South Florida Cloggers take on America's Got Talent

The call of the year came to our director, Becky's, phone in late September.

A casting producer, from the TV show America's Got Talent, spoke with Becky and announced that the South Florida Cloggers could audition for the upcoming season in 2014.

That call brought this team on new meaning of busy.

Becky's excitement was palpable through the phone as she called the members of her advanced team.

The dance-song choice was easy... Go with what you got.

And the SOME NIGHTS competition song was alive again.

The advanced team videotaped it and sent in in to the show.

Next up.... The audition weekend.

The TV show visits 7 cities between October and January.

Miami was the very first stop and the SFC girls were ready.

The team got an early start and arrived at the Miami Beach Convention Center about 9am. It was a beautiful day, too.

Believe it or not, this was not the only event rotating up there.

You have to imagine us waiting to capture this pose... The team pointing and smiling and the parents saying, 'not yet' about 6 times.

L-O-N-G walk around the building was considered the unofficial warm up.

Then, there was the security check for weapons and such.

Not that we had any....

(but we may have left a nail clipper thingie in a bin)

The holding areas were alive with excitement.

These signs were placed in case we got lost maybe.

Becky kicked right in with getting the outfits together.

She's a great mom to this team.

Here's the Davis/Calderon clan turning in paperwork.

Such a fun way to spend the day with our girls.

(take note of the multiple light-orb-angels in this pic!)

Our #2. Lora, was under-the-weather but she really pulled it together for this day.

She told me that she was glad it was her that didn't feel well and not one of the younger kids.

(a collective Awwwww.... Right? She's awesome)

This group of lovely ladies were in front of us in line.

They are a 55+ dancing group out of Fort Myers.

West coast meets East coast.

We were fast friends.

They held up an encouraging arch to see the SFC group into the audition.

So sweet...

They understand that it isn't about which dance team is better,

It's about the friends you make along the way.

Each clogger-kid DID have a parent there.

I feel bad that we don't have photos of each family. (*bad blogging*)

Here's Briana and her mom, Carmen

Skylar and her mom, Nancy.

Even going to the bathroom was worthy of a picture!

This photo is my favorite.

Olivia3 and Briana are cousins.

How special is the bond between them? Now and in 20 years?

Stephanie, Briana, and Sammy.

Last stop was in a giant room where EVERYONE was gathered.

Lots of people, lots of lights, lots of cameras.

Our group occupied the time by playing games.

And sharing a really BIG bag of gummy bears.

It was the breakfast, lunch and (almost) dinner of champions.

In the end, leaving was the hardest part of the day.

Fingers crossed that the staff liked us.

The AGT website keeps the world updated.

Each city has to complete the audition process before they can make any announcements .

Its only fair.

Our not-so-little team was wiped out.

We had fun.

And if the phone DOESN'T ring again... We still have each other.

 

Always

 

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South Florida Cloggers (Daytona Beach 2013)

Daytona.... Daytona.... Daytona...

It seems all roads lead to this beautiful place!

The South Florida Cloggers took a (well planned) road trip last weekend

The SUNSHINE STATE JAMBOREE 2013 is a clogging convention in Daytona Beach each summer.

Our 2013 team... In our usual spot at the Hilton beachside.

(we all ALMOST got the matching shoe thing going.... But cuteness helps)

It's hard to imagine that such a thing exists, I know.

But, this is because we live so far south, maybe?

Naturally, our Ta-da picture... So corny but muched expected and loved.

We walked, as a group, to the mall nearby ready to eat dinner at Sloppy Joes restaurant.

We were 75+ people. They couldn't have been more organized.

We will DEFINITELY be back next year!

Below... Briana, Memaw, Becky, and Lora getting ready to order.

This table of friends are all next-door-neighbors.

(Mia, Meredith, Olivia, and Sunshine (Jessie))

And the families that belong to them...

There are SO many pictures of the restaurant group, it really deserves its own post. Way too many for this one. Just know that we FILLED the restaurant.

