ProDance 2010 - Don't Miss Out on THE Premiere Pro Dance Team Convention!!

Where can you gather in one place to prepare for your entire season of dance in less than 2 days, with the ability to take home more than 25 “game-ready”, high-energy, and crowd-pleasing routines? ProDance!

In its 11th year, ProDance has continued to stand above the rest as THE premiere Dance Convention for Pro Dance Teams (NBA, NFL, AFL, NHL, etc.) and the most elite Collegiate Dance Teams in the Nation.

Mark your calendars NOW for July 30th-August 1st at the Eden Roc Renaissance Miami Beach! This year’s event is not to be missed!

REGISTRATION AND HOTEL LINKS ARE NOW AVAILABLE!!
Log onto the ProDance 2010 site for updated information! Click ProDance 2010 for more detail regarding the event!

OUR VENUE…
We are Miami-bound and hosting ProDance 2010 at the impressive Eden Roc Renaissance in Miami Beach. Our special ProDance room block is available now at an unbelievable rate unheard of in the South Beach area for such an amazing venue. Check it out online at Eden Roc Renaissance OR book your reservations immediately by logging onto ProDance 2010.

OUR CHOREOGRAPHERS…
At ProDance, we take our job seriously. Remaining on the cutting edge of the Professional Dance industry is highly important to us! We’ve done our research and have consulted several leading industry professionals to seek out the best of the best for you! As this is not something we take lightly, we have an “all-star” line-up of choreographers who will prepare you to be “game-ready” for your season with material that will excite and entertain.

We’ve listened to your feedback and have already confirmed ProDance Veteran choreographers Shandon Kolberg, ChiChi, and Sean Bankhead. Newly added! Jamie Parrish, recently awarded a 2010 Worlds Title for his Innovative Dance Choreography, Dena and Jenna Spellman AND Donyelle Jones of “So You Think You Can Dance” and “America’s Best Dance Crew” acclaim! In addition, we’re adding several new choreographers who come from a variety of backgrounds. We are all about providing different styles that will result in an innovative mix of dance genres. We know you want to keep it FRESH, and we hear you. ProDance will never be stagnate. We’ll always have the freshest, hottest, latest and greatest…YOU CAN COUNT ON THAT!

OUR ProDance FAMILY…
Join us in Miami along with hundreds of other Pro Dance Team members and Directors from across the Nation!

We are so excited to see you this summer and hope you are ready for an AMAZING experience!

Best Regards,

Rosalyn Jones
Founder, ProDance

Sam Shen
Partner, ProDance

Westfield State Tops In New England

Submitted to College Dance Team Central by the Westfield State Dance Team

The Westfield State College Dance Team defended their New England Championship title at the UDA New England Dance Championships held on April 11, 2010. This is the second time Westfield has won 1st place in the hip hop division beating out teams like UConn, Quinnipiac University , Keene State and Bentley University . The team was comprised of 13 members: 4 Captains: Valerie Skalinsky , Michelle Ronayne, Jennie Beneway & Meg O’Connell as wells as: Jodi Hogan, Meghan Simmons, Marley Aitken, Stephanie Desmond, Taylor Murphy, Caroline Kelly, Allie McLaughlin, Nicole Post and Jennelle LeMoine.

“This year was a very special year for me because I started coaching 4 years ago so this group of seniors was the group that I started with” said Alia Camerota, one of the coaches of the team. “It was very bittersweet because I knew that this would be the last time I got to watch this group dance. After 4 years of long practices, competitions and trips to FL, I’ve gotten really close to these girls and it will be very hard for me to not have them on the team next year.”

When I started coaching, the team was new, inexperienced and had never had a coach. The first year, we jumped right into competitions and did everything we could to put our names out there. It was a very important year because we got to know each other and our strengths and weaknesses as a team. Former team Captain and founder Allison Scully is now a co-coach. She and I started the team at our High School years ago and we always worked really well together. It worked out perfectly having her as my captain at Westfield and then moving on to coaching with me once she graduated. We had always watched the College Nationals on ESPN and admired the teams there so we made it a goal that we would attend the UDA National competition in FL the following year. That goal really made the girls push themselves and work their hardest knowing that there would be a lot of very good, well known teams in attendance.

After a successful trip to Florida , we went on to compete locally and we have been undefeated ever since. We have won the QU Dance Challenge 3 years in a row along with many other New England competitions.

I am so proud of what the girls have accomplished. For such a small school to beat division 1 schools says a lot about hard work. Before nationals in January, we were putting in 7-8 hour practices. Instead of enjoying their winter break the girls returned to campus in early January to have 2-a-days. As much work as it was, the team really enjoyed spending time together. Even when not at practice, most of them spend a lot of time with each other and some of them even live together. The memories we’ve created will last a lifetime and I have been very fortunate to have such a wonderful group of girls that I am extremely proud of.

Our first round of try-outs was held at the beginning of May and we will have a second round in early September for the upcoming season.

Feature: West Virginia Dancer Ariel Fink

Beckley native on WVU team that won national competition
By Andrea Lannom
The Register Herald

BECKLEY — Dancing has been a lifelong passion for Beckley native Ariel Fink, and just recently, she got the opportunity to go with her team from West Virginia University to a national dance competition. Not only was this opportunity great, but the fact that her team won was a dream come true.

The National Dance Alliance Collegian Dance Competition took place in Daytona Beach and had around 255 national and select international schools participating. Ariel’s team competed in the open division, which is a bit different from normal competitions, Fink said. With the open division, the team decides what songs they’re going to use and what style of dance they’re going to do. The song they chose was “Dare You to Move” by Switchfoot.

