On April 6, hundreds of young women will show up at FedEx field dressed in booty shorts and flashy sports-bra tops. With bold makeup and free-flowing hair (totally in-conducive to dancing), these women hope to be selected as cheerleaders for the Washington Redskins.
I experienced this process myself in 2005 and found it to be quite interesting. I was not expecting to be chosen as a cheerleader, but I had enough dance and modeling experience to believe there might be a shot in the dark. The audition process does not change much from year to year, and according to the Web site, the 2007 auditions and criteria will be consistent with those in the past.
Preparation And Eligibility
I found myself investing far too much time and money in preparing for the audition. The Redskins Cheerleaders’ choreographer offers “prep” classes at $25 each in the six weeks before auditions. I found these classes to be enjoyable and helpful, and the $25 fee per class didn’t seem out of line with what was offered. Every class I attended offered stretching, jazz technique, and dance combinations. The prep classes also give candidates the opportunity to speak with the coach and ask questions about the process. I enjoyed the social aspect of the classes, and having the opportunity to meet other young dancers.
Candidates are given very specific instructions on what to wear and how to do their hair and makeup. The Redskins Cheerleaders’ coach promotes very specific businesses for these services, a dance uniform outfitter, in particular. Dancers are told that they must wear a crop top (sports bra, stomach must show) and dance trunks/briefs. The rationale for this attire is that the judges need to be able to picture what the candidates would look like in the Washington Redskins Cheerleaders uniform. At the prep classes, they informed us that this outfit should be flashy so that we stand out during auditions. In other words, a traditional sports bra and shorts don’t work. Sequins, rhinestones, bright colors and special fabrics are what is required. Of course no dancer will be turned away because her outfit isn’t flashy enough, but wearing the wrong thing definitely reflects poorly on the candidate.
In order to obtain such an outfit in adequate time, candidates are referred to a particular company who will custom sew their outfit– the same company who produces the Redskins Cheerleaders’ uniforms. I purposely chose to go with another vendor that was slightly less expensive, primarily out of principal. It didn’t seem right that these young women were told to invest nearly $100 in an outfit that they would probably only be wearing one time. I assumed that the Redskins Cheerleaders were probably making some sort of commission on these referrals (or perhaps a uniform discount), but there was no way for me to know for sure.
In terms of eligibility, the only requirements are that the cheerleaders be 18 year of age or older, have a high school diploma or G.E.D., hold a full time (or attend school full time). If a candidate “has a family” (she has children), then her job requirement is filled. Essentially, the Redskins Cheerleaders management wants to ensure that cheerleading isn’t the only thing that the young woman is doing with her life. Candidates do not need to live in the Washington Metropolitan area when they audition, but if they are selected they must re-locate. There is no height, weight, or hair color requirement. It seemed like the most strict requirement was the expensive audition outfit.
Introductions
Redskins Cheerleader auditions begin with an introduction in front of the judges. Each dancer is given less than one minute to introduce herself. The women are advised that “shorter is better” and if they can keep their introduction to less than 30 seconds, then that’s ideal.
I waited for about an hour while the other candidates were giving their speeches and had the opportunity to chat with some of the other women. If I had to sum up the audition process in one word, it would definitely be “waiting”. Particularly during the first round, when there are over 300 candidates, it takes a great deal of time for every person to have their chance to shine in front of the judges. While I was waiting, I met girls ages ranging from age 20 to 35, with various types of dance, cheerleading, and modeling experience. Most of them were friendly, but some of them were extremely snobbish and overly confident. Some of them had tried out for several consecutive years and still hadn’t made it onto the squad.
When they called my number, I walked into a room with approximately 12 judges. It was difficult to see the judges because there were several bright spotlights shining right into my face. I stood in front of the microphone and said my name and talked a bit about my occupation. As a marketing and public relations professional, I hoped that highlighting my professional experience would demonstrate that I had excellent communications skills. The judges are looking for women who can communicate and present themselves well because the Redskins Cheerleaders are often sent to represent the team at special promotional events.
