The NBA season is upon us and Fox Sports Indiana has posted a gallery of NBA Cheerleader images on their web site. Click here to view the images.
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The NBA season is upon us and Fox Sports Indiana has posted a gallery of NBA Cheerleader images on their web site. Click here to view the images. The NBA All Star game is this weekend and we are beginning to see a few photos from social media. Check back here to see the latest NBA All Star Game week photos.
The Phoenix Suns Dancers have announced Skye as their 2017 NBA All Star Dance Team representative.
The annual Indiana Pacers FanJam took place last Sunday at downtown’s Conseco Fieldhouse, and fans took the opportunity to enjoy a fun afternoon of, not only free entertainment, but free food! As usual, the Pacemates were part of the festivities to get us psyched for a new season of NBA action. Two groups of Pacemates posed for photos with fans on the concourses from the start of FanJam until an hour passed and it was time for everyone to head to the court to see the team. ![]() (Lower row) Megan, Jessica R, (top row) Kayla, Tamara, Ashley, Jarin, and Courtney pose with a FanJam fan Many our favorite Pacemates are back plus some talented rookies, including Desiree, who is a “rookie” Pacemate, but a former Colts Cheerleader. Way to go, doing it two-sport Bo Jackson style, Desiree! The Pacers didn’t scrimmage on the court but competed in events like “chocolate unicorn” (i.e., stacking ho-ho’s on your forehead). In a “Name That Tune” type of competition, players tried to guess what Danny Granger was “singing” (yes, we admire his, um, bravery to sing in a large, amplified building). The Pacemates also took center court for a performance. Yeah, it is fun to see the Pacers play some birthday party games, but the Pacemates gave the crowd a real performance. ![]() Pacemates perform to help us forget about Danny's singing Then the Pacers participated in the tradition of the rookies getting to show their dance moves. The Pacemates lined up to give it a Soul Train vibe. ![]() A young fan helps show the Pacers how it is done on the dance floor, and if there are kids around, Tamara (right) will be making it fun for all So how about next year Pacers, let’s get the Pacemates in the fun. How about a Pacer/Pacemate “Dancing with the Stars” competition? Or a competition between Pacers and Pacemates in some of the fun games? Bet the Pacemates emerge victorious! Have a great season Pacemates! ![]() Ashley is back for her third season as Pacemate, and her bio says she has Roxette and Def Leppard on her iPod. Well, "She's Got the Look" alright! From Pacers.com: We need your help selecting the 2010-11 Indiana Pacemates. Check out their photos and videos before submitting your ballot. Your votes will be compiled along with those from the other judges to determine who makes the squad. Cast your vote prior to the audition showcase and squad announcement on Wednesday, July 21. Vote Now Looks like a great set of candidates: some veterans, newcomers, and maybe even a former Colts cheerleader. There was a recent time when the events surrounding the Indianapolis 500 also were augmented by the Indiana Pacers still in the thick of NBA playoffs come Memorial Day weekend. In those days, the crowd would get loud at the 500 Festival Parade, on the Saturday of the long weekend, when the Pacemates dance squad would pass by. Enthusiasm for the team and the ability of the Pacemates to pump up the volume added to the excitement along the parade route.
But these days, the Pacers are in NBA limbo land: not good enough to make the playoffs and winning enough to have a no real shot at the draft lottery’s top prize. This limbo can last a long time. Season after season. I have lived through it before.
So during one of the final games of the year in April, I wondered what the busy Pacemates would do with the extra time afforded by a lack of playoff games.
![]() Meredith and Brittany greet fans as they enter Conseco Fieldhouse Fans entering Conseco Fieldhouse were greeted by Meredith and Brittany who handed out programs. Appropriately, the program cover featured the best performers in the organization, the Pacemates!
![]() Now that's a program! In the upper concourse, Jessica R and Jarin were signing the same photo (in souvenir card form) that graced the cover of program. I asked Jessica what she would do with the extra time that no playoffs would provide. Jessica laughed and responded, “It will be from one extreme to the other. It will be short though, because we have auditions in July. We’ll be right back into it before too long. Just a little break, but I’ll take advantage of it. I am going to sleep, I know that.”
![]() Jessica R and Jarin
Down near the club area “Legends” which is sponsored by Brighthouse, also the sponsor of the Pacemates, Tamara and Elizabeth met with fans. Tamara shared with us all that this was Elizabeth’s birthday, and Elizabeth seemed thrilled about the sharing of this information.
