Nearly three hundred and fifty women, some with hands on hips, others moving their arms and legs in dance-shorthand were staring at the Brooklyn Nets dancer who was shouting directions. It was hard to hear the commands in LIU's Brooklyn campus gym, and take your eyes off the professional for a moment and you'd miss the chance at a job in the fall. Thirty minutes later, after the ladies attempted what looked to our untrained eyes like a Mortal Kombat-esque roundhouse kick, the Nets dancer announced, "Ok, lets move on." Then it dawned on us: this was just the beginning of the routine.
If you passed the first round of yesterday's tryouts you received a red wristband that gave you the privilege of learning the more difficult moves, performing in a group of five in front of the judges, and hearing the first 30 seconds of "The Motto feat. Lil Wayne & Tyga" on an endless loop. In between reps, the coach of the Nets Dancers and former Nets Dancer herself, Adar Wellington, had some advice for the girls who seemed to be trying a little too hard. "Don't make it cutesy, make it art. Be confident in your step, and be confident in your team."
"You gotta act like you got [the wristband] before you even perform," Nicole Wilson, a dancer from New Jersey who received one, said. "It's all about confidence. Psyching yourself up." Veronica Buccilli, a 21-year-old dancer for the Pittsburg Powers, said that's why she wasn't showing off when she did a backflip in front of the judges. "You just have to show them all you got. If you can do it, why not?"
None of that seemed to be enough for 19-year-old Alikhlas Boxx, the only man to audition. Boxx was cut in the first round. Asked if he thought he ever had a chance given that he is a cheerleader at John Jay College and has been dancing for four years, Boxx said, "Nope. There are just so many girls."
We caught his performance and thought it was better than many of the girls who received wrist bands. Are No Boys Allowed, coach? "They're welcome to audition," Wellington said. "But," she paused. "Typically it's an all ladies team."
Even if you're a lady, the odds are slim. 350 will be whittled down to 30, then the dancers compete with former New Jersey Nets dancers, then the number is cut down to 20 after a performance in front of the public on June 13 following a "boot camp" led by Wellington.
Boxx didn't seem deterred. Would he audition for a chance like this again? "Sure! Absolutely." As he was answering our questions, the Nets dancer teaching the women the routine asked if they needed to see the full bit again. "Yes!" Cue Lil Wayne.
