Basketball!!

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!!

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

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

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

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

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!!

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!!

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

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

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