Aubrey Up Close

Are you a current, former or prospective professional dancer or cheerleader? Does your team need fresh choreography? Would you like to meet others in the industry or hear about audition opportunities?

Then get ready for the West Coast Pro Dance Convention in San Jose, CA on Sunday, January 29, 2012!
http://westcoastprodance2012.eventbrite.com/

CHOREOGRAPHERS

Our choreographers are top alumni and directors of dance and cheer teams in the NFL, NBA, AFL, MLB and other sports leagues. They will teach 6 sidelines and 2 routines in length of 45-60 seconds.
**Aubrey Aquino, NBA Dancer – Sacramento, NFL Cheerleader – Oakland & Arizona
**Kristin Medwick, 7 year NFL Cheerleader – Oakland, “Dancer of the Year” 1998; “Raiderette of the Year” and Pro Bowl Cheerleader 2005
**Kristena Wright, NBA dancer – Washington, NFL Cheerleader – Miami
**Chris Rhyu, NFL Cheerleader – San Francisco

PRESENTERS

**Faithe David, former 49ers Cheerleader will be giving awesome dance technique class to help candidates put their best foot forward at auditions.
**Jada Law, former NBA dancer in Sacramento and LA and current TV personality & host for Lakers TV will give a fitness/health/nutrition presentation to get candidates ready for auditions.
**Audrey Asistio, an alum of the San Francisco 49ers Gold Rush and Gold Rush Ambassador now works for a news station as a reporter/fill-in anchor. Audrey will offer participants interview, attire, and overall presentation tips.
**Mindy Kreis, Director of Crunch Fitness will be knocking our socks off with a specialized bootcamp geared specifically to dancers.

LOCATION

San Jose Athletic Club
196 N. THIRD STREET
SAN JOSE, CA 95112

For complete details – http://westcoastprodance2012.eventbrite.com/

The 34th installment on On The Flipside is online now! For this show, I hosted from my alma mater, San Jose State, since there was a charity reunion basketball game going for “We Believe vs. Dubs,” aka current and former members of the Golden State Warriors. This show also has extended versions and highlights from my Virgin Atlantic, #RedHotReporter, London trip…so more Bucs, Bears and England! Finally, it’s a visit with Seattle Seahawks Sea Gal Nicole for the Sideline Distraction feature!! http://ontheflipsidetv.com

I was lucky enough to attend “Watch The Throne” in Miami last night, courtesy of Dontaira and Kia… The Jay-Z and Kanye concert is nothing short of fabulous, amazing, exciting and inspiring!! The energy inside American Airlines Arena was unbelievable, not an empty seat in the house..and of course plenty of star sightings with DWade and LeBron leading the way, (on what could’ve been a HEAT game night at Triple A), but nonetheless, thousands upon thousands of Hip Hop fans threw the Roc in the air to party with the best of ‘em – myself included!

I borrowed the above pic from @CCole_E twitter, cuz apparently her tickets were slightly closer then mine…LOL!! I’m not complaining though…I had a great view of everything I needed to see.

The set design and staging for the show were extremely well done, they had a main stage with a platform that went up and down centered in front of it, then opposite there was another platform which could be raised as well, bringing the artists closer to the crowd across the main stage.

The lighting and use of lasers, fire and effects = mind-blowing…I was seriously mesmerized.

Obviously I wouldn’t expect anything less from Hip Hop Royalty, but all the staging, paired with SO MANY hits…all that music…WOW, just WOW!

During the 2 hour show they each had their own sets in addition to performing several songs together from Watch The Throne and elsewhere….but more than anything, I loved hearing Jay’s hits that took me back a good decade + … and being surrounded with everyone else who felt it too.

And — the best part, they did “Ni**as in Paris” 5 TIMES!! Twice to close the show and 3 times for an encore….and each time they re-started the crowd loved it that much more! “THAT SHIT CRAY!!!”

Shouts to my concert date Kimi..it was her FIRST EVER rap/hip hop concert!! I know, right!?!? It was a hot, sweaty, humid mess inside the Arena, but worth every beat that we danced too.

How many artists can make tens of thousands (grown ass adult fans) throw the Roc symbol in the air and all be on the same beat…. If they’re coming to an arena near you…you DON’T want to miss it…simply EPIC.

A great weekend in the Bay with some of my favorite folks! Friday my baby sister Alison graduated with her ABSN (Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing) from Samuel Merritt University!! It had been a grueling year with lots of sacrifice, but now she’s an RN!! Here I am placing a (graduation) lei on her before the ceremony!

Following her “pinning we had a dinner at Kincaid’s in Jack London Square – their crab and artichoke dip is our FAV!! Check out this photo of Alison giving a speech..she gets “emotional! hehe

Here she is with her crew..they’ve been her close friends since she her age was a single digit!

What’s a celebration without some sweets? Ordered these “nurse” themed cupcakes from Marley’s Treats…

Alison’s proud fan club – Ade, me, T and my Dad!

