Oklahoma City, Friday, Aug. 9, 2013 – The Oklahoma City Thunder selected 20 women for its 2013-14 Thunder Girls dance team on Thursday night, the team announced today. Final auditions took place in front of a full house at the Showplace Theatre in Riverwind Casino.
Of the 20 ladies, 11 return from last year’s squad, joined by nine rookies. Three Thunder Girls – Jada, LaTeshia and Shereka – are headed into their sixth season on the squad.
“The Thunder Girls serve as ambassadors for our team, both on and off the court,” said Paige Carter, who enters her third season as the Thunder Girls dance team manager and choreographer. “We are excited to have a group of young women who not only are great dancers, but also can engage with our community of fans to form a positive connection with our team.”
A panel of judges, including Gary England of News 9, Miss Oklahoma Kelsey Griswold, and Joey and Heather from WILD 104.9, assisted Thunder staff in making the final selections.
The final audition process consisted of three rounds: a choreographed jazz/hip-hop routine, a question-and-answer session and a solo dance.
Following last Saturday’s open auditions, 38 women were selected as finalists for Thursday’s event from an initial group of nearly 100 hopefuls. During the week, finalists took part in formal interviews and rehearsals to prepare for the finals.
The Thunder Girls are presented by Riverwind Casino. Members of the team make more than 200 appearances each year throughout the community and have served as ambassadors for the team at home and overseas. More information about the team is available at THUNDER.NBA.COM. Fans can also get updates on Facebook (facebook.com/thundergirls), Twitter (@thundergirls) and Instagram (@okcthundergirls).