Rocky Mountain Rollergirls Video

Amy Jo Wagner´s Dream Job

With six-years as a Phoenix Suns Dancer, seven as a member of the WNBA Phoenix Mercury Hip Hop Squad and two more years as a member of the AFL Arizona Rattlers Sidewinders it's not too difficult to figure out that Amy Jo Wagner was born to dance.

Throw in appearances in music videos with artists like Usher, Busta Rhymes, 112, Keith Sweat and Jordin Sparks and a stint as the Dance Team Coordinator for the Sidewinders and you'd see why directing an NBA Dance Team would be Amy Jo's dream job.

So when she heard that the Denver Nuggets Dance Team Director position was open, she thought she'd give it a shot. Amy Jo was under no illusions. She looked at this as an opportunity to get her name circulating, help prepare her for future openings, perhaps even get a free trip to Denver.

She sent in her resume, which led to a brief phone interview. Then there was a request for a DVD of her choreography, and finally that trip to Denver for a one-on-one interview with Harlan Hendrickson, Senior Director of Entertainment for the Nuggets.

The Nuggets liked what they had heard and seen, so in December they offered her the job.

But the timing wasn't the greatest. Amy Jo was in the middle of the school year; at the time she was an incredibly popular high school math teacher. She had recently purchased a new house. She asked the Nuggets if she could wait and take the job after the season ended. But already well into the season with no Director, the Nuggets weren't keen on waiting.


Faced with the decision, Amy Jo turned down her dream job and the Nuggets.

Over the next few weeks she thought a lot about her decision, wondering if she had made the right choice, wondering if she'd ever get another chance to direct in the the NBA.

Six weeks after she told them no, the Nuggets called. They weren't really happy with any of their other candidates, and they wanted to know if she would reconsider and take the job.

Amy Jo believes that everything happens for a reason, and decided if she was being offered the job again, it was meant to be. The Nuggets gave her a couple of weeks to tie up loose ends in Phoenix, including a heartbreaking farewell to her students. In February of this year she joined the Nuggets.

Nuggets Dance Director isn't Amy Jo's only new job. Last fall the Colorado Crush Girls Director left the position. An audition without a director proved less than successful and by the time the AFL season rolled around it looked like there would be no Dance Team for the Crush in 2008. Amy Jo and the Nuggets Dancers stepped up to fill the void and pull double duty. While the Nuggets Dancers eagerly embraced their new role in the beginning, Amy Jo concedes the combination of two long seasons may have caused a few of the dancers to have their enthusiasm wane. It's not set in stone but right now it's likely there will be separate dance teams next year.

Auditions

Right now Amy Jo's preparing for the Nuggets Dancers Auditions and this year there's an extra twist. It has to do with this guy named Barack Obama. You may have heard something about him; he's running for president. Well, Obama's nominating convention is in Denver at the Pepsi Center. The same Pepsi Center where the Nuggets play and the Nuggets Dancers hold their auditions. With the Center booked Amy Jo had to go out and locate a suitable location for the expected 200+ dancers expected to turn out this Saturday. She decided on the Gold Crown Field House in Lakewood. (For full Nuggets Dancers Audition information click here.)

But finding a place for auditions wasn't the only complication. The Democratic National Committee needs office space at the Pepsi Center. So last week Amy Jo and the Game Operations staff had to vacate their offices. They'll be working in temporary offices for the next month and won't be moving back into the Pepsi Center until after Labor Day.

When asked if all the extra work and distractions are adding to her stress level, Amy Jo laughs and says it's just all part of the job.

She is hoping for a big turnout at auditions this Satuday. Game Night Entertainment is very important to the Nuggets and Amy Jo is looking for Dancers with fire and determination who want to be in the spotlight. She understands that people might be a little reluctant or nervous to audition for a new director, but she's encouraging everyone to come out and give it their best shot.

Amy Jo expects to choreograph forty or about half of the eighty routines the Nuggets dancers will perform in this season. She doesn't want to trying to do it all herself and end up having the routines looking repetitive. She's hoping to bring in some guest choreographers and even have the dancers design some of their own routines. She had the same opportunity as a dancer in Phoenix and she relished the experience.

What does the new director do when in her spare time? Actually, Amy Jo says when she's at home you can usually find her on YouTube looking for new choreography. But when she's not in director-mode, she'll be reading, scrapbooking, or on the phone with her boyfriend, who's back in Phoenix, trying to convince him to come up and visit her.

And while she misses teaching and her students terribly, Amy Jo wakes up excited and ready to go to work at her dream job every morning.

Thanks to the Pro Cheerleader Blog for this insightful story!

ProDance Featured Choreographer - Cicely & Olisa (Nu-Stylz)

Born and raised in Queens, New York, Cicely Bradley and Olisa Thompson are the award-winning, show-stopping choreographing team known as Nu-Stylz. Drawn together by their mutual love for dancing, the dynamic duo has been performing together since the 4th grade. As children, Nu-Stylz danced almost every day. They would perform their high-energy dance routines for anyone; anywhere! It didn’t matter if they were in a backyard or in a ballroom, Nu-Stylz would always be the center of attention when the music came on. By the time they were teens they’d already earned a reputation for ripping down stages at dance competitions, college shows and even the world-famous Apollo. Their professional career officially launched at the age of 15 when they were selected out of hundreds to dance with Ralph Tresvant of the R&B group New Edition. Since then, Nu-Stylz has gone to become one of the hottest choreographers in the business, working with top entertainers such as G-Unit, Missy Elliot, Tweet, Daddy Yankee, Mario, The Fugees, and Whitney Houston.



