Mabuhay Nets Fans!

Wow, I can’t believe that the Asia Challenge games are really over! What a whirlwind experience! It feels like my time in Korea and the Philippines was all a dream. Our appearances and games in Korea were amazing moments. However, the last leg of the trip – to Manila, the capital of the Philippines – was an experience that I will never forget and one that I will share with my kids and grandkids.

When our airplane landed in Manila, I could already feel the excitement and pride in my heart. The last time I visited the Philippines was for a family vacation when I was only three years old, and I don’t really remember anything. The moment we landed, I just knew that this was going to be trip that I would never forget.

Our first day in Manila we had a press conference to promote the upcoming Asia Challenge game at the world famous Araneta Coliseum. The press conference was held at Fiamma, a club in the Philippines. This was the first time I actually got to speak Tagalog in front of a crowd. The interviewer asked me if I was a Filipina and I replied, “Opo!” (“Yes.”) The crowd loved that I answered in Tagalog.

Our next appearance was a television interview for the program, “24 Seconds.” We enjoyed this interview because it was different from the typical interviews we usually do. The television host asked a series of questions to get to know the dancers better and we had to answer the question all at once in under 24 seconds.

The next day, we had mall appearances at Manila’s Mega Mall and Mall of Asia, and my aunt who lives in the Philippines made it out to see me. I spotted her right away. We were interviewed on stage, and I was proud to announce that I am Filipina. The crowd went crazy.

After our interview and autograph session, we went behind the stage and my aunt was able to say hello and take a picture with me. I cried the moment I got to give her a big hug. It was so nice to see my aunt, who I haven’t seen in years, plus great to see a familiar face while I was so far from home.

The next day, we had the morning and afternoon free to do a little shopping. Our friends from the NBA took us to the Green Hill Market where we were able to bargain for the best price on the items. After our shopping excursion, we headed back to the hotel to get ready for the Welcome Reception, which was definitely a highlight of my trip.

After opening the event with a fabulous performance, we were interviewed once again. The host asked how I felt coming back to my country. I answered by saying how proud I was to be able to perform in the country my parents grew up in and how proud I am to be Filipina.

We were then brought to our tables, and I couldn’t help but feel special as guests lined up to take pictures with me. During dinner, we watched a Filipino Dance Troupe perform traditional Filipino folk dances. The dances were very familiar to me since my mom used to dance these dances and I even performed the candle dance as a young girl. At the end of their performance, I was called up to join them and do the Tinikling. This dance is done with two long bamboo sticks; the dancer must jump in and out of the bamboo sticks as they are drummed on the floor.

The next day was the big game at the Araneta Coliseum. I was extremely anxious and excited. Several of my family members who live in the Philippines were attending the game, along with members of my fiance’s family. Before leaving for the Asia Challenge, I knew that the NBA had requested that I to open up the game with a welcome address in Tagalog. I practiced for days, and I was honored to be able to speak Tagalog in front of thousands of fans at the biggest NBA event in history in the Philippines. I felt a little pressure, but knew I had to answer the call!

I will never forget the feeling of standing outside the tunnel and waiting for our turn to run out onto court, say my welcome address and perform. I was fighting back tears of happiness! At that very moment, I felt extremely lucky and blessed to have been given the opportunity to not only perform at the game in Manila, but to address the crown in Tagalog.

Finally, we were called. The emcee handed the microphone to me, and I was able to recite my speech to the crowd with perfect finesse. I’ll never forget the rush of the crowd cheering when I was finished. I looked to the left and saw my cousins. I looked at the upper bowl and saw my other family members with a huge sign that read "WE LOVE CECILE."

I turned back to my teammates and saw them smiling at me and then we danced our first number. After it was over, I couldn’t hold back the tears and finally cried my eyes out! I had to be the luckiest girl in the world!

After the game, my cousins met me on the court to reunite and take pictures. I was so happy to have them share one of my proudest moments! We took pictures together and caught up. After my goodbyes, I walked back to the dressing room to meet my teammates. But before I left the court, I turned around one last time to take it all in!

