ROOKIE KORNER

Basketball!!

2008-12-23T12:52:00.003-05:00

So we are now in Basketball Season and it is so exciting! Lately the games have been pretty full and the crowd is fun to dance in front of. We perform sidelines on the side of the court as the team plays along with performing during at least one timeout. There's a new routine every game for our timeout session, that way the crowd never sees the same thing twice :)

Basketball is much different than football . We are divided into three groups. If there is a double header or too many games in one week 2 of the 3 groups will perform at the game while 1 group will have the game off. It is much more relaxed, the crowd doesn't seem to get too riled up, but it is also very fun for us because we get to do little cheers with the cheerleaders and have our own sidelines routines within our smaller groups. Football was all about doing everything BIG and beautiful, and though basketball requires the same thing, we have more of a bonding experience with this season because we spend more time with our groups and make up short sidelines and different ways to cheer for say a 3 pointer . I am enjoying it so far and I can't wait to get deeper into the season!!

That's it for now, come back to read more about my RookiE year as a Golden Dazzler :)

HOMECOMING GAME!!

2008-11-11T14:24:00.004-05:00

Let me just begin by saying, not only was this game the most fun, but it was also the best played game by our football team ever! I think many learned never to doubt our football team no matter what the circumstance or what team we're playing :) Our team was up for the first quarter and then down for a little while, and then they became victorious over Arkansas!

At the beginning of the game the stadium was pretty empty and the crowd was quiet. As always we danced our hearts out because that's just what we love to do :) As time passed the stadium began to get fuller and fuller, and the crowd kept getting louder and louder. It became so loud in the fourth quarter between the crowd, the band, and the music, that we couldn't even hear cheers being called. But it was honestly the most exciting point during the game! Everyone went wild as Dustin Rivest kicked that game winning point in the fourth quarter! FIU won 22 to 21!

I had the absolute MOST fun during this game, and it was phenomenal that we won our homecoming game! I wouldn't have missed it for the world! That's it for now, come back to read even greater experiences of my life as a RooKie on DaZZLerS 08 -09 :)

FIU vs. Middle Tennessee

2008-10-16T09:41:00.016-04:00

This was the second game of the season, and they only seem to be getting better!! :) When I walked on the field for this game, I had a feeling it was going to be extraordinary, and it was! The stadium was almost full and the crowd was exciting! As always we danced the first quarter on the West side of the field, away from the students. When we finally did get to dance near the student section, the whole team's energy escalated! It is always awesome dancing near the students because they are loud and extremely supportive :)

The highlight of the night, besides FIU winning the game on our home field, was our Captain, Vanessa, getting her spotlight during the game! She had an interview featured on the Jumbo-tron including pictures and clips of her dancing. It was exciting and fun for the whole team because we got to stand behind her a support her through halftime as the video played :)

Anyway, the end of the game was by far the most exciting point in FIU history of football thus far. WE WON! FIU had won a game in our new stadium! The whole crowd went crazy, as did our team. We ran over to the student section and cheered as FIU gained their victory over Middle Tennessee!

This game was amazing and I can't wait for the next one because I know it is going to be even better!! Okay that's it for now, come back to read more about my Rookie year as a Dazzler :) <3

First Football Game!! FIU vs. USF

2008-09-23T10:05:00.006-04:00

BEST BEST BEST Football game ever!! At least for me it was! It was exhilarating and exciting to dance in front of a huge crowd! Before the game started, all of the Dazzlers took center field and stood right behind Syesha while she sang the national anthem. It was really nerve-racking to stand behind her. There were cameras everywhere! She did a great job singing and I scored my 15 minutes of fame on the news later that night!

Once she was finished we took our spot on one side of the field and began our sideline routines. As the Captains were trying to call sidelines and give directions, we the USF band kept playing over all of our music, and no one could hear a thing. All in all I think the Captains did a great job calling sidelines and keeping the team together. For the second and third quarter of the game, we moved to the opposite side of the field closest to the students. It was so exciting to dance on that side because it was mainly our home team supporters and they were LOUD! I felt like I was in a whirlwind of cheers. The students got even louder when we performed our "Time-out" kick line routine. The crowd went nuts and it gave me a huge rush of adrenaline hearing how much they loved us!!
The game was awesome and FIU scored a touchdown! That was the highlight of all the fans' night, including myself. It truly was an awesome game and I can't wait to step on that field again in October!!

