Former Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Signs with VIP Ink Publishing

VIP Ink Publishing
April 8, 2015

Former New Orleans Saintsation, New Orleans Hornets Honeybee, and Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Deryn Derbigny has signed with VIP Ink Publishing to tell her story of overcoming the obstacles she faced in achieving her success as a professional dancer. Her story is one of perseverance and is an encouragement to many.

Deryn

Deryn is a 32-year-old native of New Orleans, Louisiana. She has spent countless years polishing her skills as a professional dancer. As a five-year member of the New Orleans Saintsations, she was chosen to represent the team as a Pro-Bowl Cheerleader. After losing everything and being displaced by Hurricane Katrina, she continued her professional cheer-leading career as a member of the World Renowned Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. As a member of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, she was afforded the opportunity to tour overseas in the team’s elite show group.
Deryn has proven her diversity in the NBA as a member of the New Orleans Hornets Honeybees.

As a child of a single parent household, she has faced all challenges head on and prevailed. At no point did she allow herself to become a victim of her circumstances. Deryn has gone on to become a loving mother of two children and a professional entrepreneur. She is now the owner and part owner of several up and coming businesses.

Deryn and VIP Ink Publishing will be working together to publish her book in the near future.

Danity Kane is back!

Ok, I cannot be the only one who is SUPER excited about this. If ever a group deserved a second chance, it’s this one. It is my hope that after five years apart, the ladies have gained the maturity and perspective they need to make it work this time around. For those who don’t remember, two members of the original group were former NBA dancers: Shannon Bex (Trailblazers) and Dawn Richard (Hornets). Rounding out the group are Aubrey O’Day, and Aundrea Fimbress, who never danced for pro sports teams, but if you ask me, Aundrea bears a striking resemblance to New England Patriots Cheerleader Jodi Ricci.



From left: Dawn, Aubrey, Shannon, and Aundrea

Congratulations ladies! Now get (back) to work.

Bittersweet: The Final Home Stand as the Honey Bees

by Erin Nicole
WGNO.com

Take a good look around… A lot of sweet memories were made here… A lot of heart pounding practices took place just to make the team. This weekend marks the end of an era. The Honey Bees’ last home stand.

“I’ve been on this team six wonderful seasons with the Hornets, I’ve enjoyed every minute of it, all the hard work all the tears, it’s been so much fun. I never really dreamed of being a professional dancer but now that I am and I’ve done it six years with my home team, it’s very special and a lot of people think it’s pretty cool” says team veteran Christina.

So go ahead, take it all in… every pom wave, hip shake and glorious hair flip…

Who else hits the court with such charisma the crowds rise even if the team is down? It’s what these ladies do best and they love what they do.

So here’s to you Honey Bees…. Thanks for the great flight!

And next year, with the new name, we’ll still love you.

“I know my personal favorite is the Fly Girls but there’s a lot of strange names, the “Pelican-cans”… I don’t know about that” says Christina.

But just the thought of no more honey bees carries a bittersweet sting.

“It’s kind of sad but I think it will be a good start to something new, the colors, the name change, I’m excited ” says first year Honey Bee Cassidy.

Alexa of the New Orleans Honeybees is the Winner of the 2013 AKD Sports Model Search

Angela King Designs is proud to announce the 2013 AKD Sports Model Search Winner is Alexa Kobylarz of New Orleans, Louisiana!

Originally from the Jersey Shore, Alexa is a captain of the New Orleans Hornets “Honeybees” Dance Team. At the age of 21, she will soon complete her bachelor’s degree in marketing from Tulane University. Recently she was cast as a featured role in a Spike Lee film and danced onstage with Beyoncé during the Super Bowl halftime show.

AKD Founder and President Angela King-Twitero remarked about the 2013 contestants, “I am impressed beyond words. The strength of talent and intelligence, in combination with beauty, is rather amazing. The cheerleading world needs to take notice! This industry is made of high achievers! Thank you all for being role models and caring about the legacy you are creating.”

[New Orleans Honeybees]

[The Costume Lounge]

File this under: Waterfowl

At the end of the current NBA season, the New Orleans Hornets are changing their name
to the New Orleans Pelicans.