The next day, we headed back home. I couldn’t wait to get back to share my experiences with my family. I wished that they were in the Philippines for it all. Even though they weren’t physically there, I dedicated all I did to them. My family was in my heart the whole time. My days in Manila will always be remembered as one my proudest moments in my life!

<3 Cecilia

Hey everyone!

Just like all my fellow Dunking Divas, I keep waking up to a more blessed day in Korea.

As usual we had a full agenda for the day. Instead of wowing the fans at an Asia Challenge basketball game, the Dunking Divas entertained the Korean nation on a popular TV show. The show is entitled Star King, and it is similar to our own America's Got Talent. We arrived at the TV studio to run through the script with the producers and to prepare for our rehearsal.

After an intense walk-through, we returned to our dressing room for a quick make-up re-touch. While I was prepping for the taping, I remember sitting in my chair and thinking to myself. I realized that I was in Korea, surrounded by supporting and loving people, doing what I love. I couldn't dream of a moment any more perfect.

Korea was not ready for the Dunking Divas! We did our traditional circle pep talk and got in the zone. Our performances were solid and we completely blew the celebrity guests and the TV audience out of their seats! As we slammed in our dunks one by one, the audience chanted our names individually. At that moment I realized that the Dunking Divas had arrived. After we finished taping and posed for a couple photos, it was off to a celebration dinner.

Thank you all so much for the support. We miss everyone, but we love being out here representing the Nets to the fullest. We will definitely keep this momentum rolling right into the Philippines!

Peace and love,
Melody

Ahnyunghaseyo Nets Fans!

We arrived early this morning at the Incheon Samsan World Gymnasium for the NBA Asia Challenge game vs. the Incheon ETLAND Blackslammers. We were greeted with beautiful banners welcoming the Dunking Divas, as we arrived to begin the day with a flawless court rehearsal. We were surprised with a remarkable performance by the Incheon Elephant Dance Team, who had tremendous stage presence for girls ranged 8-12 years old.

Just before game tip off at 3 p.m. – that would be 4 a.m. back home in New York – the Dunking Divas walked about the stands handing out posters and taking pictures with the fans. Interacting with fans overseas and experiencing their culture is undeniably one of the most rewarding experiences.

Four fans in particular are incessantly etched in my heart. To my surprise, taking the court for our first performance of the game, there were four fans each with individual signs collectively reading “Here To See Laura.”

It was an unforgettable moment. I felt so blessed and privileged to share my passion for dance and the love of basketball across the world in Asia.

Our performances were impeccable throughout the game; fans were so engaged, clapping along to all our music. The Dunking Divas were so well received and brought an authentic presence of Nets entertainment to the game. Security during our stay in Korea was quite tremendous; luckily they allowed my four fans onto the court after the game so that I could personally meet them and take pictures. It was considerably one of the most memorable parts of my trip.

After the game, we headed back to our hotel for a beautiful dinner outside on the Terrace with a stunning view. We all retired after dinner to our rooms to pack and prepare for our final day in Korea. Tomorrow we’re gearing to perform and dunk on Star King, the most popular primetime show in Korea! We are undeniably representing our brand to the fullest and working it out here!

Wish us luck, and thank you all for your continued love and support!

Yours,
Laura

Hi family, friends and Nets fans,

Each day in South Korea is more amazing than the last! Today we performed at our first NBA Generations vs. KBL game in Seoul. The minute we stepped onto the court, our Korean fans went crazy. They loved our high-energy performance to "Proud Mary." After getting such an overwhelming response, we were pumped to show them our dunking skills.

Right before entering the court, we circled up to remind each other how blessed we are to be here, and then we did a song and dance ritual to get us amped up. Our dunk show was CRAZY! It couldn't have gone better. One Dunking Diva after another nailed their individual tricks and slammed the ball into the hoop.

The crowd went wild, especially for our more advanced dunks, which included a few passes and then a grand finale of Melody dunking over Cecilia -- who was sitting on Siobhan's shoulders! Our last performance of the game was a new hip-hop routine to Ciara's song "Work." The song says, "You better work" and that's exactly what we did!

