began cheering at 4 in the Overlea rec football program and initially tried out for the Ravens squad at 19, detailed the initiation process and what the team members deal with at practices.
“It takes a very strong person with a lot of motivation and drive to be an NFL cheerleader,” she said. “We are required to have a full-time job, or be a full-time student, to even be considered for a spot on the squad. Our tryout process is very extensive, and includes a two-day tryout selection with criteria of dance, poise, athleticism and appearance. The second round is in front of an interview panel of coaches, professionals and Ravens personnel. The final round is a physical evaluation by Ravens team physician, and practice rounds to see how the team would fit together. In regards to our ‘dance moves,’ we’re required to learn 18 fillers, and we are tested on them at camp in front of our directors and coaches. This material is what everyone sees on the field on game day. It’s our responsibility to stay in shape and be healthy. Each practice we run four miles, participate in strength training and do cardio with dance.”
“People are often surprised when they learn that we have to try out to make the cheer team every year,” Jaime A. said. ” I have been on the squad eight years, and it doesn’t get easier. We don’t have much of an off-season. We start our tryout clinics in February, [the same month of the Super Bowl].”
Serena B. who began dancing at 2 “and hasn’t stopped since,” explained the pressures involved with remaining a team member, and how she copes with them.
“Every year the stakes get higher and higher as expectations continue to increase,” she said. “Our team is never stagnant, and we always are pushing to be better than we were before. That being said, it is a difficult task. But, when it is something that you are truly passionate about and have faith in, you find it in you to stay motivated to make it to the final round. It also helps to have a great support system at home. I couldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for my family cheering me on.”
For those interested
The path to becoming an NFL cheerleader, whether with the Ravens or any other team, is not an easy one, but the Harford County women making the trip to New Orleans for the Super Bowl were unanimous in their advice to younger girls looking to make the spot on a pro squad.
“Never give up and stay positive,” JoAnna P., who made the squad on her third try in 2008 after being cut the previous two years, said. “Anything is possible with a little hard work and perseverance. Always follow your dreams.”
“Stay focused, and know that if you keep doing good things, good things will come to you with hard work, dedication, ethics and morals,” Angel P. said.
“Never give up,” Serena B. said. “Just remember why you want to be a part of this organization, and let that push you to be the best all around person that you can be. While I am so grateful that I am able to continue my love of dance, being an NFL cheerleader is more than just being on the field at game day, it’s about representing our team and our city.”
“I would tell them to always give 100 percent, and never give up,” Jaime A. said. ” I would have never imagined as a child that my love of cheerleading would have brought me so many amazing experiences.”
Who’s gonna win?
Not surprising at all was the response each of the four women gave when asked who they thought was going to come home with Lombardi Trophy after Sunday’s matchup: “Ravens, all the way.”
Toronto Sun (Jan. 30, 2013): There are officially 26 cheer-leading squads in the NFL. Only six teams don’t have teams: Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions and the New York Giants. In Super Bowl XLV, when the Packers faced off against the Steelers, it was the first time in 45 years a cheerleading squad was not at the Super Bowl. [Photo Gallery]
Shake Your Pom Poms for Super Bowl Sunday
With all eyes Stateside on the build-up to Super Bowl Sunday, a group of brave cheerleaders crossed the pond to take on wet and windy London.
The Sun
February 1, 2013
As you would expect, SunSport jumped at the chance to have 10 stunning members of the Jacksonville Jaguars dance troupe drop into the office to shake their pompoms. [click here for photos]
SF Gate
January 31, 2013
Dance Academy USA is excited to announce its Production Company will be competing at the NUVO Dance Competition February 15 – 17 in Santa Clara, CA. The team is led by former San Francisco 49ers cheerleader, Jane Carter.
Cupertino, CA (PRWEB) January 31, 2013
As the local San Francisco 49ers prepare for the Super Bowl, another Bay Area favorite prepares for their big competition as well. The Dance Academy USA Production Company is preparing to compete at the NUVO Dance Competition February 15-17. This year, more than 100 teams will converge at this year’s competition, held at the Hyatt Regency in Santa Clara, California.