“It was very different,” she said. “With the nature of the open division dancing, you really had to dance from the heart. You had to be different and really feel the music deep inside.”

Dancing and music have always been something to which Fink has an emotional attachment. She started dancing at an early age and said she even remembers how she felt when watching her first performance.

“When I was really little, my mom took me to see ‘The Nutcracker’ and the entire time I just sat still watching,” Fink said. “I was so mesmerized by the performance, even then.”

With all of her years of dancing from beginnings at the Beckley Dance Theatre School to joining the dance team at Woodrow Wilson High School, practice was something she became accustomed to. This competition was no exception. Fink had to go through strict dancing regimens and even skip out on spring break.

“We had a pretty steady regimen and we practiced quite a bit through the week, even through spring break,” she said. “While everyone was at the beach, we were working on perfecting our regimen. It was worth it, though, because it really gave us that competitive edge.”

The team also had to raise at least $17,000 to compete. Because the dance team is not funded, many of the people on the team have to raise their own money and even buy things like uniforms out of pocket.

“Our team was part of the athletics division at one time but not anymore,” she said. “Right now, we don’t receive any funding, but we’re working on becoming a club.”

Even with fundraising and practice, she managed to take on a 21-hour class workload and has been able to make the dean’s list every semester, she said.

“It’s exhausting to try to balance everything, but it’s worth it,” she said. “I always like to have a lot of things to do, so I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Even with her dedication and practice, she says she still felt a little nervous when she first stepped on the stage. Yet this feeling was fleeting.

“There’s always that feeling before you step out on the stage where you feel a tinge of nervousness, yet that goes away when you start dancing,” she said. “Eventually you just give it all you’ve got and you feel a calmness sweep over you.”

She plans to continue her passion of dancing even after school by looking into professional dance teams. First, however, she wants to get her doctorate in audiology.

“One of my big dreams is to be on a professional team some day, maybe for the NFL or something,” she said. “Hopefully when I go to school to get my doctorate, I will find an opportunity to find a professional dance team.”

Fresno State School Spirit Unites

By Megan Morales
The Collegian Online

The Fresno state cheer squad, dance team and mascot will join forces next fall for one outstanding team of Bulldog pride.

While Fresno State has always shown passion, spirit and pride at sporting events through its dance and cheer teams and through its mascot, Timeout, this fall all three will collaborate with each other to create a unified Fresno State Spirit Squad.

Although the teams will be joining forces to create one large team of spirit, they will each still hold their individual role as a dancer, cheerleader and of course, Timeout will still be Timeout. The collaboration is an attempt to enhance the fan’s excitement and provide a more intense experience for the crowd.

Former Fresno State cheerleader Nichol Gagnon, will assume the position of Associate Head Coach of the cheer program and thinks the formation of a cohesive Spirit Squad is an idea that will benefit everyone involved.

“I feel that having these three teams as one will be a great addition to Fresno State,” Gagnon said. “We are all at Fresno State events to get the crowd pumped up, so it only makes sense to bring us together. With cheer, dance and Timeout as one, it will show our school spirit and our willingness to work together. We will also be able to showcase our amazing talent in a much larger aspect.”

Bringing the squads together as one is expected to present a better quality of entertainment at the athletic events, and ensure fans go home happy.

“I definitely think it will be beneficial to have these teams working together,” Gagnon said. “We will be able to put on better shows and impress the audience more. There will be more joint performances, which means there will be more to look at.”

In addition to the collaboration, a new scholarship, The Timeout Spirit Award, has been established and will be awarded to the students who portray Timeout.

The scholarship was developed by the Bulldog Pride Scholarship Fund of the Fresno State Alumni Association. Those receiving the annual $2,000 scholarship will be awarded for their performance as Timeout.

In a recent release from gobulldogs.com, founder of the Bulldog Pride Scholarship Fund Peter Robertson said he is thrilled about providing a scholarship that entails academic excellence as well as Fresno State pride.

Associate Athletics Director of External Relations Paul Ladwig said he sees great things for the future with the collaboration of teams.

“I am as excited as everyone else about this combination to enhance the spirit squad,” Ladwig said. “Having all the teams working together will only make our game day presentation better. With three quality coaches newly hired we will continue the excellence and professionalism of the Fresno State Cheer and Dance teams.”

As for becoming Timeout, Ladwig said there are two returning seniors who will receive the scholarship, and they are considering having a tryout for a third.

If applying for the position of the infamous mascot sounds like something you could see yourself doing, Ladwig said qualification requirements include, “energy, school spirit, ability to dance, work with others, love to entertain, love to be the show and great physical condition.”

With all excitement around the new plans, one can expect great things just as everyone involved does.

“This upcoming year will be awesome, we just had tryouts for the 2010-2011 team and we had so much talent that tried out,” Gagnon said. “We will be an amazing team!”

NCSU Dance Team Coach Charged With Embezzlement

ABC Local WTVD

RALEIGH (WTVD) -- North Carolina State University's dance team coach is facing embezzlement charges.

According to an arrest warrant, 27-year-old Jamila Wright of Raleigh is accused of taking $21,000 in currency, goods and services from the Wolfpack Howlin' Hunnies.

She was arrested Wednesday and released on a $2,000 bond.

According to police, the embezzlement took place between December 2007 and February 2010.

Wright is a graduate of NC State and danced on the team before becoming coach.