Phoenix Suns: The best dance team in the NBA is about to add some new faces and you’re going to help pick them! The Suns Dancers held their annual auditions this past weekend and narrowed the field to 30 finalists. Meet the hopefuls, watch them perform and cast your online vote for your favorite 16!
Click here to view photos from auditions
The Indianapolis Colts site has been updated with new headshots for the 2010 Colts Cheerleaders. Click here to go there now!
The LA Times has the first photos of this year’s Laker Girl auditions. Click here to check em out!
Sandra Colton
Oregon Live
July 14, 2010
Performing on an NBA dance team is a great opportunity for dancers to work professionally in Portland. Ever wonder what it’s like to audition for the NBA’s Portland BlazerDancers? With the next level comes a responsibility as well. Do you have what it takes to make the 16-girl roster?
I had a chance to talk with some BlazerDancer hopefuls and the Director of the BlazerDancers, Michelle Woodard. Michelle said she and the judges are looking for technique and great performers at the auditions for prospective BlazerDancer team members. Fans rule in the Rose City. “We have over 20,000 fans,” said Michelle. “We want people you can see moving in a crowd and who are really enthusiastic and show a lot of energy and excitement.”
I asked this former BlazerDancer, and now BlazerDancer Director, what girls who want to tryout next year should do to prepare for the audition. Michelle advises dancers to “start preparing early, don’t let the auditions be the first time you’ve danced. If you want it really badly, you have to work toward it. It is not like high school dance team. You need to take adult jazz classes where you’re learning how to move your body a different way. Look at any professional dance team Web site and do your research. Look at the Blazers Web site. Find out what the current members look like. How are they wearing their hair? How do they do their makeup? And come looking like that to the auditions vs. coming in your workout clothes with your hair in a ponytail.”
I also sat down with three BlazerDancer hopefuls: Rea, Cristi and Stephanie.
My first question was for Rea who jokingly said that she is auditioning for the BlazerDancers because she can’t play basketball. A four year member of the BlazerDancers (2006-2010), Rea said, “It’s completely different every year. During the years I’ve been on the team, there have been at least 5 new people on it every year.”
Cristi is auditioning for the third time and has been a BlazerDancer for 2 years. She was excited about the audition process and said, “The most fun I’ve had performing at a game is during overtime because the crowd gets really hot and it makes it all worth while. And of course during the playoffs as well.”
The audition process can be grueling and from what I’ve heard, the auditioning dancers have learned six routines and are in the interview process heading into the final round. Cristi adds, “The most nerve wracking part of auditions is knowing that you have standards set for yourself and so you want to make sure that the one time that you get to do it out on the floor is your best time. You have all all week to practice and only one chance to do each routine on the floor.”
I was also interested to talk to Stephanie who told me it was her first time trying out for the team. I wanted to know what it was like for someone who had never been through the BlazerDancers auditions before and she said, “It has been thrilling, exciting and sweaty! It is really intense but really rewarding. As a new person, there are three cuts before you make it to the finals, so it’s stressful to go through all of that.”
Advice Stephanie would lend to dancers who haven’t been through the process before would be “to come ready and prepared to dance all day. Bring your all, your best, your A-game. You’re there because you want to dance. You’re there because you want to be on the team. So just show that when you go out and perform. Have fun also, because I think that is what has gotten me through so far. You can stress over each little routine between each cut, but once you go perform it for the judges, that’s out the door. Just smile and have a great time.”
I asked Michelle Woodard (BlazerDancer Director) about how many new people make the team and the number of veterans who also make the cut. Michelle stated, “It’s an exciting time of year and a stressful time as well. It is just a lot to make sure you have a great team put together, the right mix of girls who look good performing together and get along well with one another. It is a long season, it gets quite busy and there are periods of time where we see each other every day. We try to get it right. We do want our returners to come back. That really contributes to us having a good team. We also want to have really strong, positive and energetic rookies because they re-energize everybody with their excitement to be on the team. I’m excited for both.”