![]() Elizabeth Tamara is about as fun and joyous as you can get. If there is a little kid in sight range, Tamara will be making that child smile and giggle soon enough. I asked Tamara what she would do with the off season time, and she replied, “Some of the girls on the squad and I have some exciting trips planned. We have a break, but the time is going to pass faster than you know it! It’s definitely a break that we need, but once we get it, we are going to be ready to start right back up.”
![]() Tamara On the main concourse, Ashley and Jessica L also were signing the souvenir cards. It didn’t sound like the extra time would make much difference in their busy schedules. “We will work and go to school,” they said, with an inflection that indicated busy days remained ahead as semesters wind down.
![]() Ashley and Jessica L Pulling double and triple duty with cheering, work and school is one thing, but on this game night, Shea would be pulling double duty as both a Pacemate and the on-court emcee during game breaks. Shea not only performs these tasks, but also drives all the way from Ohio to be one of the Pacemates! For those of you not from ’round here, that is over an hour drive (through some of the most exciting scenery, corn, you’ll ever see, too). And this part of Indiana also gets its share of ice on the roads during the winter months, so a big THANK YOU to Shea for all the work and effort she puts into being on the squad and making the game breaks entertaining!
![]() Shea I: The Pacemate ![]() Shea II: Game emcee ![]() Jarin's fancy footwork avoids mascot Boomer's flag antics ![]() Tamara and Elizabeth amongst one of their many young fans All of the Pacemates did their typical wonderful job, both greeting fans as gates opened to performing on the court, but the my Center Court Standout of the Game (drum roll please) is the amazing Tamara! This Purdue grad is known as “Teyonce” to the rest of the squad because, according to Captain Melanie Tamara “can dance and sing just like the diva Beyonce!! Tamara is one of our best hip hop dancers on the team. She is known to serenade us at the games in the locker room and at practice as well. Teyonce can light up a room once she enters it!!”
No doubt, Tamara is a joy to behold as a fan also! Tamara also is head coach of the dance team at local Marian College. So Tamara, and other Pacemates, enjoy this time off, recharge, and be back for try-outs in July!! We need one star-laden team to see during basketball season!!
When you need to provide the best people in a moments notice, you call on your “A-Team.” So on March 22nd, after the New Orleans Hornets hosted the Dallas Mavericks, Honeybee Director Ashley Deaton gave me the wonderful opportunity to speak to two Honeybees. She called on her own personal “A-Team,” Honeybees Ashlie and Amy, to fill the bill. Director Ashley is a big fan of these two members of her squad, and for good reason. Ashlie is in her second season on the squad and Amy is a rookie. I wondered what was more nerve-wracking, their first try-out or their first game. Amy immediately replied it was the first try-out, because “No one knew who I was. It is your first impression.” Amy made the squad on her first time trying-out, and, rather than nerve-wracking, found her first game to be really exciting.
![]() Rookie Honeybee Amy Rather than first try-out or first game, Ashlie wanted to add a third option to my multiple choice question. “The second try-out was more nerve wracking,” explained Ashlie. “We had a lot of good girls come in this past year. So there were so many good girls to choose from, it was scary.” Ashlie’s second year anxiety was escalated by an unexpected change in the selection process compared to the previous season’s selection of twenty Honeybees. “They announced the twenty girls, and they hadn’t said that they had chosen twenty-four,” recalled Ashlie. “Well, I was one of the girls not called yet, so I thought I was going home.” But as the announcements continued, Ashlie found out she made it! ![]() Second Year Honeybee Ashlie I asked the veteran and the rookie what advice they would give to someone trying out for a pro dance squad for the first time. Amy advised, “Just be confident,” and Ashlie added, “Have a lot of personality. Have fun. That’s the main thing, you have to enjoy it.” Amy added “That is what they are looking for. We are entertainers. If you miss a step, make up for that with personality.“ ![]() Amy is a native Georgian, but still caught Saints fever Even though they work hard to make it look easy on the court, with thousands of pairs of eyes watching them during games, there must be embarrassing moments that might arise during Honeybee careers. For rookie Amy, her moments occurred before she was officially a Honeybee. “At each audition, I missed a few steps,” volunteered Amy, “I was so nervous!” So far for Amy, nothing embarrassing during the games, “Not yet, thank goodness. I am glad I got it out of the way during the auditions.” Ashlie’s longer tenure has provided more memories. Ashlie noted, “I’ve had a few embarrassing moments at the games,” to which Amy laughingly interjected, “You’ve had some good ones.” Ashlie recalled one event that stood out, “During Honeybee Olympics, we did the wheelbarrow race across the court.” Ashlie played the role of wheelbarrow, and “my partner was going too fast for my hands because I was crawling. I slid across the court on my face. That was real nice.” Certainly, these two “got game” when it comes to dancing, but how about their hoops prowess? I am a big UCLA fan, so I am very glad to see Hornets rookie point guard Darren Collision emerge during Chris Paul’s absence. I asked Ashlie and Amy what part of their game is most like Darren’s (speed, shooting, steals?). Both ponder, and Ashlie contributes, “My ability to steal the ball, and to do an alley oop.” Amy offers, “I don’t know how accurate I am in the shooting, but I am pretty fast. He has quick feet.” Come to think of it, I think Darren and his quick feet might me a nice addition to some of the Honeybee routines, when the Hornets have the game in hand, of course.
