More than 100 women audition for spot on dance squad
By Jeffrey King
MLSnet.com
CARSON, Calif. — The players of Chivas USA might be away on a training trip in Mexico, but The Home Depot Center was still busy on Saturday morning. The ChivaGirls, the official dance team of Chivas USA, hosted their tryouts for the 2010 squad, auditioning more than 100 girls during the course of the morning.
The Chivagirl hopefuls were put through their paces on Saturday, learning a complicated series of steps in just under an hour and then performing that routine for a panel of judges.
“We’re looking for 19 girls total,” said Aimee Edmundson, director of the ChivaGirls. “I see a lot of really talented girls here this morning. I’m really happy. A big part of it will also be the interview process [on Sunday]. The girls have to be good dancers, but they also have to be able to communicate with the public.”
The ChivaGirl auditions featured a diverse group of women, ranging in skill level from amateur to experienced professional. Fourteen girls from last year’s squad were on hand to re-audition, as a place on the team is not guaranteed from year to year.
“The idea ChivaGirl is great dancer, but also outgoing, articulate, and well-educated,” said Edmundson. “They have to be out there dancing in front of 20,000 people, so they can’t be somebody who gets intimidated or somebody who lacks confidence. They have to have a great personality when they’re dancing — they have to sparkle.”
Once the dancers had learned a short routine at the start of the audition, they were split into smaller groups and asked to perform the number without any help from choreographer John Peters. A panel of judges looked on, evaluated the skill of the girls.
“There is a particular team style that we’re looking for,” said Peters, who regularly choreographs routines for the Chivagirls. “We’re not just looking for the girls that can actually do it; we’re looking for the girls who can learn fast. Sometimes they’ll have to learn a routine on Tuesday and then do it on Saturday.
“We’re also looking for the wild factor,” he continued. “This is sports entertainment; it’s different than just studio dance. You’re out on the field in front of thousands of people, you have to have that something special that reaches the people up in the seats.”
Beyond their performances on the field during halftime of Chivas USA matches, the ChivaGirls also make time to visit fans, attend community events and greet ticket-holders.
“The ChivaGirls are on the stage dancing before games,” said Edmundson. “They’re signing autographs and posters for the fans, taking pictures, and shaking hands. Then they do a field entrance for the players and perform at halftime. They also do a lot of community appearances and media events, so they’re pretty busy during the season.”
While being a ChivaGirl is no easy task, it’s a job that many of the girls from last year’s team were proud to have.
“I really want to be apart of this again,” said Laura Lach, an Inland Empire native who served on the 2009 squad. “I know how much fun it was last year and I would be devastated to not make it this year.
“It is a part-time job; you do it because you love it,” she continued. “But we have a really cool director in Aimee who makes everything a lot more fun. This organization is really great and the whole thing is really enjoyable.”
The official announcement of the roster for the 2010 Chivagirls will be made on Wednesday, Feb. 17.
Sports Illustrated features the lovely ladies of the Los Angeles Clippers Fan Patrol and Clippers Spirit. Click here to check it out!
Jacquelyn – Clippers Spirit
Cortine – Clippers Fan Patrol
The first rounds of auditions for the 2010 ChivaGirls took place all day Saturday. There were all sorts of interesting things going on. Candidates from a variety of backgrounds. Choreography by John Peters. A judges panel that included directors from not one, not two, but FOUR different pro teams. Dances to “Tick Tock” (Kesha – I refuse to use the dollar sign) and “Crazy Little Thing Called Love.” Photographers and a tv crew capturing every minute.
There was a bigger group of candidates than last year, and I saw a lot of new faces. There was so much talent on tap that the first cut seemed like only a handful or two. Not only was it a bigger pool of dancers, but there are 15 veterans hoping to make the team, including two who took a year off. I don’t know if that’s scarier for the new girls or the vets! And forget about them, what about my angst? The judges can only choose 19 ChivaGirls for the team. Unfortunately, I’m rooting for 20 girls – all of the vets, of course, plus several other girls I have high hopes for.
All of the veterans made it past the first cuts – whew! Tonight, 18 aspiring rookies will join them at finals. Stay tuned for the results, for tons more photos, and for the upcoming video series about the 2010 ChivaGirls.
The veterans
Back: Nicole, Emi, Ashley, Ariel, Laura, Linette, Alana
Middle: Kelley, Amy, Liz, Megan, Mandi, Alheli, Monique
Front: Tiffany
And here are the aspiring newbies:
Ashley A., Ashley G, Brittany
Brittney, Jasmyne, Jennifer K.
Jennifer L., Jessica, Jolene
Megan, Merria, Natali
Paulina, Renee, Risa
Sabrina, Starkesha, Whitney
Our friend Albert used to send us photos from various Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader appearances around the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. The bad news is, Albert doesn’t live there anymore. The good news is, he’s still on the job. After moving farther south, Albert ventured to the Rio Grande Valley to photograph the RGV Vipers and their dance team, the Snake Charmers. Thanks Albert!
