Today is Day 5 and I have decided to sleep in. My photo shoot was scheduled for early morning on day 6, so I was going to take advantage of the extremely comfortable beds at the Ritz Carlton. I hear a knock at my door. Naturally, I ignored it. Its Sunday 9 a.m. and the person knocking clearly has the wrong room. The knock continues and I got out of bed to answer it. Two of my teammates, Allyson and Margaret, are at the door. They inform me that my photo shoot has been changed to today. My first thought was “No big deal, I am just going to roll with the punches.” Plus, the crew was already shooting at the first location so I assumed I wouldn’t have my shoot until later in the day. My second was to get back into my bed. No more than five minutes later I hear another knock at the door. I get up and it’s Allyson again telling me that I have to be on location for my photo shoot ready to go in less than one hour. I thought she was joking around, but when I started to wake up a bit, I picked up on her sense of urgency. Ultimately, I decided that if I wanted to have my calendar photo taken I should probably get out of bed sooner than later.
I am not going to lie to you Broncos country, I had an overwhelming feeling of panic when I shut the door the second time. I wasn’t prepared to take my photo today. I will spare you the details but trust me friends, I needed more time than one hour! I had made it a personal goal to take the best photo I could. I was worried that being rushed was going to ruin that goal. My panic stopped when I reminded myself, that there are real problems in the world and having to rush around for a couple of hours to have my photo taken was not one of them. So, I got some coffee, I got over myself, and in less than one hour I was ready to depart to the location for my photo shoot.
A short car ride later I arrived at a beautiful house called “The Ski Castle” located in Arrowhead Colorado. I was warmly welcomed by the home owners Scott & Janie Cliver. I was honored to meet some of their family and enjoy the delicious coffee cake and cookies that Janie had made for our entire crew. After arriving at the home I had the opportunity to watch three of my teammates take their photos. The first shot of the day was third year veteran Katie Kosters. She was breathtaking in her gold suit standing in the main arch way of the home. Katie’s smile lights up the room and it ended up being a wonderful way to start the day. Next up was one of our rookies Patricia. Patricia’s photo was taken in a fantastic brick waterfall that was located on the back deck of the home. As I watched Patricia I was blown away by her ability to take the direction from Rob, our photographer. She looked beautiful and I was so proud of her. Last but not least, was second year veteran Lelanna. The setting for Lelanna’s photo was the Grotto located inside the home. The grotto area, for those of us without them, is basically an indoor hot tub. It was all stone, had a waterfall, and the most inviting seating area. Lelanna wore a red suit and looked absolutely amazing.
I blinked and I was up next. It was now or never and I said a little prayer as I walked up the stairs for my shoot. I took my photo on the “Romeo and Juliet” balcony located in the front of the home. I wore a navy blue laced monokini (it is a real word, I am not making it up) and I was put at ease when my coaches and a couple of my teammates were there to cheer me on. With the help of them and the crew I started to relax. I had a blast and the photo turned out beautifully with the architecture of the home and mountains as my back drop. Scott and Janie even jumped in and took a couple photos with me!
After we got back to the Ritz, I went downstairs to the lobby and caught some of Sam’s photo shoot taking place in the hotel bar area. Sam is a second year veteran and professional model. Sam looked flawless in her sequined black suit and sliver heels. As I watched Sam I was thinking two things; I can’t believe someone’s legs actually look like that in real life, and Sam is just as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside.
As an avid “planner” I realized being rushed every once in a while isn’t always a bad thing. If I hadn’t shot on day 5 I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to meet the Cliver family. I also wouldn’t have been able to take a moment to be reminded of the true beauty of each one of my teammates. My teammates and coaches talked me through my anxiety and put my mind at ease. It was with the love and support of my Broncos family that I made it through my rushed day, and made my third calendar experience my most successful.
Go Broncos!
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
2012 Calendar Shoot: Day 5
2012 Calendar Shoot: Day 4
Day on the Ranch – Day 4
Day 4 was a big day with 6 cheerleaders all prepared to capture their perfect shot. The morning began with an early 4 am call time for hair and make-up to make the 5:45 am departure. Nikki and Katie W. traveled to a private residence with a gorgeous view and spectacular pool. It was a cloudy and chilly morning and the girls were freezing, but the shoot must go on! Katie W. was first and looked stunning as she layed poolside in her Blue and Orange bikini. Time was not our side today because we were fighting the clouds and rain all day. By the time Katie W. wrapped up her shot, it was time to head back to the hotel, and Nikki’s shoot was pushed back to the afternoon. But first both girls had to jump in the hot tub to rejuvenate their bodies from the cold.
