As I mentioned last month, the auditions for the AVP Dancers are coming up quicker than quick. (Jan 30th. More info here). The video below will give you a glimpse of some of the team’s performances last year. Check it out!
For those who don’t know, the AVP (Association of Volleyball Professionals) hosts a huge beach volleyball tournament each year where the best competitors in the country face off to win big money prizes. The tournament begins in April, and extends through the end of summer.
I’d like to send a shout out to the Toronto Raptors Dance Pak and their captain, Kat. What’s up, girlies?
In addition to being a captain, Kat is also a co-choreographer, and now hosts a tv show called Raptorspace on Raptors NBA and does other reporting for the organization. Kat works hard to represent her team, and she also spends time blogging, posting photos, videos and all sorts of other good stuff. Click here to see what the Dance Pak has been up to on Raptorspace.com!
A group of Cowboys Cheerleaders recently visited the troops stationed at Kunsan Air Base in South Korea as part of their 2009 USO Holiday tour. Click here to view full size versions of the photos below.
Profiles and uniform shots are now online for the Nashville Predators’ two ice crews: the Liquid Ice Girls (click here) and the Equipling Dancers (click here). Go read all about them!
Arizona Cardinals Cheerleader Neely Neal has created a new site called SidelineStar.com. Among other things, she plans to present weekly webcasts where you can learn lots of NFL and NBA style dances. Here’s how she described it on her website, NeeleyNeal.com:
SidelineStar.com Cheerleading Video Lessons From The Pros
Another great resource to add to my list of things I wish they had when I was starting out – now cheerleaders and coaches have access to new sideline cheers and chants 24/7!
Sidelinestar.com is not only the #1 cheer video website, it’s also a gateway to connect with pro cheerleaders from the NFL and NBA for personal tips and advice!
There are videos for cheerleading stunts, floor cheers, sideline chants, halftime routines, competition routines and more. The most helpful section, in my opinion, is the Lesson Videos, where the instructors give you a step by step tutorial for each routine.
The best news – it’s all free to access. I created the site because I love learning, teaching and choreographing new cheerleading routines. I hope you’ll find something to cheer about too! Join Sidelinestar.com today and see for yourself”
Click here to see the rest.
After a year-long hiatus, the Adrenaline Rush Dancers are back.
The 19 women who will represent the Rush this season were chosen on Saturday at the Donald E. Stephen’s Convention Center in Rosemont.
The day began with 67 women registered to compete for a spot on the team. After learning three separate routines, the women were broken down into groups of four and asked to perform in front of a panel of Judges, which included coach/choreographer Gloria Esposito, assistant coach Bob McMillen, and Rush rookie kicker Chris Gould.
Over the next couple hours, the group was trimmed down from 67 to 46, and ultimately from 46 to the final 19.
“I can’t tell you how excited I am to be back on the team,” Adrenaline Rush veteran Tracey Williams described, “there were a lot of talented girls who auditioned, and I just can’t wait to get to work.”
The team will be run by Esposito, who has been a member of the team since its inception in 2001.
The final group, which consists of nine dancers from the 2008 team and 10 newcomers, will begin practice later this week and make their debut on April 11 when the Rush takes on the Cleveland Gladiators at the Allstate Arena.
Me and my … cheerleader
Behind the pom-poms and whiter-than-white smiles lies dedication, hard graft … and the ability to bounce back
Susan Swarbrick
HeraldScotland.com
1/3/2010
HAZEL MCGARRY, 29
CHEERLEADER
I started dancing when I was three. I auditioned for the Scottish Rockettes Pro-Dance Team five years ago and was chosen for the squad. I love it and have continued to re-audition and be selected each year. People often presume that as cheerleaders we’re bimbos. We’re not – all of us have good jobs as well, including veterinary and dental nurses, project managers and teachers. I’m a part-time sales agent and teach dance, fitness and aerobics.