Matt Tobey
Comedy Central
February 8, 2010
Of all the stand-ups who were once cheerleaders for the Oakland Raiders, Anjelah Johnson is definitely the best, though it’s worth mention that Gallagher is a close second. Anjelah’s special That’s How We Do It comes out on DVD and CD tomorrow and re-airs on Comedy Central this Friday night at 12:30am / 11:30c, so we sent her the boilerplate questions and got to know her a little better.
Who are your biggest comedic influences?
Ellen Degeneres, George Lopez, and I also enjoy Brian Regan’s storytelling.
When did you decide to become a comedian?
2005
What was your worst gig?
When I first started I would do Latino nights and try to be way more Latino than I really was. They would always see right through me and hate me. *crickets*
What was your best gig?
hmm… The taping of my Comedy Central 1hr special!
If you weren’t a comedian, what would you be doing?
I quite possibly could still be a terrible waitress somewhere.
What’s the funniest thing you’ve ever seen on the internet?
I’m a YouTube regular so it’s hard to pick just one. I’m big fan of kids saying funny things or silly animals. That never gets old.
What’s the funniest thing you’ve ever seen in real life?
Has anybody really answered this question
How do you think comedy will change in the coming years?
There are so many different kinds of comedy these days. Mainstream, Alternative, Dark, Blue, Clean, Ethnic… Its hard to say how it might change. I can only hope, like in everything that I do, just grow and get better.
Who are your favorite underrated or up-and-coming comics?
Whitney Cummings is about to be a household name. She is smart, funny and has no fear. Nate Bargatze is also another clever up and coming comic.
What’s your advice for someone just getting into comedy?
Be Yourself! Stay true to who you are and be confident.
Click [here] to see some clips from That’s How We Do It.
Come dance for one of the hottest dance teams in Major League Soccer!
2010 FC Dallas Dancers Auditions
Sunday, Feb. 21, 2010 – 10:00 am
Frisco Power House of Dance
10850 Frisco Street
Frisco, TX 75034
Last year was the dance team’s inaugural season, and the girls were a big hit. (Click here to get to know them.) Director Tamara Jenkins is looking to make it even better for 2010. The FC Dallas Dancers perform in front of 20,000 screaming soccer fans at every FC Dallas home game, and also appear at numerous events throughout the community. If you think you’ve got the right stuff, download the audition packet and get it to Tamara pronto! The registration deadline is Wednesday, February 17, 2010, so get going!
Click here to download the registration packet and prep class info.
Auditions for the 2010 AVP Dancers were a big success! A lot of talented dancers showed up for the opportunity to spend their summer entertaining fans at the annual AVP (Association of Volleyball Professionals) Tournament. Whitney Frink, a former Atlanta Falcons Cheerleader, had conceived of the AVP Dancers after seeing the dancers at the Volleyball games at the Beijing Olympics. Last summer was the league’s inaugural season.
The AVP Dancers, led by Whitney, are preparing for their second year on the sand. Expectations were higher this year and it was clear that the audition process wouldn’t be an easy one.
As the girls arrived, at the Spectrum Club, they signed in at the registration table and made their way inside to wait.
Dancers warmed up while they waited for the process to begin
Whitney and her second-in-command Cachita explain the plan for the day. Candidates would learn an across-the-floor combo and a dance combo and perform both for the judges.
Whitney taught an across the floor combo
Dancers took turns high-kicking their way across the room
Kali
After the across-the-floor, Whitney got down to teaching the dance combination. The AVP style of dance is a little different from other pro leagues because the girls dance barefoot on the sand. It’s an unstable surface, so turns and leaps can be dangerous! On the other hand, there are unexpected benefits to the beach environment. Whitney’s choreography included a few moves that involved playing around with the sand. The dancers had to use their imagination with the pretend sand. I’m looking forward to seeing what the dance looks like on the beach!
Jenna (left) and Bailey
Jen is an alumni of the Los Angeles Clippers Spirit and Anaheim Arsenal A-List Girls
The girls had time to rehearse
Once the judges arrived, it was on.
The dancers really performed
Leigh Ann, a former Denver Broncos Cheerleader, was determined to defend her spot on the team
The judges chatted briefly after each group of three performed.
The dancers were brought back to perform the dance combo again. The judges mixed them up into new groups.
Natalie
Jenna, Leigh Ann and Cheryl
After two cuts, Whitney gathered the remaining girls together. The plan was to do a few quick interviews.
Whitney and Cachita interview Brittany
The finalists wait outside for their turn to interview.
Stay tuned for more photos and to find out who made the team…
Hey guys, Sasha here. Not that anyone noticed my absence over the last couple of weeks, but for the few who did, just wanted to let you know that I’m back. I was out of commission for a number of reasons that I will refer to collectively as “The Worst Beginning Of Any Year EVER.”
