Pistons Automotion Dancer Chelsey Buhler Splashes into Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Edition

By Patricia Montemurri
Detroit Free Press

ChelseyShe’s not the cover girl of the vaunted Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition, but Oakland University student and Detroit Pistons Automotion dancer Chelsey Buhler holds her own on Page 160. Buhler, 21, was one of 10 women chosen from NBA dance squads to model in itsy-bitsy teenie-weenie bikinis in the annual issue, now on newsstands.

Page views: Since Buhler’s profile was featured in SI — and in 36 different poses on its Web site — she’s become a fan favorite at Pistons games. She also got 800 unsolicited requests, nearly all of them from strangers, to be friends on Facebook.

Curriculum Vitae: Buhler, an Ortonville-Brandon High graduate, is majoring in communications at Oakland University and is thinking of going to law school or getting an MBA. She was on the dance team for the WNBA Shock for two years before trying out for the Pistons squad three years ago.

Gotta dance: She took lessons — ballet, tap, jazz and hip-hop — starting at age 3 at Creative Dance Center in Ortonville. “I used to obsess about learning a dance routine and knowing it. I couldn’t sleep because I was thinking about a dance routine. It wasn’t enough to do it in my head. I had to get up and dance around at 3 a.m.”

Shoutout: At Pistons games, fans who recognize her shout out “Hey, Sports Illustrated.”

Big Apple Photo Shoot: SI flew her out to New York City for three days in September. They gave her a bikini in the Pistons’ red, white and blue colors. During the one-day photo shoot, she also posed with women from other dance teams, and shot a video.

Career opportunity or cheesecake?
Buhler says she doesn’t view the exposure as being treated like a sex object.

“I think they did a good job of portraying us as professional dancers,” she says. “This is something that every girl wants. You look at the girls in the Sports Illustrated edition and how pretty they are, and you never think you’re going to be in it. And when you are, it’s like a dream come true.”

Bottom line: Some 68 million people eyeballed the swimsuit issue last year, according to SI, and the Web site drew 8.2 million unique visitors. Buhler says she got a small fee plus expenses while in New York City.

“Nobody has said I’m their screen saver yet,” she says. “But I’ve gotten at least 400 text messages saying I look great in the magazine.”

[Automotion]

[Chelsey at SportsIllustrated.com]

SI coverage suits Pistons dancer just fine

Ursula Watson
The Detroit News
February 24, 2009

What’s it like to be in the glamorous Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition? Ask Rochester’s own Chelsey Buhler.

Buhler is a member of the Pistons’ dance team Automotion and is featured along with nine other NBA dancers inside the pages of the popular publication, currently on newsstands. This is the first time SI has featured NBA dancers in its swimsuit edition. In the past, the magazine has featured NFL cheerleaders.

“I am really happy and honored,” says 21-year-old Buhler.

Rebecca Girard, Automotion’s dance team director, chose Buhler because of her commitment to the organization. And while being genetically gifted helped, Girard says Buhler is more than a pretty face. “She is just an amazing ambassador for us. She is well-spoken, a business woman who has gone on countless appearances for us, and helps to give us the voice that we need.”

When not helping the 19-member dance team hype-up Pistons fans in the stands, Buhler attends Oakland University, where she is a junior majoring in communications. She also works as a dance teacher and works as an administrative assistant at her father’s company.

“Right now, I just focus on each moment, going to school and getting good grades,” says Buhler.

She says family and friends are proud of her but it was a little odd for at least one person. “My dad wasn’t too happy at first, but he got over it and he was the first one to go out and find the issue,” says Buhler.

Since news has spread that she is not only in Sports Illustrated and on the publication’s Web site, sportsillustrated.cnn .com, people are giving her more than the second and third looks that she is probably used to.

“People are coming up to me at Pistons games,” she says. “I have had 800 friend requests on Facebook.”