All three ladies above were raised in Oregon, (Rea in Hillsboro, Ore. and Cristi & Stephanie in Tigard, Ore.) One thing is for sure, all three dancers are ready to bring it to the finals. Selected dancers for the 2010-2011 season will be announced via the Comcast SportsNet NW reality show. Michelle said, “We bring all of the finalists into the Rose Garden. They are then gathered into one of the team locker rooms and then one by one they go in to find out if they have made the team. So it is a visual reveal on television and at the end of the night we’ll all be together as a group for the first time.”
Practice starts in mid-August for the new team. I want to wish them all luck and will showcase the new team photo once they are announced.
Amanda Roberts Lives Her Dream of Dancing with the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders
By Courtney Chapman and Michelle Flandreau
ABC.com
July 16, 2010
Amanda Roberts of Bossier City, Louisiana isn’t your average Dallas Cowboys football fan.
“GMA” fulfills Amanda Roberts’ dream of becoming a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader.
Her passion started as a young girl, cheering for the team because her mother was a fan. She continued watching the games as she grew up and even married “one of the biggest Cowboy fans” she knows.
But Roberts’ love for the Cowboys stretches beyond the sport. Her lifelong dream was to cheer and dance with the famous Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.
The 43-year-old Roberts says she watches all of the Cowboys games, tunes in to the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders reality show, “Making the Team,” and works out to the Cowboys Cheerleaders exercise DVDs. She even has her own Cowboys Cheerleader costume, something she bought to surprise her then fiance, now husband.
Originally from Dayton, Texas, Roberts spent her high school years as a twirler. But she says she still regrets not auditioning to be one of America’s sweethearts.
“Twirling has the same little step ball changes and the 8-counts like the Cheerleaders do. Twenty-something years ago that could have been me,” Roberts told “Good Morning America.”
So it was the dream of a lifetime when Roberts was selected as one of four winners of “Good Morning America’s” Living the Dream Contest. Going back to her roots, she got to live out her Texas-sized dream of being a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader.
“I couldn’t feel my heart beat. I knew it was beating but I couldn’t feel it,” she said.
Roberts joined the squad for a day at its training facility in Valley Ranch, Texas to learn what it takes to make it as a cheerleader. The cheerleaders had Roberts strutting her stuff, pom-poms in hand, without a moment to spare.
“That was kind of nerve-racking because they did it so fast. It’s like OK, remember this step, remember this step,” Roberts said.
As she worked to master the intricate choreography, she learned the hard work that goes into each eight-count.
“I’m going to need water and 911 standing on the side,” Roberts said. “Because if they make me do a little lift or I have to do a split, something’s going to break.”
During her day with the squad, she had the chance to learn a fan-favorite routine and of course, the iconic kick line. And with a little practice, Roberts showed she could keep up with the team.
“She got that leg down,” said cheerleaders choreographer Judy Trammell.
“She sure did,” said the squad’s director, Kelli Finglass.
Both Finglass and Trammell are former Cowboys Cheerleaders themselves.
For all her practice, though, Roberts quickly learned how exhausting dancing can be.
“Learning the steps, I had a flashback and thought, ‘If I was 27 years younger, I can really do this, and raise my leg up, and have the more energy,'” Roberts said.
Luckily, the seasoned cheerleaders were there to offer some words of advice.
“When you shake your poms, if you shake them into yourself, you fan yourself,” cheerleader Meredith Oden said.
Along with seasoned veterans, Roberts got to work with first-year rookies, who are still fighting for their spots on the squad.
“Anybody during these next few weeks could be eliminated,” Finglass said.
Now, they may even have some new competition.
“Sorry, I’m going to take your spot!” Roberts joked. But before she could fully act the part, Roberts needed to look the part. She was presented with the trademark uniform — a blue blouse, a white vest and white shorts adorned with glittery blue stars. She also got to wear a pair of the team’s classic white cowboy boots.
After hair, makeup and wardrobe, Roberts’ transformation to a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader was almost complete. Still, Finglass wasn’t quite convinced.
