Auditions are over and 27 ladies have been selected to the team!
Click here to see their individual photos
Click here for photos from auditions
Click here to watch the 2015 edition of their making-the-squad series “Full Out or Get Out.”

By Rebecca Zemencik
Republican Herald
April 19, 2015

[[Click here to read the previous article on Amanda Gerber]]

VALLEY VIEW — Although she wasn’t chosen to become a Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleader, Amanda Gerber, Valley View, is thankful to have had the opportunity to audition, made new friends, met important people and, most importantly, gained a whole new confidence in herself.

Gerber, a Penn State Berks student made it through to the second round of competition for the Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleading squad.

“The entire ride to Philadelphia on Wednesday, April 1, I was so excited,” said Gerber. “When I arrived at the Nova Care Center with my mother and uncle, I could hardly sit still. I was just so excited to do my audition.”

She was let into the building with approximately 116 other girls who were also vying for a spot on the squad. Once inside, she was given a number and had about an hour to rehearse her dance. There were two different audition dances and four songs. The songs were continuously played so everyone could practice.

Gerber said they began taking groups of 20 girls and walking them to the other building at the Nova Care Center, where the auditions were being held.

“Groups of three girls auditioned at a time, however, I ended up in a group with just one other girl,” Gerber said. “We were called onto the stage, and we each had a turn to tell the audience our name, what school we attend and what our major is. As soon as we finished, the music immediately started and we did the dance one time and then left the stage. The audition only lasted three minutes, but it was the most exciting three minutes of my life.”

The room was filled with 10 judges and season ticket holders, who each had a sheet with every girls’ number on it. They were to circle the number of the girls they liked.

“The whole time during my audition, all I could remember was seeing so many people snapping photos and cheering us on,” Gerber said. “It was incredible. I didn’t want to leave, but we were told to go home right after the audition. I was so happy I was shaking the whole way home. I could have cried.”

Even though her name wasn’t on the list of those who made it to the next round of competition, she plans to do it again next year.

“I plan on taking dance classes for the entire year until auditions again next year, so I have more knowledge on the type of dance the squad does,” Gerber said. “I hope this betters my chance. I am so beyond excited to audition all over again next year, and hopefully I do well enough to make the squad. This has been one of the most amazing things I have experienced so far in my life, and I couldn’t be more thankful for all of the support I received along the way.”

The first round of auditions for the 2015-16 Oakland Raiderettes took place today. Click here for a few photos from the event on Raiders.com!

Kevin Bowen
Colts.com
April 17,2015

INDIANAPOLIS –A new chapter of Colts Cheerleading was ushered in Friday night, but the selection process was no easy task this year.

The Hilbert Circle Theatre played host to 52 finalists on Friday with the showcase cutting that number down to 28 women, who now form the 2015 squad.

[[Click here to see who made the team!]]

A talented group of rookies made a strong impression on the judges throughout the past week of auditions.

“I have never been more excited for a team,” Colts Cheerleader Manager Kelly Tilley said after selecting the squad on Friday.

“I think the Colts (on the field) are going to do great this year and the Colts Cheerleaders are going to do awesome as well. I want to start practices tomorrow because it’s just a great group of women that want to work hard.

This marks the third year that Tilley has been at the helm of the Colts Cheerleaders.

She called this audition process the hardest yet, because of two distinct characteristics.

First, was the immense talent brought in from the rookies and several former cheerleaders who decided to try out again.

Second, the tryout process was cut in half this year to just one week. Tilley called it a “grueling” week for the 52 ladies trying to make the cut.

Rookie Leslie Ann’s beaming smile told everyone at Hilbert Theatre how her night ended.

The Indiana native heard her number ‘40’ called by Tilley and thought she was dreaming.

“I am over the moon excited,” Leslie Ann said. “I can’t believe this is actually happening. All the sleepless nights, all the sore muscles, all the praying, it’s all paid off.

“I’m probably going to wake up tomorrow and think, ‘Am I really a Colts cheerleader? Yes, I am a Colts cheerleader.”

Emcees for Friday night were Matt Hasselbeck and former Colts cheerleader Megan Meadors (an intermission appearance also came from long snapper Matt Overton).

Judges for the evening included Cynthia Grigson (wife of Colts GM Ryan Grigson), Vice Chiar/Owner Kalen Irsay, Tina Pagano (wife of Chuck Pagano) and Sarah Hasselbeck (wife of quarterback Matt Hasselbeck).

Friday night’s showcase began with the finalists being divided into groups of three for a choreographed dance lasting about 30 seconds each.

Next up was time for some individual creativity with each finalist performing a solo dance of her choice, for about 15-20 seconds.

The last look the judges got at the 52 finalists came with each girl in a swimsuit as their bios were read to the audience.

The highlight of the evening undoubtedly came when the cheer finalists performed with the Indiana Fierce All-Stars and Down Syndrome Indiana.

Friday’s showcase was the culmination of a week long of activities that began last Saturday at open call tryouts.

A group of nearly 100 women was whittled down to 52 finalists.

Their past week consisted of a fitness test, interviews with a separate panel, a football test and then Friday’s showcase.

