Click here to check out scenes from week 13 on SportsIllustrated.com. This week features the Buccaneers Cheerleaders, Charger Girls, Cardinals Cheerleaders, Ben-Gals, and Dolphins Cheerleaders.

I can’t tell you how happy the Bucs creamsicle costumes make me. If “love” were a color, it would be this precise shade of orange.

By Rich Garven
Telegram.com
December 5, 2010

Jillian O’Neil was a senior at Dean College in Franklin two years ago when a fellow student suggested the petite blond try out for the New England Patriots cheerleading squad.

O’Neil, a lifelong Worcester resident, has been dancing since the age of 4. She played field hockey and was a member of the dance team at Burncoat High, where she graduated with current Patriots defensive lineman Ron Brace in 2004.

Although energetic, enthusiastic, attractive and ambitious, O’Neil had zero cheering experience.

Still, it was only a short drive to the auditions at Gillette Stadium, and the thought of performing in front of 68,000 football fans was enticing. Plus, O’Neil and her family have always rooted for the Patriots, just from their home.

You know the rest.

“It’s awesome being in the center of the action and doing what I love to do — perform and dance,” the easygoing O’Neil said Friday during a phone conversation, which is the Patriots’ preferred means of communication with their cheerleaders.

The job is also a lot of work.

O’Neil and her 24 colleagues meet two nights a week to practice. Home games make for long — but enjoyable — days. And there are all sorts of charity and promotional appearances.

“Technically it’s a part-time job,” O’Neil, 24, said. “But it’s a full-time commitment.”

O’Neil doesn’t go around telling people what she does for work on weekends. However, it frequently seems to come up in casual conversation.

The reaction and ensuing responses are typically the same.

“A lot of people, the first thing they’ll say is, ‘Really?’ ” O’Neil said with a laugh. “Then they ask, ‘Do you know Tom Brady? How long have you been doing it? Do you get along with the girls on the team? Do you travel to away games?’ ”

The answers: no, three years, yes and no.

Sean and Lisa O’Neil have, um, cheered on the oldest of their four grown children through every hip-shaking, hand-waving routine. They haven’t missed a home game since Jillian first made the cut in 2008, something she has had to do each year since there are no guaranteed spots.

“They’re very supportive,” O’Neil said. “My dad is protective, but he’s always been supportive.”

O’Neil earned a bachelor’s degree in dance from Dean — where she also minored in psychology — a month after joining the Patriots. She started taking classes in elementary education at Worcester State University in September with the goal of becoming a teacher.

The chance to travel courtesy of the Patriots was one reason O’Neil took a couple of years off from school. She has taken full advantage of her opportunities, including going to the Dominican Republic twice and Aruba for swimsuit calendar shoots.

Last year, O’Neil was part of a contingent that included four of her fellow cheerleaders, their coach and five NFL players on a 10-day goodwill trip to the Persian Gulf to visit U.S. Navy troops.

“It was a chance to go over there and thank them for all they’ve done for us,” O’Neil said. “It was definitely rewarding and very eye-opening.”

The group flew from Boston to Amsterdam to the tiny island nation of Bahrain. From there, they made a number of one- or two-day trips, including to a base in Djibouti and aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt.

They departed the famed aircraft carrier via a catapult takeoff that still gets O’Neil’s heart racing.

O’Neil has trouble sleeping on planes and hardly shut her eyes on the flights over. But after all those morale-boosting performances and meet-and-greets, that wasn’t a problem on the way home.

“We were exhausted, so it was much easier to sleep,” she said.

It was off to China for an NFL promotional tour in late January/early February. There were stops in Guangzhou, Beijing and Shanghai.

O’Neil and her fellow cheerleaders performed at the “Bird’s Nest,” the stadium that gained fame during the 2008 Summer Olympics, walked in the snow on top of the Great Wall, and through Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City.

Football isn’t particularly popular in China, but these ambassadors of the sport were.

“I was nervous to go at first, but I’d love to come back,” O’Neil said. “The Chinese people were very nice, very kind, and very welcoming.”

This is O’Neil’s third season as a Patriots cheerleader, meaning it’s her last per team policy. She is obviously rooting for the wonderful experience to end with a victory in the 2011 Super Bowl in Dallas on Feb. 6.