“I think there’s something missing in your motivation. You’ve never performed in front of fans, right?” Finglass asked.
There are tons of photos of this year’s RPD tryouts on the web.
Click here for photos from 39 online
Click here for photos from Mike McGuff
Click here for photos from Click2Houston.com
Click here for photos more photos from Click2Houston.com
AJC Blogs
July 15, 2010
BIRDLAND – Falcons cheerleader coordinator Ms. Chato Waters and her squad left this morning for Cancun, Mexico.
Cover of the Falcons 2002-2003 cheerleader swimsuit calendar.
They will spend the next four days at the Moon Palace Resort in Cancun working on the squad’s 2010-2011 swimsuit calendar.
The Falcons last created a cheerleader calendar in 2002, back when Waters was cheering.
Of course, we’ll pass along more details when the calendar is ready for sale. The team also plans to make a behind the scenes DVD available for the public.
You can follow them this weekend through several of the team’s social media options.
Vote Now For Your Favorite RPD Finalists!
Houston Rockets: It’s time to cast your vote to help determine who will join captains Christie, Ebony, Ginger, and Natalie on the 2010-11 RPD Squad! Vote now for your top 3 candidates between now and Monday at midnight to ensure your favorites make the cut. The top vote getter will be announced at the RPD Final Auditions.
Final auditions are OPEN TO THE PUBLIC! They will be held from 7-9 PM on Tuesday, July 20 at the House of Blues
2010-2011 RPD FINALISTS….Click here to vote!
Rockets Power Dancers Auditions Running Diary
John Dabkowski
Rockets.com
July 14, 2010
HOUSTON – In what has become a midsummer tradition to rival the 4th of July, Rockets Power Dancers auditions were held this past Sunday at Toyota Center. More than 200 RPD hopefuls turned out this year, looking to impress the judges with their dancing, showmanship, fan interaction and more.
Our self-described ‘hopeless romantic’ and resident Rockets Power Dancer Expert Jason Friedman was away on Summer League duty, so I filled in for him in the illustrious role of Rockets.com guest judge. Jason asked only one thing of me: to continue the tradition of a running diary on audition day. So even though my prior writing duties for the Rockets up to this point have been limited to 140 character Tweets and Facebook, hopefully I can paint a picture of a day in the life of a Rockets Power Dancer judge.
10:03AM – Arrival at Toyota Center
The honor of parking in the loading dock of Toyota Center is the first perk for the RPD judging panel. For me, this is already an improvement compared to a typical work day. Usually the underbelly of the building is reserved for the likes of Aaron Brooks, Shane Battier and the rest of the Rockets personnel as they come and go for practices and games.
Upon arrival, I was greeted by some veteran RPD Dancers who were not required to compete in the preliminary auditions. I was quickly whisked upstairs to a conference room overlooking the Rockets’ practice court (the setting for today’s auditions). Here we’ll have a pre-audition judges meeting to give us direction on our task.
10:15AM – Judges Meeting and Audition Warm Up
The 27 judges for today’s auditions are a mix of Rockets employees, RPD alumni, dance instructors and coaches, radio personalities from around Houston, plus a lucky Rocket Season Ticket Holder, among others; a solid group of people who will no doubt be seeing much of RPD during the 2010-11 season as they perform at Toyota Center.
As our meeting continues, warm ups are well underway on the practice court beneath us. We have found out which song will be continually pounded into our brains for the next couple of hours – “Break Your Heart” by Taio Cruz, an unfortunately ironic title for those who will not advance to round two. The court is packed with more than 200 ladies looking for their moment in the spotlight. They are given instructions for the routine by RPD Coach and Choreographer “Sweet Susie” Boudwin and some RPD vets from this past season.
My first thought: Prep Classes are a must. While I’m a dancer strictly on special occasions only (read: open bar weddings), I can’t imagine even the most weathered expert being able to completely nail a dance routine in a limited amount of time and an even more limited amount of space. Oh, and don’t forget to add in the pressure cooker environment that is RPD Auditions. Preparation is key.
