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The next and third trip brought us to Buenos Aires, Argentina. WNBA legend, Allison Feaster and I arrived a couple days early and had a blast exploring the city. We even received a short tour from her Argentinian friend, Vanessa.

I was able to rest before our third panel and clinic on the third day there. At this point, I was looking forward  to the routine of being interviewed by DirecTV, speaking at the panel, teaching a dance clinic and lastly being interviewed a few  more times on my experience.

I found the girls at this panel were very engaged in my story of how I became a Nets dancer and dance teacher. Many of them huddled around me after the panel to ask more questions and any advice I had to offer them.

I was pleasantly surprised to see so many of them wanted to pursue dance. I was happy to see I could inspire and advise them on multiple opportunities they could take with dance.

I had a blast teaching these girls! They really picked up the choreography well. Many of them new basic breaking steps and could do a baby freeze!

I loved the dancers and overall experience in Argentina. Hope to come back and visit here again too.

Our second panel and clinics took place in Guayaquil, Ecuador. It was hot and muggy, but I learned how to embrace the heat, as my voyage continued.

As I waited outside before my first interview I continued to bond with my fellow panelist, Stephanie Vieira (NBA marketing) and the DirecTV moderators, Ligia Leon and Vanessa Illescas.

We were so amazed as Vanessa shared her romantic story of how her husband made one of her dreams come true by proposing in the first ever hot air balloon in Ecuador! It was one of the best proposal stories I've ever heard.

Vanessa interviewed me on the court. I was still getting passed my nerves of being interviewed in Spanish in public, but she was so engaged in what I was saying that it felt more like a conversation.  She was friendly and made me feel extremely comfortable.

After the interview, I walked outside and met the girls who would be participating in the panel. They were teenagers from two different groups involved in both basketball and soccer.

We had fun and had great conversations since some of them were very outspoken. I even had the chance to see one of them dance a popular stylized salsa dance that I thought only occurred in Colombia called, "Salsa Choque".

The panel went by quicker than the last. The questions were more general so I had to focus to say the most important things. My goal was to inspire them.

I was then interviewed by DirecTV sports after the panel.

I broke into a crazy sweat during my dance clinic because of the heat. Some of the girls were shy as they'd never taken a dance clinic before, but they soon began to let go and laugh at themselves.

I broke them up into groups and was pleasantly surprised that I had volunteers to perform the routine for the crowd. After 30 minutes Ligia gave me a signal that I had to wrap up the clinic. I realized it had been a success when much later I saw some of the girls still trying to master the routine.

Overall Ecuador was a successful event and an amazing experience. Even though I was only in Ecuador for three days, it made a lasting impact on me. I hope I’ll have the chance to visit again!

I'm super excited to tell you about this amazing new project hosted by Direct TV called “Watch me Work” for the WNBA!  I was chosen to tour with three other prestigious women to inspire young ladies about our careers in four different South American countries. We are currently speaking at  panels in each country! The cities include Bogota, Colombia, Guayaquil, Ecuador, Buenos Aires, Argentina, and lastly Santiago, Chile. I am definitely excited about traveling and I have been looking forward to sharing my experiences with these young women to help them explore their future career opportunities.

The first women's panel took place in Bogota, Colombia.

I was elated when I heard about the project. I later received a call from Associate Director of Latin America NBA. She gave me the rundown of what I'd be doing and the adventure I'd soon have and of course I didn't hesitate to say, "Yes, I'd love to!"

However, as my flight date came closer, I began getting nervous of the thought of having to speak about my career in public and in Spanish! I considered myself fluent but I’ve always felt more comfortable in English since I was raised in NYC. I also loved the thought of representing my dance team but I felt a lot of pressure considering I was a bit shy and I'd only been on the team for one year! All of these feelings piled up and made a knot in my stomach.

Fortunately, this feeling began to fade. During my first DirecTV interview in Bogota I met the other panelists who were WNBA legend, Allison Feaster, and NBA staff, Stephanie Vieira. We were all supportive of each other and I could tell each of us had a bit of anxiety about doing a 10 minute interview. We were given a series of questions related to women's roles and our thoughts on the WNBA.

The team! From right to left.
Ligia Leon - DirecTV Moderator
Allison Feaster - WNBA Legend
Stephanie Vieira - NBA Employee
Myself

As I sat down while they organized my mic, my heart was pounding, but I suddenly had this feeling of empowerment. I was really fortunate to be answering questions like “how I envisioned women's roles in the future” and "what my thoughts were on the WNBA." I was glad to speak up and after meeting and listening to the first interviewee, Allison, I had a good sense that I was part of an amazing team. This trip to South America was for such a great cause!

Lastly, I was excited to give these young ladies a taste of the Brooklynettes flair at my dance clinic. It has really been a thrilling experience!

Wrapping up at the end of the dance clinic! :)

watch-me-work-tour

Watch Me Work Tour

Brooklyn Nets

It has been quite an adventure since I began my trip to Toronto to #RepresentBrooklyn on the All-Star Dance Team! This would be my first international trip as a Brooklynette without having the comfort of my teammates to lean on each day. Naturally I was anxious, excited, and overwhelmed but my nerves were put to ease when two other tristate dancers, Alyssa from the New York Knicks and Amanda from the Philadelphia 76ers, greeted me at the airport. We were on the same flight out so in a sense we were all in this together and I could feel a strong bond brewing upon the horizon! Check us out in the photo below, as we were welcomed to the "North Side," at the Toronto airport.

