Tuesday, June 08, 2010

UCLA Dance Team

Pin It Now! This post has nothing to do with motherhood or Hollywood so if it's your first time here at "Tales from the Motherhood" go ahead and be confused . . .

One of my former dance teammates, Kheron, posted a note on facebook (scroll down) and it brought back a flood of good and classic memories from when I was on the dance team at UCLA. We spent Christmas together in Hawaii in 1999 for the Aloha Bowl.

I spent many hours with these girls - we practiced a lot including 5 hours per day, 5 days per week in the summer.
To mix it up we had special dress codes for different practices. Here we are getting our ice blended mochas on (the breakfast of champions when you're 19 years old) before "Clash Day" practice. That's Kheron on the far left and Kim on the right. You can read about Kim as a new mom in Chapter 5 ("Newborns: The Black Hole") of my book.

In addition to games, we practiced during the school year--sometimes at 6am. We usually had quality snacks at our practices like chips, soda, pizza, and the like. If I knew then what I know now as far as nutrition goes . . . it probably wouldn't have been any different.

We cheered and danced together at football games, men's basketball games, women's basketball games, and women's volleyball games. We even made a few pathetic appearances at soccer and water polo games - by request. Never to be requested again.

If you were ever on a dance team or cheerleading squad or actually any kind of team with a bunch of whack jobs (and I mean that in the best possible way) you might laugh at this. Even though there are inside jokes throughout.

This is the note Captain Kheron gave us before our first football game. She is one of those shy, quiet types . . . until you get to know her and then her hilariousness comes out.

* Everything is 2x's through except Funky Fried, which is three.

* Remember when to clap and when not to clap in OPC.

* Look on 6 in Taking Care Kick Line

* Remember funky claps

* If you need to pick your nose or murf, remember there are people watching you at all times so take extreme caution.

* Half time - Be there by 4 min on the clock, at 2 min be in line.

* If you're skirt falls off, PICK IT UP!

* Pyramids...KNOW THEM!!!!

* Watch your lines

* Think about all the things you were corrected on at practice.

* I heard Michael Jackson is going to be there and he's looking for dancers, so perform like you've never performed before. :)

* On cookie ow, don't forget to slap then grab

* Give Kheron some money - just thought I'd slip that one in there.

* If you mess up, Don't even trip.......Really, because if you trip and fall then you'll just cause more attention.

* Be sharp and don't forget to SMILE!

* When in doubt, wack it out!

* Voices be loud like you always are

*** Most importantly.....Where you're dancin' is where you're dancin'! Pin It Now!

5 comments:

amanda jane avis said...

this is awesome! thank you, wendy. the memories that i share with you girls i cherish. and i sometimes find myself wanting to say things like, "fat" or "saddlebags" or "mac truck" or "squatting suit" but no one around me will get it...and in my business, i need to use positive physical words!!! thank you for sharing and your children are gorgeous!

Hutch said...

here from surferwife's blog and as a former dancer I can definitely relate to those notes, everything is seen by someone in the crowd! :)

Anonymous said...

Thanks for sharing and spreading the memories.
Love and FOSHAY!
...Cambrey

Cambrey said...

Thanks for sharing and spreading the memories.
Love and FOSHAY!
...Cambrey

sanjeet said...

Thanks for sharing and spreading the memories.
Love
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