11:03AM – Round One of Auditions Begin
For the first round of auditions, the process could not be simpler. Each RPD hopeful will perform in a group of eight to ten for the judges. They will receive a simple “Yes” or “No” from each judge to continue to the next round. This is based on each lady’s dancing, fitness, look, personality, etc and whether we think they have potential to perform before 18,000+ Rockets fans on more that 41 nights this season.
Luckily, with my amateur judging experience, I have been placed next to a long-time member (and former captain of RPD) Carrie. Upon asking her for advice during today’s proceedings as a non-dance expert, she gives me this simple tidbit: “Look for those who stand out in the crowd. You’ll know who can do this and who can’t.” Pretty good advice I’d say. Thankfully, I was able to lean on the thoughts of Carrie and Rockets Game Operations Coordinator Jackie Maldonado all day.
The process is a whirlwind. Group after group after group enter the court. The best comparison I could think of all day: a cross between “So You Think You Can Dance?” and Speed Dating.
1:15PM – Round One of Auditions End
After a two-hour plus process, the judges’ tallies have been calculated and we know who is moving on to Round Two of preliminary auditions. The judging panel is scaled back in the next round to a much smaller group of Rockets employees, RPD Alumni and coaches. Fortunately, I’m still included in this group. Susie announces that we’ll need to be back at 4:00PM to continue with Round Two. A welcome surprise. The scheduling gods looked down on us today. I’ll get to watch the entire World Cup Final!
4:00PM – World Cup Thoughts
Perfect timing. Andres Iniesta of Spain broke Dutch hearts with his classy finish just as we were being summoned for the next round of auditions. This is something I can actually offer a somewhat educated opinion on. Clearly not the best match, but the Final rarely delivers in that respect. Too much pressure on the players, combined with too much fear of making a fatal error. The referee Howard Webb is taking lumps for his performance, although other than two or three of the early yellow cards, I thought he managed a physical (and sometimes dirty) match quite well. Cesc Fabregas changed the game when he came on for Spain in the 85th minute. Why he wasn’t given more time in the tournament is beyond me. Ok, back to RPD.
4:10PM – Round Two of Auditions Begin
Things are changed slightly for Round Two. Again, the group of judges is cut in half. While I was reveling in the World Cup Final, the ladies who advanced were busy practicing a routine set to OMG by Usher. Trouble. Big trouble. This one will be in my head for eternity. Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. Ohh my gosh. Thanks, Usher.
Our scoring process has also changed. For each dancer, there are three categories to judge. Court appeal, showmanship, and dance ability. Each is scored on a scale of 1 through 5. A score of one meaning “Poor”, a score of five meaning “Excellent”. Only four to five ladies perform in a group during this round.
6:00PM – Round Two of Auditions End
After much deliberation and debate (plus one dramatic callback for five contestants), Susie informed the 32 finalists who will compete in RPD Final Auditions on July 20 at House of Blues. These 32 will join the returning group of RPD veterans to compete for spots in the 2010-11 Rockets Power Dancers. Among the finalists: Brittany, our first original member of Little Dippers to compete for a spot on RPD. Brittany was a member of Little Dippers in their first season four years ago and has returned to the Rockets with the hope of reaching the next level with RPD. Also included are Kirsten and Kristen. You guessed it. They are twins who are identical in look, outfit and dance style. Clearly auditioning as package deal, even their registration form and submitted pictures were borderline indistinguishable.
After seeing the fresh talent on display today I’m confident that after the final competition at House of Blues, Susie and co. will have a great team that Rockets fans will enjoy all season long.
I left Toyota Center with two final thoughts in my head on Sunday:
First, it takes some serious courage to come out and put it all on the line and try to become a finalist for an RPD squad. To perform and be judged in such a high pressure situation is reason enough for praise. All 200+ participants should be lauded for that alone.
The second comes courtesy of Usher, who is lodged in the forefront of my mind for at least the rest of the day: Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. Ohh my gosh.
Individual profiles for the Denver Broncos Cheerleaders are now online. Click here to meet this year’s team!
Rookie DBC Nikki Boole