Freestyle Dance
The next step in the process is freestyle dancing. Freestyle dancing refers to dancing without having anything rehearsed. Candidates are put into small groups and must perform an un-rehearsed dance in front of the judges. In other words, they are supposed to make it up on the spot. When I auditioned, it was obvious that some of the candidates were going to do a certain routine, regardless of what the music was. I didn’t rehearse any specific combination prior to my audition because I had no idea what type of music they would play. The point of the freestyle audition is for the judges to see how the candidates move. Are they natural? Do they moves seemed forced? Do they have a pleasant facial expression? Does she look like she’s in good shape? All of these factors come into play during the freestyle audition.
During my audition, they played a song that I was unfamiliar with, and so were most of the candidates. They purposely chose an obscure song so that all the candidates would be on the same playing field– or should I say “dancing floor.
The First Round of Cuts
Based on the introduction and the freestyle dance, the judges decide which candidates can advance to the next round of auditions. When I auditioned, there were over 300 candidates and that number was widdled down to just over 80. I was very pleased when my name was called, meaning that I was in the top third of all the women who auditioned. It was sad to see some of the women who I made friends with during the extensive waiting period be cut. Some of them had attended every single prep class and had invested a great deal of money into their audition outfit. The ones who had auditioned year after year were particularly disappointed. It was definitely awkward having to be sorry for my new friends, but at the same time, being happy for myself.
Learning A Dance Routine
The remaining candidates were split into two groups of 40 and taken into the rehearsal room to learn a dance from the same choreographer who taught the prep classes. I thought that the dance moves were fairly easy to execute, but there wasn’t much time to learn the dance and remember all the various steps. Some of the dancers picked up the moves very quickly, and others were struggling. The pressure to learn the dance so quickly was the real challenge, in my opinion. I’ve had a great deal of experience performing dances for large audiences, so the technique, presentation and the moves themselves were easy.
After we learned the dance, we rehearsed it while the other candidates were auditioning. The dancers who auditioned first had the advantage of the dance being fresh in their heads. The dancers who auditioned later had the advantage of additional practice time. I was somewhere in the middle. When it was my turn, I entered the audition room with three other dancers. The music began to play and I tried not to let my nervousness show. I put on a good performance, but I forgot some of the moves and had to create my own. I’ve never been a quick learner when it comes to dance, and that put me at a disadvantage.
The Second Round of Cuts
I was not expecting to make it past this round of cuts. They were eliminating approximately 30 of the 80 dancers, and I was one of them. It was a bit of a let down, because I would have liked to experience more of the audition process. However, I was definitely enriched by what I did experience.
The remaining women learned another dance, performed it in front of the judges, and then the finalists were announced.
The Finalists: A Grueling Week Of Auditions
Redskins Cheerleaders from previous years are not guaranteed a spot on the squad. Every cheerleader must re-audition each year, but they are automatically entered as finalists, and they do not have to go through the first few rounds of cuts.
The week of April 9th will be a stressful one for the finalists. On Monday, there is a bikini photo shoot and runway competition. I assume this step is necessary to determine which candidates would make the best models for the swimsuit calendar. Auditions continue every night for the rest of the week, with cuts being made each night.
Final Auditions: Open To The Public
The final auditions will be held the weekend of April 14, and they are open to the public. Typically, they are held inside a large shopping mall, but this year’s location has yet to be announced. I attended the final auditions as a spectator in 2005 at Ballston Commons mall. The candidates definitely put on an entertaining show for the spectators. In small groups, the candidates performed two separate dances. Every candidate was very talented, and they had been given an entire week to learn, rehearse and perfect these routines. I’ll admit that when “Somebody Told Me” by The Killers played for the 7th time, I started to get bored with the entire thing.
Finally, the 2005 Redskins Cheerleaders were announced. The new cheerleaders were ecstatic, as their lives were about to be changed.
The next time you watch an NFL football game and you think the dancers are just attractive women who know how to move their pom poms, think again. It’s extremely competitive, a the cheerleaders spend a great deal of time rehearsing the dances. They are paid a nominal fee for each game, and the rewards come primarily in the form of prestige and a passion for dance.