The ladies and I were the first of the dance team members to check-in to the hotel. We had a quick lunch and decided to get down to business right away. Soon thereafter many other dancers began arriving, including my roommate, Victoria from the Boston Celtics, and we hit it off right away.

Our coach sent us 3 dance routines and 3 sidelines to learn prior to our arrival, which we would perform throughout All-Star Weekend.

I had been so busy the few weeks prior with Brooklynettes' rehearsals, global travel, and Brooklyn Nets homes games that I didn't have much to time to lockdown these routines ahead of time. However, with the help of my All-Star teammates, coach, and first day of rehearsals, I was able to quickly pick-up the material. I was ready for the journey ahead and could not wait to show the ladies how we do it in Brooklyn.

What a tough morning it was to get out of bed. I didn't realize how hard I had pushed myself through rehearsals yesterday and that every muscle in my body was terribly sore. Our All-Star coach, Natalie, kept reminding us that this journey was not going to be easy, however that we have to make the most of every moment and never forget we are here because we are the best in the league!

With that in mind, we started the day bright and early with staging our first performance routine, Focus, as well as the opening ceremony for All-Star Saturday Night. I was one of the few ladies selected to kick-off the show dancing on a platform with blackout lighting and pyro which was scary yet fun. Take a peak at a behind the scenes shot below:

Thankfully we had a decent break for lunch back at the hotel, then jumped right into staging our second performance routine, Yonce. This dance was my favorite of our 3 routines and I couldn't wait to bring it to life on the court! From here, we hustled back to the arena for an evening rehearsal and before we knew it, it was 10pm at night.

I could not believe how long our day was! The ladies and I were extremely exhausted however it was our teammate's birthday (Amanda from the Sixers), so we had to take a moment to celebrate. The staff treated us to a pizza party at the hotel to close the evening where we sang our little hearts out to show Amanda some birthday loving!

On a break during our lengthy court rehearsals:

As per usual, today began with another early morning rehearsal. We met with the All-Star Hype Squad to fine-tune our opening for Saturday Night. This crew was a very talented group of tumblers, stunters, and acrobats from all over the league. Despite us all being tired, they definitely helped pump up our energy level to work hard and still have some fun while we were at it.

I was also excited because my Nets Fam came to town to help us represent during All-Star weekend. The Brooklyn Nets Kids, as well as my director, Criscia, and entertainment coordinator, Sara, greeted me at the arena and I could not be happier to feel a little comfort of home.

The kids killed their rehearsals and made me so proud to be apart of such a talented squad from Brooklyn!

Overall, rehearsals went very well today! We had been to both arenas to finalize blocking for our performances. The ladies and I were finally feeling comfortable with all our dances and with each other. You could tell a strong bond was finally settling between all of us because we were getting down to business but still managing to have some laughs along the way.

East Coast representing at court rehearsal for player intros:

For once, we didn't have an early call time for the morning so we chose to get out and hit the town. The ladies and I ventured a lounge called Cube. Little did we know but Snoop Dogg ended up being the DJ for the evening and we danced the night away!

Today would be the start of All-Star weekend madness! The NBA started the morning with an appreciation breakfast to thank us for all of our hard work thus far. Our happy tummies jumped into a surprise rehearsal with the world-famous choreographer, Jeri Slaughter, to stage the halftime performance for Saturday Night.

We were performing to the hit Shut Up and Dance With Me by the show-stopping band, Walk the Moon. The ladies and I were extremely honored to participate in this act because the band never before had dancers take the stage with them. We were ultimately creating history!

As if the day couldn't get any better, the NBA ordered a party bus to transport us to our next event. We surely felt like we were rolling in style before taking the court for the Celebrity All-Star Game.

Here we participated in player intros and finally debuted our first two performances as the NBA All-Star Dance Team of 2016.

Waking up today was bittersweet! I couldn't help but think that we only had two days left together as a team but also that we were about to show the world why we truly are the best in the league. Regardless, we were ecstatic to the start the day!!!

We had rehearsal for Sunday Night's festivities then headed over to the Ricot Arena to take center court performing our routine, Focus, at All-Star Practice.

During our break we managed to sneak some shopping in so that we could load up on All-Star gear before our big events of the evening. After prepping all week, this was the action-packed night we had all been waiting for... the Skills, Three-point Shot, and Slam Dunk Contest!

We were performance ready and nothing was going to get in the way of that!

Our opening ceremony was a hit and no one managed to catch on fire from the pyro lol

I successfully strutted on court feeling fabulous in the Brooklynettes Bey Romper for the opening skit of the Three-point Contest, which included actor, Kevin Hart, NBA All-Star, Draymond Green, and ring announcer, Jimmy Buffer.

The ladies and I lived our lives during our halftime performance with Walk the Moon, as we twirled on stage in a sea of confetti!

The Brooklyn Nets Kids and all the entertainers had whip and nae nae party on center court for all fans to see.