However, being the superstitious type, O’Neil didn’t want to go there. But even though the good times on the sideline are coming to an end, she’ll remain a Patriot in spirit for the coming year.

Flip open the 2011 Patriots cheerleaders’ swimsuit calendar to January and you’ll find O’Neil warming that long, cold month.

New uniform photos have been posted on the Patriots website. click here to check ’em out!

Individual photo galleries for the Stars Ice Girls are now online. Click here to go there now!

Heather fondly remembers the Lakers’ ring ceremony
This is the second post of a weekly LA Times series that helps you get to know the Laker Girls
Mark Medina
LA Times Lakers Blog
December 3, 2010

Laker Girl Name: Heather

Year on squad: 2

Hometown: Chino Hills

Area of residence: Long Beach

College/high school:I attended Ayala High School. I plan to graduate from Cal State Long Beach in the spring, with a double major in communication studies and journalism.

What prompted you to want to become a Laker Girl?

For as long as I can remember, it has been a dream of mine to be a part of this prestigious and prominent organization.

What do you think stood out to the judging panel, about you, regarding your audition? I think, or hope, that my passion to perform and my aspiration for this position stood out to the judging panel.

What do you think makes a good Laker Girl? Being a well-rounded and outgoing person! Also, someone who loves to meet and be around people makes a great Laker Girl.

What is your dance experience? I have been dancing since I was 3 years old and trained at a dance studio through high school. In addition, I competed and performed on my high school and college dance teams.

Favorite dance routine, while being a Laker Girl? My favorite Laker Girl dance routine is “For Your Entertainment,” because it is high-energy and fun to perform.

Favorite uniform? My favorite Laker Girl uniform is the “Purple Mesh” outfit – I love the ruffled skirt.

Favorite Lakers player? My favorite Lakers player is Pau Gasolbecause he is so reliable on the court and is a great asset to our Lakers team.

Favorite Laker Girl memory so far? My favorite Laker Girl memory this year would have to be being apart of the ring ceremony that took place at our first home game this season. To have been a part of the NBA championship last year, this ring ceremony was so amazing to watch and be a part of!

What do you like most about being involved, as a Laker Girl, at local charity/community events? My favorite part about being involved in the community is the opportunity to meet the fans! I love being able to get to know some of the Laker fans out in our communities!

What would you say is your beauty secret? I would say that my beauty secret is that I try to get at least seven or eight hours of sleep every night.

What diet/workout tips do you have? Remember that not every workout plan will work for everyone. So find the workout that works for you and stick with it!

What are your hobbies? When I am not dancing — I enjoy teaching dance, taking spin class, hanging out with my friends/family and watching football.

Career aspirations? At the moment, I do not have any specific career aspirations. I do know that I want to further my education and go to graduate school within the next year. I am hoping grad school will lead me to a particular career.

By Jessica Shumaker
The Villages Daily Sun
December 4, 2010

THE VILLAGES — When Don and Annie Ennis’ granddaughter performs, it’s not in a theater or in front of a microphone.

The 21-year-old’s stage is the turf of Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, and she dances for tens of thousands of football fans packed into the stands.

Their granddaughter, Megan, is a cheerleader for the Indianapolis Colts.

When she told her grandparents that she made the squad back in May, the two said they were happy for her.

“We’re very pleased, we really are,” Annie said. “She’s always been a dancer — I can’t remember a time she wasn’t taking dance classes.”

Annie said it was only natural that Megan would become a cheerleader. She remembered a family trip more than 10 years ago in which she and her husband took their granddaughters, Megan included, to New York City.

“She was interested in being a professional dancer,” she said. “We went to see ‘The Lion King’ and ‘Riverdance.’ That seemed to be a real turn-on for her.”

Proud grandparents

Don said he, too, is very proud of his granddaughter.

“She’s a very sweet, innocent girl,” he said, noting her accomplishments as an art student, as well as her dancing. “She’s been dancing since she was in Pampers, I say.”

It wasn’t easy to become a Colts cheerleader, Megan said.