As their name implies, Nu-Stylz is a dance unit that creates original moves and sparks the hottest dance trends. Their choreography on Missy Elliot’s “Get Ur Freak On” music video earned them nominations at the 7th Annual American Choreography Awards and the 2001 MTV Video Awards. At the 10th Annual American Choreography Awards, they won the “Outstanding Achievement in Choreography” award for their work on Missy’s “Pass the Dutch” music video. They were judges in the spring of 2006 Fox TV’s hit reality-competition show “So You Think You Can Dance”.

ProDance Featured Choreographer - Shandon Kolberg

Shandon Kolberg has been working in the professional dance industry for the past seven years as a choreographer and performer. Under the direction of highly accredited choreographer Rey Lozano, she danced on the Cal State Long dance team, taking first place at UDA National Collegiate Championships in 2001.


Shandon is top row, second from left.

In 2002, Shandon was featured on the cover of Dance Spirit Magazine, with a step by step choreography segment. As a US Spirit leader, she instructed some of the top high school, all star, and professional dance teams. She was a Long Beach ABA Jamz Girl, as well as a NBA Summer Pro League dancer and spokesperson. She performed at the MTV Teen awareness event with artist Kaci Brown, Japan’s Annual Sports Entertainment conference, and in “Moves Like This” dance video by Diane Bonds. Shandon has choreographed for numerous high schools, all star, and collegiate teams, including USC Dance Force and Cal State Fullerton. She has been the head dance instructor of southern California’s Dansation’s Studio for seven years, receiving numerous acclamations for her fresh, innovative, and dynamic choreography.

ProDance Featured Choreographer - Gustavo Vargas

Gustavo Vargas is originally from Mexico City, Mexico. He was raised in Houston, TX. He's been dancing and choreographing professionally for 10 years. He has danced, choreographed, and toured for artist such as Jennifer Lopez, Will Smith, Usher, Pink, Mya, Alicia Keys, Paulina Rubio, Roselyn Sanchez, Britney Spears, Enrique Iglesias, N'Sync, Jessica Simpson, and Eva Longoria to name a few.



Gustavo is an alumni of CSU.
Visit his CSU alumni page here.





He has also choreographed and danced on Television shows such as Dancing With The Stars, Bruno and Carrie Ann’s Dance Wars, Intro for America’s Best Dance Crew, Eve, 7th Heaven, Drew Carey, Boston Public, Nikki Cox, American Music Awards, The Grammys, and Janet Jackson MTV-Icon. He has worked on movies such as The Bachelor, Be Cool, Dirty Dancing II-Havana Nights, Spanglish, Master of Disguise, Along Came Polly, Jackass II, Rent, and Indiana Jones. He has also made his acting debut on the TV show "Strong Medicine". Gustavo teaches all styles of dance. He is technically trained and is also known for his partnering skills. He travels the world giving Master classes of all styles.

ProDance Featured Choreographer - Tweetie

Born Lenaya Straker in the Bronx, N.Y., this hip-hop dancer joined an after-school dance program when she was 12, and that's when the nickname "Tweetie" was born. "It all started when someone said I looked like a bird and, since so many people were having problems pronouncing my real name, I kept Tweetie," she chuckles. At Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music, Art and Performing Arts, she majored in ballet, modern dance and jazz. She also showcased her hip-hop dance moves at various local talent shows.



Aside from appearing on "Dances From Tha Hood," Tweetie is also a featured dancer in commercials for Stride gum, Nike and the iPod (alongside Wynton Marsalis). Tweetie's dedication and determination has also enabled her to work with the likes of Jay-Z, Destiny's Child, *NSync, Mya and Angie Martinez, among others. In 2004, Tweetie danced with the Latin duo Nina Sky, performing on MTV's TRL, BET's 106 & Park and Live With Regis and Kelly. Just recently, Tweetie was featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show as Oprah and Gayle's personal dance instructor!

Tweetie's passion for dance is endless, and her concern about the image of women in hip-hop fuels her passion to be the best in her field and continuously improve her skills. She teaches weekly classes at The Ailey Extension and the Peridance Center. She has had the privilege of being a guest instructor at some of today's most notable dance schools, including Rennie Harris' Illadelph Legends of Hip-Hop Festival; Central Park Dance Studio in Scarsdale, N.Y.; and Jacob's Pillow, just to name a few. Not bad for a little girl from the Bronx! This Tweetie bird has definitely landed!

ProDance Featured Choreographer - Marina Ortega

Marina Ortega is the Director of the Boston Celtics Dance Team. Ortega brings sixteen years of dance industry experience to her role with the Celtics, after teaching and choreographing professionally with West Coast and European dance squads.



Ortega's professional experience includes conducting choreography for elite squads such as the Los Angeles Laker Girls, Los Angeles Clippers Spirit, and NFL Pro Bowl Cheerleaders, among many others. Her distinguished NBA work includes traveling with the Clippers Spirit team to Mexico City to promote the 2005 NBA All Star Game. Marina has also judged various regional, national, collegiate and professional auditions and competitions.

