Boston Celtics Announce Members of the Inaugural Celtics Dancers

2006-2007 Celtics Dance Team announced at a special event at Foxwoods Resort Casino

MASHANTUCKET, CT (July 12, 2006) - The Boston Celtics announced last night the members of the 2006-07 Celtics Dancers during a special final audition event at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut. The final audition, held in the Fox Theater, brought 44 dancers from around the country to perform in front of a large audience of Celtics fans.

The finalists participated in three different segments of the show, a choreographed dance in groups of four, a swimsuit pageant and a solo performance where candidates created their own choreography. The women were critiqued by a panel of celebrity judges, including Celtics guard Tony Allen; former Celtics guard and Foxwoods Celebrity Host Ernie DiGregorio; former Celtics guard Dana Barros; Atlanta Hawks A-Town Dancers director Donni Frazier; Singer, Songwriter and Dancer Lian; and Television and Recording star Free. The event was hosted by WZLX-FM morning show personalities Karlson and McKenzie.

"We are thrilled to field such a talented group of women for the first dance team in Boston Celtics history," Celtics Chief Operating Officer Rich Gotham said. "The Celtics would like to thank Foxwoods Resort Casino for assisting us in launching the Celtics Dancers with this great event."

Finalists were selected through a series of auditions that took place in Boston, MA; New York, NY; Sacramento, CA; Los Angeles, CA and Scottsdale, AZ to vie for 21 spots with the Celtics Dancers. For the final audition, the women learned choreography to perform during the final auditions, and did a run-through of the entire show production, including a full-dress rehearsal. The women also went through one-on-one and group interviews and were evaluated based on personality, intelligence and overall presentation.

"Thanks to the vigorous audition process, I am confident that the team we've selected will be the class of the NBA," Marina Ortega, Celtics Dance Team Director said. "The women put on an amazing show for everyone in the audience. I'm excited to work with these 21 women as we prepare for the start of the season."

"Foxwoods Resort Casino is proud to be a part of history in the selection of the inaugural Celtics Dancers," says Bob DeSalvio, Executive Vice President of Marketing for Foxwoods. "The event was a great showcase of talent and was an extremely entertaining and enjoyable show for our guests."