After nearly an hour of deliberation between the judges on Friday night, Tilley read off the numbers for the 28 women who will make up the 2015 Colts Cheerleaders.

“The best moment is that new energy and new blood when you get back (stage) and you tell (the rookies),” Tilley said.

“There’s tears and excitement and a, ‘I can’t believe I just achieved my dream of being a Colts cheerleader.’”

2015 Indianapolis Colts Cheerleaders

Top Row:
Leslie Ann*, Megan D**, Brittany E, Ann, Erin, Sammy*, Cortney**, Kristine, Hannah, Sarah*

Middle Row:
Jessica*, Lauren**, Natalie, Kaiti, Brittany H*, Cristina, Stefanie, Cassia, Audrey*

Bottom Row:
Brookelyn, Nicole, Crystal Anne, Sophie, Mariah, Allie, Leanna, Ciarra, Megan R

*Rookies
**Veterans returning after Hiatus
Lauren was on the team 2009-10, 2011-12
Megan D was on the team, 2013-14
Cortney was on the team, 2012-13

By JUSTIN MITCHELL
SunHerald.com
April 15, 2015

The reigning Biloxi Queen of Neptune, an Ocean Springs woman and a Moss Point graduate who made headlines in 2014 have all earned their spot again on the 2015 New Orleans Saintsations dance team.

Brandy Jarvis of Ocean Springs will enter her third season as a Saintsation. A marketing graduate from the University of Southern Mississippi, she was inspired to first tryout by her father, Kevin Jarvis, who has been a Saints season ticket holder for more than 3 decades.

Jarvis was a cheerleader at St. Patrick High School and a member of the USM Dixie Darlings dance team. She was the queen of the 2014 Krewe of Neptune in Biloxi.

Kriste Lewis, a Moss Point High graduate and Hattiesburg resident, made national news headlines in 2014 as becoming one of the NFL’s oldest dance team members. At the time of her 2014 audition, she was 40. She made the squad again this year.

Lewis told the Hattiesburg American last year that she had been battling kidney disease for more than 14 years.

Lewis said last year she was proud to be a Saintsation.

“It goes back to a definition of what a 40-year-old woman could be or should be, and they forget that you can be beautiful and smart,” she said to the Hattiesburg American. “I think my generation especially is redefining (that image).”

Sarah Friday, an Ocean Springs native, was also on the Saintsations in 2014 and made the squad again this year.

The Saintsations released the 2015 lineup on Wednesday.

Quiche Matchen
Tristate-Media.com
April 15, 2015

PRINCETON—Princeton native Jalyn Stough, 19, could soon be on the sidelines cheering for the NFL’s New York Jets.

Stough has an interview today with judges and next Thursday is the final round where all those remaining will dance for judges a final time and find out if she made the cut.

Out of the 200 women who started only 67 remain and only 40 will be chosen.

After the 40 women are chosen they’ll go to summer training and cheer at all 10 home games along with other charity or public events.

For auditions they had to do improv, kick lines, dances by the flight crew, interviews and more.

Stough said this has always been something she wanted to try, but being “on the field made it more real.”

She said the hardest part was the preparation and not knowing what to expect.

Stough had watched TV show “Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team” and it gave her a little insight into auditioning.

She thought the Dallas Cowboys’ cheerleaders auditions were intense and hers were also “that intense.”

Her college classes at Marymount Manhattan College, a liberal arts college in Manhattan, New York also helped her with the improv portion of try-outs.

As a part of applying auditioners must be a full-time student or worker since they’re ambassadors of the team.

Stough said school won’t interfere with the flight crew as she scheduled her classes for in the morning giving her time later in the day to practice and cheer at games at night.

“I think I can handle it,” she said.

The opportunity came about when she was surfing the web she came across auditions for the New York Jets Flight Crew after some thought she decided to send in her resume.

Her resume highlighted that she was a cheerleader at Princeton Community Middle and High School and a co-captain for two years.

While Stough had applied for the opportunity a month before auditioning some girls had been preparing for auditions for a year or so.

Half of the girls had auditioned before and were on the flight crew previously.

Former flight crew members have to tryout every year.

Stough said she’s one of the youngest of those auditioning majority of the girls are ages 22-28, but she feels pretty good that she’s made it this far for her first time applying.

When it comes to goals Stough has a lot of different things in mind no matter the outcome of auditioning.

She wants to minor in business management or public speaking, open her own studio and more.

“It will all fall together,” she said.

Stough said she’s doing things that make her happy and is going from there.

“It’s a different experience,” she said. “When I think about it I’m still in shock I made it this far.”

50 dancers have been selected to advance to the final round of this year’s audition. The ladies will spend the next week or so attending interviews and rehearsals to prepare for the big finals event on Thursday, April 23. Click here to see who is still in the running!

NewYorkJets.com has a terrific gallery of photos from last weekend’s open call audition. Click here to check it out!

Vikings.com has lots of great photos from this year’s auditions. As always, the MVC candidates are best dressed group of auditionees in the league. Purple and gold as far as the eye can see!Lucky girls, having The Line Up right in their back yard! Click here to check it out.