Phoenix Suns Blog [Category - Suns Dancers]

An Inside Look at the Phoenix Suns Dance Team Auditions

Mon, 20 Aug 07 17:41:00 UT

Hello everyone! My name is Karlyn and this is my first blog as a Suns Dancer! Making the team required a lot of hard work, a lot of exciting moments, and a little stress.

Karlyn describes her experience at the Phoenix Suns Dance Team Auditions.
(NBAE Photos)

I really loved the way everything was run at auditions and how every dancer got a fair chance to show what they could do.

Dancing in small groups of three was the most stressful part of the first day, especially because I was one of the last groups to go. Then the first cut jumped from over two hundred girls down to only 45. What a relief!

After the first cut, everyone calmed down and it was so much more relaxed - but calling the hotline to find out if I had made the cut was far from relaxing. Listening through all those numbers was very stressful, but hearing my number was so exciting! Interviews the next day were a blast because Maggie and Kip made everything so comfortable. Then the photo shoot was so much fun because Barry is great. And it’s exciting to see the kinds of situations you would be in if you were selected.

Then came the waiting. Those ten days seemed like a whole month, maybe a year! But I made the team and seeing my picture on the screen was one of the best moments of my life! I am so excited to be a part of this team! All of the returning girls are so welcoming and helpful and for those of us who it’s our first year. We’re all eager and ready to work!

Practices are already packed with things to do, but it’s great because we get to experience so much so early in the season! I will be going to Tucson on Sunday (where I will perform for the first time ever as a Suns Dancer) and Las Vegas the week after that so it should be really exciting! I can’t wait for all the new experiences and friends I’m going to make being a part of the Phoenix Suns Dance Team!

I’ll keep you posted with the exciting details of my first big performances as a Suns Dancer!

Showing Up for Busy Week

Mon, 05 Feb 07 04:53:00 UT

Today has been a very busy week. We spent most of the week getting ready for the weekend's game, and also for our charity show, Show Up AZ '07, which was on Sunday.

We had rehearsals Monday and Tuesday, and then our first game of the weekend on Thursday. We faced off against the San Antonio Spurs. It was a very exciting game! The crowd was extremely pumped up that night.

Right before our first dance, Amaré Stoudemire was fouled by Manu Ginobili. Our fans were not happy and they made sure everybody knew it. It made for an exciting couple of minutes until the ball went back into play.

It was a really close game the whole way through but in the end the guys were able to pull it out and won! It was a very exciting and decisive win for our team, especially after having just lost to Minnesota ending our 17-game winning streak.

Friday was a day of school for me and lots of homework. I had to get all of my work done before Monday because I was not going to have time Saturday or Sunday to do it.

Saturday came and we arrived at the game earlier than usual at 2:30 p.m. We needed to do our normal game-day preparations and also prepare for the next day’s show. It was a busy couple of hours.

The game started at 7 p.m. It was an exciting game as well. We played the Jazz who kept right up with our team. The lead teetered back and forth the entire game and ended with an exciting finish where we unfortunately lost.

It’s always a little depressing when we lose at home, which we fortunately haven’t had to experience much this year. After the game, I went home and went straight to bed.

Our call time at the Dodge Theatre was 9 a.m. We were all exhausted, but got straight to work. We practiced the dances we would be performing in the show and then made sure we knew which groups we were overseeing and what to do once they arrived.

We practiced our lines if we were speaking in the show, made last minute touch-ups to hair and makeup, got dressed, and then started the show. It was a fantastic show that went off without a hitch. Everything ran really smoothly and most importantly we raised money for The Frank Foundation that benefits local children’s charities.

All in all it was one busy week, and as a dancer I have many more ahead of me; all of which I will gladly take on.

My First "Real" Game

Thu, 02 Nov 06 06:30:00 UT

Today was our first official game of the season. I was so excited. We had been dancing in the previous preseason games of course, but today was the real deal.

We arrived at the arena at 3 p.m. and put our suitcases in our locker room. Then we made our way onto the court to practice. We first practiced the two dances we would be doing for the game and then we practiced our sideline dances, and assigned the seats we would sit in to watch the game when we weren’t dancing. I was so excited to see all the things that we would be premiering at our first game. Seeing the video that would be played during the player introductions gave me the chills. I couldn’t wait to see the fire that would soon be set off from the court.

After practice we went back to our dressing room and got ready for the game. It was a blur. Open suitcases overflowing with purple and orange uniforms covered the floor, and the room was soon filled with a thick cloud of hairspray and body shimmer. It was such a mess, but so much fun!

After we were all ready, we went up to greet our fans. We call this, “doors.” Everyone that came in was so excited. It was so different from the preseason games, and with every fan that came in I became more and more anxious to just get out there on the floor.

The game finally started at 7:30 p.m. and the fire in the “intros” was awesome! I think the introduction was my favorite part of the game. I could actually feel the heat from the flames on my back. The first quarter went by really fast. I was still getting into to groove of how things work from preseason, and felt even more lost tonight. In the first time out of the second quarter they announced us and we ran onto the court. My heart was beating so fast. I love getting to wave at all the fans and see them so excited to see us. The dance was awesome, and felt like it was over too soon.

The rest of the game went by very quickly and before I knew it, it was over. We were standing on the court looking into the crowd and I spotted my parents. They waved and blew kisses and mouthed how proud they were of me. I was a little choked up. I thought back to all the hours of hard work that had gotten me to where I was and it was overwhelming. I waved back to my parents and they left.

We took a few pictures with fans and then made our way back to our locker room. Walking through the tunnel we all jumped up and high-five Bruce, one of our most loyal fans. It was the perfect way to end my first game. I walked into the tunnel and couldn’t have felt more proud and excited to be wearing the Suns uniform.