Fresh out of high school, Megan auditioned at 18, but was cut before the end of the process. A few years later, during her junior year of college, she was encouraged to try again by a cheerleader she knew from her hometown of Peru, Ind.

Pushing through a last-minute case of cold feet, she jumped into the audition process, a grueling schedule of elimination rounds that narrowed the field of more than 300 women to 32.

As she learned new dances, she continually made it through each round until the final showcase event, where she was selected to join the team. As a whole, she said the audition process was difficult.

“It was extremely tough, because it was around finals time,” she said. “You had to prioritize, stay up late and make sure you knew the dances. You basically had to keep your head in it, and you couldn’t let any self-confidence issues get the best of you.”

So far, she said her rookie season has gone well.

“All of my squad is absolutely wonderful,” she said. “There are no cliques, there are no bad vibes, which is something you have to consider when you have 32 women working together all the time.”

In her new role, she enjoys the public appearances and volunteer work the women do, as well as performing itself.

“It’s such a big rush,” she said. “You’re in the tunnel, you’re all suited up. It’s just the biggest rush ever. It’s wonderful and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

Of all she does as a cheerleader, she said, it’s easy to identify her favorite part.

“(It’s) definitely the performance aspect,” she said. “I love learning new, different types of choreography. It’s kind of a challenge and I definitely enjoy a challenge.”

Dancing is also a way to support the team, she said.

“We basically show our team spirit through our dances. It’s high-energy, positive, entertaining and something that’s a reflection of us,” she said. “Dancing is a reflection of your feelings, so our dances are always high-energy, and the crowd loves that.”

As for the future, Megan is set to graduate in May from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, and she said she is interested in continuing her participation with the squad.

“I want to continue two, three more seasons,” she said. “I have to try out each season, but if they’ll have me back next year, I’d be more than happy to return.”

Her current year will continue through the next audition process next spring. So far, she has already seen the role’s positive impact on her life — boosting her confidence and bringing her new friends.

“Being a professional dancer and representing the Colts organization has been a total dream come true,” she said. “It’s just been everything and more.”

Sports Illustrated has a new NBA dance team gallery. This one features the Mavs Dancers. Click here to go there now.

FYI: Fans of CMT’s “Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team” may recognize Kenley Minchew and Paula Tabares from that show. Both are rookie Mavs Dancers this year.

By Stefan Swiat
Suns.com
Oct. 28, 2010

Current Tiffany Dunn Singles [click here to listen]:
# Shut the Front Door
# Love You Long Time
# Ok

Now you might not have heard of Tiffany Dunn just yet, but you’ve definitely seen her. You just don’t know it.

You might recall an energetic teenage girl breakdancing on the court of Mercury and Suns games. Or better yet, that same blond girl dunking off of trampolines with the Gorilla.

And although that girl has moved to Los Angeles to pursue a blossoming music career, her spirit for entertaining remains a constant. It’s something that has resided within Dunn for as long as she can remember.

Despite a recent meteoric rise from anonymity, Dunn’s journey through the world of music was anything but a forgone conclusion. She didn’t win “Star Search” at age 11 or have a parent/manager that got her to become a Mouseketeer.

Her path has been self-made. Her success has been self-fulfilled.

Ever since she was a little girl growing up in Phoenix, Dunn was always on the move, creating her own make-shift singing and dancing troops. Once she was in high school, she joined every club that would allow her to dance and sing, faithfully staying afterwards to absorb extra knowledge from her instructors.

With parents unable to afford the cost of formal dance lessons, Dunn took a job at Sonic as soon as she became of-age, just so she could pay for her own dance lessons. So at 16, after logging enough hours at Sonic, she enrolled in hip-hop and breakdancing classes at the Betty Johnson School of Dance.

After years of modeling other performers and developing her own choreography, taking lessons from “Bboy” House and Ryan Ingram at Betty Johnson opened a whole other world up to her.

“All the other dancers had been taking classes since they were 3,” Dunn said. “I always said, ‘I don’t need dance class,’ especially since I didn’t have any money.

“But I loved learning choreography from other choreographers. It made me a better dancer.”

Once enrolled in the school, Dunn became tapped into an entire network of dancers. Before she knew it, she was performing for the Phoenix Mercury’s Hip-Hop Squad and receiving work from the Nebellen Dance Company and Epik Dance Company.