Prior to joining the Boston Celtics, Ortega spent time in Europe as the Dance Team Director for the Frankfurt Galaxy (NFL Europe), of Frankfurt, Germany. Her work in Germany included auditioning over 300 women for only 35 spots, choreographing dance routines, designing uniforms and handling team publicity. Marina is also proud to have organized various philanthropic activities for the dancers.

ProDance is thrilled to have Marina back!!!

ProDance Featured Choreographer - Mina Ortega

Mina Ortega has worked with performers from top teams such as the Sacramento Kings, LA Clippers, Frankfurt Galaxies and San Francisco 49ers, as well as leading university dance teams.

ProDance Featured Choreographer - John Peters

John Peters has choreographed dance routines for the Denver Broncos, San Diego Chargers, Portland Trailblazers, Utah Jazz, Dallas Mavericks and LA Clippers, as well as for two Super Bowls and the NFL American bowls in London, Barcelona and Tokyo.

Colorado Cobra Dancers Guest Choreographer Terita Walker

The CCD were blessed with the choreography talents of Terita Walker, current 3 year Denver Broncos Cheerleader, and former Nuggets dancer, Luvabulls dancer, and Adrenaline Rush dancer. Terita's choreography looks good on these ladies! Terita has also choreographed for the Belles Performance Team and the Colorado Crossover dancers, whom she directed during their 2 IBL seasons. Thank you Terita for all you give back to the Colorado dance community!

Sponsor Spotlight - Planet Beach Contempo Spa

Hello future contestant! Could you be the next Ms. Planet Beach® International and winner of a $100,000 spokesmodel contract?



Ms. Planet Beach® International is the world's largest spokesmodel competition! She serves as the spokesmodel and brand ambassador for Planet Beach®, appearing at events all over the world. The 2009 winner of Ms. Planet Beach® International will receive:

* $100,000 cash contract with Planet Beach®
* the cover of the 2009 Ms. Planet Beach® International Calendar
* a waived franchise fee valued at $30,000 to open her own Planet Beach®
* a custom-made Ms. Planet Beach® diamond pendant necklace
* travel opportunities and many other prizes.

Women ages 18-34 who exhibit an entrepreneurial spirit and passion for the Planet Beach® brand are invited to compete in a regional competition to qualify for the 2009 Ms. Planet Beach® International World Finals. Preliminary competitions are currently being held worldwide to search for the next voice and face of Planet Beach Contempo Spa®. Sixty-five regional finalists will receive a grand prize trip to the World Finals at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi on November 14, 2008, and compete for the title of Ms. Planet Beach® International 2009.



YOU ARE INVITED TO COMPETE IN OUR MISS PLANET BEACH COLORADO SPOKESMODEL COMPETITION

This event will consist of two events. On Saturday August 2nd @ 8:00pm at Gibby's Bar in Grill in Aurora will be a preliminary. This event will consist of an interview and your chance to get comfortable on stage in your heels and in your swimwear. No contestants will be eliminated at this event! The following weekend Saturday, August 9th will be the Miss Planet Beach Colorado Final at Gibby's. This will be a day event full of fun! You will want to invite all of your family and friends. Doors will open at 11:00am and beginning at noon there will be beach volleyball tournaments, poker tournaments, music, food, drinks, and fun! The actual Miss Planet Beach event will begin around 2:00pm. It will be an outdoor event. You will need to come as ready as possible; you can touch-up in the bathroom. This event will just be the swimsuit portion and on-stage questions.

Below is a schedule of the events with directions. Please feel free to contact to Amanda Serrano, Marketing Director, amanda.serrano@planetbeach.com, at anytime with any questions or comments. She looks forward to meeting all of you!

· 11:00AM- POKER TOURNAMENT (90 PLAYERS)
· 11:00AM-5:00PM- DJ BOYD
· 11:00AM-CLOSE- OXYGEN BAR
· 11:00AM-8:00PM- DUNK TANK
· 11:00AM-4PM- BUFF BROTHERS VOLLEYBALL CHALLENGE
· 12:00-2:00PM- JACK DANIELS PROMO MODELS
· 2:00-4:00PM- MISS PLANET BEACH BIKINI CONTEST FINALS
· 2:00-4:00PM- MALIBU RUM PROMO MODELS
· 4:00-6:00PM- TUACA PROMO MODELS
· 5:00PM-8:00PM- LIVE MUSIC- "TRIPPING GRISWOLDS"
· 6:00PM- DENVER BRONCOS VS. HOUSTON TEXANS
· 7:00PM-11:00PM- GOFAST GIRLS W/ROUND CARDS PROMO
· 8:00PM- UFC FIGHT NIGHT- HUERTA VS. HERRING
· 9:00PM-12:00AM- JAGER PROMO MODELS
· 12:00AM-CLOSE: FREESTYLIN' RAP WITH ANDREW MALKOSKI

Ms. Planet Beach Colorado 2006 was held by Jennifer Cabral, currently a dancer with the Denver Pirate Cheerleaders. Ms. Planet Beach Colorado 2007 is held by Crystal Wolf, a former member of the Belles Performance Team who is currently a Coors Light Girl.