Dancer Audition, Day 2

Mon, 24 Jul 06 03:11:00 UT

Today I woke up early and started getting ready for the day. I got dressed in my interview outfit and packed the outfit I would need for the dancing part of the audition. When I arrived at the arena a few girls had already arrived ahead of me for their scheduled interviews.

We all sat talking. I remember talking to Kaytie and Melissa and really hoping to have the chance to get to know them better. All together about 30 girls made it to this second day of tryouts.

When it was time for my interview I was escorted upstairs where Maggie and Kip were waiting to interview me. The interview went really well. They asked all kinds of questions. They asked about past jobs, and ultimately why I wanted to be a part of the Suns Dancers. I thought my interview went really well.

After the interview I went downstairs where we had our first individual photo shoot. I was really looking forward to this part of the day. The photo shoot was fun but a little nerve wracking. It’s hard to get up in front of a camera and not have the urge to laugh, at least for me it is. I have a hard time taking myself seriously.

After the photo shoot we all were sent to the locker room where we could change and practice the routine. Everyone was pretty nervous. We also used this time to socialize and meet the other girls.

Not long after changing and running through the routine a few times we were called onto the court where we performed for the judges a few last times. I went for every motion with every ounce of energy and strength I had. I really just tried to have fun and let my personality and drive shine through.

When we were done dancing, Maggie thanked us for coming and giving our best at the tryout. Then she told us that we would have to call the hotline at 6 o’clock to hear whether or not we had earned a spot on the 2006-2007 Phoenix Suns Dance Team. I couldn’t wait.

When I got home I did a lot of cleaning to keep myself busy. Unfortunately my house wasn’t that messy and at 5 p.m. I couldn’t think of anything else to do but sit and watch TV. The hour passed so slowly and finally at 6 p.m. I called the hotline. Once again I was greeted by Maggie’s voice, and then she started reading the names. I heard Dani, Taryn, a few others and then “Amanda.” Me?! I couldn’t believe it! I then kept listening and I heard “Nicole.” I couldn’t have been more excited. I called all my friends and family and told them the news. I was now officially a Suns Dancer!

Audition Process Stressful, Exhilarating

Sun, 23 Jul 06 01:37:00 UT

I am so releived that today is over. I was extremely stressed when my roommate and fellow Suns Dancer prospect Nicole arrived at my house this morning. I of course, had woken up late and my computer would not print my resume!

Nicole and I then rushed around my house trying to gather everything we needed. We printed our resumes, applied our fake eyelashes, got dressed in our tryout outfits, grabbed water and snacks, and finally our dance shoes as we hustled out the door.

When we arrived at the arena we parked and speculated about what the ensuing tryouts would be like. So many questions were running through our minds. How many girls would be there? Will they make any cuts today?

We rounded the corner of First Street and Jefferson walked onto the Pavilion at US Airways Center to see a herd of dancers just like us waiting to go inside. It was definitely intimidating. We made our way through the crowd and met up with some familiar faces.

We said, “Hi” to Dani and Taryn, both of whom were Suns Dancers for the 05-06 season, but also good friends of ours from the dance studio we attended when we were younger.

The doors sprang open promptly at 8:30 a.m. and we all were ushered inside. We then filled out a tryout form and turned in our resumes and headshots. We were assigned our numbers, had our picture taken and then made our way onto the court to stretch and begin the day.

Walking onto the court for the first time was amazing! I can remember praying that it wouldn’t be the last time I would get the chance to dance on it. Before I knew it we were learning the tryout dance from the choreographers. It was fast paced, and intricate in some parts, but really… it was fun!

After learning the dance we were broken up into two groups to allow for more room. It was crowded in there. A full court of 253 Suns Dancer hopefuls will account for more that one accidental foot or arm to the face.

After practicing and resting for a few minutes, the judges were brought out and we were told that we were going to be performing in groups of four. My number was 182, so I put on my warm-up jacket and took my seat. Four by four the groups went on.

Needless to say, by the time they reached my number, “Queen of the Night,” the song we performed to, was something I never wanted to hear again. I don’t really remember much of the time that I was out there on the court, as is the case for most dancers. All I knew was that I had nailed it and hoped it was what they were looking for. After all of the groups had finished, we were let go for lunch and told when we returned at 1 p.m. they would be making the first cuts.

After an excruciatingly long hour at lunch, we all filed back onto the court and anxiously awaited the announcement. I don’t think Nicole or I spoke a word to each other until our numbers were called.

She was called first, number 134, and then I was called, number 182. By the time the last number was called, there were only about 70 girls left on the court. There were tears all around, good and bad, but for those of us left we had to refocus and get ready to dance again.

Once those who were cut cleared out, the dancing started again. We danced again in groups of four for the judges, using what little energy we had left to hit every motion just as strong and as clean as we had the first time.

It was a relief to finish, but it didn’t last long. Maggie Garcia, the Suns Dancers Director then informed us that we would have to call a hotline later that evening to hear our numbers called, indicating whether or not we had made it to the second day. The worst part was that the hotline wasn’t going to be available until 8 o’clock! We had to wait six hours!

When 8 p.m. finally came I was sitting on my couch relaxing after my stressful day. I eyed the clock like a hawk and picked up my phone to call the hotline as soon as it struck 8.

It rang once and then I heard Maggie’s voice congratulating us on a job well done and I’m not sure what else, but she couldn’t have started reading those numbers any sooner.

One by one they were read. I recognized Nicole’s number and was so excited that I almost missed my own! I was elated, immediately calling my parents and boyfriend to deliver the good news.

It wasn’t too long though before the excitement subsided, and anxieties about what the next day’s tryout might bring began.