Soon, she was invited to tour Europe as a back-up dancer for some European pop stars.

“When I was travelling around Europe getting paid to dance I thought, ‘This is the life,’” she said. “But I also wanted to be a singer and performer.”

However, in order for Dunn to accomplish that, she needed to move to L.A. During the days and afternoons she worked as a server, dedicating her nights teaching dance and working Suns games.

Suns Vice President of Game Entertainment Kip Helt, who admired Dunn’s athleticism and breakdancing abilities with the Hip-Hop Squad, recruited her to jump off of trampolines and dunk with the Verve Sol Patrol.

“It’s hard to put a finger on it, you just know that some people have a chance to go very far because of their versatility,” Helt said. “When you start combining dance, her look, a beautiful voice and her ability to play instruments with the athleticism to be on a dunk team, you’ve got a pretty powerful package.

“She’s one of the best performers we’ve ever had. When she walks out onto a stage you can see, she’s got ‘it.’ Some people get nervous in a situation like that, but she’s in her element.”

At 5-6, 110 pounds, it was quite a sight to see this petite, blond girl catapulting through the air. Usually, that type of lunacy is reserved for the likes of the Gorilla.

Between the breakdancing and the bounding, Dunn’s talent began to shine through at Suns games. Bouncing along with her trademark smile, even the players began to notice.

“Steve Nash would always see me constantly smiling and would kind of mock it to be funny,” she said.

It didn’t stop there. One time after completing a breakdancing set, she was walking by Shaquille O’Neal – a popular breakdancer in his own right – who flashed a big smile and told her wryly, “I like your moves.”

Focused on building up her bank account to make the move, she spent as much time working as possible, making time only for dance gigs that would pop up. After landing a gig to open for renowned hip-hop star Lil’ Wayne in Tucson, she knew it was time to take it to Los Angeles.

Having saved enough money, she packed up a U-Haul and moved into a “Podunk” apartment in L.A. And despite building up a ton of momentum with her successes in Phoenix, fate wasn’t as kind to her in California.

“I couldn’t find a job for a year,” she said. “It was the worst thing in the world. I hated L.A., but I kept pushing.”

First, her trusty car broke down on trip from L.A. to Las Vegas for an audition. After being unable to reach anyone, she actually had to hitchhike back to L.A. in a semi.

After getting a $4,000 repair bill that she couldn’t afford, Dunn’s struggles didn’t end there. She cracked her tooth before an audition for the Pussycat Dolls and woke up the next morning with a massive infection in her throat.

Needless to say, the audition didn’t go too well, ending with her immediately driving to Phoenix to receive an emergency root canal from her family dentist. So on top of that monstrous car bill was a huge dental bill, one that surely could’ve been dramatically reduced had she possesses some sort of dental insurance.

After eating into her savings, she was able to find a few serving jobs to keep her afloat. Her last one, at the W Hotel, would keep her working late into the night, despite auditions awaiting her in the early morning.

“I was living a way better life in Arizona than in L.A.,” she said. “I was picking up all these signs that made me think that maybe it was time for me to go back to Phoenix. Friends thought I had a dark cloud following me.”

But thanks to “Darkchild,” that dark cloud would disappear. Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins, the super-producer behind No. 1 singles from Beyonce’, Brandy and Toni Braxton, decided to take Dunn underneath his wing.

Through some of her friends in L.A., Dunn heard of an audition for a girl group that Jerkins was holding. Those friends, who happened to be Miley Cyrus’ backup dancer and fellow Phoenix native Mandy Jiroux, as well as the two brothers from the musical group ChaseJordan, were talking to Jerkins’ sister-in-law when she brought up the audition.

Her friends pulled up a video of Dunn playing the acoustic guitar on YouTube, which was then passed along to “Darkchild.” Once he saw that, Dunn received an invite to the audition.

Despite competition from 300 hundred other girls, the panel of judges chose Dunn as one of the four members of the girl group. The group would only last three months, but after it dissolved, Jerkins moved on launching a solo career for Dunn.

“Darkchild” got her immediately into the studio, getting right to work.