Sponsor Spotlight - Blondies the Beauty Shop

In a new feature to the blog, we will introduce you to the partners of Colorado entertainment teams, so you can not only admire the talent and beauty of the entertainers, but you can find out how and where they get that look!

Our first feature is Blondies, the Beauty Shop, proud sponsor of the Denver Nuggets Cheerleaders.

Blondies The Beauty Shop hair salon is located in Denver’s Cherry Creek North neighborhood, at the corner of 6th and Detroit Streets. Cherry Creek North is a fashionable district, rich with unique shops, restaurants and art galleries. The area has a neighborhood feel - clients enjoy its atmosphere and energy.

Blondies is a hip, vibrant hair salon that makes every client feel like they just walked into their favorite beauty shop. The salon’s décor is rich in hues of pink, green and brown and clients are adorned with animal print capes to bring out their inner divas. The salon is fun, flirty and feminine. The Blondies staff is on the cutting edge of industry trends and delivers the latest hair styles to clients, but without the attitude.

Little things count at Blondies. Whether it is letting your highlights process while kicking back on the porch or getting a one-on-one styling lesson from your hairdresser, clients are treated to great service by a hip stylist who is in the know.

Some of our “little things” include:

* A private patio where clients may wait for their appointments, let their color process or enjoy a snack between services
* Complimentary beverages to quench your thirst as you relax, including wine, soda, coffee, or an assortment of flavorful and healthful teas
* Facial waxing and other services are available during your processing time

Blondies is home to the exclusive Mac Daddy Blowout and was a featured salon in the 2008 series of the Style Network's hit show, Split Ends. Blondies has been featured in EveryDay with Rachel Ray and InStyle Magazine!

Blondies, 536 Detroit Street, Denver, CO 80206. (303) 377-5313

Denver Broncos Cheerleaders Biography Updates

New pictures and updated biographies can be found at denverbroncos.com.

Let's meet the rookies...

Katie Kosters	Perry Jackman
Jessica Flores	Sara Karlan
Kimberly Hidalgo	Stefanie Buttars
Erica Golding	Amanda Brophy
Janelle Mangrum	Amanda Lofland
Elizabeth Harris	Christina Connolly
Brenna Lee

Entertainment Update - SARAH SCHACHTERLE "SHACK"

In addition to Shack signing with Jig TV where she will be featured with Brian Friedman, Blake McGrath, Mandy Moore, Nick Bass, and more below are some current updates to her calendar:

She has just signed with Boogie Zone. For those of you unfamiliar with this program, it is one of the most successful and well known dance outlets in the industry. Some of the choreographers that are associated with the program are Misha Gabriel (Hillary Duff, Justin Timberlake), Brian Friedman (Britney Spears, Mya, the Grammys & Academy Awards), Nick Bass (Justin Timberlake) and Wade Robson (MTV's Wade Robson Project, Britney Spears, NSync, Cirque de Soleil) Sarah will be teaching for them in Los Angeles in October.

BIG NEWS! Sarah has been selected as the featured choreographer of the week on Choreographers Exposed. Make sure to check it out!

Fluid Dance Conventions announce their 2008-2009 tour dates. Sarah is signed with them to attend all cities and stops as one of the faces of Fluid Dance. Make sure to sign up early for the best deals on registration and to ensure you reserve a spot!

Finally; Shack will be in Denver, Co. and will be teaching an adult dance class at Motion Underground Studios this Saturday, July 19th at 11:00 AM.

As always, we are fairly diligent in updating Shack's calendar on her MySpace page.

RMS Blog joins MySpace

The RMS Blog officially joined the myspace community today.

Look us up at RMS Blog MySpace!

Choreographers Exposed Challenge

Choreographer of the Week - Sarah Schachterle "Shack"

Currently featured on JigTV along with Brian Friedman and more, Choreographed performances for Ciara, Eve, MC Hammer, Ace Young, and more, Touring with "Fluid" Dance Conventions, 8 seasons as the choreographer for the NBA Denver Nuggets Dancers, Choreography featured at 2005 NBA All-Star game, Choreographed two European tours with Armed Forces Entertainment...
Read More...

Mile High Sports Bettys

5 ladies from the Wild Bunch are featured as Mile High Sports Bettys.

Amanda Bucher	Jennifer Beauvais
Lauren Hanna	Leah McNerney
	Visit the Bettys here.
Mallory Sauer

Mile High Sports Magazine Girl in Your Corner - Lauren Hanna

July 2008 - Girl In Your Corner

Name: Lauren Hanna
Age: 20
Profession: Student, Dancer for Colorado Mammoth’s Wild Bunch

How has the summer been for Golf Dolls?
Excellent. This summer, we’ll be putting on over 30 tournaments – half of them are corporate, half of them are for charity. It’s been a great summer.

That’s a lot of days on the course. What’s been the most interesting thing that’s happened?
One day, we had a group of Golf Dolls actually go to the wrong course. They were sitting on the course at Wellshire when they were supposed to be at Overland. They were sitting on No. 9 of the wrong course giving things away. That was pretty funny.

Can people still book Golf Dolls for their own tournaments?
Yes, people can still book us for this summer and fall. We hope they do! They can contact us at 720.290.9224 or through the website at www.golfdolls.com.

