By Mikala Kane
Telegram.com
July 5, 2013
AUBURN — Almost two weeks ago, Cartier Hebert’s life was turned upside down
The 18-year-old from Auburn was planning to attend the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in the fall for her freshman year, perhaps to major in business. But on June 24 that all changed when she was selected to be a member of the Boston Celtics dance team.
The Celtics dance team performs at all Celtics home basketball games, unless the team makes the playoffs — then the dancers travel with the team. This year, 20 young women were selected for the team, Ms. Hebert among them.
Tryouts were held in three cities: Los Angeles, New York and Boston. Thirty young women advanced to the final audition day, June 24, and the 20 team members were selected.
Ms. Hebert auditioned for the dance team on a whim. “To be honest, I literally found out about the audition (June 19),” she said. “I always wanted to pursue dance, but I never thought I could make it.”
Ms. Hebert has been dancing since age 3 at the Cathy Taylor School of Dance in Auburn, and has been on the school’s competition team since age 6. Over the years she has won championship titles and scholarships at competitions. “I really love ballet, but at the same time like performing,” she said.
Ms. Hebert attended the Boston audition for the Celtics dance team, which was on June 22. She said one of her teachers and the assistant director at Cathy Taylor School of Dance, Javin Hammond, was the one who pushed her to audition. Mrs. Hammond said she had auditioned for the first Celtics dance team back in 2006 and knew what Ms. Hebert would have to prepare for.
“The dance community is a tight-knit group, and I had heard that other teachers and colleagues of mine were auditioning,” Mrs. Hammond said. “I will be honest, I first heard about it and discussed the option with Cartier after our rehearsals late on Wednesday evening. She had a lot of questions about the process and wanted my opinion if she should consider attending. I’ve always approached any kind of audition with the ‘go-getter’ attitude that it is never too late.”
If nothing else, Mrs. Hammond thought the audition would be a good experience for Ms. Hebert. “As her teacher, I am always pushing her to try anything and everything,” Mrs. Hammond said. “Experience, good or bad, is necessary in developing a strong dancer. I was so excited when Cartier first showed interest in auditioning because my initial instinct was most definitely she would be a great fit.”
Marina Ortega, director of the Celtics dance team since 2006, evidently thought so, too. “I had watched (Ms. Hebert) throughout the preliminaries,” Ms. Ortega said. “I thought she approached the preliminaries very maturely. It’s been a while since I’ve seen a dancer approach the preliminaries with such confidence.”
Ms. Ortega also said Ms. Hebert was consistent all the way through the final audition as well, where dancers had to perform a jazz routine, a hip-hop routine and a solo. “Cartier was a standout in being able to do all three,” Ms. Ortega said.
“I didn’t think at all I would make it,” Ms. Hebert said. “I actually messed up in one of the jazz routines. But they called my name and I made the team.”
Because she made the team, Ms. Hebert is required to move to Boston by mid-August, when practices are supposed to start. She said three young women who also made the team have already asked her to live with them. However, relocating to Boston makes it impossible for her to attend classes at UMass Amherst. Ms. Hebert said she hopes to do online courses instead.
“I definitely want to continue with my education,” Ms. Hebert said. “It’s really important to me. I still want to graduate with the class of 2017.”
Ms. Hebert’s schedule is going to be packed. Celtics dance team members are not only required to attend rehearsal two to three times a week, but they have to arrive three hours before the start of every game — there are two or three a week during the National Basketball Association season. Celtics dancers also do public relations events for the team, such as photo shoots, meet and greets, and other outside performances.
Ms. Ortega said it is almost a full-time job, requiring 20 to 30 hours each week.
Ms. Hebert said her family supports her fully in joining the team. “I kind of tossed them into a whirlwind,” she said. “They want me to do this. They know it’s a great experience.”
If Ms. Hebert wishes to remain on the team after this season she, like all the other current dance team members, is required to re-audition. Right now she is unsure how long she wants to remain on the team.
“I think it’s a good start for me and lets me be a good role model for other girls at my dance studio,” Ms. Hebert said.
“Cartier has always been incredibly hard-working, respectful and humble,” Mrs. Hammond said. “Though she is so fortunate to have this new opportunity, I feel the Celtics are equally as lucky to have gained her as a member on their team. We could all stand to learn something from her.”
“This time last week I had no clue,” Ms. Hebert said about how her life has changed. “This is like a dream come true.”