That's it for now!

Come back to read more about my 08-09 year as a Rookie on Dazzlers :) xoxo

Freshman Convocation

2008-09-01T18:39:00.006-04:00

This was our first performance as a team, and it was awesome!
From the second we began walking on the floor to the second we walked off, all I felt was a whole bunch of adrenaline running though my body. It was exhilarating performing for such a large audience and seeing their reactions. I had performed in pep rallies for my high school prior to being a Dazzler, but the size of this audience compared to my high school audience was drastic. There were a couple thousand people there, and not only were they sitting right in front of me, there was also people sitting above me! It was crazy to hear the audience cheer us on as we performed. And every time I heard my name it just gave me an even bigger boost of energy. I had a lot of fun performing at Freshman Convocation and I thought it was a great chance for us to perform as a team for the first time! I can't wait to perform again at another event and hear the audience cheer!

This was ultimately an awesome experience and I can't wait for it again next year! That's it for now, come back to read more about my Rookie year on DaZZLers :) P.S. Remember to come to the football games and cheer for us!

DAZZLER PHOTOSHOOT

2008-08-11T23:24:00.008-04:00

This was by far the most fun day! We met at FIU at like 8am, and we had our make-up and hair done for us. We also received our brand new uniforms! I love them! (Make sure you come to a football game to see them:) First off, we started with individual shots, and while each girl went we had a photo shoot of our own. We jumped around taking pictures and laughing, it really was a lot of fun. After everyone took their individual photo we moved down to a big studio where we began the process of taking a team photo. Brenda (our wonderful Coach) put us all in a formation and meticulously began fixing us and moving us to different spots. I was seated on basically my left thigh alone, and it was painful after sitting there and holding my self up while keeping my legs crossed like a princess, and rolling back my shoulders, and fixing my hair, and turning my shoulders to face forward, and pointing my feet... it was hard! But honestly I would do it all over again because I know the end result is going to come out amazing.

After we took over 200 pictures of the team, we were spilt up into Veterans and Rookies. The Vet pictures came out amazing from what I saw, and I'm sure the Rookie picture came out great too. For the Rookie picture I was standing and it was so much more comfortable! :) Now after a long day of taking pictures we were finally done at about 3:30pm.

I had never taken so many pictures in my life, but it was awesome because I felt like a superstar! I loved Dazzler photo day and I hope you all make it a point to check out or new poster when it comes out! As for now, make sure to come back and read more about my life as a Rookie on Dazzlers for the 2008-09 year xoxo :)

Dazzler of the Day!!

2008-08-05T21:36:00.002-04:00

Our fourth practice of the year, I have to say was one of the hardest. A choreographer (Leo) came to teach us a hip-hop routine and he was awesome, but the routine was quick paced. It was basically an hour and a half of learning a cardio routine. His choreography was awesome but I was having trouble picking up on the small beats that he heard in the music and I didn't. It was a challenge because trying to listen for something that you can't hear is difficult. But anyway, I pushed myself through the practice and tried my hardest to pick up all the choreography, and in the end I did. I felt great the last time I performed the routine because I had accomplished something I didn't expect to. This practice taught me something important that I had not physically learned until now; if you set your mind to giving up, you will give up... but if you just tell yourself "keep going; don't stop," you'll get through it, and end up surprising yourself. At the end of practice we all huddled around Brenda for closing remarks and to my surprise she gave out two awards. One to Linette for being Dazzler of the Day, and the second to me! I was Rookie Dazzler of the Day, and I was ecstatic! It was great achieving something I hadn't expected to AND win a little gift for it! It was an hard practice with a great ending, and I felt very accomplished. :) That's it for now. :) Come back soon to read more about my rookie year as a DaZZLeR <3

First Dazzler Practice!!

