Some call them cheerleaders. Others use the word dancer. Quite frankly, the term athlete seems to also apply.
In less than 24 hours, hundreds of women will file into the Omni Hotel in downtown Atlanta, hoping to win a spot as an Atlanta Hawks cheerleader.
Tryouts are a four-day process. Saturday is about dance routines; specifically how quickly can you pick up the choreography and make it your own. Because somewhere in the mix, the successful candidates will be the ones the crowd wants to watch. That's pretty much impossible to teach. However, it wouldn't hurt to go on YouTube and watch routines from previous seasons. By the end of the day Saturday, the judges will select 60 finalists, according to the Hawks website. If chosen, your chances of making the team are 50/50. There are currently 30 Atlanta Hawks cheerleaders.
One way you may be able to distinguish yourself in the week ahead is in the face-to-face interviews. Know everything you can about the team and basketball. They are looking for more than a pretty face and a good dancer; they want someone who can represent the team well and can interact with the public. That's part of the audition, too. On Monday night, the finalists will head to Hard Rock Cafe for a mixer that's open to the public. Final dance auditions will be held on July 19 and the new team is announced on July 21.
The Hawks are said to be among the highest paid cheerleaders in the NBA, reportedly making about $200 per game. Within the past year, low wages have become a heated topic in this circle, with cheerleaders from other professional sports teams challenging the pay rate in court, saying they made far below minimum wage of $7.25 an hour.
With all that in mind, if you're still ready to audition, this list will help you know what to bring and what to expect:
Registration: Saturday 9:30 a.m. | First round of auditions, Saturday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Fee: $45
Where: Omni Hotel, 100 CNN Center, Atlanta, GA, 30303
What to bring
- Headshot/photo
- $45 Registration Fee (cash or money order only)
- Completed application and waiver forms - Download and print here
- Copy of driver's license
- Light snack
- Makeup/hair products for touch up
Attire | Saturday audition
- A two-piece outfit (crop top/sports bra, shorts/briefs) with flesh-colored tights/nylons.
- Comfortable shoes for dancing (no bare feet).
- Hair and make-up.
Schedule for week-long finalists auditions
- Sunday, July 17 - Rules & Regulations/Boot Camp/Finals Practice, 9 a.m. - 7 p.m.
- Monday, July 18 - Interviews, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
- Monday, July 18 - "Fabulous Finalist" public mixer (Hard Rock Cafe), 6 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.
- Tuesday, July 19 - Finals, 5 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.
- Thursday, July 21 - New cheerleading team announced
- Friday, July 22 - First official team meeting, 6:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
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