The other misconception about what we do is that it’s easy and glamorous, but it takes effort and we train three times a week. We’re always trying to add something new to our routines, and that’s where Steve comes in. Before I started doing gymnastics I wasn’t looking forward to it. I remembering thinking, Why do I have to learn how to tumble at my age?” Now I really enjoy it.
Being coached by someone who has won a Commonweath Games gold medal for gymnastics is a huge bonus. Steve is a good teacher and patient with us – although I’m sure he wants to kill us half the time. I’m always getting into trouble. Steve often says I’m like a naughty school girl.The gymnasium at [Glasgow’s] Bellahouston Leisure Centre is like a giant kids’ play area so it’s difficult not to get distracted.
I’ll usually wait until Steve isn’t looking then do something I’ve been told not to do. I’ve hurt myself a few times for not doing what I was told. I’ll ask if I can try something and Steve will say, “Just wait a moment.” The minute he turns his back I do it anyway and end up falling flat on my face.
[Hazel’s profile on ScottishRockettes.com]
STEVE FREW, 36
GYMNASTICS COACH
I’ve been coaching Hazel and the other Rockettes for around a year, teaching them gymnastics moves they can incorporate into their dance routines. Hazel is really outgoing. She’s the smallest person on the team but makes the most noise. You always know Hazel is in the building because you hear her before you see her. She has bags of enthusiasm and that’s definitely what you need for gymnastics.
Hazel is great fun but I do have to keep a close eye on her. Once she gets into the gym it’s like a big playground. I’ll tell her to practise one thing, then turn around and she’ll be bouncing on the trampoline or trying to do some far too advanced move, only to fall over and almost hurt herself.
When I started I took the team back to the basics of gymnastics.We started with forward rolls then progressed through the different skills. As dancers they already have great flexibility, body co-ordination and strength so that makes it easier to teach them. Most recently Hazel has learned to do a free cartwheel which is pretty amazing. She did that within six months, which is a great achievement.
Because the team are so ambitious, they want to learn everything quickly – not least Hazel. She wants to go straight for it and be able to learn a new skill right away, but there are set steps in gymnastics you have to follow and that takes time and hard work.
While dance and gymnastics seem quite similar, there are distinct differences.Whereas when you dance you have to be relaxed, with gymnastics you have to be tense, so it’s about finding the balance. Because some of the girls are naturally talented dancers, they found that quite difficult to begin with. They were used to things coming easily, so they’ve had to dig deep within themselves to do gymnastics.
I get a sense of pride watching Hazel and the squad incorporating the things I’ve taught them into their routines. In return for the gymnastics coaching they’ve offered to teach me dance moves, but they’ve not given me a set of pom-poms and a mini-skirt just yet.
This season, the Dallas Cowboys added the Rhythm & Blue Dancers to their game day entertainment package. The ladies on the dance team were originally members of the Dallas Desperados Dancers (DDD). Unfortunately, the Arena Football League folded over the summer, and that left the DDD out of a job, or so they thought. As it turned out, the dance team was retained and reincarnated as the Dallas Cowboys Rhythm & Blue Dancers. They perform at every Cowboys home game. (Cowboys owner Jerry Jones also owned the Desperados, so the sharing makes sense.)
Now- as some of you may know – the Arena Football League is back. Its assets were purchased by a group of investors and the league renamed Arena Football One. (Same difference, if you ask me, but what do I know?) The inaugural season begins in April, with 15 franchises, one of which will be based in Dallas. The team may or may not be called The Desperados – those legalities haven’t been worked out yet.
My question is what – if anything – does this mean for Rhythm & Blue? Do they trade those silver suits for their old DDD costumes? My guess is no. I’m basing this on NO information whatsoever, but I expect they Cowboys will keep the Cowboys Cheerleaders and the Rhythm & Blue, and the new arena football team will hire a new troop of dancers.
But just in case Rhythm & Blue does go away, here’s a look at what they’ve been up to this season.