“After the group ended they put me into the studio and I started banging out like 30 songs,” she said. “Next thing you know, Sony wanted to meet me and I ended up in the Sony building in New York City.

“There I was in their conference room performing for them like I did in my own room when I was little. And then they wanted to sign me.”

Not only does Dunn have the ability to sing and dance, but she’s also picked up how to play the piano. In addition, she has been playing the guitar since she was 12.

The former Hip-Hop Squad member is currently working on her album in the studio, with plans to release her first single by the end of 2010. Right now, they’re still writing new material, as well as narrowing down which songs they want for the album.

“It’s a matter of putting everything in the right place when you’re trying to break an artist,” Dunn said. “You have to do it right and not just throw your first single out there. I want to make sure that every song reflects me as much as possible, which is why we’re being picky, which is good.”

While there isn’t a scheduled release date for her album yet, Dunn does know what she wants the theme of her album to be. With her greatest musical influences being Justin Timberlake and Michael Jackson, she’s looking to create an upbeat album that features a lot of dance tracks.

“All of my songs are super-inspiring and they pump you up,” she said. “They’re dance songs that get you through the day and whatever you’re struggling through. They are the kind of songs that I listened to when I was living here and going through my struggles.”

For Dunn, music has been her therapy throughout her life, and she’s hoping that her music can assume that role for other people.

“Writing and singing is what got me through the day and reminded me of why I was out here in L.A.,” she said.

Dunn says that one of her goals is to make her album accessible and touch listeners of all ages. She says that it will “pretty much be rated G.”

“I want my songs to be inspiring, uplifting and positive,” she said. “I feel like this world has plenty of negative in it and I just want something that everybody can relate to. I feel like the world is missing that.”

Her single “Shut the Front Door” was picked up by the popular “Now That’s What I Call Music! Vol: 35” compilation. The compilation features Katy Perry’s “California Gurls,” Lady GaGa’s “Alejandro,” Justin Bieber’s “Somebody to Love” and Travie McCoy’s “Billionaire.” The compilation debuted as No. 2 on Billboard.

“She was somebody that you knew good things were going to happen for because she works so hard and has that passion,” Helt said. “She’s talented and believed in herself, but to get where she wanted to go, she’s had to work twice as hard as everybody else, and she did that. She’s a walking testament to that.”

Although Dunn’s musical career has changed overnight, her love for Phoenix and the Suns remain a constant, even if she lives in L.A. now.

“I’m a hardcore Suns fan,” she said. “I risked my life jumping off of a trampoline to dunk balls for them. It was scary stuff.”

Dunn’s ability to take risks has helped her do more than just bound off of trampolines, it has changed her life. Despite not having any connections in the music industry or concrete opportunity awaiting her, she took a leap of faith and moved to Los Angeles.

“It’s so difficult, it kind of tears you up to hear about someone who works so hard go out there and make it,” Helt said. “It didn’t come without sacrifice. She was working other jobs, working games here, teaching dance, performing on the side, when she could’ve been doing what other 21 year olds do.”

Dunn gave up the comfort of being a big fish in Phoenix, to swim with the minnows in L.A. And despite all logical signs that seemed to intimate that she had made a huge error, she overcame her fears and steamed forward.

That ability to manage her fear has vaulted her music career. And pretty soon, you won’t be able to watch TV or walk down the street without seeing her face.

But just remember, you’ve seen her before. Now you know where.

For more info on Tiffany you can head to her official website or her MySpace page.

A few weeks ago, I posted a notice about the Los Angeles Matadors Knockouts dance team. Well, auditions are over and the team of 12 dancers has been selected! Congratulations Bailey, Brandy, Brittany, Jenna, Kali, Leigh Ann, Marissa, Natalie, Parker, Taylor B, Taylor H, and their Director Whitney Frink!

Click here to visit the Knockouts on facebook.

Check out Sports Illustrated’s latest NFL Cheerleader galleries!

The week 11 gallery includes the Patriots, Saints, Cowboys, Falcons, and Rams Cheerleaders. (click here).

The week 12 gallery features dance teams from the Falcons, Broncos, Seahawks, Texans, and Cardinals. (click here)