Cifaloglio balances co-op and NFL cheerleading gig
by Shannon Nolan
The Triangle (Drexel University)
June 1, 2012

Drexel pre-junior Sage Cifaloglio will be cheering for a team other than the Dragons this fall after being selected to join the Philadelphia Eagles cheerleading squad.

Cifaloglio, a business administration major currently on her second co-op at Tarte Cosmetics, was one of eight “rookies” to make the cut and join the Eagles cheerleading team after many rounds of tryouts. First, she attended two pre-audition workshops that told the women auditioning what to wear and what the judges were looking for. The workshops also offered an opportunity to speak to veteran cheerleaders. After the workshops, the open audition helped to eliminate some of the 300 women who showed up.

After the open audition, Cifaloglio said a second cut was made that same day, and a few days later, the judges revealed which women had made it to the semifinals.

“The semifinal auditions were held at the NovaCare Complex, where they had judges as well as Eagles season ticket holders in the audience to help judge the audition,” Cifaloglio wrote in an email.

At the semifinal auditions, Cifaloglio said the judges narrowed down the selection to 60 women: 30 current cheerleaders and 30 potential cheerleaders. These women then went on to compete at the Kimmel Center for the finals, where they danced, modeled and answered interview questions. The finals were broadcast live on the Eagles’ website. The next morning, Cifaloglio found out that she made the squad.

“It was such an amazing feeling. … I felt like it was such an accomplishment. I couldn’t be happier,” Cifaloglio said. “I had been wanting to try out for about two years now, and I knew I needed to go through with the auditions or I would always wonder.”
Courtesy the Philadelphia Eagles

So far, Cifaloglio said she has already done a few appearances as an Eagles cheerleader. Early in May she took trading card pictures, and she traveled to the Bahamas for a calendar shoot later that month.

As for commitment, Cifaloglio said that she and the rest of the squad would be cheerleading part-time at every Eagles home game. Time management, she said, is important because she has to balance school, cheerleading and co-op. She also said that organization will be key, and she will need to stay on top of her coursework.

This challenge, however, is not new to Cifaloglio.

“I am basically going to balance my schedule the same way I did with the dance team, only it will be an NFL team instead of Drexel,” Cifaloglio said. “Since I started dancing when I was so young, I needed to learn at a very early age how important time management [is] and how to make my schedule work best.”

Cifaloglio was indeed young when she began dancing, starting at the age of 2 and continuing to dance for different competitive teams throughout high school. Even though she knew that she wanted to dance in college but didn’t want to major in dance, she still applied to schools that had dance teams. After being accepted to Drexel, she tried out for the dance team and made it.

“I have had the most amazing experience being on the Drexel dance team, and I have met so many great people,” Cifaloglio said. “I have loved every minute of it, and I know that I am going to miss being on the team next year, but at the same time I am beyond excited to see what being an Eagles Cheerleader has in store.”

A native of southern New Jersey, Cifaloglio said she grew up in a family that has always supported Philadelphia sports teams. That’s why she said the Eagles hit close to home. As for what to expect from cheerleading this fall, Cifaloglio is preparing for everything.

“Although I am sure some of the tasks that are required of cheerleaders are ones I am used to, dealing with the brutal cold of football games is definitely something I am going to need to get used to,” Cifaloglio said.

National competition is January 2013
Mary Larsen
The Rhode Show
May 31, 2012

Kelsey Fournier, resident of Pawtucket, and graduate of Rhode Island College, was crowned as Miss Rhode Island 2012.

Kelsey has worked as a cheerleader for the New England Patriots football team, and is a dedicated dancer. She is going to spend her year as Miss Rhode Island educating the youth about healthy eating and exercise habits.

Kelsey earned a bachelor of science degree in community health education at Rhode Island College, where she was graduated Cum Laude and as a Presidential Scholar. She is a fitness instructor at Mind Body Barre.

The national Miss America competition will be taking place in January 2013, and between now and then, Kelsey will be making various appearances throughout the state. For more information, visit missri.org

Kelsey Fournier crowned Miss RI 2012: wpri.com

Erin Durkin
New York Daily News
May 31, 2012

Brooklyn ladies are lacing up their sneakers, hoping to get their big break as dancers for the Brooklyn Nets.

Would-be team dancers took six weeks of special classes at Crunch Fitness in Fort Greene to prepare for Saturday’s open auditions, where they worked through some of the team’s current routines.

“As soon as I heard the Nets were coming back to Brooklyn I was really, really excited,” said Melissa Timothy-Tozer, 27, of Mill Basin, one of about 150 women who participated, who has dreamed about the possibility of dancing for the team for years.

“To know that it’s literally right in my backyard is pretty awesome.”

Timothy-Tozer, who grew up in Flatbush, used to dance for the Philadelphia 76ers and now works as a patient relations rep, has been doing special morning workouts and cardio exercises to get ready.

“They say they’re looking for a whole new look and they’re looking for Brooklyn, and I’m Brooklyn,” she said.

“I have a couple of years on [the other auditioners]. It definitely doesn’t matter as long as you can hold your own against the younger girls.”