I think it is safe to say we had an eventful night! After all the early mornings and late nights, we managed to provide amazing entertainment for the spectators and I cannot wait to do it all again tomorrow for our final day in Toronto!

Today was my last day in Toronto for All-Star weekend and I do not even know where to begin recapping the insane experience I had during this past week with these 29 remarkable women!

We opened the evening with player intros for the East and West Team.

To our astonishment, production made a last minute addition to the performance with a surprise cameo by Drake before honoring legendary Kobe Bryant as an NBA All-Star for the very last time.

The ladies and I then geared up for our final performance as the NBA All-Star Dance Team of 2016.

I was thrilled to go out with a bang, doing my favorite routine of the week, Yonce, center court for all of the fans to see.

And in the blink of an eye it all came to an end. All the hours and sleepless nights were done. All the anticipation and nerves had fleeted. Every stranger had become a friend or better yet, family. We were now family, NBA All-Star family that would never be reunited in this same light ever again in our entire lives. Would I ever see them again? In only a number of days we came together not only as dancers, but as leaders, teammates, role models, spokeswomen, and most importantly, the #1 brand ambassadors to rep our cities! It was sad to ponder that I had to leave this talented group of young women but then I couldn't help but smile knowing that together, we had made history as the NBA All-Star Dance Team of 2016.

I learned some much during this adventure, not only about myself, but from every single individual that crossed my path. They have touched my heart in a way that cannot be described in words. It's funny because as dancers, we don't need words. We use movement as the ultimate form of expression and in retrospect, I see why.  We didn't need words to make a connection with one another but rather; all we had to do was look to our passion. This passion began for me as a child when my mother enrolled me in dance class so that I could learn discipline. Little did I know this tiny passion would grow into an exhilarating career and stepping-stone to become a NBA All-Star Dancer and for that I am grateful!

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2016 All-Star Weekend

Hey Nets fans, I am one of your newest members of the Brooklynettes, Shannon! I cannot wait to tell you all about our trip to Sherbrooke Quebec for the All Star Canada Challenge.

It is Friday here in Sherbrooke, Quebec and as soon as I woke up it was snowing! We just left snowstorm Jonas in Brooklyn so we cannot seem to get away from the snow, but we love it!  This morning we had some down time so we all went to a place called "Cacao 70" for breakfast.

This restaurant is literally the Max Brenner's of Quebec, there is chocolate everywhere and for someone who is obsessed with chocolate this place was the perfect start to my day!

Everything on the menu looked so good it was too hard to pick so most of us ended up ordering more than one thing and we all shared our delicious food and treats with each other!

After filling our bellies, we were ready to start our day! Next, we headed out to Bishop University where we would spend the rest of our day doing The "NBA Junior Clinics". Similar to the day before, we started off each clinic with one of our energetic dance routines to get the kids pumped and the day started! When we were finished dancing, it was time to get the kids moving. All of the children worked really hard and it looked like they all had a lot of fun. I even shot a few baskets and yes, I got them in! It is always great to be able to work with and inspire our next generation. There may have even been some future NBA stars there! After all the hard work, fun, and games we all had a dance party. The Brooklynettes, all the participants, and the legendary Dikembe Mutombo did the "Whip and Nae Nae" together. It is amazing how universal dancing is; anyone and everyone can do it! After a long day, we went out to eat and then headed back to the hotel for some much needed rest!

It’s now Saturday in Sherbrooke Quebec and we are up bright and early to start our day full of events. We headed back out to Bishop University for the "NBA All Star Skills Challenge". This is where kids, 14 and older got a chance to show the NBA their skills from several drills to dunk contests. It was really entertaining to see how talented some of these kids were. The winners get to go to Toronto for the finals of the challenge, which is an awesome opportunity.

When the contest was over we went across campus to Bishop Universities Winterfest and Rail Jam. This was one of the coolest parts of the trip. The Winterfest is an event for students to get together, listen to a live DJ and watch their peers do tricks on skis and snowboards down a man made ski slope right in the middle of campus. At the event we took pictures, signed autographs, danced, and met many of the students! It was a lot of fun and interesting to see the college life in Canada, which is very similar to here in the states. I especially loved that all the students were wearing 90’s looking snowsuits and full animal jumpers. It was an exciting event for all!

As the Winterfest went on it became colder so it was time for us to head back to the gymnasium for the Bishop Gaiter’s women and men’s basketball games. At the games, we will be dancing and handing out t-shirts just like we do at our games in Brooklyn. The game against McGill was really exciting and the crowd was wild. The energy from the crowd was amazing we felt right at home because they were just like our Brooklyn fans hyping up the whole arena! Although it was a loss for the Gaiters, both teams played a great game!

I would have to say it was a successful day full of fun and adventure! We met an abundance of new people and made many new friends along the way. I loved learning about the people and culture of Sherbrooke, Quebec. Thank you to Bishop University for welcoming Brooklyn with open arms, I am hopeful to be back one day!

exploring-quebec

Exploring Quebec

Asha here from Quebec, Canada. We are so excited to be apart of the NBA All-Star Challenge. We got up bright and early to catch our 1.5 hour flight to Montreal. Once we landed, we were immediately greeted with snow flurries and the beautiful Canadian country side.