Check it out, the New England Patriots Cheerleaders have had a major uniform makeover this season. I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again: puffy sleeves are making a comeback!
The bios for this year’s edition of the ACC have been posted on the Cardinals website. Click here to learn more about the team!
Alanah, Alyssa, and Bianca
The Milwaukee Bucks website has video and three terrific galleries from the first rounds of this year’s dance team auditions. Click here to see how the day went!
Click here to check out lots of photos on the team’s website!
HOUSTON – With equal parts skill, swag and sexiness, a new era of RPD is underway.
After more than a week’s worth of intense, grueling training, three rounds of auditions and nerve-wracking performances, the results are in and the next generation of Rockets Power Dancers has been unveiled.
With more than a thousand people on hand to watch the event Monday night at the House of Blues in downtown Houston, 14 lovely and talented dancers were chosen, launching the team’s second season under coach and choreographer Natalie Alvarado.
This year’s edition of RPD promises to feature an even heavier dose of hip-hop style and attitude, and all the dancers delivered the goods Monday, showing off an abundance of attitude, ability and sex appeal while wowing the audience during performances set to the steady grooves and sonic blast of Bruno Mars and Birdy Nam Nam.
The event marked the fifth consecutive year that the Rockets have held the final auditions in public, and the spectators on hand were treated to a tremendous show, bearing witness to the festivities which included top-notch performances from each of the 19 finalists.
Be sure to keep an eye on the soon-to-be-revamped Rockets Power Dancers’ homepage in the weeks and months to come for more pictures, news and information on the 2013-14 team.
Bill Wundram
Quad-City Times
July 2, 2013
Kelsey Biittner sat in front of me, looking like a pixie. She winked, then she glowed a wish.
“I wish I could go through it all over again.”
She was a star on the ice. Millions saw her, but their eyes and minds were on the Chicago Blackhawks as they fought their way to the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Kelsey, of Davenport, is among the select few young women chosen for the Blackhawks Ice Crew. Some mistakenly call them “Ice Girls.”
“We’re cheerleaders who don’t cheer,” says Kelsey, bubbly after the mayhem of screams and parades that come with winning the National Hockey League championship. “We scoop the ice kicked up by the skaters and work the crowds and skate and try to make everyone feel good.”
The crew looks pretty good, too, in their skimpy outfits that have long woolen socks to keep off the chill as they work the ice.
KELSEY IS A GOOD skater. In her senior year at Davenport Central, she was an “ice girl” for the Quad-City Mallards at the iWireless Center. She also has skated with the ice ballet at the annual Quad-City Arts Festival of Trees Holiday Pops. She’s taught skating, too. She does not blush to admit, “I’m better than average.” That was an assuring start for a spot with the Ice Crew.
It was on a whim that she applied for the Ice Crew. “I just finished four years of college at St. Ambrose — dean’s list — and wanted some fun before four tough years to become a dentist at Creighton University in Omaha,” she says.
“Two hundred tried out in Chicago for the Ice Crew; 16 of us were chosen. Days of skating trials and lots of oral tests to study our personalities,” she says, rolling her hazel brown eyes while we chat the afternoon away.
After she was chosen to be a member of the Ice Crew, the next step was to move from Davenport to Chicago during the season. No non-Chicagoans.
“The crew never had a member from Iowa. That gave them an excuse to nickname me ‘Iowa.’ We worked all the home games and some out-of-town. It’s been the thrill of my life. It will never happen to me again —dentists are never on an ice crew,” she says.
“I will never get over it,” she says, still full of pep.
The games, the parade and public appearances still give Kelsey the chills. “Everything left me exultant, seas of people. I even kissed the trophy.”
SHE WAS NOT in Boston when the Blackhawks blew the top off the place with two goals in 17 seconds to win the Cup. Her Ice Crew stayed home in Chicago, celebrating in a bar with, she estimates, “thousands of screaming people.”
Her parents, Tammy and Scott Biittner, saw their daughter only once on the ice in Chicago and her mom thought she was “just grand” and “out of the norm.” Kelsey acts embarrassed at the parental pride.
When she gets into dental school, the memories of the Stanley Cup won’t go away. By coincidence, the Yorkshire Terrier she has had for five years is named Stanley.
Sports Illustrated has a great set of photos of spirit teams across Major League Baseball. Click here to check them out!
Click here for photos from the final round of auditions for the 2013-14 Houston Rockets Power Dancers. It looks like it was pretty intense!