After dinner, we all attended the opening night's dance party.

Really, it's 3 hours of learning fun dance routines.

Here is Becky... Who was asked to teach a bit (huge honor... Yeah!)

You can see the amount of people attending.

Red shirts were in full force.

An evening of night swimming followed.

Becky and Lora checking in with their girls.

Although the Hilton doesn't have the grandest pool, it does have a FUN pool!

That's Meredith jumping through the waterfall. And Skylar avoiding the splash.

The swim group got bigger as the night went on.

Then, disaster struck!

Holly stepped in a sliver of glass INSIDE the pool.

Her injury... Turn your heads if you get queasy at the sight of blood.

Cute, water-sogged toes with a boo-boo. Ouch.

(she is the only clogger with a brief solo in our act.... She CAN'T be hurt.)

A reminder of our hotel... Brianna and Holly.

Very clean, nice ocean-front views.

(I even slid bed-bug detectors under the mattresses.... NO BED-BUGS)

The view from our room... So pretty.

The next morning, early meeting times so many had breakfast on the go.

In the lobby.

The official line-up... Gets longer each summer.

so proud.

Holly, Lindsay, Jessica, Alyssa, and Bri

(such beauty in tween-form)

The back end of the line.

Love the way Mimi chose not to climb up the wall... smart lady!!

The banister is wide, but the other side goes straight down.

That half wall leads to the bottom floor.

Becky is on-stage teaching her dance... Telescope.

Our group is in black and white.

Her view from the front.

The Bilz brothers (Stacy and Scotty) with Becky and Lora.

Gotta love men that dance.

Scotty (in orange)is coming to our studio in Sept

He choreographs for major clogging groups.

He's kind of a big deal (personal joke for Scotty if he reads this)

Looking forward to having him; super nice set of brothers.

Becky and Naomi Pyle teaching another dance.

Notice how some groups wear white shoes?

It's a regional thing, I think.

The further north you go, the more white shoes pop up.

Scotty Bilz with a few of us.... After he taught a dance.

(Olivia, Skylar, Meredith, Holly, Lora, Stephanie, Sammy, Sunshine, me and Briana S)

Poor fellow, got attacked off-stage.

We all met at 630... Pictures and make-up time.

Becky putting on Brianna T's robber mask.

Lora adding Brianna B's mask.

Some girls opted to just wear a mask.... Make up was optional.

Mia, Meredith, and Holly (the injured one from the pool)

All looking too cute.

One great group shot.... Border added by our unofficial-official photographer, Liana (Holly's mom)

She is awesome.

I really love this shot!

We took 'just cops' and 'just robbers' pictures, but this one I HAD to add.

A hotel guest asked to have her son jump in.

No clue WHO this guy is but he was a good sport when we arrested him

Our other group shot.... Robbers were peeking out of hiding.

Everyone can decide which one they like best... I like the border on both.

Thanks again, Liana.

The only brother/sister duo on the performing team

Stephanie and Vinny

Stretching out... Olivia3, Meredith, and Mia

Briana must've been done stretching maybe?

Our group's performance....

South Florida Cloggers - COPS AND ROBBERS

 

Post-show, I tried to get a picture without the cop hats.

This is Briana S trying to pop in the shot and Holly, olivia2 and Stephanie telling her to take off the hat!!

But, alas, the hats off shot was sabotaged by some members walking by!!

Meredith, Mia, Becky, Sunshine, and Olivia2

Great job, everyone!

The next morning, we had time for a little swim... Before starting home.

Our bathing-beauties and their boogie-boards.

The weather was just perfect... For a Florida summer.

Could've been much hotter.

Meredith getting a surfing lesson from Lindsay.

Lindsay taught the girls how to stand up on the board!!

So, that's our Daytona beach weekend 2013

It seems like we spend all summer thinking out it and then...

POOF, it's gone.

I'll admit, this year was a lot of fun.

Crazy.... But fun.

I'll do another post to introduce the performing group in a bit!

Thanks for sharing

 

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