![]() Ashlie for President! She thinks the day after the Super Bowl should be a holiday Amy has lived in New Orleans for two years, moving from Georgia when her boyfriend moved to the area. Amy added, “New Orleans has always been a fun place for me. I have friends here, so it wasn’t a hard move.” Ashlie was born and raised in New Orleans. I asked about how Katrina affected her, and Ashlie recounted, “We had three feet of water in my house, and we moved from New Orleans to the other side of the lake. It was tough, but we made it.” As an Indianapolis resident, this trip to New Orleans reminded me of the recent Super Bowl that made my city a different shade of blue for some days afterward, but justifiably electrified the home city of the Saints. Super Bowl Sunday for Amy “was awesome.” She added, “I was in the (French) Quarter. I thought, I can’t be at home, I want to be in the middle of it. It was overwhelming! We were high fiving people we didn’t know, younger people, older people. High fiving down the street, it was awesome!” Ashlie remembered the throngs of people, “I was with every New Orleans Saints fan on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter.” For Ashlie, the Monday after the Super Bowl was “unreal.” Amy added, “Nobody went to work. Nobody went to school. Actually, people started Thursday and Friday; I think some missed a lot of days, not just the Monday, in ‘preparation.’” So, on this third day of my first trip to New Orleans, I had one personal challenge left. The city had won me over: the friendliest people from the minute I stepped off the plane, food that can make your knees buckle in ecstasy, and enough fun that I went right to monster.com to look for local jobs. But I wanted to pronounce the city’s name like a local, not like the lifelong Midwesterner I am. I asked Ashlie to rate my pronunciation of “New Orleans” from one to ten. Ashlie graded me, “I’ll give you about a seven. You’re a little off on the Orleans part. It needs to be one big word. It’s all jumbled together.” Amy advised, “Just spit it out.” Unlike the often written ‘N’awlins,’ I sensed more ‘New’ than ‘Nuh’ in Ashlie’s pronunciation. On about my attempt number six, Ashlie exclaimed, “Yes! That was it! That was perfect, that was a ten!” ![]() Amy and Ashlie after the Hornets victory over the Mavs
Well, for me, the opportunity to speak with Ashlie and Amy definitely went to “eleven.” They are beautiful, talented, personable, and as sweet as a Honeybee should be. I asked to take some photos, and they apologized that their post-game look may not be optimal. I think most of us would spend 48 hours straight prepping for photos and still come way short of a Honeybee after a couple hours of dancing. Best of luck Ashlie and Amy on the remainder of the season, and many thanks for your time and dedication!
![]() A personal favorite; My struggles with my flash provided me a photo that demonstrates their fun, sweet personalities
I’ve seen basketball announcer Dick Vitale name his college basketball “All-Thomas Edison Team” for point guards. In his keyed up voice, he’ll say, “This is my All-Thomas Edison Team! They’re creators, innovators, pioneers!!” Well, if I had to name my UltimateCheerleaders.com All-Thomas Edison Team for creativity, innovation, and pioneering spirit, Ashley Deaton would be among the top of my list. Ashley is director and choreographer for the excellent dance squad for the NBA’s New Orleans Hornets, the Honeybees. A native of Louisiana, Ashley graduated from LSU, where she was also a member of a national championship-winning dance team. She then was a member of the Honeybees for three seasons when the Hornets moved to New Orleans. After this, Ashley became the Honeybees’ director and choreographer. Two months into her new role, Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, and the Hornets needed to relocate for two seasons to Oklahoma City. Half of the pre-storm Honeybees had to stay in Louisiana and rebuild, so Ashley had to hold tryouts for ten new dancers from Oklahoma City to fill out the squad. Since then, the city is back, the Hornets are back, and Ashley leads a squad known for innovative dance routines, cutting edge apparel, and high visibility at the games and in the community. It is immediately recognizable after meeting Ashley, that she LOVES her job and has a passion to excel in all of its diverse challenges. Recently, Ashley graciously participated in an interview with UltimateCheerleaders.com.