No really. THE PELICANS.

The first time I read this information, I thought for sure this was some kind of joke. Pelicans? Aren’t team mascots supposed to be fierce, strong, and warrior-like? Pelicans???? Don’t they deliver babies to expectant mommies and daddies all around the world?

Oh wait, that’s the stork.

You know what pelicans are known for? Having big mouths. And stealing other people’s fish. But the team’s owner says pelicans symbolize the resiliency, determination, and enduring spirit of the people in the community.

Um. Ok. But they are also fish thieves.


(Well now, I guess if you’re at the business end of a pelican, that could be a little frightening…)

The team is also changing their colors from Creole Blue, Dark Purple, Mardi Gras Gold, and White (a combination I personally enjoy) to blue, gold, and red. Here’s the new logo:

He’s pretty fierce, I suppose. As far as pelicans go. He certainly looks like he wants to peck your eyes out and eat them with some fava beans and a nice chianti.

More importantly, what about the Honeybees? What are they going to be called? The Pelican Dancers? The Pelican Girls? The Pelicanettes?

Please God, don’t let them be called the Pelicanettes.

Three Honeybees Herald from St. Charles and St. John

By Earl Hodges
NoLa.com

Victoria Pellerin
Victoria Pellerin

For as long as Victoria Pellerin can recall, she has dreamed of being a Honeybee for the New Orleans Hornets. “The Honeybees have always been a role model for me,” said Pellerin, 20, of Montz. “I would see them at the dance school I attended, and I was always in awe of them. I remember telling people when I was very young that one day I, too, wanted to be a Honeybee for the Hornets.”Pellerin’s dream became a reality this year when she, along with two other women from the River Parishes, were chosen to perform with this year’s 23-member Honeybees team. MaQue Hollins of LaPlace and Tramera Lee of Boutte are two-year members.

The Honeybees perform choreographed dance routines to music at all of the Hornets home games. They also serve as ambassadors for the Hornets, as well as for the city of New Orleans, and they make several appearances each year at promotional and charity events.

Pellerin is a graduate of Destrehan High School, where she was a member of the Desty Darlings, the school dance team, for four years. Pellerin is a junior at Southeastern Louisiana University, where she is majoring in nursing.

Lee, 21, is a junior at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, where she is majoring in business and marketing. Lee is a graduate of Hanhnville High School. She was also a member of the Hi Steppers, the school dance team, for four years.

Tramera Lee
Tramera Lee

Hollins, 20, is majoring in public health at Xavier University in New Orleans, where she is a junior. Hollins graduated from St. Charles Catholic High School in LaPlace, and she was a member of the cheerleading squad.

Hollins and Lee learned the ropes last year.

“I’m more excited about being a Honeybee this year than I was last year,” Hollins said. “I want to see how much I can improve.”

Being a member of the Honeybees, Hollins said, gives her an opportunity to combine her love for dancing with being an ambassador for the city.

“When I dance, it’s a way to express my feelings and emotions. Dancing helps calm me down.”

Lee said, “As a Honeybee, you have an opportunity to not only be an ambassador for your city, but you can also be a role mod

MaQue Hollins
MaQue Hollins

el for young girls. Young girls look up to the Honeybees, and we can have a positive influence on their lives.”

Lee agreed with Hollins that dancing is a way to express her feelings.

“Dancing allows me to express myself and come out of my comfort zone,” Lee said. “And dancing with the Honeybees at Hornets games is different from dancing in the studio. It broadens your horizons.”

Pellerin calls dancing a “form of therapy. No matter what kind of day you’ve had, you can put your emotions into your dancing and this helps relieve all of your stress.”

Pellerin says being a Honeybee is an “amazing experience.” “It’s wonderful to be part of such a professional organization. The Hornets are one big family.”

[Honeybees on Facebook]

2012-13 Honeybees

Now this is what I call fast. The ink is barely dry on the dancers’ contracts, and the team already has uniform photos on the Hornets website. I’m sure these will be replaced by updated photos as we get closer to the season and the team has time to do uniform fittings, polish up everyone’s look, and all that misc pre-season prep that goes on. Anywho, click here to take a gander at the 2012 New Orleans Hornets dance team!