Anywho, for those of you who tried to get ahold of me, please bear with me as I scramble to catch up with your emails and messages. It’s going to take a few days. Two weeks away from email = more Viagra spam and investment opportunities from Nigeria than you can shake a stick at. It’s going to take hours to reply to all of those messages, but I feel obligated to let them know two important facts:
1. I am not a dude. But even if i were a dude, and even if I did have problems with my…er…”performance,” and required prescription meds, I’m pretty sure I’d get them from my regular doctor and not some shady e-tailer. No offense.
2. I am broke, so although I feel for your poor dead uncle/husband/father/leader of your nation, alas, I will not be able to send you the funds needed to transfer his wealth out of your country. I know, I know. I’ll kick myself later for forgoing this golden opportunity.
For everyone else who emailed me, please give me a couple/few days. I have mucho catching up to do.
And now, back to the previously scheduled programming, already in progress…
Auditions for one of the best dance teams in MLS are coming up this weekend! That’s right, it’s time for ChivaGirl tryouts. Woohoo! Get your outfit together, your dancing shoes, your makeup, your weave, or whatever works for you, and skedaddle down to the Home Depot Center in Carson, CA on Saturday morning. THIS SATURDAY morning. Feb 13th. Don’t act like you didn’t know. Click here for details.
Last year, I wrote a two-parter about the ChivaGirl audition process, so if you want to see waht tryouts are like, click here for part 1 and here for part 2. I also took tons of photos, which you can view on flickr (click here.)
Come prepared to shake your bon-bon, shake your bon-bon , shake your bon-bon.*
I hope to see lots of you there!
*What ever happened to Ricky Martin, anyway? That dude totally disappeared.
Growing Flight Crew Accepting ’10 Applications
By Eric Allen
Senior Managing Editor
01-27-10
For all of the fans who’ve followed the New York Jets Flight Crew since its creation in 2007, it should come as no surprise that the Green & White are once again expanding the size of their cheerleading squad.
“We want to be the biggest presence we can be in the new stadium,” said Denise Garvey, who has been the Crew’s director since the team was developed in 2007. “Everything we are doing that surrounds the new stadium is big and so the Flight Crew then follows suit.”
After increasing the Crew to 30 members in 2009, Garvey may keep as many as 40 in 2010. While some veterans will surely return, no one is guaranteed a spot and the Jets have just started the process of accepting audition applications.
“There’ll be more spots up for grabs. Sometimes new applicants or the returning applicants think veterans have it in the bag and their auditioning is just procedure,” said Garvey, a former Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader. “But that’s really not the case. Not only are there new spots that no one has, those returning veterans have to re-audition and they have to earn their spots.”
When the season opens up in the fall, Garvey says “The Flight Crew is going to be everywhere” at the Jets’ new Meadowlands home. You’ll see increased exposure with more lovely ladies on the sidelines and during pregame and halftime performances, as well as spectacular shots on the Jets’ four state-of-the-art video boards.
“These young women have to be able to entertain. Some cheerleaders on a team have more dance experience than others and some have more football knowledge than others, but everybody individually is an entertainer,” Garvey said. “In addition to that, I’m looking for young women who are reliable, responsible and professional. We have Crew members constantly out on charity events, corporate events and Jets events. For me, that takes it to a whole other level.”
After collecting the applications, Garvey will host six prep classes through March and into April. Then the official tryouts will commence, with preliminaries on May 1 followed by the semifinals on May 2 and interviews the week of May 3. The Flight Crew finals will be held on May 8 and then some lucky ladies will be chosen to appear in the Crew’s second swimsuit calendar.
“This year we want to take it on the road and go on location,” said the Crew’s director. “We have absolutely beautiful girls on our team, so why not complement that with beautiful locations?”
The Jets chose Jones Beach, N.Y., and Belmar, N.J., last spring for shoot locations, but there are strong indications that they’re planning on leaving the mainland for this highly anticipated second calendar.
“I’d say you don’t have to have a passport, but you might want to get one quickly,” Garvey said with a wink.
Meredith, a Crew member since its inception, will represent the Jets cheerleaders this week at the Pro Bowl in Miami. NFL Films will feature her on a Pro Bowl documentary they’re working on as the Flight Crew continues to rise in national prominence. Throughout the year, Crew members made appearances on CBS, ESPN, TLC, WPIX and the Dr. Oz show, were featured in newspapers and magazines, and have often been seen in Maxim’s various media properties.
“You are an ambassador for the organization,” said Garvey. “This year we’ve done so many different TV appearances, it’s really awesome. We need people who are personable, outgoing and well-spoken.”
So in simple terms, the Jets are looking for a few good women. In just a short period of time, they’ve become the biggest cheerleading show in town.
“The exposure, the experience and the opportunities they get by being part of the NFL and being part of the Jets are absolutely invaluable. They’re not going to get it anywhere else, so why wouldn’t they come out?” Garvey said. “We are New York’s team — there is no other New York team that has professional football cheerleaders. We have grown so much and the opportunities are priceless.”
Get audition details for the 2010 NY Jets Flight Crew Squad
Download the 2010 Flight Crew Audition Application