What’s your favorite Denver activity when you’re not on the golf course?
Going to sporting events with some great friends.

Describe the perfect date.
Start out with a fun spot for dinner, then take in a night on the town!

Would you rather watch golf in person or on TV?
In person, for sure.

Who’s your favorite Denver athlete?
There are way too many to choose from, so I can’t pick just one.

Which team is your favorite?
The Colorado Mammoth, of course!

In golf terms, would you describe yourself as a putter, a chipper or a big hitter?
I would definitely describe myself as a “big hitter.” Just tee it up and I’m ready to go.

ProDance Featured Choreographer - Sean Bankhead

Sean L. Bankhead



Based out of Atlanta, Georgia, check out some of Sean L. Bankhead many accomplishments:

Film/Television
· The Way She Moves promotional featuring Keyshia Cole
· Stomp The Yard
· Step Up 2

Choreography
· Bad Boy Recording Artist, Cherri Dennis, Music Video “Portrait of Love”
· Off Broadway National Shoe Commercial
· P. Diddy Music Video “Diddy Rock” Assistant to Fatima Robinson

Music Videos
· Tiffany Evans – “Promise Ring” (Lead Roll)
· P. Diddy featuring Shawnna & Twista – “Diddy Rock”
· DJ Unk – “2 Step”

Tours
· Tiffany Evans, Promise Ring Promo Tour
· Xscape “Come Back” Tour

Live Performance
· BET’s 106-n-Park Live with Tiffany Evans
· Live At the Apollo with Tiffany Evans
· Lil JJ’s Promotional DVD Taping

ProDance Featured Choreographer - Karl Mundt

Karl Mundt

Karl Mundt’s dynamic style and enthusiasm have made him one of the most sought after choreographers in the U.S. and he has choreographed for some of the top dance programs in the nation. His work has won numerous awards and has been nationally televised and performed throughout the U.S., England and Italy.

Karl has danced in commercials for Adidas, Nike, Sun Micro Systems and for national tours with the Broadway Exchange in New York City. He has performed in a variety of stage productions in Los Angeles, New York, Las Vegas and Atlantic City. He has also set choreography on models for print work, Dance Spirit Magazine and for national dancewear companies. In 2007, he was a choreographer and judge for the International Dance Congress in Mexico.

Get ready for his incredible second season at ProDance!!!

Denver Pirate Cheerleaders Video

Aaron's 2008 AFL Dream Team

Congratulations to Crush Girl/Nuggets Dancer Nicole Hurdle for being named to Aaron's 2008 AFL Dream Team.

Nicole will perform with other AFL entertainment team representatives at the Virgin Mobile Arena Bowl XXII in New Orleans, Saturday, July 27.

Meet the rest of the Dream Team here.

Denver Broncos Cheerleader Calendar Cover Vote

DBC Calendar Girls

Vote for the photo you think should be the cover of the 2009
Broncos Cheerleader calendar.

Vote here.

Broncos Cheerleaders Swimsuit Calendar Shoot

by Teresa Shear, Special to the Rocky Mountain News


The Denver Broncos cheerleaders are shooting their 2009 swimsuit calendar in Riviera Maya, Mexico. Above, Romi Bean.

Members of the Denver Broncos cheerleading squad have been on location in the Riviera Maya this week, shooting next year's cheerleader swimsuit calendar. Squad director Teresa Shear has been sending the Rocky exclusive updates from Mexico as the women hit the beach and model the latest in swim styles.

DAY 4

Day 4, and I have to say our staff is getting a little tired. The early mornings are the hardest on our hair and makeup artists, but Octavio and Sedrique keep going and turning out beautiful work as do our photographers, Rob Hawthorne and Pete Eklund. We all keep each other motivated for each shot to make sure the cheerleaders look their absolute best.

We also have a film crew along documenting the "Making of the 2009 Broncos Cheerleaders Calendar" that will air on Comcast Video on Demand mid-August and be available for sale with our calendar. Sarah Culter (former Broncos cheerleader) is the host of the show and Garron Bateman and Nick Young our camera crew. They have a very scary knack of catching you doing the most embarrassing things on camera and keeping us all laughing at ourselves. I will definitely have to screen the calendar special before it goes on air!

This morning we shot the cover of our 2009 calendar at Maroma Beach. Sorry, but I will have to keep you all in suspense on this photo until our calendar comes out mid-August. I will say that the sunrises here on the Rivera Maya are almost as beautiful as our Colorado sunsets and the cover will not disappoint!

After we finished our cover shot, we started setting up our next shot with redhead Lauren Gardner. Lauren's photo was taken in the "spa" over the water. This place is definitely where I would want to spend an afternoon. It is an open-air hut with massage tables built right over the ocean. We all took a bit of a rest on the massage tables while Rob set up the lighting and we waited for Lauren to finish getting ready. Lauren is quite the comedian. I have to say last year as a rookie, she was pretty quiet, but this year, the real Lauren is coming out.

Next we moved down the beach to Mi Hotelito and our third model/cheerleader of the morning, rookie Christina Connolly. This hotel is beautiful with each suite having its own balcony with its own plunge pool. The architecture along the edge of the suites captured my eye and we worked to find the right angle and pose for Christina with photographer Pete Eklund.