2008-07-19T21:31:00.003-04:00

My first Dazzler practice was awesome! We did a bunch of technique combinations (like turns and jumps), learned a jazz routine, and learned the traditional kickline routine. I have to say though, the kick routine was the hardest for me. I had never done kickline before but I practiced for like two hours on my own the next day until I got it perfectly. Lauren, another Dazzler (and last year blog author), even practiced it with me at the gym =)

Anyway, at the end of practice we had to run a mile... and yes, as much as we all were tired, we pushed through and finished. It wasn't so bad, it's just something to get used to. I was just glad to finish my first practice in one piece! It really was a great practice and I felt really accomplished!

Keep reading for more insights in my life as a DaZZLer =)

Auditions

2008-05-16T17:15:00.005-04:00

The 2008-09 auditions took place on Sunday, April 27, 2008. I remember showing up with my mom nervous yet anxious to start the audition. Looking at all the girls trying out only put my stomach in a knot, but once the audition actually started I felt much more comfortable.

We were tested on a free style first, and of course I'm the one that gets the latin song! (I was almost the only white girl there and I get the latin song! :) Then they moved on to the solo portion, where I completely blanked out and basically had to free style again! The last part of the audition was the technique, the whole time all I could think was "Just don't fall! Just don't fall!" I was so nervous that I was afraid I would fall in the middle of a jump or out of my turns. But in the end everything worked out!

I MADE THE TEAM! When i heard my name called I didn't even know what to think! I just got up and tried not to fall down while walking up to the group of girls that had already made it. It was a great day and I was ecstatic (and still am) that I made the team! I'm really excited to see how this year goes!

Come back to read more about my rookie year on Dazzlers :D

Nationals

2008-05-16T08:20:00.003-04:00

As basketball season was coming to its close, we started to get more and more focused on our competition routine to take to Nationals in Daytona, Florida! It took us a long time to fundraise the money we needed, but we eventually got through it and found ourselves on the NDA stage with amazing costumes, really professionally mixed music, and awesome make-up. The second time we performed was so full of energy, and we all felt how amazing we did, so we were all REALLY pleased with our performance, as was everyone else that traveled to support us. It was great to have the experience dancing on that huge stage and I was really glad that we went. The whole team bonded the most, I'm sorry to say, at the end of the year, but I'm so glad that we did. It's hard to see my old vets leave. I looked up to so many of them, but now they're off to bigger and better places in their life and I'm so proud to have known all of them.This whole year was really hectic, but LOTS of fun! I would recommend this experience to everyone that I know! I still remember walking into auditions freaked out about making it at all, and then if I did, how would I get along with the girls? But this year was so amazing, and I appreciate every team mate because they all brought their own flavor to the team and made it so complex and diverse. In summation, the year was amazingly busy, but also amazingly fun. It was a challenge just trying to manage my time to include family, school, life, and dance, but in the end, it was definitely worth it. I love being a Dazzler and I hope that those of you reading this can one day experience how fun it is being one!

Oficially signing off for the 2007-2008 year,
Lauren Perez

FIU vs Troy

2007-10-13T18:24:00.001-04:00

Troy home game...

2007-10-06T15:50:00.000-04:00

Back on the field!!!!

This game was awesome! I got a lot better compared to the first game. In fact, we all did!Everyone had a really good feeling about our chances in this game especially when we scored a touchdown before the Trojans did! The crowd was riled up and even more so when we started to perform our new sidelines routines! I love dancing and gave it my all. Then it started to rain. At first we could see it coming from the other side of the stadium but it had yet to reach us. When it finally did , it was really cold and uncomfortable. Somehow, we all got a lot happier and goofier too. I couldn't think of any other group of girls to share that moment with except all of the Dazzlers. Even though the situation was not as pleasant as we would've originally liked, I had a great time! There's still so much more that we have to learn before we can really say that we had as perfect a football game as possible. I can't wait until the next time!