That evening we decided to catch some R&amp;R and then celebrate our teammate Katie's birthday! We had our fill of chips and guacamole. The best part was when the waiter got the sombrero.

Day 2 in Quebec started off with a two hour rehearsal so that we could get fully prepared for all our performances for the rest of the weekend. Our first event was the Jr. NBA Clinic where kids ages 8-14 were able to take part in some fun and typical NBA style basketball drills. We kicked off the event with one of our high energy dances and then went straight into helping the kids warm up. They were split up into 6 different stations. Each station challenged the kids whether it was practicing ball handling, shooting, agility, or strength training.

I LOVED seeing the little ones attempt burpees,push ups and planks. After the stations were finished, one of the top 10 dunkers in the world Air Dogg put on a show for the kids. The first dunk was pretty elementary in skill level, but his second dunk was definitely a show stopper mainly because he needed me to assist. He had me hold the ball above my head and then jumped over me and slam dunked the ball over my head. I was terrified! But, the kids enjoyed every second of it. To close out the night we took a group photo with all the participants, staff, and Swish the official NBA Mascot. I hadn't had that much fun at a clinic in a long time. The kids here in Sherbrooke, Quebec were so much fun and they were so quick to be involved and take in the NBA experience.

To round off a successful event we went to a local hot spot OMG Burger where you can enjoy live music and awesome atmosphere. We had dinner with the staff and had a blast!

The burgers and the poutine were delicious. If you don't know what poutine is, it's basically fries with gravy and chunks of cheese. There's no better way to end the day than a good meal with close friends and hilarious conversations.

I'm looking forward to the upcoming events and more memorable moments  with my teammates!

nba-canada-all-star-challenge

NBA Canada All-Star Challenge

Our last day performing in São Paulo was undoubtedly a success. At 11:30 am we were already standing on court, anticipating the DJ to drop the beat. We put on our final show during which we danced five routines, taught a short lesson, and took pictures with the participants afterwards.

Being thousands of miles away from New York, we were ecstatic to see a few Brooklyn Nets fans in Brazil's iconic metropolis. We made sure they received our autographed posters.

Our show ended with a dance clinic during which we welcomed some of the fans onto the court to join us in a follow along routine. As usual, it was difficult to choose the lucky performers from such an enthusiastic audience!

The grand finale of the NBA 3X events in São Paulo included a long awaited awards ceremony. We congratulated the contestants and gave them their well-deserved medals.

We concluded our 12 day journey with a trip to one of São Paulo's most chic neighborhoods, Vila Madalena. There, we explored Beco do Batman, known for its vibrant street art.

The serpentine Batman Alley is one of the major tourist attractions in the city. The paintings seen there depict a motley array of images that reflect beliefs and concerns of artists from all over the world. This jaunt into the heart of São Paulo was our final taste of Brazil before boarding the plane to New York.

If I were to choose one aspect of the trip I enjoyed the most it would be my interaction with Brazil's fans that I found to be passionate, engaged, and sincere.

We were so grateful to be able to share our craft and have it embraced with ardent applause. People in both cities, Brasília and São Paulo, warmly welcomed us to their world and generated a jovial atmosphere around the court.

What a refreshing morning it was waking up in Barueri on this beautiful day! We've been here for quite some time now but I still had to pinch myself as a reminder of how blessed we are to be representing Brooklyn pride in South America. The ladies and I started the day with a fun social media session! We worked with the Brazilian NBA 3X crew to invite all the local fans to come watch us perform this weekend at Ginásio de Esportes.

After this we had a few hours to spare, so we decided to hit the gym hard! Our team photo shoot is just around the corner and even though we are miles away from home, the work never ends. We want to be sure to feel and look our best to represent the borough wholeheartedly!

Later in the day we kicked-off the 4th annual NBA 3X here in São Paulo. It is crazy to believe just a few summers ago I was lucky enough to participate in the very first NBA 3X São Paulo back in 2012 and 4 years later, I am privileged enough to be back again doing what I love. Checkout the throwback picture below from 2012 of us stopping traffic and exploring the city.

To open the event we began with a dance clinic. Our special guests for the evening were the Barueri Youth Basketball Team. Not only did they allow us to teach them some of our signature Brooklynettes moves, but also they returned the favor by schooling us in some of their street grooves. What a blast we had!

Following such a busy day, we worked up quite an appetite and were looking to get some comfort food. Our hearts desperately desired authentic Mexican so we quenched our cravings at a local restaurant, Si Senor, which was absolutely delicious.

It's crazy how quickly the time has passed that we are already reaching the last leg of our journey here in Brazil. I am beyond excited to rock the house this weekend and not only meet the fans in Barueri, but to cherish every waking moment.

Hello Brooklyn! My name is Anna and I'm writing to you from Brazil's largest city, São Paulo.

Following a busy weekend performing at NBA 3X in Brasilia and subsequent travel to São Paulo, we were fortunate enough to finally have the chance to part from our ridged itinerary and do some exploring.

Brazil, like the U.S., comprises myriad discrete cultures, all hailing from different international origins.

With an open mind we followed a lead outside São Paulo to a quaint mountain town called Campos do Jordão.