Director of entertainment marketing Kim Garris said the team has up to 18 spots to fill and expects hundreds of wanna-bes to show up for the tryouts Saturday at Long Island University.

“We’re looking for women who are athletic, who are diverse,” she said, adding that 70% of the dancers who showed up for classes are from the borough. “We definitely expect to have great Brooklyn representation on the new squad.”

Claire Czerniuk, 22, of Dyker Heights, said she’s been dancing since she was two years old.

“I’ve made it to the finals and I’ve never made a team, so I really have my fingers crossed. I really want to make this team because it’s Brooklyn and it’s the Nets,” she said. “This is just exciting to be able to audition for a team that would be performing at an arena in my hometown.

She’s been doing pilates and yoga to stay in shape.

“Everybody’s going to be really talented,” she said, “and you have to bring an extra edge.

Stacie Kinder
Titans Online
May 31, 2012

• PHOTOS: Day 1

After a slightly rocky start with the Cheerleaders’ bus breaking down 30 miles north of Destin, the annual swimsuit photo shoot has begun with success!

The team had an incredible kick-off dinner at the Compass Rose Restaurant Wednesday night, complete with bacon wrapped scallops and fresh-grilled vegetables. The ladies then checked-in to the luxurious Emerald Grande at HarborWalk Village where they will stay for four nights.

The first group of Cheerleaders began their shoot on Thursday morning at 3:45am with hair appointments with The Edge Salon and make-up by Visage Bella.

Brooke, Stephanie A., and Jena then boarded a beautiful 73-foot yacht, “The Emerald Grande” to take some incredible pictures. Captain Mike and First Mate Stephen ensured the voyage was safe and enjoyable.

Later in the morning, Mariel and Erica shot in the marina with hundreds of on-lookers cruising by. Despite the heat, the shots were amazing and photographer Erick Anderson worked his magic.

After lunch, which was provided by Tropical Smoothie Café, the day continued with an evening pool-side shoot with five more Cheerleaders. The setting sun provided a gorgeous backdrop for the photos.

At 7:00, The HarborWalk Village celebrated its weekly Red, White, and Blue block party complete with a performance by the Titans Cheerleaders. The night concluded with dinner at the Crab Island Cantina and an incredible fireworks celebration over the Gulf of Mexico.

By MATT SAMUELS
The Jewish Herald-Voice
May 31, 2012

Following the most successful season in Houston Texans football history, an astonishing 975 women tried out for the 2012 Texans Cheerleading squad last month. After two days of gruelling competition, that sent home more than 900 women, there were two familiar faces still standing once all the makeup cleared.

Shlenker School alumnae pre-med twins Michelle and Rachel Lewis, made the prestigious NFL squad of 35 women for the second-straight year as a pair. This will be the third year on the team for Michelle, who tried out the first time, without Rachel, in 2010.

“We both made the team again –it’s so exciting,” said Michelle. “We had to start over again from round one, just like everyone else. We made it through two rounds on Saturday and a third round on Sunday, and we didn’t know we were in until they called our number. It’s just so exciting.”

It was an exhilarating feeling for the twins, who really enjoyed their first season together in 2011. Each woman not only has to make the team, but also earn her way onto the field each game, as only about 25 of the women actually are on the field cheering during the game.

Michelle and Rachel earned the chance to be on the field for nine of the 11 home games, last year, including the Texans first-ever playoff game.

“We had a really good season,” Michelle said. “We had a lot of great things happen that didn’t happen the year before. The playoffs were really fun. It was history for the Texans and history in our relationship. We were on the field for that one, and it was really cool.”

Added Rachel: “It was so much fun and we hope to get even better. We want to be the best cheerleading squad in Texas. We know there are some other cheerleaders in Dallas, but we want to be the best in the state. We just need to be as poised as possible and be on top of our game.”

Besides being the first known Jewish Texans cheerleaders, the Lewis twins also have become celebrities in the Jewish community over the past year.

The twins were part of The Shlenker School’s 25-year anniversary gala, working with Shlenker alumni, who are current Emery/Weiner cheerleaders, to choreograph a dance routine. Michelle and Rachel also were included in a 100 Jewish Men presentation at Congregation Beth Yeshurun.

Michelle also volunteers her time for the ERJCC’s Meals on Wheels program, once a week, delivering meals – usually with Rachel – to those in need in the community.

“Meals on Wheels is such an awesome program,” Rachel said. “I usually hang out with Michelle in the car and help her as she goes on her route.”

While the girls appear in Texans cheer gear during most of the community events, the twins don’t bring their pompoms and boots along on their delivery route.

“When I do Meals on Wheels, I try to look as normal as possible,” Michelle said. “I probably look like I just rolled out of bed.”

When they aren’t cheering or making appearances around the community, the twins continue to work toward their career path into the medical field.

After completing her pre-med studies at The University of St. Thomas, Rachel passed the MCAT and was accepted into medical school at the University of Texas Galveston Branch, where she will start in August.