Our final shot of the morning was with one of our captains, four-year veteran Bri Bateman. The white stucco steps of this building really shows off Bri's fun Betsey Johnson suit and her long legs. Beautiful shot, Bri!

With another four shots in the bag, we headed back to the hotel for lunch, pool time and a little rest before our night shot with veteran Stephanie White.

Some of you may recognize Stephanie (formerly Stephanie Smith). Steph was on our team three years ago and was one of our captains. She graduated from CU and applied to Physician's Assistant school with the University of Colorado Medical Center. She was accepted and because of the strenuous class schedule and the time commitment, she was not able to audition for our team and go to PA school at the same time. She finished Physician's Assistant school last year and decided to come back and re-audition. I am thrilled to have her back on this team and proud of her so many of her accomplishments. She is a great example to our rookies, a great leader, intelligent, beautiful and a tremendous athlete. She is in training for a triathlon right now and has run several half marathons (sub two hours). Her best time is 1 hour and 48 minutes, which is pretty fast for 13.1 miles.

As part of our sponsorship with Fun Jet Vacations, two lucky Broncos Fans win a trip to come along on the trip with the Broncos cheerleaders for the calendar shoot. This year, Gwen and Gerry Stokoe from Montana entered to win online at www.denverbroncos.com and joined us in Mexico. They are huge Broncos fans and it was so fun to have them on our trip. They joined us on the beach for Stephanie White's photo shoot and we took a few pictures with them that I included as well.

Visit Day 4 slideshow here.

ProDance Featured Choreographer - Darrin Henson

Darrin DeWitt Henson



You’ve seen Darrin Henson on “Stomp the Yard”, which was #1 at the box office opening weekend! He also starred opposite Anthony Anderson in the “The Last Stand” and opposite Vivica Fox in the “The Salon”. Another featured film credit include “A Good Man is Hard to Find”, which was recently released by Fox Faith. He was also a regular on the Showtime’s series, “Soul Food.”

He solidified his success choreographing for an A-list group of artists including Prince, Michael Jackson, ‘N Sync (he choreographed their award-winning “Bye Bye Bye”), Britney Spears and Jennifer Lopez. In 2000, he won an MTV Video Award for Best Choreographer.

His choreography has reached the masses since 1997 when he released his Darrin’s Dance Grooves and subsequently, Dance Grooves 2, on DVD. It is important to him that people utilize dance as a means of both fitness and creative expression.

ProDance is thrilled to have Darrin back for a second year!!!

Nuggets Dancers Director checks in with the RMS Blog

Hi! My name is Amy Jo Wagner and I am the new dance team director and choreographer for the Denver Nuggets and the Colorado Crush. I wanted to take a quick moment to introduce myself and to thank you for all the support you've given my dance teams. I truly appreciate how often you update your website with dance team news and information. Being new to Denver, I've found your website to be very informative and quite entertaining to review. Thank you again for all your postings of Nuggets Dancers and Crush Girls news. I look forward to reading more about the dance teams here in Denver.

Sincerely,
Amy Jo Wagner
Dance Team Director/Choreographer
Denver Nuggets Dancers
Colorado Crush Girls
ajwagner@pepsicenter.com
(303) 405-1206

Resources for Colorado Dancers

A fan from New Jersey writes the RMS Blog with some resources for dancers...

Hello all. I am a 26 year old dancer that follows all of the latest news pretty closely and attends most of the conventions even outside of New Jersey (where I'm located). I wanted to let you know about a new dancer website called Jig Tv. It has all the best choreographers on it. Dancers can create profiles for free and upload videos for contests, etc. If you subscribe (not sure how much, but I know it's cheap) you can actually take classes from the choreographers on there. They have Brian Friedman, Travis Wall, Blake McGrath, Nick Bass, and the girl that used to run the Nuggets Dancers Sarah Schachterle (she just taught out here and we called her Shack). Word has it that Wade Robson will soon be added as well. Anyway, I thought you might want to let your readers know..

Also, Boogiezone is a great one too. Shack just signed with them to teach in LA in October and if you look it up on youtube, there is tons of footage. It's the same big names; Brian Friedman, Wade Robson, Etc. So, I thought these were two great updates for you and since a girl that worked with all of the cheerleaders out in Colorado is featured on both of them, I thought I'd let you know. I am in Spring Lake, New Jersey and have to go up to the city for classes normally, but Shack came down here and gave us her newsletter/bio.

Ok, thanks and if you'd like, I'll keep you posted on other events.

Carly Gainsberg

Thanks Carly. I am sure our readers will appreciate the update on Shack!

Broncos Cheerleaders Swimsuit Calendar Shoot Update

Teresa Shear, Special to the Rocky Mountain News


Denver Broncos Cheerleader Katie Layman

Members of the Denver Broncos cheerleading squad are on location in the Riviera Maya this week, shooting next year's cheerleader swimsuit calendar. Squad director Teresa Shear is sending the Rocky exclusive updates from Mexico, as the women hit the beach and model the latest in swim styles.