At the crack of dawn we prepared for a three hour trek North East into the countryside, through rolling hills of coffee and banana trees, past bucolic farms and grazing livestock. Campos do Jordão, known as the Brazilian Switzerland, attracts hundreds of international tourists and locals alike with its distinctly Swiss-German motif expressed in everything from the architecture to the cuisine.

Embracing departure from incessant activity, we were equally grateful to escape the dense cloudscape that had descended on São Paulo this week and see the clear Brazilian skies again we'd enjoyed just a few days before in Brasilia.

As we approached our fifth day in Brazil, we had to say goodbye to beautiful Brasilia and say "Olá" to the great city of São Paulo!

When we arrived in São Paulo, I was very surprised by the cold weather and gray clouds; but that didn't stop me from going on a shopping spree in the four story mall across the street from the hotel! Once we all got settled in, we took a ride to an area called Vila Madelena. There are many restaurants in the area, and we ended up eating at Pe' de Manga.

I enjoyed a dish with salmon and banana risotto called the "Marilyn Monroe".

Once dinner was over, we called it a night and went to bed.

The next morning after breakfast I decided to treat myself to a nice hot stone massage in the hotel spa.

Later that evening we decided to do a fun activity: bowling.  It was great to have a night off and just let our hair down and bond with each other.

My team lost, but I still cherished the time I got to spend with my teammates! Before calling it a night we stopped and ate street corn from a little stand with butter and salt, it was delicious.  We ended the evening with a relaxed dinner in our rooms to prepare for the next day!

Oi! This is Brittany, and I am in my second season with the Brooklynettes! Our time in Brazil has been unforgettable and we are having so much fun dancing and exploring this magical country. Crowds gathered in Parque da Cidade for the final day of NBA 3X in Brasília. Games and performances began early in the morning and ended long after sundown, and we were lucky to be there all day and experience every moment!

As soon as we arrived, we were stretching and warming up, preparing our routines to perform on the main court for an already robust crowd at 11am. Not to mention the temperature had already climbed to almost 90° F!

As soon as we hear, "Brooklynettes!" projected over the speakers, we emerge from the back and happy fans welcome us on stage. We perform our first routine of the day, "Outta Your Mind," and the energy from the crowd pushed us through the sun, heat, and nerves. Nothing feels better than dancing for people cheering you on. NBA Brazil fans were so supportive, you could feel their genuine interest and awe as we took over the court and did what we do best.

Throughout the day, Brasília's best 3 on 3 basketball teams fought for a chance to compete in the national finals at NBA Fan Zone in Rio de Janeiro in October! After all the games had finished, we went to the awards ceremony and presented the winning teams with medals and gifts.

The best part of the day was getting to know the fans and people of Brasília. We are so lucky to get to do what we love and meet amazing people around the world. I'll take these memories with me forever!

The first day of NBA 3X Brazil was amazing! I still can't believe that I got the opportunity to perform in Brazil for the first time with girls who I consider my second family.

The day was broken up into three shows including our new friend and Pacers' mascot Boomer. Each time we performed a routine, you could feel the high level of energy given by the fans. They loved and appreciated every step in our choreography. My favorite moment in every show was when we got to pick a lucky fan to come dance with us center court.

Everyone was dancing and laughing. They really enjoyed when we individually taught them choreography and then they had to compete for the best dancer award.

Our first day was a success, and I love how we can show Brazilians a piece of Brooklyn's flavor and style.

Olá Brooklyn! This is Alexa and I am so excited to kick off our blog series covering our journey throughout Brazil. I always look forward to bringing a bit of the borough to other parts of the world on NBA 3X tours.

Our first destination was Brasília, the nation's capital. After landing at 7:30am on Thursday, we had a few hours to get settled in, and then it was time to work! Around noon we headed over to the event site, located in Parque da Cidade, where we spoke to local media, captured performance footage, and had some fun photo ops.

After a quick court rehearsal, we were eagerly awaiting our first dinner in South America. We enjoyed a decadent seafood meal of fish, shrimp, and lobster dishes at the popular Coco Bambu, located right on Lago Sul.

On Friday, we returned to the event site for more media interviews and performances, as well as to teach a dance clinic on behalf of NBA Cares. We had the participants do signature Brooklynettes movement that we perform on-court at the Barclays Center and encouraged them to show off their own moves as well! It is incredible to see how dance can connect and bring joy to people across the globe, regardless of language or culture. Moments like these are just one of the reasons we appreciate our international trips so much; we love sharing our gift with NBA fans around the world!

For dinner that evening, our guide took us to Mangai, a buffet-style restaurant also located on Lago Sul. Buffets are popular throughout Brazil, and after seeing the array of delicious options such as gratins, meats, and cheeses, I can understand why I wanted to put a bit of everything on my plate! Don't get me started on the dessert options, either. I think I tasted about 6 different kinds of cake!

With our stomachs satisfied, we went straight to bed; a big weekend was ahead of us. Be sure to check out Asha's blog about our first day at NBA 3x Brasília!

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2015 NBA 3X in Brazil

Hey Nets Fans! It's Liz here! It was such an honor to represent the Brooklyn Nets at NBA All-Star Weekend in New Orleans! It was so exciting and humbling to be selected by the NBA to be a part of the All-Star Dance Team, in which one dancer from each dance team was chosen. The weekend was filled with rehearsals, performances, events and a lot of great memories!

