It’s that time of year! 400 girls lined up in Los Angeles for their chance at being one of the highly coveted Laker Girls. The ideal candidate is someone who can not only dance, but has showmanship, sex appeal and wholesome qualities. Some past Laker Girls have used the career move as a stepping stone into choreography like world famous Tina Landon. Now, it’s not unlikely that you may not know Landon by name. However, it’s her work that you have seen over the past twenty five years.

Landon grew up in Lancaster, California and immediately had an interest in dance at a young age. As a child she studied jazz, ballet and tap. Her dedication was more than a few fun recitals, she went on to dedicate her life to these styles as a high school and college student. In the 1980s Landon auditioned for the Laker Girls, joining the squad around the same time as fellow choreographer Paula Abdul. The two were part of the squads that boosted the Laker Girls into their premiere status.

Following her departure from the Laker Girls, Landon was a dancer for Janet Jackson on her Rhythm Nation 1814 tour and later on The Red Velvet Rope tour in 1998. This is the same year Landon scored an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Achievement In Choreography. The nomination was just the first of many awards that Landon would experience throughout her career. She quickly lodged herself into a video choreography career, working with some of the biggest names in music. This included Ricky Martin, Prince, Jay-Z, Aerosmith, Jennifer Lopez, Mya, Anastacia, Christina Aguilera, Shakira, Britney Spears, Michael Jackson and more.

Over the years her work has not gone unnoticed. She received awards for a variety of her videos including-

MTV Video Music Awards for:

(1999) Best Dance Video- Ricky Martin’s “Livin’ La Vida Loca” (Martin even brought her on stage to accept the award.)

(1995) Best Choreography- Michael Jackson’ “Scream”

American Choreography Awards for:

(2001) Best Music Video Choreography- Mya’s “Case of the Ex”
(1999) Best Music Video Choreography- Ricky Marin’s “Livin’ La Vida Loca”

The Music Video Producers Association, ALMA and Dance Master’s of America have also recognized Landon for her work. One of Landon’s most memorable performances includes a tribute to the late Michael Jackson at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. Landon and dancers joined Janet Jackson on stage for the performance. Currently Landon can be found teaching dance classes at the Millennium Dance Complex in North Hollywood.

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For some celebrities a position of the Laker Girls squad is just a stepping stone for great things. When you look at past roasters a few stars will pop up on the list, but few as famous as Paula Abdul. We all know she worked as a choreographer and dancer on the Laker Girls before breaking into pop music, but just who is the woman who sat loyally at Simon Cowell’s side for the past decade?

Early Life

Paula Abdul was born in the San Fernando Valley to parents who immigrated to the United States. Her father immigrated from Brazil, while her mother is Canadian. At an early age Abdul took an interest in dance through musicals. She was entranced watching musicals like “Singin’ in the Rain.” As a result she began tap, ballet and jazz dancing lessons at a very young age. She went on to join the cheerleading squad in middle and high school to further improve her dancing. While on these teams she even held high honors academically. The grades and activities landed her a scholarship at California State University of Northridge where she began studies in broadcast media. However, during her freshman year she made the cut for the prestigious Laker Girls. From that point on she was a dedicated choreographer and dancer.

The 80s

The 80s were a golden era for many, especially Abdul. The Jacksons discovered her while performing for The Lakers. She soon after appeared in the “Torture” music video and went on to choreograph a number of dances for Janet Jackson during this time. Soon after she broke into the pop scene and was known for her edgy dancing in her videos. Though her pop career was short-lived, Abdul didn’t stay out of the spotlight for long.

The 90s

In the mid-90s Abdul made a return to what she loves most-dancing. She released a string of workout videos including 1995’s “Paula Abdul’s Get Up and Dance!” and 1998’s “Cardio Dance.” Ten years later she would release a new set of workout DVDs for those interesting in cheerleading called “Cardio Cheer.” At the same time Abdul was busy choreographing musicals and cheer scenes including “The Doors,” “Reefer Madness” and “American Beauty.”

The 00s

The Millennium has been kind of Abdul who is a bit of a reality star to date. She joined Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson to launch the American Idol franchise, going on to star on The X Factor and Live to Dance as well. Though she had a failed attempt to revive her singing career, she still remains a prominent figure in pop culture.

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Laker Girls are almost as big of a draw as the basketball team in Los Angeles. These girls put on an entertaining and sexy dance show between quarters and half-time. Cheerleaders and dancers dream of landing a spot on the prestigious team. Though a woman has dancing skills, it takes more than a resume of high school and college cheerleading to get on the Laker Girls squad.

The truth is every girls goes through a grueling audition process to land a spot on the squad. No one is safe even once they have made the squad in past years, even past Laker Girls must re-audition.

The most important thing to remember when auditioning to be on the Laker Girls squad is to prepare for months in advance. Wishful girls must be in top shape. Take a dance class to learn a variety of dances so you can stick out against the competition. You should know everything from tap to modern dance. Aside from dancing, take the time to build up muscle strength with cardio and toning workouts. This will also help with your endurance for long dance numbers. Working out is not the only part of getting in shape, be sure you eat enough of a balanced diet to also build up endurance. During auditions you will be nervous, but you must consume enough food and water to keep your energy high as well.

Once you have the workout and dance classes in order, pick the perfect outfit to get noticed in the crowd. Laker Girls are judged on their looks so you have to show that you have a personality through what you wear. A basic sports bra and shorts will not help you get attention, it may even make you look average. Go for a bright color to show you are flamboyant, paired with short shorts that show off your legs. Though you will be dancing and sweating, do not forget to do your hair and make up. Always have the attitude that you are confident and can make the cut, but that you must prove exactly why you deserve to make the squad.

When you are trying out there are a few rounds of auditions you should expect. The first cut leaves 192 girls fighting for a spot on the final squad. Once these girls are chosen, the second cut eliminates 90 more girls. After this it is cut down to 54 before the final 31 are chosen. At this point the girls are invited back for a face-to-face interview about their experience and why they wish to make the squad. The final callback happens after all interviews are complete, with 22 girls on the final squad.

Auditions are held each season to find the hottest talent. Do you have what it takes?

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