DAY 3

This morning we started hair and makeup at 3 a.m. to get five cheerleaders ready for their shoots at X-Caret (pronounced ish-car-et). X-Caret is an internationally-known ecological park. It is one of the most beautiful places in Mexico. The park features dolphins, sea turtles, lagoons, an underground river, jaguars, plenty of beaches, hammocks to relax in, a butterfly pavilion and much more.

Our first two shots were both set at sunrise in adjacent lagoons with second-year vet Katie Layman and newcomer to the team Erica Golding. Photographers Pete Eklund and Rob Hawthorne set up their equipment and started shooting simultaneously, which was perfect for the light, but a little hard on the rest of the staff and me. We were all running back and forth from shot to shot to make sure everything was just right – hair, makeup, poses, accessories, etc. I have to give it up for our staff. They have all been working so hard. Alex Taylor, one of our current cheerleaders and a captain, took on the role of stylist for the 2009 Calendar. She is up every morning, getting the cheerleaders dressed and accessorized for their shots. She has an amazing sense of style and has made all the cheerleaders look very glamorous.

We had a change of plans for shots three and four at X-Caret. We had originally planned to shoot Mary Johnston at a Mayan archway, but while walking around we found a beautiful hammock grove that was cool, shady and perfect for her bright red suit.

We changed up our fourth shot of the day, starring Amanda Brophy, as well. We found a salt water pool at the edge of the ocean where the waves crashed against spectacular lava rocks right behind where we originally planned to pose her. So, after spending an hour getting her hair done at 3 a.m., all of Octavio’s work was quickly undone and wet.

Melissa Aust, a third-year team member, was our last shot at the butterfly pavilion. She had been scheduled to shoot in a green jungle area, but the waterfall at the entrance captured all of our attention. There had to be a way to get her in that water. It was a good thing we made that change, because the rain started to fall about half way through Melissa’s shoot. Her photo is one of my favorites so far. The more we moved her into the waterfall, the better the photos became. Rob shot with a very slow shutter speed to “freeze” the water as it rolled over the top of her. Just beautiful.

It was the perfect finale to a perfect day at X-Caret.

Tuesday night was a scheduled press reception for the local media as well as local dignitaries in the Riviera Maya area to meet the cheerleaders and ask them questions about the trip. In attendance were the assistant to the mayor, the secretary of tourism, the president of the hotel association, the general manager of the Iberostar property and several local media shooting for their papers. We have several cheerleaders on the team that speak fluent Spanish and were able to communicate and answer their questions. Rob and Pete had also put together a slide show of all the shots we had taken so far on the trip and quite a few behind the scenes photos, as well. I hope you enjoy them.

More soon. Go Broncos!

Visit Day 3 slideshow here.

DAY 2

What an amazing day for photos for our 2009 Broncos Cheerleaders Calendar! The day started with a beautiful sunrise and a very fun and sexy shot of eight of our newest team members, all decked out in custom-made Broncos jersey suits! Liz Harris, Janelle Mangurm, Stefanie Buttars, Perry Jackman, Kim Hildago, Sarah Karlan, Jessica Flores and Brenna Lee all began their day at 3:30 a.m., getting their hair and makeup done for the 6:30 a.m. beach shot. It was another beautiful morning right here on the Mayan Riviera.

This was the first calendar shoot for our rookies, and they all looked amazing. They were so excited and a little nervous for their first shoot as Broncos Cheerleaders. They all bring such a new energy and spirit to our team. I am so exited for our fans to meet the new team members. What a talented and impressive group of women.

After we finished with our rookie shot on the beach, we headed to a new resort at Maroma Beach. We started with Jessie Greenberg in the beautiful pool. Jessie is a second-year team member and I was so excited to work with her one-on-one for her first individual shot in the 2009 calendar.

Karouko Horiike starred in our second shot of the day and she was just breathtaking. I'm not sure if you all know, but Karouko (we call her Kao) is from Japan and moved to Colorado specifically to audition for our team. It has been her dream to be part of the squad since the Denver Broncos Cheerleaders performed at the American Bowl in Japan years ago. She met a Denver Broncos Cheerleader at the game and decided that is what she wanted to be! She is a testament to going after your dreams.

In the middle of the afternoon, we had a torrential downpour and it looked as if the rest of our day was going to be canceled, but we waited it out and after about an hour, the sun came out and it was a beautiful afternoon.

Our next shot was of Katie Kosters. Katie is one of our new team members. We chose a very unique-looking palm tree with an amazing view of the blue water.

Our final shot of the day was with Terita Walker. Terita is a third-year veteran and holds a master’s degree in education. Terita looked beautiful in her hot pink suit against the white sand beach and the turquoise water.

Tomorrow, we visit the internationally-known Xcaret Ecological Park, so log on to get your update on the new team and the 2009 Denver Broncos Cheerleaders Calendar.

Visit the Day 2 slideshow here.

Broncos Cheerleaders Swimsuit Calendar Shoot

Teresa Shear, Special to the Rocky Mountain News
Tuesday, July 8, 2008


Denver Broncos Cheerleader Serita Archuleta

Members of the Denver Broncos cheerleading squad are on location in the Riviera Maya this week, shooting next year's cheerleader swimsuit calendar. Squad director Teresa Shear is sending the Rocky exclusive updates from Mexico, as the women hit the beach and model the latest in swim styles.