Upon arrival in New Orleans there was no time to waste. I was taken straight from the airport to rehearsal where I met all of the other dancers and immediately began working on choreography and performance blocking. The very first night I was ecstatic to find out that I would be learning a routine from celebrity choreographer Fatima Robinson and performing on stage with Pharrell Williams. We would also be performing a special cameo with hip hop legend, Vanilla Ice. These performances were in addition to four other routines we would be learning and setting on court. Needless to say, we had a lot of work to do.

Our days in New Orleans were fit for All-Stars. Typically, we would be picked up at 8am, and we would travel to a series of locations for a plethora of event rehearsals and performances, such as the Celebrity Game, Dunk Contest, 3-Point Contest, Pre-Game Concert and All-Star Game. Our days usually ended around 11pm. The excitement of the events, the enthusiasm of the fans, and the energy of the team made every moment worthwhile.

One of my favorite parts of the trip was meeting the other members of the All-Star Dance Team. Everyone was represented, from the Boston Celtics to the Miami Heat to the Portland Trailblazers. Each woman was beautiful inside and out, and they all were great dancers! We all really bonded and shared a lot of laughs in the short time we spent together. It was interesting to learn about the differences between each dance team, and I really enjoyed sharing what the Brooklynettes are all about and how amazing it feels to be part of such a new and innovative brand.

I definitely felt the Brooklyn love from the fans down in New Orleans! I can't describe how proud I was to be wearing "Nets" across my chest when I walked through crowds of fans. It was awesome to hear "BROOOOKKKKKLLLLLYYYNNN" coming from the crowd. This just reminded me of how special Brooklyn is and how much our fans love the team.

The word that comes to mind when I think of the All-Star Weekend performances and events is insurmountable. The feeling I had while performing on court and on stage in front of such a star-studded audience would be difficult if not impossible to duplicate. I was waiting to perform one day in the tunnel and Drake casually introduced himself. While performing on court I looked out into the crowd and saw Kevin Hart enjoying the show. Vanilla Ice taught us some of his original moves. Jason Derulo hopped in a photo with the team. P Diddy shimmied past me onstage. There was an all around excitement of the weekend that I will remember forever. It was such a blessing to represent Brooklyn, and I'm super thankful for the opportunity. Brooklyn stand up!!!

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2014 All-Star Weekend

Hi Brooklyn fans - it's Jordan. It's 3:20am. The glass doors of our hotel slide open, and I'm instantly greeted with a thick and warm embrace, one not easily forgotten once experienced.  The humidity here, much like the strong sense of culture and fashion, is always present.

The streets of Ngee Ann City, filled just hours ago with the intoxicating buzz of the NBA 3X excitement and that of international camaraderie and sportsmanship, are now empty and quiet, inviting me to reflect on the amazing things I've experienced these past three days.

From performing during the opening ceremony on the first day to assisting with the winners' prize presentation on the last and every moment in between, I was lucky enough to get to witness firsthand the difference NBA 3X and NBA Cares is making all over the world.

And Singapore itself - wow!  The breathtaking views of the city via river cruise and atop the Marina Bay Sands hotel, the vast variety of authentic food we got to try (my personal favorite being the baby Kailan - a traditional Asian vegetable), and the shopping - oh the market shopping!

It's now 3:25am.  As the last piece of matching luggage is carefully stacked onto the pile, everyone is saying their "thank yous" and "goodbyes" and the final preparations are being made for our journey back to Brooklyn.  What's left of the sticky heat slowly begins to dwindle as the AC kicks in, along with reality.  Part of me still can't believe I'm here, and I think I speak for my fellow Brooklynettes as well when I say that I am blessed to have had this opportunity and will never forget it!

Hey everyone!  It's Nicolette.  Today was our last day performing in Singapore, and it was a bittersweet feeling.  Even though it started to rain, we still nailed our performances.  Nothing can stop us!

After we danced, we had the chance to sit down and sign autographs for the fans.  They made me feel at home here in Singapore, and that's what I loved about them.  Each and every fan was so welcoming and sweet. We even got to watch some of the local athletes play basketball, and we presented the winners with prizes.

When we arrived in Singapore, I was so surprised to see that I was on the NBA 3X sign right next to Brooke Lopez.  What an honor!  I made sure to get a photo at the event site.

At the end of the night, we had our final dinner at a traditional local restaurant.  Once again, I enjoyed all of the food.  My favorite dish was the curry chicken.  After dinner, we shopped at the market for souvenirs. I can't think of a better way to end the trip than with my ladies!

Hey Brooklyn fans!  For those of you who don't know, my name is Alexa and I'm one of your brand new Brooklynettes.  I am so excited to be writing about our latest trip to Singapore.  It was an honor to be chosen to travel with these talented ladies.  Who would've thought that my first performance as a Brooklynette would be halfway across the world?

Our second day began with a quick photo shoot with the famous Merlion fountain on the Singapore River.

Next we made our way over to the NBA 3X event.  We kicked the day off with a great performance of our routines "Respect" and "Scream &amp; Shout."  We loved showing our Singapore fans our high energy and athletic routines.

Afterwards, we autographed posters and Brooklyn gear for the fans, and we posed for plenty of pictures with them as well!  It felt wonderful to bring a bit of the Brooklyn experience to Southeast Asia.

