Nuggets dancer finds adrenaline rush inside, outside the arena

By Aaron J. Lopez, Nuggets.com, 11-28-11

For a self-proclaimed adrenaline junkie, it seemed only appropriate to celebrate a milestone birthday at 18,000 feet.
And at 17,000 feet … 16,000 feet … 15,000 feet … 14,000 feet …

Denver Nuggets Dancer Chelsea doesn’t look like your stereotypical daredevil, but there she was jumping out of an airplane on her 21st birthday alongside her mom, dad and best friend. In the spring, she plans to take another jump with her 65-year-old grandfather.

“It’s not what you would expect,” Chelsea said. “It’s not as scary as you would think.”

The fear factor is minimal for someone who enjoys whitewater rafting in the Colorado mountains and jumping off 30-foot cliffs at Rock Island State Park in her home state of Tennessee. Those outdoor activities still take a back seat to the thrill of the NBA stage.

“Thousands of people screaming, the energy that you feel, there’s nothing like it,” Chelsea said. “When it’s the playoffs and there’s seven seconds left on the clock and we win, that’s the most exhilarating feeling I’ve ever had – even over skydiving.”

Now in her third season on the Nuggets dance team, Chelsea (pronounced Chel-SEE-uh) has a schedule to match her outgoing personality.

She is taking 18 credit hours at Arapahoe Community College and will continue pursuing her business marketing degree at Metro State College in the spring; she coaches the junior varsity pom squad at Castle View High School; she practices twice a week with the Nuggets dancers; and she helps conduct in-home jewelry parties as part of her job with Premier Design Jewelers.

“It’s healthy to be busy,” Chelsea said. “It teaches you good lessons about time management.”

As a veteran on the 2011-12 Nuggets dance team, Chelsea takes pride in sharing those lessons with her teammates.

“As a rookie, it’s all a learning experience,” she said. “When you come back your second and third year, you know where things are and how to organize things. You’re more prepared. That makes for a better season.”

Chelsea and the Nuggets dancers have been able to bond this fall through community appearances, practices and social gatherings. In addition to being full-time students or full-time employees – sometimes both – Nuggets dancers typically practice three times a week and make dozens of community appearances throughout the season.

"When people get know us, they find out that we’re very sincere and genuine," Chelsea said. "We have to work for what we’ve earned.”

If the busy schedule isn’t enough to keep Chelsea grounded, her birthday certainly offers perspective. Born on Sept. 11, 1990, her annual celebration changed forever when America came under attack and the World Trade Center came crashing down on her 11th birthday.

“It’s even a little more in my heart,” Chelsea said. “I remember that day so vividly. My mom and I always give our thanks and pray for those families every birthday. It’s a celebration but in the back of your mind, it’s a tragic day.”

Every Sept. 11, Chelsea and her mom – a longtime member of the Air Force – attend a memorial service before the birthday celebration begins. The parties are typically not centered around cake-and-ice cream.

After all, it’s impossible to light the candles while plummeting from 18,000 feet.