DAY 1

Hello Denver Broncos fans! Greetings from the Riviera Maya and the Denver Broncos Cheerleaders 2009 Calendar shoot! What a beautiful sunrise it was today. Day one of our calendar shoot is off to an excellent start. We flew from Denver to Cancun, then took a 30-minute bus ride to our final destination – the Iberostar Paraiso Maya on the beautiful Mayan Riviera.

After a nice dinner and a good night’s rest, our first morning on the beach started with Serita Archuleta, Jamie Dukehart-Conti (the newly crowed Miss Colorado), Sara Oliver and Nicole Moore. We started shooting their photos as the sun came up at 6:30 a.m., but the cheerleaders were awake and in hair and makeup much earlier – 3 a.m.! I am so grateful to our amazing staff – Octavio Molina from Antoine du Chez Salons, makeup artist Sedrique Olison, photographers Rob Hawthore and Pete Eklund and the rest of our Broncos Cheerleader staff. It takes quite a few people to put together our calendar.

Serita is one of four team captains and no stranger to calendar shoots, as a four-year veteran of the squad. Her gold suit glowed as the sun rose on the beach and water. There are a few good things about getting up so early -- the beauty of the early morning and the peace and quiet.

The second shot of the early morning focused on Jamie. In her red, white and blue suit, shot near the lifeguard stand on the Iberostar Beach, Jamie's photo is perfect for our Fourth of July moment.

The third shot is of school teacher Sara Oliver. Sara’s suit is a gorgeous turquoise and gold two-piece that brings out the beautiful colors of the water and rocks in the background.

Shot four goes to beautiful Nicole Moore. Nicole is currently working on her doctorate degree in Pharmacy.

After shooting four models in the early morning, we all needed a break! The Iberostar Paraiso Maya is an incredible resort and we enjoyed an afternoon of fun and sun and then prepared for our evening shots with Alex Taylor and newlywed Jennifer Woodworth. Alex and Jenn are both captains on our team. Alex is a self proclaimed “computer nerd” with a job in IT software sales and Jenn was married in late May to one of our U.S. soldiers recently back from Iraq.

For Alex, we found a very dramatic location we called the “Taj Mahal." She looks so amazing! For Jenn, we found a beautiful walkway and chose to really focus on the fun suit she was wearing.

With day one complete, we all head to bed to get ready for another early morning shooting eight of our rookies. We are off to a great start!

Keep visiting this page the rest of the week to check out some of the beautiful photos from our shoot and hear more about our exciting week shooting our 2009 Denver Broncos Cheerleaders Calendar. The 2009 Calendar will be available mid-August. Check out Denverbroncos.com for more details and information on how purchase your copy.

Visit Day 1's slideshow here.

Colorado Cobras Dancers

Back Row: Jessica, Ayanna
Front Row: Jenna, Ciara, Crystal
Not pictures: Mercedes, Danielle

2008 Denver Pirate Cheerleaders

Back: Jennifer, Aly, Lisa, Lindsay
Front: Jade, Jill, Kayla, Kelley

Movers and Shakers: Jennifer and Lisa are former members of the Pony Xpress and the Belles Performance Team. Jennifer is also a 2 time Denver Broncos Cheerleader finalist. Jill and Kayla are 2007 - 2008 14ers Dancers.

ProDance 2008 Big Bang

Happy 4th of July

We’re starting the fireworks with a
BIG BANG!!!!!!

You’ve seen them ROCKING IT on:

«« So You Think You Can Dance (Fox) ««
«« America’s Best Dance Crew (MTV) ««
«« Rock the Cradle (MTV) ««
«« Rock the Reception (TLC) ««

ONE DAY ONLY!!!
WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 2008
PRODANCE 2008, DALLAS, TEXAS
FAIRMONT HOTEL

NAPOLEON AND TABITHA

America’s hottest choreography duo will work their Hip-hop magic in a phenomenal Master Class on July 30, 2008!!! It will be the ONLY time anyone can take a class from them this summer! THAT’S BIG!!!

Register for ProDance 2008
Low Rate of $375

Exclusive Shopping at NappyTabs Retail Exhibit
Exhibit starting as early as 6pm!!

It’s your opportunity to show your ProDance love and support for Napoleon and Tabitha. Wear your NappyTabs gear to class!! (Are you getting that visual????!!!!) Be in FULL EFFECT!!!!

“Tabitha and Napoleon have contributed so much to ProDance over the past five years. As choreographers, they’re in a class by themselves! I truly appreciate them for taking time out of their busy schedule to be at this year’s event. To me, it speaks volumes about their character, generosity, and BIG LOVE for ProDance!! I can hardly contain my excitement! Ya’ll better be prepared ‘cause WE are going to TEAR IT UP sporting our Nappy Tabs gear in their class and reciprocate that BIG LOVE!!! I’ll see you on the 30th!”

Rosalyn Jones
Founder/CEO, ProDance

Look for the next email blast with the next great choreographer(s) that will be teaching at ProDance 2008.

REGISTER NOW!!!!!
Contact P.A.M. Media Consultants
Amanda@pammediaconsultants.com
(210) 263-9050

P.R.O. Convention

Some pictures from this year's event in Atlanta, June 7 and 8...hope you can make it next year!









Thanks to James of the Pro Cheerleader Blog for capturing these great photos!