Arena Football League is coming to Atlantic City.
ATLANTIC CITY -Atlantic City Arena Football League will be hosting tryouts for the dance team 9 a.m. Saturday, March 16 at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall. The auditions are open to high school graduates at least 18 years of age with dance experience.
The dance team will be an integral part of the organization throughout the team’s inaugural season and not only perform at home games, but also serve as ambassadors at community and partner events.
“Selecting our dance team is a crucial component of putting our organization together,” ACFL Chief Operating Officer George Manias said. “We are looking for ladies that can not only dance their hearts out, but also those who want to help us impact our community.”
Participants will be taught a routine and do not need to prepare their own. Applicants will be judged on dance ability, appearance, personality and attitude. A judge’s panel will select the semi-finalists, who will undergo a two-day boot camp and interviews leading up to a final event when the 2019 team will be revealed.
Head Choreographer Nicole Stephens brings dance experience from multiple professional sports teams, such as the Philadelphia 76ers, the Atlantic City Card Sharks and the Philadelphia KiXX. She has been dancing for more than 25 years, studying a range of forms including ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary, lyrical, modern, hip-hop, and acro-gymnastics. Outside of sports, Stephens is a reoccurring dancer in the production “Elvis-The King in Concert” at Casino Rama in Canada and has been part of “The Burlesque Show” cast at the Borgata Casino for six years. She is a dance instructor, choreographer and competition team director at Paul Morris DanceXplosion in Hammonton, where she has taught for the past 16 years.
“I was so excited to hear that the AFL was coming to Atlantic City and when I did, I just knew I had to be a part of it,” Stephens said. “I grew up in Atlantic City and having the opportunity to be part of launching this team from the ground up is a dream come true. I am thrilled to be leading the dance team and I am so excited to give the fans a top-notch entertainment experience, while also becoming an active part in the community that I grew up in.”
Registration is at 8 a.m. and the audition begins promptly at 9a.m. Pre-register for $20 at www.AtlanticCityAFL.com before 3 p.m. Friday, March 15, $25 afterward.