The day continued back at the Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch were the next group of cheerleaders were getting ready for our next location. Nikki, Kim, Jenna, Lauren H. and Jess all headed back out to 4 Eagle Ranch and spent the day as “cowgirls” YEE HAW!
Nikki started us off as our “Patriotic Cowgirl” complete with her red bikini, American Flag and of course her rustic cowboy boots. She looked adorable and stunningly beautiful as she saluted to our soldiers.
Next to shoot was Kim as our “Flamin’ Hot Cowgirl” cozied up on the porch with her black hat and boots and the fire roasting in the background.
Mid-afternoon the clouds finally rolled over and opened up a gorgeous backdrop for our next shoot. Jenna, our “All-American Rodeo Cowgirl” headed out to the pastures for her scenic shot. She rounded up her Palomino horse named Tony while strutting her “daisy dukes” and classic cowboy hat.
Lauren H. was our “Barbie Doll Cowgirl” all “dolled up” in her pink and white polka dot bikini and of course, our infamous white cowboy boots! Her playful and cute personality shined as she captured her photo on the ranch’s swing set.
Our day wrapped up with Jess, our “Frontier Cowgirl” as she posed perfectly in an old, wooden wagon. Her black and white themed bikini and cowboy boots fit great with the ambiance and setting while capturing a rustic, cowgirl shot.
In true Broncos fashion, our “cowgirl” cheerleaders and crew had a great, successful day on the ranch!
2012 Calendar Shoot: Day 3
Another beautiful morning here in Beaver Creek! We start today with our first shot at the famous Holden Cabin right on the Beaver Creek Golf Course. Becky is our first model of the day and our first western theme. Shepler’s Western Wear provided us some really beautiful cowboys boots and hats for this year’s calendar shoot that are perfect for quite a few of our locations. We loaded up the cars for the quick drive from Bachelor’s Gulch to Beaver Creek (just around the corner), unload our staff and equipment and get started. We have a 9 a.m. deadline to finish before the first round of golfers make their way to hole 14, right where we are shooting at Holden Cabin. Becky is stunning and in incredible shape. Her job requires it as the Director of Fitness for a local fitness company and a Broncos Cheerleader. I love the setting of her photo and the way that it captures the feel of Beaver Creek.
Next up on the schedule was Tristan, one of our rookies. Anderson Cabin, right around the corner from the Ritz Carlton Bachelor Gulch, was the setting for her photo. For Tristan, we decided on a snow shot and borrowed some really cool white furry Tecnica boots to complete her outfit. Right in the middle of her photo shoot, a huge storm rolled in and fast! We barely had time to get the equipment covered and Tristan covered before everything was soaked. 15 minutes later, it was clear and sunny!
Our next location was a little further up the mountain at the famous Trapper’s Lodge. This lodge is so cool! It is right on the ski run and during the winter, guests are shuttled up the mountain on the snow cats with their luggage. You can even hire a personal chef to cook for you all week while you ski and enjoy the scenery. We had originally scheduled to shoot 2 cheerleaders at the Lodge, but the weather would not hold up. Kara, another rookie to the team, enjoyed the stormy weather in the hot tub at Trapper’s Lodge until another major rain cloud rolled in and we headed down to find an indoor location for Lindsey.
The Ritz Carlton has several Penthouses on the top floors of the hotel that are privately owned. The management of the Penthouses was kind enough to let us shoot Lindsey inside and we were able to stay on scheduled despite the weather! Again, I can’t say enough how accommodating the Ritz Carlton staff has been for our hectic week in Beaver Creek. Really incredible!
Our last shot of the day was Toni. We had been rained out the day before and were hoping for a beautiful sunset after a day of rain and sure enough, we got it! There is a beautiful lookout spot just up the road from the hotel and it was an amazing Broncos Sunset. So many Broncos fans stopped by to watch the shoot along with a few fans of other teams that we converted to the orange and blue.
More to come tomorrow!