Saturday was the “We Believe vs. Dubs” charity reunion game (aka GS Warriors game) at SJSU…

Look out for EXCLUSIVE footage On The Flipside…coming soon…

Then after the game, it was a trip to V Bar at Santana Row to hang out with the homies!!

LOVE! LOVE! LOVE!

This is the “prom couples” picture! haha

Then Sunday…a day at the Coliseum!!! Viva Los Raiders – was not happy about the L! grrr

I stepped out last night in costume to attend a friend’s party…I “recycled” my costume! ha! I’m always amazed at the creativity people display for the occasion…I’m not super “spirited,” but I do appreciate those who go all out.

My sister Ade is a Halloween lover who takes it to another level…can you guess what her get up is??? She went the “edible” route… LOVES IT!!

In costume or not…always good times with my girls!!

So then I started thinking about past Halloween (work) experiences… In 2008, I visited a haunted house in Miami that seriously had me “spooked!!” I laugh now, looking back at the video, but that “startle” factor had me shook when I walked through the haunted house!!

And — in 2007 (my original Wonder Woman cameo) I hung out at O.J. McDuffie’s “Grand Ghoul” Halloween charity event in Florida, and interviewed Michael Irvin and some Miami Dolphins…

Ah, the memories…

Football Sunday arrived so quick, I was still reminding myself I was IN London! Since going to Wembley for the “main event” was the focus of the weekend, I couldn’t wait to get there…I’d heard so much about all the great sporting events that had been held there, as well as concerts and other events…it’s sort of a pseudo hobby of mine to visit different stadiums and arenas when I travel, so I can now add Wembley to the list!

Kickoff was set for 6pm, but the Virgin Atlantic crew headed out early to attend the NFL Tailgate festivities being held outside before they opened the doors…

It was quite a sight to see THOUSANDS of fans out early in an array of NFL jerseys, representing virtually every one of the 32 teams… I sort of wondered how the British fans were selecting their team garb, was it the colors, the team’s city, the player?? I even saw some fans who sort of mixed and matched team apparel..hehe That’s a first! Nonetheless, great to see them all in the spirit and having fun taking part in an All-American tradition!!

Once inside, we made a beeline to the Virgin Atlantic Suite at “Pitch West,” where I was greeted/escorted by the gorgeous Virgin Atlantic Cabin Crew…

…into a stunning suite!! VERY “SWANKY!!”

Next, I ventured down to the field level to hang out on the sidelines before the game while the teams warmed up. FYI – I used the “Queen’s Lift” to make my way down!!

While down on the field for pregame, I ran into Tony Siragusa doing his thing for NFL on FOX… And — I bumped into my buddy Major Wright who is a Safety for the Bears.

When it came time for the game’s opening ceremony, it was very comparable to what you’d see in any NFL Stadium on a Sunday. They had the pregame performance by the cheerleaders, the anthems, the pyro, etc…

There’s just something about hearing the US National Anthem in another country…makes me proud to be an American! And, I think they did a little ‘extra’ for this game too, with a performance by the Goo Goo Dolls!

T and I even got to visit with some of his friends from Chicago who made a spur of the moment decision to fly out for the game! Talk about loyal fans…

Eventually, we ‘retired’ to the Virgin Suite to take in the beautiful view!!

We also got an unobstructed overhead look at the shirtless guy running laps on the field…LOL Sort of random, but even more amusing was how he easily ran up and down the field, stopping to “high 5″ one of the Bucs and eluding a few security before they could tackle him! WOW!

The NFL International Series game experience in Wembley was nothing short of awesome…definitely something I will never forget!

Sadly, the next day was time to travel back across the pond -I did try to extend my trip, but flights were tight, so I’ll just have to go back another time! However…BONUS!! We experienced the Virgin Atlantic VIP treatment once again when we got to Heathrow to check in for the flight home.

First was a separate VIP entrance for check in and security…

Then a MEGA 12,000 square foot Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse, where we could chill out prior to boarding!

Talk about “swanky” this place was super plush with lounge seating, a restaurant, spa and salon as well as fully-stocked bar! See for yourself….

Usually I’m not trying to have a LOOOONG time at the airport before my flight, but I could hang out in this clubhouse all day! Too bad I didn’t have more time, as I would’ve indulged in ALL the services!! haha

Thank you Virgin Atlantic for hosting us on this absolutely FABULOUS, one of a kind, trip of the year!! My experience as #RedHotReporter was nothing short of AMAZING and I can’t wait to do it again!

I woke up well-rested for my 2nd day in London as Virgin Atlantic’s Red Hot Reporter. We started with brunch at an Italian Restaurant near our hotel – St. Martins Lane is in a “happening” spot, literally steps to several cafe’s, restaurants, shops and points of interest! Then, the first activity on the agenda was a trip to Trafalgar Square where the NFL was holding its “Fan Rally.”

