Phil Custodio
The Clarkston News
February 25, 2009
With seven years of NBA dance team experience and a huge photo spread in Muscle and Fitness magazine, Clarkston graduate Harmony Hunt’s years of hard work is paying off.
“I’m not looking to get famous, but I want to do these things when I’m young and able,” said Hunt, Clarkston High School class of 1996. “I’m blessed to have these opportunities.”
“I think it’s fabulous, a Clarkston girl goes out there to California and does good,” said Rick Hunt of Independence Township, her father.
Growing up in Independence Township with her parents, Rick and Theresa, brother, Rudy, and sister, Jessie, she started dancing when she was 3-4 years old at Roxana’s Dance Expressions studio.
“My mom started me out young,” Harmony said. “I loved it. I’ve stuck with it all my life. It’s a passion of mine.”
“She really enjoyed performing, ever since she was little,” Rick said. “She’s excelled in it ever since.”
She was recruited by Clarkston pom-pon coaches Mary Jean Cox and Gina Cox to teach dance at Clarkston High School, and coached junior varsity and varsity pom pon for about four years.
“I really enjoyed teaching the girls,” she said. “We were very competitive, always placing in the top three at competitions. It was a good opportunity to learn leadership and teach girls to do their best.”
In 1998, she tried out for the Detroit Piston Dance Team Automotion at the Palace of Auburn Hills.
“It was an open audition,” she said. “Out of more than 200 girls, they picked 13.”
She danced with Automotion for three years.
“I’ve always loved NBA basketball,” she said. “It was really exciting, dancing for thousands of people, seeing the game up close.”
“It was pretty overwhelming to see her out there performing,” Rick said.
She was visiting friends in Manhattan Beach, Los Angeles County, when she got the urge to head west.
“I fell in love with the ocean and everything around it,” she said. “I was working as a cosmetologist, and I thought, if I can do that in Michigan, I can do it here.”
She moved to Los Angeles in 2005, joined Hush Hush Hair Salon on Manhattan Beach, and auditioned for the NBA’s LA Clippers Spirit Dance Team.
“The Clippers also had open auditions, and I got through,” she said. “We dance a lot more. I didn’t know anybody when I got here, and it helped me meet people all over the place.”
In addition to her salon and dance jobs, she also works as a model. She is representing herself to start, but already landed a photo feature in the national fitness magazine Muscle and Fitness’ April edition, sharing the cover with martial artist Bruce Lee.
“I’m always dancing. I’m in good, healthy shape, so I thought I’d try fitness modeling,” she said. “I’ve been getting really good feedback from it.”
She doesn’t miss Michigan’s cold winters – “one of my main reasons for moving to California,” she said – but does enjoy seeing downtown Clarkston when she visits.
“I enjoy Clarkston sporting events and downtown parades. I enjoy going back, and visiting friends and going to the local restaurants,” she said. “I want to thank my friends and family in Clarkston for their support and love. I never could have made it out here without them.”
By Madeleine Marr
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.