2012 Calendar Shoot: Day 2
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We started Day 2 with a 4:00 am hair and makeup call for Margaret and Heather for a beautiful sunrise shot at Lake Dillon. We were fortunate enough to have our friend Rick donate his sailboat for the morning. First up was Heather on the bow of the sailboat “Mischief” with the Colorado sunrise reflecting off the water. It made for an absolutely gorgeous shot to start off our second day. Next up was Margaret, who posed gracefully in front of the main sail. Her blue and white striped suit certainly fit the nautical theme of the morning shot. Although the weather was chilly, both girls toughed it out and ended up with the perfect Rocky Mountain lake snapshot.
The second photo session of the day was Kristin back in the lobby of our “home base” hotel – the Ritz Carlton. The fireplace was roaring (good thing because it was raining outside!) It was a shot that definitely depicts the entire feel of the Ritz Carlton Bachelor Gulch.
The third shot of the day was Allyson and Bachelor, a 16 week old St. Bernard puppy. Bachelor, named after Bachelor Gulch, is the 7th “Bachelor” for the Ritz Carlton. The shot took place along side of Ritz Carlton-Bachelor Gulch. Although the puppy was excited (and distracted!), the pictures of Allyson turned out great. It was a fun and playful shot. Not everyone is lucky enough to shoot with a dog let alone a puppy that is as sweet as Bachelor.
Last shot of the day was Toni! Our design team got her all ready to go in her Blue and Orange Broncos bathing suit. She looked absolutely stunning. We brought her up to the top of the mountain for a gorgeous sunset shot and it began to downpour! Although the landscape with the mountains and wildflowers looked gorgeous in the rain, Toni’s hair and makeup wouldn’t hold up so we moved her sunset shot to the next day.
Seven cheerleaders are done shooting and we have another 19 shots to go! All the ladies are looking beautiful and I can’t wait to tell you about all the exciting shots to come!
2012 Cheerleader Calendar Shoot
Day One:
The Ritz Carlton Bachelor’s Gulch is beautiful and the perfect setting (and home base) for our 2012 Denver Broncos Cheerleader Calendar! We can’t thank the Ritz Carlton Bachelor’s Gulch enough for their partnership for this year’s calendar. The staff, service and resort are amazing. Today, we spent the day at the pool, spa and the night time hot spot – the fire pit. Our very first shot today featured a local Vail girl and second year team member- Megan Brooks. Next up, Michelle Sommers – both at the beautiful pool and hot tubs. For our third shot of the day featuring Lauren, we moved to the Spa’s Grotto Room – an incredible place to relax after a massage or spa treatment.
For our last shot of the day, we waited until the sun had set and the fire pit was roaring. We did our best to make sure that all the resort guests had their fill of s’mores (a nightly activity at the fire pit) and then moved in for Lindy’s night shot. Day 1 was a success and we are off to bed for an early morning call time – 4:30 a.m. for hair and make-up as we make our way to Lake Dillon for sunrise on the lake. Stay tuned all week for day by day updates from the Denver Broncos Cheerleaders 2012 Calendar Shoot at the Ritz Carlton Bachelor’s Gulch.
Dancers Begin Training Camp
The 26 finalists to be Denver Nuggets Dancers take part in training camp at Forza Fitness and Performance Club. Liz Weglicki / Movement Strategy
After emerging from more than 100 hopefuls who took part in auditions, 26 women began training camp this week in their pursuit of a becoming a Denver Nuggets Dancer. The finalists will take part in four training-camp sessions, with the 18-person team set to be announced on July 25.
PHOTO GALLERY | AUDITION RESULTS | AUDITION PHOTOS
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Training camp next for Denver Nuggets Dancers finalists
By Aaron J. Lopez, Nuggets.com, 7-11-11
Over the next two weeks, 26 women will experience the dancing equivalent of boot camp.
The payoff will be one of 18 spots with the Denver Nuggets Dancers.
The 26 finalists were selected from of a field of more than 100 candidates who took part in two days of audition at the Pepsi Center on July 9-10. Up next is four days of training camp at Forza Fitness and Performance Club on July 12, 14, 19 and 21.
“Everyone who came out for the auditions was amazing,” said Denver Nuggets Dancers coordinator and choreographer Amy Jo Wagner. “The judges had the difficult task of finding the top 26. We are very excited to see how they perform during training camp.”