Jane Carter founded Dance Academy USA 23 years ago and helped create what is now the largest dance studio in Northern California. Carter also serves as the Director of DAU’s nationally ranked Production Company and relies heavily on the lessons she has learned as a professional cheerleader with the San Francisco 49ers and as a professional dancer with the Golden State Warriors. According to Carter, “My experience with the Golden State Warriors and San Francisco 49ers has helped me tremendously as a teacher and a leader.”
The DAU Production Company has been preparing for the NUVO Dance Competition for seven months. When preparing young dancers for the upcoming competition, Carter continues to fall back on the lessons she has learned with the San Francisco 49ers and Golden State Warriors. According to Carter, “When working with the Golden State Warriors and the San Francisco 49ers, great teamwork was the key to a successful performance. This is one thing I have taught the DAU Production Company when competing. It is always about the team, it’s about supporting the person next to you”. Carter attributes much her success with competitions and in overall business to the experiences she had with the The San Francisco 49ers and Golden State Warriors.
Dance Academy USA is the largest dance studio in Northern California and has served the San Jose area dance community for over twenty three years. DAU is a Bay Area Green Business and offers classes in tap, ballet, jazz, contemporary, lyrical, Zumba, hip hop and break dancing and has an award winning competition team which is Nationally Ranked. Those interested in learning more about Dance Academy USA are encouraged to visit their website at danceacademyusa.com. You can also contact DAU by phone at (408) 257-3211 or by email at OfficeTeam (at) DanceAcademyUSA (dot) com.
This is the Marta top.
Do we have any Project Runway fans in the house? Methinks Terra is the Uli of auditionwear. Amiright?
(For those who aren’t familiar, Uli is known for her particular talent for mixing dissimilar patterns and textures)
The Alicia top.
This one is a variation on last year’s Brisa.
Alicia gives you more opportunity to customize the colors.
No crystals on this one, but it still has beaucoup sparkle!
The Rosalyn top.
I think this is a variation on the Meg, but I won’t swear to it.
Also, I could be wrong, but I believe the colored crystals are new this year.
They really do add a little something extra. I must say, this color combination never would have occurred to me. Salmon and turquoise? Isn’t that a little “Miami Vice?” But it works.
Terra Saunders’ Dallaswear hit the scene with a big bang last year. Her collection of auditionwear is an equal mix of Fun, Fancy, and Functional. (Ha! I didn’t even do that on purpose. How about Fantastic, Far out, Futuristic, ….I’m getting off topic. My point is Dallaswear is known for adding glam and lots of sparkle, and offering many options for dialing the sexy up or down to suit your taste. Look no further than the “Super Bling” items: separates that come pre-studded with tons of sparkling crystals.
And it doesn’t hurt that the clothing is modeled by past and present Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders!
That is the sparkliest sparkle that ever sparkled (excepting the entire city of Las Vegas.) You want to grab the judges’ attention? Get these shorts, and they’ll be able to see you from the Moon.
Especially the ones on the right. That detailing is beautiful.
This is a great option for those who lack the patience-slash-coordination-slash-creativity to sit around gluing Swarovski crystals all over everything. Yeah, it’s probably less expensive to DIY the crystals, but let’s be honest, ladies. If some of you (and you know who you are) try this at home, you’re going to wind up with your fingers glued together, some raggedy home-ec-looking mess, and a last-minute trip to the mall for a replacement outfit. Please. Let Terra handle it for you.
I was wondering what Terra was up to for 2013, so I moseyed over to the Facebook Page and ran right smack into this sneak preview:
Say it with me “….oooohhh that’s purty!”
I don’t even care what it is, it’s gorgeous. It looks like Dallaswear has some real knockouts in store for us. The new stuff is coming out soon. And I hear there are chaps. CHAPS. Yee-haw!
Side note: the next thing I came across was this:
The first thing you notice is the paint job…and then your eye moves down. Whoa! Clearly this is a work environment like no other. I just hope…I really really hope…they don’t have any men working there. I really don’t want to see that.
Mercury News
Jan 28, 2013
This is a cool photo, no?
The Indianapolis Colts solicited entries from young women wanted to be part of the 2013 Colts Cheerleaders. It looks like they got a great response, and they’ve opened it up for the public to vote on their favorites. I have no idea if this vote actually counts for something, but what the heck. Click here to check it out!