![]() Director of the Honeybees Ashley Deaton during a recent Hornets-Mavericks game
Thanks so much Ashley for your cooperation, and continued success with your excellent squad!
San Antonio Spurs: The San Antonio Spurs Silver Dancers recently traveled to Mexico City to promote the Spurs and the NBA south of the border at the NBA Mexico 3×3 tournament. >>Watch part 1 now! Cheerleaders Heading To Iraq On July 1, 2009, six Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleaders will depart for Iraq and Kuwait as part of a 12-day goodwill military tour. This marks the second consecutive year that Eagles Cheerleaders will travel to the Middle East to visit US military servicemen and women. The tour is designed to entertain and boost the morale of the soldiers, many of whom are serving lengthy tours of duty in Iraq and Kuwait. The cheerleaders will be performing variety shows at the bases in addition to meet-and-greets and autograph sessions. The cheerleaders will truly get a sense of the soldiers’ sacrifice as they fly in Black Hawk helicopters, sleep in the barracks and endure the severe climate. Amanda Bedford, a fourth-year member of the squad, will be one of the six current cheerleaders making the trip. “I’m going to Iraq and Kuwait not only to boost the morale of our brave soldiers and show my support, but also for more personal reasons,” she said. “I have friends and family currently serving our country in the military, as well as family members who have given their lives to protect our freedom. This tour is my small contribution to those who have sacrificed so much for us.” Joining Bedford will be Krystle Campbell of Media, PA, Tiffany Monroe of Absecon, NJ, Janelle Stangl of Bethlehem, PA, Alexandra Stephan of Shamong, NJ, and Priscilla Williams of Pennsauken, NJ. The new cheerleaders embarking on the 2009 tour are looking forward to the visit in part because of the experiences that the cheerleaders had during last year’s tour. Rachel Washburn, who was part of the 2008 tour said, “It was a life-changing experience. It was an opportunity for me to express my appreciation and thank them in person for the sacrifices they are making to protect us and people throughout the world. They are so courageous!” In addition to traveling to Iraq and Kuwait, the Eagles Cheerleaders have also traveled previously to Bosnia and Kosovo for goodwill military tours. The Eagles Cheerleaders are very active in making appearances at military bases and veterans hospitals in PA, NJ, and DE. Most recently, they appeared at the Walk for the Wounded in Delaware County, a fundraiser for injured soldiers, and at a welcome home celebration at Sovereign Bank Arena for 1,600 members of the Army National Guard that just returned home from Iraq. “These outstanding NFL cheerleaders will have a tremendous impact on the military personnel serving our country. All of the participants have expressed their passion for our troops overseas and are looking forward to a successful tour and once-in-a-lifetime experience,” says David Chavez, President of Pro Sports MVP. Celtics.com was live at the auditions in Waltham Saturday, where hundreds of girls showed up for a chance at taking the court next season as a Celtics Dancer. Click here to view the photos on the Celtics website. WALTHAM (FOX25, myfoxboston) – Close to 100 women strutted their stuff in hopes of becoming a member of the Boston Celtics Dancers. Check out video and photos of their auditions. (Click here for lots of photos) Ever wonder what goes on at KCD auditions? Wonder no more! Here’s a chance to see for yourself. Knicks City Dancers Auditions: Hundreds of dancers showed up to make their best moves at Madison Square Garden today, but only a few dozen were chosen to move on to the next round. Meet the women who made the cut – those who will hit the ground dancing again tomorrow, the next step on the road to becoming a Knicks City Dancer. The dancers return to The Garden [today] for round two, so stay tuned for more behind-the-scenes audition photos and video of the dancers in action, plus hit Facebook for KCD coach Danielle’s updates from the floor. Click here for MORE: |
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