UM Game

2007-09-15T15:50:00.000-04:00

This game wasn't a home game per se, but it was in our home stadium so I didn't think I would feel awkward at all. However, as we learned when we had to walk about three blocks from the buses to the stadium, all of the Canes fans overwhelmed us and I knew it would be a different game. On top of that, we weren't performing because of a not so convenient rule that the Hurricanes set only allowing 14 spirit group member total on the field from the visiting team. We decided to alternate years with our cheerleaders. We will be performing at the next UM game. During the game, just sitting there made me a bit antsy and sweaty. This game was during the day as opposed to the night when FIU normally plays home games. The Dazzlers kept rooting for the football players every second that we could. We also cheered for our band. In my opinion, their performance during the halftime show far exceed that of the UM band as well as the color guard. I even made new friends from the color guard! It was a great game. I loved it! After it was over, the Dazzlers and the color guard were escorted out of the stadium by police to ensure our safety. Even though I had a great time at this game, I couldn't wait to be dancing on that field again.

FIU vs Maryland

2007-09-08T10:55:00.000-04:00

September 8, 2007
FIU vs. Maryland Home football game!
OUR FIRST FOOTBALL GAME!!!! By that I mean the first one that the Dazzlers have performed in. I had NO idea what to expect, except that we would all get really hot and sweaty, have to smile the WHOLE time (even if we missed a field goal by just a little bit) and that we would have to pay close attention to each other to stick together as a team. I myself did pretty badly towards the beginning. I was so involved in the game that I didn’t hear the music come on and it wasn’t until Winnie screamed at me to begin dancing that I realized what was going on. After that serious disaster, I tired my hardest to pay attention. However, sometimes given where I was located in the sideline formations, it was really hard to hear anything and I had to resort to lip reading. Under normal circumstances I’m good at lip reading, but since everyone was keeping their smile, even when we had to talk, it was quite hard, until it was too late, to determine which routine would come next. This slight problem resulted in a few people dancing the wrong routine and getting a little off count. Even though all of these things occurred, we still kept our composure and tried to keep the audience as spirited as possible! Even the band joined in and started cheering us on! I had a great time, and even though the heat was really bothersome, I can’t wait to do it again!

Freshmen Convocation

2007-09-07T10:46:00.000-04:00

Penn State Football Watch Party

2007-09-01T10:08:00.000-04:00

September 1, 2007

We all met in front of Gracie’s grill, and started welcoming people into the football watch party showing off our poms. Once the game started we stood in the back and watched the game on the projected image on the screen and routed our team on to represent our beloved school FIU! Though the game didn’t end as we had imagined, everyone was still really excited about a new season where we could prove ourselves to the rest of the football fans out there. With a new coach as inspiring as Mario Cristobal, there’s now way we’re going to let one game get the best of us.

Trail of the Torch

2007-08-30T10:08:00.000-04:00

August 30, 2007

After performing at freshman convocation we had a good feeling about how we performed as a team, and this performance was going to test that. When we all got there, we walked into a really exciting and spirited gathering of people from all over campus that couldn’t wait for the ceremonies! While we were there we performed the routine we had practiced for the occasion to a completely different song then was intended, but we all picked it up just fine. Afterwards we danced another short impromptu routine while the Trail of the Torch staff was getting their technological equipment in order. When it started getting later into the night, we all started dancing little sidelines next to the crowd to keep them spirited and once Mario Cristobal had finished his speech it was time for the trail of the torch!!! The whole day was a trial and error for the rookies and even some veterans on how to act in crowds and in uniform so it was a very informative, and still fun, day!

Evaluations

2007-07-23T12:30:00.000-04:00

Almost the whole team came today one hour early so that we could do some last minute reviewing and help each other out with the different dances we had learned throughout the first month of practices. Everyone had something different that they couldn’t quite grasp or just needed a little bit more review on… mine was the four sidelines. Some other rookies would confuse the fight song, and even a few of the Vets needed help for the Pom that one of our Captains taught us. Everyone was just about in the same boat, which I think got all of us to bond even more since we all sympathized with each other. While the actual evaluations were happening, we were all routing for one another, but once it was my turn, I would try to relax and just think about having fun. I thought Brenda would’ve seemed a little too intimidating, so much so that I wouldn’t be able to remember the dances. But as intimidating as she was, I still felt comfortable with her enough that I really COULD have fun when I was dancing. I just pretended like I wasn’t even being evaluated, that I was just entertaining a few people in the room.

