A few weeks ago, I posted an article about Jordan Daigle, an alum of Texas Christian University’s dance team, the Showgirls. Jordan made it into the 2012 Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders training camp. The article below is about Jordan’s former TCU teammate Kelsey, who is also a training camp candidate this year.
Cheerleader chat with Kelsey Lauren, a former TCU Showgirl and finalist for the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders
The Big Mac Blog
June 12, 2012
Name: Kelsey Lauren
Age: 23
From: Eden Prairie, Minnesota
Lives: Fort Worth
Alma mater: TCU, degree in PR/advertising
Profession: Marketing for a law firm in Fort Worth
Favorite movie: Heavyweights, with Ben Stiller. Oceans 11
Favorite song: Anything by Taylor Swift
Favorite place visited: Istanbul, Turkey
Where do you want to go next?: The Taj Mahal in India
No. 1 on your bucket list: Travel to every country.
Favorite book: I just finished The Hunger Games series and really enjoyed it.
Favorite place to eat in Fort Worth: Tim Love’s Loveshack
The Big Mac Blog: How old were you when you started dancing and performing?
Kelsey Lauren: Pretty much my whole life. I grew up doing this. I danced in high school, and one of the reasons I went to TCU was to do Showgirls.
The Big Mac Blog: Most embarrassing moment performing?
Kelsey Lauren: One time during a routine my top came undone. I felt it coming loose and I had to re-tie it during the routine. It was really embarrassing.
The Big Mac Blog: Was it during a TCU football or basketball game?
Kelsey Lauren: A basketball game.
The Big Mac Blog: So nobody saw it?
Kelsey Lauren: This is true
The Big Mac Blog: Ever been injured during a routine?
Kelsey Lauren: Twisted my ankle a few times. Sorry I’m so boring.
The Big Mac Blog: How did you go about pursuing the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders?
Kelsey Lauren: After graduating from college I found out that I really missed it in the year off. I missed the adrenaline from performing. I missed dance so I sought this. This is the next step.
The Big Mac Blog: What is this process like?
Kelsey Lauren: It starts with prelims with about 500 or 600 girls. Then it’s down to 80 for the finals. Then you compete against the other veterans, and you do a solo routine and do the kick line with the rest of the squad. Then they cut it down to 50. Now there are 42 of us left. They don’t say what the final number is going to be. We could be cut between now and any time before the first game. You find out of the day of the squad photo if you’ve made it.
The Big Mac Blog: You feel more pressure doing this than any other previous performances?
Kelsey Lauren: Yes. You know every move is covered by the media, or a camera. Every move is broadcast so it makes it a lot more nerve wracking. It has been really tough emotionally and physically, but it is a lot of fun.
The Big Mac Blog: Have you thought about the possibility of making it this far and maybe not making the final cut?
Kelsey Lauren: Yes, and I do think if I don’t make it it will be really hard. That just means this chapter in my life needs to close and I’ll need to continue down my career path. If I make it, that means I completed this dream I do have. Since I came to Texas all I heard about was the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders. I went to my first Cowboys game when I was a freshman and I said, ‘I want to be a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader’.
New bios and uniform photos have been posted on the Cardinals website. Click here to learn more about this year’s squad!
The Kansas City Chiefs have posted headshots of this year’s group of dancers and ambassadors. Click here to go there now!
Jay Adams
AtlantaFalcons.com
6-10-12
The Atlanta Falcons Cheerleaders will be sporting a new look at some games in 2012 as they have replaced their white jersey tops with a solid punch of red with their new uniform tops.
“We’re really excited. We’ve added more bling and we’ve added more color,” cheer coordinator Chato Hendrix said. “This year, we’ve added a third look, just to add more red. We think red is just very exciting. It’s beautiful. It’s bold, and we know that our fans are going to love it on the ladies. It’s very classy, but fun, as well.”
An alternate uniform for the year includes the black top from previous years but with red straps instead of black.
[Click here for photos from this year’s team photo shoot.]
AFC 2012 Uniforms
AFC 2011 Uniforms
Click here and here to visit the Miami Dolphins Cheerleaders website and check out a few outtakes from their 2013 calendar. I’m loving the Dolphin-themed swimwear. Very cute!
By SARAH KEHOE
Kent Reporter
June 7, 2012
Jacqueline Ablao dances to express herself.
“I dance when I am having a rough week or have something to say and am not sure how to get it out,” said Ablao, a senior at Kentridge High School. “It takes my mind off of everything and allows me to just be me in that moment.”
Ablao, at 18, is the youngest woman to make the Seattle Sea Gals team this year. She has been dancing at studios since she was 7 and was the captain of her high school dance team this year.
“Getting a spot on the Sea Gal team truly makes me feel like I am living my dream,” Ablao said. “I always wanted to dance professionally and now I get to.”
Although sad to leave her dance teammates behind, Ablao is ready to step out on her own.
“I’ve been on the team for four years and this year I was captain, so I had lots of responsibility,” she said. “I always was worried about the girls and felt pressured to help them be the best they could be. But now I get to be out there alone, dancing for myself and no one else.”
Ablao can’t wait to graduate from Kentridge on Saturday because she is juggling high school work, community college work, the school dance team and Sea Gal practices.
“This transition has been crazy, but I knew I wanted to do this so I’m ready to take it on,” she said. “I always said I wanted to dance professionally after graduating high school, but at a place that allowed me to still attend college, so this is perfect.”
Becoming a Sea Gal is not easy. It is a three-week process full of workshops, three auditions and three cutting periods.
“I’m never nervous when I dance, but I was so so nervous during this whole process,” Ablao admitted. “I think it was really good for me though and I had a lot of fun meeting the other ladies.”
Ablao said the 34 women chosen to be on the team come from all different backgrounds.
“There is a big age gap in our group,” she said. “Some women have amazing careers, some are in college and others are completely focused on the team.”
Ablao made instant friends.
“I’ve never met so many genuinely nice people,” she said. “Everyone is friendly and supportive of each other.”
Ablao is most looking forward to that first NFL game day on CenturyLink Field. The Seahawks’ regular-season opener is against Dallas on Sept. 16. “I can’t wait to dance with all the girls in this season’s opener and finally perform these dances we’ve been learning,” she said.
Voting continues. This week, it’s Kayla vs. Samantha. Which one should be on the cover of the annual Minnesota Vikings Cheerleaders swimsuit calendar? Click here to vote!
Jacksonville Sharks
06/01/2012
JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville Sharks Attack Dance Team’s 2012-13 Calendar was revealed at a launch party held on Thursday night and is now on sale.
Prior to the event, none of the Attack dancers had seen the calendar. Each month’s photo was shown in reverse chronological order, culminating with the revelation that Attack Dancer Amanda was selected to appear on the cover.
[Click here for photos from the event]
The 2012-13 calendar costs $10 and can be obtained in one of two ways. Beginning with Saturday night’s game against the Tampa Bay Storm, the calendar will be sold at the Merch Stand near Section 106 during home games at the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena. Fans may also purchase the calendar online by going to JaxSharks.com and clicking on the “Team Shop” section of the menu bar. After clicking on “Team Shop,” simply click on the image of the calendar cover to begin the online ordering process.