After the game, we came onto the court to take a few photos. When the fans saw us posed for our cameras, they came flying down the stairs to take our pictures. Parents were handing off their babies to us, and we were so grateful to be able to capture this moment on film. It was an emotional experience for all six of us and Sly to see how much the fans loved us. Words can't even express our thoughts and feelings about today. I can speak for all of us when I say it's something we'll never forget.

After dinner we had some free time, so we went out to see more of Seoul. We took the subway, and it was the cleanest and most advanced subway system we've seen in our lives. We went to the N Seoul Tower, which was located all the way on top of a mountain.

When our cable car got to the top, we went to one of the most romantic places in all of Korea. There were thousands of locks locked in pairs on the trees and fences to represent love for a significant other. Our last stop was the top of the tower overlooking the entire city. The view was beautiful.

After a long day we headed back to the hotel to prepare for tomorrow. We're so excited to perform again, but this time in Incheon. Be sure to check back soon for our next blog. We are having so much fun, but we miss all of our family, friends and Nets fans.

See you soon!
Jess

Greetings from Korea, Nets Fans! For the Dunking Divas, today was a whirlwind of new experiences and exciting activities.

We started with a morning photo shoot at Olympic Park. The clear blue skies combined with the beauty and nobility of the venue created the perfect atmosphere to hype us up. Not only did it make all of us grateful to be here, but it reminded us that we are here representing our family, fans and country. And we promise to do you all proud!

Next we participated in an NBA Cares event at the arena. We were able to interact with some local special needs children, and watch as they received private coaching from the NBA players. Seeing their faces light up as they practiced dribbling, passing and shooting was by far one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve ever had. I was so thrilled to discover that high fives, hugs, and a friendly smile were able to bridge the gap that I had expected our language barrier to create.

After a strenuous court rehearsal, we finally had an evening to relax and enjoy the sights. Can you guess what we six girls decided to take advantage of first?

... The shopping, of course! We hit up a local market on In-sa dong Street for a couple hours and enjoyed finding souvenirs for ourselves and loved-ones back home. It was so thrilling to interact with the people of Seoul, who were all extremely welcoming and kind.

Finally, we sampled some traditional Korean barbeque for our dinner. It was a feast! I told myself to be brave and try all of the different foods, and I’m happy to say that I enjoyed them all!

I know that I will treasure the memories we created today for the rest of my life, and I am so glad that I was able to share our experiences with all of you. Be sure to keep checking in for more updates on our trip!

Bonnie

Hi Family, Friends, and Nets Fans!

We started our first full day in Seoul with a beautiful breakfast. After breakfast we quickly prepared ourselves for our first event in Korea – the Asia Challenge Opening Ceremony. This press event included a performance and a question-and-answer session about the Dunking Divas.

Our second event of the day took place after dinner at a local night club, Club Answer. The moment we walked off our bus, we were whisked away to pose for press photos in front of the club. The dozens of flashing cameras got us excited and full of energy. Right before we walked onto the stage to perform, the six of us were overcome with joy and felt so blessed to be in Korea representing the Nets.

Now the day is over, but a new adventure will start tomorrow!
Siobhan

Hey, Nets fans! Greetings from Seoul, Korea! Today is our first night in Seoul, and after traveling 14 hours straight, I am still energetic and thrilled to be a part of the 2009 NBA Asia Challenge!

When I was first asked to travel to Korea and the Philippines to perform at this event, I felt blessed and proud. Both of my parents were born and raised in the Philippines, and I still have family that resides there. I am honored to represent the Nets and to perform in my own country. I’m excited to see my family attend the Philippine game.

There was serious preparation for the upcoming trip. In addition to learning new Nets Dancer choreography, I had to master dunking for the Dunking Divas' performances. We rehearsed almost everyday.

Time has flown so fast and I can’t believe that I’m already here. Two years ago, I traveled with the Nets Dancers to Singapore, and I was excited to see familiar faces from that journey. Our good friends from the NBA Asia staff greeted us as we entered our hotel. It was amazing to see them again and to begin another adventure.

Our first performance will be for tomorrow's Opening Ceremony. I am anxious to kick off the NBA Asia Challenge and to show the basketball fans here a piece of Nets Entertainment from home!

Talk soon,
Cecilia