After a long day, it was time for a filling meal at Long Beach Seafood, where they are known for their black pepper and chili crab.  The crab was a little messy (we even wore bibs!), but the flavors were delicious.

I always love trying new and exotic foods!  However, I cannot say I was a fan of durian, a Singaporean fruit we had for dessert.  It had a very distinct smell and interesting taste.  We were told you either you love it or you hate it - but you can decide for yourself!

Our night ended with breathtaking views of the city at Ku De Ta, a lounge on top of the Marina Bay Sands Hotel.  It was nice to take a minute to reflect on how blessed we were to be in Singapore doing what we love to do.  We're looking forward to a successful second day at NBA 3X!

Hi Brooklyn fans, this is Melissa.  This is my first international trip with the Brooklynettes, and I'm really excited to share this experience with my teammates. Our journey to Singapore began in Brooklyn followed by a layover in Tokyo.  It's was so fun to kick off our trip by meeting some Brooklyn fans all the way from France at JFK Airport!

After arriving in Singapore and getting some much needed rest, we woke up excited to see what NBA 3X Singapore had in store for us.

The event is being held at Ngee Ann City on Orchard Street, one of the busiest streets in Singapore.  We performed routines straight from the Barclays Center court, and cheered on young basketball players as Brook Lopez shared some great pointers on shooting free throws.

One of the most rewarding experiences of the day was participating in a basketball clinic with Special Olympics athletes during the NBA Cares event.

After a fulfilling day of performances and interaction with fans, we experienced some of the culture of Singapore.  We enjoyed a delicious Thai dinner in Clarke Quay, and we ended our evening by embarking on a boat ride along the Singapore River to take in some of the beautiful sights that the city has to offer!

We can't wait to see what else Singapore has in store for us this weekend!  The Brooklynettes are back for some more on court action tomorrow at NBA 3X!

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2013 NBA 3X in Singapore

Ciao Brooklyn! It's Jen!  The past two weekends have been incredible, and I'm so sad that this trip is coming to an end. It's our last day performing here in Napoli.

The fans have been so energetic, and it has been a privilege to bring our dancing and dunking here.

I want to give a special "grazie" to the fans for making this event so memorable and for welcoming us with open arms.

Tonight we are having one last authentic Italian dinner, and then we head back to Brooklyn in the morning. Going home is so bittersweet, but I am excited to get ready for the upcoming season! See you center court at Barclays Center!

Ciao Nets fans! It's Jessie coming to you all the way from Napoli!

I'm extremely excited to say that my favorite part of the trip thus far was getting to connect with my family over here that I've never even met before! My cousins met up with my roommate Angelica and me, and they took us to an amazing little pizzeria for lunch, where they recommended we get a Margarita pizza topped with fresh pieces of buffalo mozzarella cheese. Yummmm! We definitely were not disappointed. After an amazing lunch and catching up with family, they took us on a walk around the city. We ended up in Quartieri Spagnoli, which is a section of Napoli full of the cutest little markets and stores. Who doesn't like a little shopping? Soon after they took us to a popular bakery for some coffee. I can now say that I had a real Italian cannoli in Italy. Delish! Before we knew it, it was time to say goodbye. After many long, big farewell hugs, I was back at the hotel to get ready for our first rehearsal in Naples.

Arriving to the event site and seeing the breathtaking backdrop of the sea full of boats and castles, I couldn't help but stare in awe. Everything almost looked painted. I still feel so blessed to be able to perform in an environment like this! After rehearsal, we all decided to call it an early night and get ready for today's performance.

We all woke up this morning ready for our first dunk and dance performances in Naples! All of the fans in Italy have been amazing, and those in Naples today did not disappoint. From the moment we arrived, clapping, smiling and cheering fans followed us everywhere we went. It's definitely an amazing feeling to experience such love and support from people on the other side of the globe!

After stretching a little and getting warmed up, we were ready for our first show.  The crowd went nuts for our dunk show, and even crazier as we performed our dance routines. The sun may have been shining strong, but I think it's safe to say it was the Brookynettes that brought the fire to the stands! In between dances, we assisted with contests, signed autographs, and took pictures with fans.

Before we knew it, our second show had arrived. The fans were still just as loud and welcoming as they were this afternoon, which definitely helped us to rock it out through the heat.

After a perfect dunk show and three dances later, it was time for the Brooklynettes to say buonanotte! Can't wait for day two of NBA 3X Napoli tomorrow!

Hi Brooklyn Nets fans! It's Siobhan. Today I celebrated my birthday in Napoli with not only my teammates, but my friends. I'm truly blessed and thankful for the opportunity to travel while doing what I love. Today was an amazing day, as we got to drive the Amalfi coast of Italy.

The views were absolutely breathtaking. We traveled through the mountains and got to see the beautiful Italian coastline. After stopping in the town of Amalfi, we headed to Positano to check out the beach and to do a little shopping. We stopped for lunch, and I had some delicious Italian gelato.

For my birthday dinner we headed to a Japanese restaurant and enjoyed plenty of sushi and birthday cake. On our way to dinner our driver surprised me with a gorgeous bouquet of flowers. The night ended with a great party with my friends. The ladies made this a birthday I will never forget!