“It’s really exciting,” Rachel said. “I’m really interested in sports medicine. Maybe being a cheerleader triggered my interest. Being a former cheerleader should be a little more accepted in that field than others.”

Michelle, who also graduated in pre-med from St. Thomas, has changed her focus to nursing and hopes to begin earning her R.N. degree in the spring.

“I changed my mind and ended up not taking the MCAT,” Michelle said. “I realized I wanted to pursue a career in nursing and get an advanced nursing degree. I learned a lot in pre-med and I will just apply that to a different field of health care.”

As for their cheering future, it is undecided. The twins will enjoy their second year together and then decide on the future at that time.

Michelle’s schedule will get quite busy as she works toward her nursing degree, jumping into clinicals almost immediately. Rachel’s medical school will be mostly academic the first two years, so she conceivably could cheer during that time.

“We are really excited for Michelle to pursue nursing and me to start med school,” Rachel said. “In theory, it could be possible to continue cheering for the first couple years of school. But, then again, we are kind of like a package deal, and if turns out Michelle won’t be able to do it, I think that might be where it ends for me as well.”

Yulia Zvereva
Russia Beyond the Headlines
May 29, 2012

Cheerleading may be a relatively new sport in Russia, but a Russian team just won the world cheer dance championship.

[Note: “Cheer Dance” involves sport dance with elements of gymnastics, and fast costume changes during the performance.]

Despite the fact that cheerleading developed in connection with American football, this sport has become most popular not as a support group, but as a kind of acrobatic performance. Cheerleading is gradually consolidating its status as a separate sport, and its fans no longer consider cheerleaders merely an addition to the sidelines.

The Russian Cheerleading Federation has 43 regional divisions, stretching from Kaliningrad to Vladivostok. Since 2007, cheerleading has been classified as a separate sport, and each region in the federation trains a team to take part in the Russian championships. The winner of this competition then represents the country at the European and World championships.

There are more than 400 cheerleading teams in Russia today and they practice various types of the sport, including cheer, cheer dance, cheer dance show, cheer mix, group stunts and partner stunts. Russian teams regularly compete in international tournaments. Eighty teams from 15 regions took part in the most recent Russian cheerleading championship and the Russian team Non Stop took first place at the 2011 World Cheer Dance Championship.

Competing at that level requires a huge amount of preparation. “As of 1999, people in Russia thought of cheerleading as ‘girls holding pom poms.’ In the very early stages, we began to work with international organizations, including the American Cheerleading Association. We brought in trainers to work with us during extended visits, without even knowing the competition rules. So we simply watched and learned,” said Valentina Novikova, Vice-President of the Russian Cheerleading Federation.

Today, cheerleading in Russia is developing on the European model, in which a country has a single cheerleading federation that regulates all aspects of the sport, from competitions to costumes. In contrast, in the United States, several commercial organizations work to organize competitions.

One of the reasons cheerleading has become so popular in Russia is the approach taken to choosing and training the young athletes. From looking at American cheerleading films, it seems that only slim girls can become cheerleaders. In reality, that is not the case. Many prize-winning Russian teams place a high priority on having a strong foundation for building complicated acrobatic formations. Thus, cheerleading is first and foremost a team sport and a good way to deal with the complexes experienced in adolescence. It doesn’t matter if a girl is slim or heavy; everyone can find a place on the team.

Another cheerleading stereotype is that it is a sport only for girls, but young men are also welcome on cheer squads. Currently there are more mixed teams than all-girl teams in the regions.

Cheerleading requires serious athletic training, so the majority of those who participate in the sport are already athletes. Radio Zenith journalist Anna Komogorova took up cheerleading after participating in dance competitions while she was a college student. After graduation, she realized that she missed dancing, so she goes to cheerleading practice three times a week after work. “

This is neither a professional career nor a hobby for me,” said Komogorova. “I don’t get paid for practice time or competitive performances. But cheerleading is not just a hobby, either, because I spend around nine hours a week at practice. I would say that for me it’s a way of life. It’s great to be able to take your mind off work, compete in tournaments, and have a completely different identity. Cheerleading means doing a huge amount of work on yourself, to stay in shape,” Komogorova said.

In 2013, the Russian Cheerleading Federation plans to give an exhibition program at the Student Games in Kazan. Cheerleading fans hope Olympics officials will be inspired by what they see and will include cheerleading as an Olympic sport at some point. In the meantime, however, this sport is so popular that it doesn’t need to advertise or run recruitment campaigns.

“The only problem in cheerleading today is that it’s seen as propaganda for the American way of life,” said Valentina Novikova. “I think this is not true. Sports have no national or geographic borders. And cheerleading is a sport.”

My peeps the ChivaGirls absolutely killed it during this halftime performance. They were 21 strong, with all 19 members of the team, plus choreographer Tim Stevenson and Laura, their coach. (Laura “thought” she retired after last season, but has found herself stepping in as an alternate more games than not. Homegirl’s still got it.)
So proud of them. Check it out!

[Click here] for more photos from the game.

Voting continiues. This week, it’s Pam vs. Kaylee

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