Seven of the finalists were members of the 2010-11 Denver Nuggets Dancers, while four others were on the squad in previous seasons.
Wagner emphasized that previous experience with the Nuggets does not guarantee a final spot on the 2011-12 dance team.
“The biggest thing about being a returner is you know what to expect,” Wagner said. “That’s half the battle, being able to prepare yourself mentally for the two weeks ahead. I don’t think (first-time candidates) understand how difficult training camp is.”
Each training-camp session will include a one-hour workout with a personal trainer and two hours of dancing. The finalists learned two dance routines during auditions and will add two more during training camp.
“Four routines is a lot to learn in just two weeks,” Wagner said.
Wagner and a panel of judges will select the final 18 dancers, with the roster scheduled to be announced on July 25.
Here is a list of the 26 finalists, along with their professional dance experience.
Amber – Rookie Candidate
Angela – Rookie Candidate / Mammoth Wild Bunch 2005-11
Ashlee – Rookie Candidate / Mammoth Wild Bunch 2011
Brigitte – Rookie Candidate / Mammoth Wild Bunch 2011
Brooke – Rookie Candidate / Denver Outlaws Dancer 2010, 2011
Casey – Denver Nuggets Dancer 2010-11
Cassie - Rookie Candidate
Chelsea – Denver Nuggets Dancer 2009-11
Didi – Rookie Candidate / Mammoth Wild Bunch 2010
Dominique – Rookie Candidate
Emily - Rookie Candidate
Jacqlyn – Denver Nuggets Dancer 2008-10
Jana – Denver Nuggets Dancer 2009-10
Jessica – Denver Nuggets Dancer 2008-09, 2010-11
Kady - Rookie Candidate
Kali - Denver Nuggets Dancer 2009-11
Kate - Rookie Candidate / Mammoth Wild Bunch 2010, 2011
Katie – Denver Nuggets Dancer 2008-09
Kirsten – Rookie Candidate
Krista – Denver Nuggets Dancers 2008-11
Koko – Rookie Candidate
Miranda - Denver Nuggets Dancer 2009-10
Morgan – Denver Nuggets Dancer 2010-11
Peyton – Rookie Candidate
Ryann – Denver Nuggets Dancers 2010-11
Torrie – Rookie Candidate
Monday, July 11, 2011
Narrowing the Field
More than 100 women tried out for the 2011-12 Nuggets Dance Team, with 26 advancing to take part in training camp. The finalists were selected after two days of face-paced auditions at the Pepsi Center as the Nuggets sought bright, energetic women to be part of one of the top dance teams in the NBA.
PHOTO GALLERY
2011-2012 Denver Nuggets Dancers auditions
So you think you can dance for the Denver Nuggets?
July 9, 2011
Credit:Carly Rose Moser
Girls traveled from near and far to try out and show off their stuff to the judges and possibly make the cut to become one of the elite Denver Nuggets Dancers. And trust us, just watching these girls rehearse their 1st audition piece is exhausting.
This weekend the Nuggets hosted the preliminaries and semi-final dance auditions for new dancers for the 2011-2012 season. Those that make it through this weekend will go through a vigorous training camp next week and then have their final audition on July 21st. These judges have their hands full with talented girls giving it their all, but we're pretty sure they don't hate their jobs. We wouldn't either. Are you still reading? — Carly Rose Moser, special to Metromix
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Momma Said Knock You Out - NLL CO Mammoth Wild Bunch Dance Team
The Colorado mammoth Wild Bunch Dance Team performs "Momma Said Knock You Out" on April 15, 2011.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
DND 2nd Annual "Little Black Dress Party"
Time: Friday, July 22 at 8:00pm - July 23 at 12:00am
Location: Bodies By Perseverance, 320 East 17th Avenue, Denver, CO
Tickets are on sale now for $25 per guest
Tickets are $30 at the door, so buy them NOW!!!
Attendees will be able to enjoy food and refreshments free of charge.
There will be music, auction items and great company.
All the proceeds of this event will provide each girl with the opportunity to accompany the Denver Outlaws to the National Championship in late August.
Also, a portion of these proceeds will be donated to Sew Much Comfort.
Contact one of your fellow Denver Outlaws Dancers for tickets or email outlawsdanceteam@hotmail.com for more information.
Hope to see you there!