Being a cancer survivor, every birthday is special, but being with friends in this beautiful place, and appreciating all that life has given, has made this birthday even better. Until next time.

Ciao! It's Jessica writing to you from our beautiful hotel in Napoli.  We arrived yesterday by train from Milano.  We were able to rest a little bit on our journey, while getting to look at the charming countryside along the way.  After we settled in, we had a quick gym session followed by a peaceful dinner across from the water.

Every single day in Italy has been amazing, but today has definitely topped the charts.  We started off our morning with a delicious breakfast in the rooftop garden that overlooks the ocean.  Afterwards, we headed over to a ferry that took us to the island of Capri.

We decided to take advantage of the breathtaking views by touring the island by boat.  We started at the Faro di Punta Carena, which is a beautiful lighthouse, and then stopped at the Grotta Verde to set anchor. After soaking up the sun and snapping pictures, we went in for a swim in the turquoise water.  I had to stop for a minute and just take everything in.  I was having a moment as I looked around at the scenery, and I kept saying to myself how lucky we are to be in this moment, right now, experiencing this beauty.  After our stop at the Grotta Verde, we went through the incredible Faraglioni.  Some of my teammates were daring enough to climb cliffs, while the others snorkeled or relaxed on the boat soaking in the sun.

After spending a few hours on the stunning island of Capri, we decided to head back to Napoli.  We finished the evening at an outdoor restaurant where we shared a few tasty Italian dishes, including one of my favorites, gnocchi.  Then we went back to the hotel to get a good night's rest for tomorrow's adventure. Stay tuned to see which Brooklynette's birthday we'll be celebrating in Italy tomorrow!

Today I woke up feeling refreshed and excited, because although we have been here for a few days, we finally had the chance to explore the beautiful city of Milano!  Our first stop was for a quick interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, which is a newspaper that has been around since 1892.  We arrived at the newspaper's office, where we were greeted by the chief editors and then had the privilege of touring the newsroom as well as indulging in some authentic Italian espresso at their cafe.  They made every effort to ensure we felt graciously welcomed.

Next we took a stroll through the city before settling down to eat lunch at a traditional Italian restaurant.  The food was extremely fresh and absolutely delicious!  The owner made us feel so at home that we were invited back for a dinner party later in the evening. Satisfied and ready to sightsee some more, we set out for some adventurous shopping. We ventured to Via Monte Napoleone, which is one of the most famous shopping avenues in all of Italy and similar to the renowned Fifth Avenue in New York City.  We also wandered through the Piazza del Duomo, where we found picturesque monuments and captivating shopping boutiques to explore.

After resting for a few hours, we departed for the dinner party.  We were greeted with a red carpet and delectable hors d'oeuvres, including classic Italian meatballs that were absolutely scrumptious.  We ended the evening by finding the best Gelateria in town, which had mouthwatering flavors to choose from.

Every second we spend here in Italy is a reminder of how blessed we are to learn about other cultures, while always continuing to bring them a taste of Brooklyn!  Tonight was our last night in Milan, and while we have had a remarkable time here, I cannot help but be thrilled to return to our fans in Naples tomorrow morning.

First things first, I cannot tell you all how excited I am to be back in Italy.  Of all the places the Brooklynettes and I have traveled to, Italy is my absolute favorite.  Being Italian, I feel very much at home here.  I am so lucky to be surrounded by such beauty while expressing my passion.

My day today started with full energy as the ladies and I set out to perform at the second day of the NBA 3X tournament here in Milan.  The Piazza del Duomo set a flawless backdrop to the event.  It was very surreal to be dancing on court and to have the magnificent Duomo be staring back at you.

It is so easy to get lost in its details.  Luckily we all were able to stay focused and nailed our routines to close out the weekend with a bang!

To celebrate, the ladies and I went to another wonderful Italian dinner.  For dinner we had many courses beginning with amazing mozzarella and mortadella.  I was so excited to taste the mortadella here, because I have it at home all the time.  It was just as delicious.  For my main entree I ordered an extremely rich eggplant and zucchini parmesan.  I was so full by the end of the meal I was ready to go right to bed.  However, on the way home to the hotel we passed a Gelatina. We had to go in!  I have officially had my very first authentic Italian Gelato.  I delightfully ate my tiramisu and chocolate gelato and fell in love.  I am still dreaming of the gelato and will definitely be getting more during this trip.

It was a jam-packed day, but that is just the way I like it!

Hi Brooklyn Nets fans!  It's Siobhan.  The Brooklynettes have arrived in Italy, and today was our first show at NBA 3X in Milan.

The center court show took place at the incredible Piazza del Duomo, in front of a large and excited crowd.

The fans loved our high flying dunk show, along with our dance routines.  We always make sure to bring a little bit of Brooklyn everywhere we go, so we performed to our custom Brooklyn-themed remix of Ne-Yo's "Let's Go" and a JAY Z medley that the fans definitely enjoyed.

The highlight of my day was dunking over Toronto Raptors player Rudy Gay, who was a great participant in our dunk show!

Our night ended appropriately with an authentic Italian dinner.  The Brooklynettes are having a great time in Milan, and we can't wait to head back to the NBA 3X court tomorrow!

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