Speaking of which, we had two girls come in as well and they were doing an assignment for their ENC 1101 class that were there throughout the evaluations and then interviewed a few of us, me included. They were doing a sort of article on stereotypes in dance. I told them about how most people think we’re not intelligent, but I myself am in the Honors College, so that wasn’t credible. Also how most people think that we’re too girly and have a pricey upkeep, but I myself like playing video games and shopping at Wal-Mart. They asked a few Vets the same questions as well to get an average answer. What was really cool about the day of evaluations was the surprise that we all got when we learned we were going to get our uniforms that day. I WAS TOTALLY PSYCHED ABOUT GETTING UNIFORMS I COULDN’T EVEN HOLD MY EXCITEMENT AND I TRIED IT OUT RIGHT WHEN I LEFT THE STORAGE ROOM. In fact, I had it on backwards until a Vet told me I had it on wrong, but that was fine because I finally had the ‘famous’ uniform. It was definitely a really GREAT day!

Running 2 miles/ Dazzler of the Month/ Review

2007-07-18T12:30:00.000-04:00

We ran two miles. I don’t even KNOW how I could’ve kept going, in fact I really didn’t. I had to stop and start walking, and if it weren’t for Peggy, a Vet, inspiring me to keep going, then I don’t know if I would’ve been able to even make it with the rest of them. I had to keep playing mind tricks on myself and telling myself that I’d get to one part of the lap and then we’d start walking… but when we didn’t it was just that much harder until my muscles finally just gave up. After this whole ordeal we started stretching, but I definitely wasn’t up to it since my legs started giving way and I started feeling a little light headed. But after a while I was fine, like I knew I would be, and before I knew it I was just looking forward to being able to start going over the dances from the previous practice that we had learned. However, before we did that Peggy, head of the Spirit Committee announced that the committee this year was starting a new idea of Dazzler of the Month, and wouldn’t you know it? Because Winnie and I stayed after practice that second day, or first for the both of us because of the practice, the Spirit Committee granted both of us Dazzlers of the month! That was the best pick me up I could’ve ever gotten and from that second on, I somehow could pick up and retain all of the movements from the, I believe, eight dances that we had learned throughout practices since the 18th of June. However, everyone was still freaked out for evaluations next practice.

Group Learning and Teaching

2007-07-16T12:30:00.000-04:00

Today we did something a little bit different compared with every other day. We all split up into four different groups and came up with 4 eight-counts worth of a hip-hop type sideline. I don’t really know how long we were given to come up with the dances, but I know that I would’ve rather had more time to learn the sidelines from the other three groups. Besides trying to come up with choreography, we then had to learn everyone else’s routines. I’ve never been so dumbfounded about how horrible I am with remembering dances then I was that day. This day was one where my mind took more of a beating then my muscles, but in the end I at least had a vague idea about the dances, I was just hoping that next practice we’d be able to go over them again.

Got out boots, Adidas bag and pom pon's

2007-07-11T12:30:00.000-04:00

It really was Christmas in July!!!!! =D It was practice as usual. We ran, did some across the floor, practiced and learned a few dances… but then there was a surprise for us at the end of practice. WE GOT OUR BOOTS, ADIDAS BAG AND POM POM’S!!! All of us rookies started putting on our boots and trying them on, making fun of each other, and showing them off. It was SOOOO much fun, and it gave me something to look forward to and a reason why I was working so hard to start dancing better then before. It was awesome to get all that gear that we could start adding to a pile for all the other free Dazzler stuff we’d get.

No practice for 4th of July week

2007-07-01T12:30:00.000-04:00

Well… for the fourth of July weekend, practice was cancelled but I knew how hard it would be for me to take a week long break from running and then start up again with a mile. So I started going to a gym close to my house and running on the treadmill. I even started running a mile and a half, which I was extremely proud of, so that by the time practice started again I wouldn’t be as worn out as I would have been if I hadn’t been running for that week. Besides that though, it was nice to have a bit of a break for my muscles to go back to not being so sore.

1st practice, 2nd practice, birthday!

