The Phoenix Suns Dancers have long been celebrated as a top dance team in the NBA. Recently auditions were held for the 2013-14 season, and the team selected 18 dancers to be a part of their dance team. The team chose from among 150 hopefuls during a week-long selection process. Suns fans had the opportunity…
The costume of a dancer, no matter what age, has always raised doubts and question marks. You have probably heard people saying, “The dancer did very well but the costume went a little too far,” or “Is this dance or what? They looked like dancing monks,” or “I would let my little one learn dance…
The stereotype of airhead has dogged cheerleaders for decades. Where this came from is not certain, but it could be that cheerleaders naturally have bubbly personalities; unfortunately, outgoing is wrongly associated with “dumb.” Attributing this trait to cheerleading is like saying they are not well trained athletes. Nothing could be further from the truth. Cheerleaders…
Who says it is easy to teach preschool kiddies? In our opinion, these pint-sized dancers offer the most challenges—and the most rewards! The best way to teach or prune these little dancers would be to toe their line and make their class interesting. Once the children love what you do and love you too, you’ll be…
I have been a dancer for about 20 years. The teaching methods were quite harsh years ago, when I was first learning to dance. My teachers would humiliate their students into performing the steps right. Little did they know that this type of teaching made many students self-conscious about their abilities and their bodies for…
Flexibility is the key to tumbling successfully and safely. As a cheerleader, you should be working on and improving your flexibility throughout the year. If you haven’t started school yet, you can do some extra stretching now to get ready for the season. But even if you’ve already started school, you can make time for…
Leading a team of any kind to success requires certain attributes or qualities for the team captain to have, regardless of gender. These are the essential building blocks to work with the team members and mold them into a single unit capable of performing under pressure and achieving the goals set before them. Quite…
Sugar-laden snacks do nothing for athletes—whether football players or dancers. Dancers often live busy lives, and they almost always have healthy treats close at hand. Forget the drugs and supplements that are advertised for relief of pain and tiredness. Instead, focus on foods that balance the body, help keep ligaments and muscles strong, minds fresh…
In the aftermath of tragedies, such as the Boston Marathon bombings, we find ourselves face to face with depressing personal stories of loss. Often, we may wonder what we would do under such circumstances. Would we have the strength, courage and resilience to move on with our lives? In the face of tragedy, we can…
There is a new TV soap opera on VH1 called “Hit the Floor,” and the show is about as good its title. Taking place in the world of basketball cheerleading, the show could qualify to be characterized as a drama. However, the drama aspect of it being the big question of who in your household…