T is from Chicago, so he suited up in his BEARS gear…and I did too for the occasion!

The place was packed with British and American fans. Thousands of people flooded the square, and it was really cool to see the NFL getting so much LOVE in London! And even though it was technically Tampa Bay’s “home game” in London, there were clearly more BEARS fans in the crowd. BTW, did you know the Bucs owner also owns Manchester United, hence a great UK tie-in for them!  **NOTE: I kept thinking if the RAIDERS ever get to play in London, I KNOW the RAIDER NATION would be out in full force and England would be covered in Silver and Black!

We caught this moment of the Chicago Bears making a brief appearance at the event…

One of the main attractions were the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cheerleaders…they can’t get enough of the NFL Cheerleaders in London! And — since the BEARS are one of the few NFL teams who do not have Pro Cheerleaders, the spotlight was squarely on ladies from Tampa Bay! I had the opportunity to interview a few of the ladies before they got on stage to perform, that will pop up On The Flipside soon!

At the same time I bumped into the cheerleaders, I also got the chance to meet NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. He was very cool and took a few moments to chat with me about being the Red Hot Reporter and what I was doing for Virgin to share my NFL London experience with my peeps on social media..he was into it!

The rally was a cool experience, I met many NFL Legends, including members of the 85 Bears, as well as fans who trekked from the U.S. and other parts of Europe to experience the festivities.

Uhm, did I mention I was interviewed for NFL Network?? I have no idea if this has aired or what they are going to do with the footage, but I’m sure someone will let me know if they catch my interview!!

After the rally, the excitement did not stop as we did a quick wardrobe change and set off for the NFL London Bash!

It was a swanky “invite only” event with some “celeb” sightings…

Jerome Bettis (Above) & Cuba Gooding Jr. (Below)

I haven’t talked too much about the cuisine in London, and they are NOT known for it, but one kind of “interesting” dish they had at the party was a beef meatballs with tomato sauce over mashed potatoes dish…not bad! :/ hehe

The highlight of the evening was a performance by London native, now international superstar Estelle!

All in all, a FUN night, overall GREAT day..and the best is yet to come!! At this point, the credentials are stacking up and I needed to get a good night’s rest for the big game at Wembley Stadium.

DAY 3 of my Red Hot Reporter RECAP is coming up tomorrow!!

Day 1 to London, I traveled to Washington-Dulles to meet up with my PR rep who was traveling with me (and T) to the UK. So, we set off early from Florida, before arriving at Dulles and we headed straight for the infamous Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse!

We had about a 4-5 hour layover, but let me tell you, the time flew by hanging out inside the very chic Clubhouse while waiting for the flight…the best part, the food! Uh, I sampled just about everything on the menu…Chicken Corn Chowder, Shrimp Cocktail, Italian Sausage Pasta, Berries and Cream dessert and a Lemon one as well… 0_O

Soon enough, our “ride” arrived…

Once on flight we relaxed and even had a drink at “the bar!”

It was a quick flight into London, and we hit the ground running, coming off of a red-eye flight from IAD to LHR! Now, for many people, a “red eye” isn’t the most ideal, but actually, flying on Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy was super comfortable and upon arrival at Heathrow, I was able to utilize their (VIP) Revivals Lounge, which is where I was able to shower and freshen up with all the amenities of a luxe hotel!

Our first stop of the day was Tampa Bay Buccaneers practice at the Pennyhill Park Hotel (and Spa) and after practice I had the opportunity to interview a few of the players.

I have fresh footage that I will be editing On The Flipside, but for now here’s the clip of me and the most veteran Buc, Ronde Barber, talking about the experience of being in London to play American Football!!

After hanging out with the Bucs, we headed over to “The Oval” aka the Surrey County Cricket Club where the Chicago Bears would be practicing. This venue is considered the Yankee Stadium of cricket, and as luck would have it, a few cricket players were on hand to demo the game, so a few of the Bears tried it out before their practice!

Below a picture of Chicago Bears – Lance Briggs, Charles Tillman, Brian Urlacher and Matt Forte taking in the sights.

Lance Briggs takes a swing at cricket…

I also snapped a photo with Coach Lovie Smith

And — I talked one on one with Charles Tillman! Here’s a snippet, more to come OTF.

After we wrapped at Bears practice we checked into the St. Martins Lane Hotel in central London! I can’t tell you how exciting it was to take a “breather,” as the 2 days of travel and attending events, actually felt like one LONG day, running on pure adrenaline, fighting the time change, etc..! BUT — did I mention the in-room cupcakes!?!?

We had a free evening Friday, so T and I met up with my friend Christian (an Australian living in London), he took up to the Skylon restaurant for dinner overlooking the Thames, then we did a quick walking tour to see Big Ben and Parliament as well as Westminster Abbey and the London Eye, etc…

Tomorrow I will post my Day 2 RECAP…and stay tuned for NEW footage which will be On The Flipside soon!!