2007-06-20T12:30:00.000-04:00

It’s my birthday today!!! =) I just turned 18 and now I can finally go to my first, technically the second, Dazzler practice. The first thing we did was run a mile…. Oh my gosh it was SOOOO hard for me, but I just kept going because I knew that if I did, it would eventually get easier and help me in the long run. It was killer for me to run like that on the street, in the sun, all of us in a line, but the fact that we were in a line and in unison helped me a lot to keep going. I didn’t want to hold up the line, or have people wait up for me so I just kept pushing until I finished. Afterwards, we stretched, did technique across the floor, and then finally started practicing the dance everyone learned… Yep, you heard right, the first day of Dazzlers the one team had already learned a WHOLE DANCE! The whole time, Winnie and I were playing catch up with the team, but nothing stopped us from getting the dance, not even practice. We stayed after for a little while making sure that we knew what the movements were so we looked just like everyone else. I mostly had to practice because it was my first time EVER dancing pom and kickline before. However, I LOVED IT! Both styles are so spirited that you can’t HELP but have fun with it and smile. The dance also had a little of jazz in it too, but I was used to jazz from before when I danced for my team in high school.

First day of practice...or not...

2007-06-18T12:30:00.000-04:00

Well… I didn’t make it for this practice because as luck would have it my best friend Winnie picked me up at my house since I didn’t have a car yet, with Monica in the car, and right when we got outside of our complex we got into an accident. The guy made some CRAZY move and tried to pass another car turning into the complex by going on the wrong side of the road and hit us. Afterwards, he got out of his car, said ‘This isn’t my car…’ and speed off. Luckily for us we had three witnesses to the accident, but nobody got the license plate. We ended up waiting for the policeman to show up for three hours and missed practice entirely. It was definitely NOT a good day. Especially since we didn’t even know what we had missed in practice! So, sorry I can’t give you any ideas about the ‘actual’ first practice.

Dazzler Day

2007-06-16T12:30:00.000-04:00

When I first heard about Dazzler Day, I had no idea what to expect. But since I was in contact with some of the Veterans I asked them what would go on, and they said that it would be a day dedicated for getting to know each other a little better, with the aid of a few games. Once we got to the location and started playing the games, learning each others names, in which mine was one of the most difficult, and cracking inside jokes with each other, all of us seemed to just have a cohesive tight bond as fun-loving girls with the same hobby. We played games like ‘So You Think You Could Dazzle’ and another funny little game where we had to associate a specific movement for each other and remember their name as well as the movement all around the circle. It was really hard for me because I have horrible memory, but it was an AWESOME way to learn a little about everyone. We also made collages with our partner’s interests and then explained them to the rest of the group. I certainly had a blast, and I KNOW that everyone else did too. It’s definitely a day I’ll never forget!

Auditions!

2007-04-15T12:30:00.000-04:00

I was really freaked out about auditions, and I technically wouldn’t have even known about it if it weren’t for my good friend Winnie. I was even planning on not dancing past high school and just devoting all of my time to my studies… I’m a very studious person. But as time went on and I realized how much I would be miss dancing, I started to think more and more about dancing after high school, and that’s when Winnie reminded me about Dazzlers. We decided to go together and we were freaking out about what we should wear since it had to be a crop top. We both went shopping for new sports bras and well… you’ve seen the picture.

Once we had finally learned the many eight-counts of jazz and hip-hop we sat down in our seats and waited for our turn to audition. Surprisingly enough for me, I’d never been in an audition where everyone who was auditioning saw your individual audition, but that’s how it was with Dazzlers, however it went that much better for me knowing that I had an audience. I danced my heart out and tried to capture the judges’ attention, and by the time technique started I had definitely done that. However, it was because when it was my turn to start performing my turns in second to the left, I just stood there and forgot that I had to do them. However, they were forgiving of my ineptitude and asked me a second time to perform them, I felt really stupid, but it was all right after all. That just goes to show that it’s all right that you mess up a few times as long as you learn from your mistakes, quickly, and jump back on that horse again. Auditions went great and it was an experience that I would never take for granted, whether I had made it or not. Even if I would’ve had a slim chance of making it, I would’ve still auditioned just for the experience and people that I met. I definitely had a blast