Hollywood resident and dancer Ariana Aubert traded in her childhood tap shoes and tutus for a different kind of dancing uniform. A uniform well-recognized by thousands of football enthusiasts: the teal and orange two-piece uniform of the Miami Dolphins Cheerleaders.
At 22 years old, Aubert holds the title of the most veteran Miami Dolphins Cheerleader, earning the designation after making the cheerleading team for the fifth consecutive year in May. And making the team even just once is no easy task. More than 300 girls compete each year for only 40 spots on the Miami Dolphins Cheerleading Team, and tryouts consists of two rounds that take place over an entire week. After a free-style round where girls choose the moves they show off to judges, they learn a one-minute dance routine and the Dolphin Cheerleaders’ Kick Line – a move in which all 40 cheerleaders perform sky-high leg kicks while locked arm in arm. Around 70 girls make it to the finals, which are open for public viewing and held at the Aventura Mall.
“I get more nervous every year,” said Aubert, who must still audition each year despite having already made the cut in previous years. Veterans do, however, automatically make it to the final round. “Each year, they expect more out of you, and tons of people are watching us.”
Aubert first auditioned when she was 17 years old simply because her friend decided to try out and wanted Aubert to try out with her for company and support. Aubert had danced when she was younger and cheered in middle and high school, but she never thought she would actually make the team.
“When I made it, I was crying because I was so happy,” she said. “It was so overwhelming.”
As a Miami Dolphins Cheerleader, Aubert is expected to practice every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 7 to 10 p.m. during the May to January football season and attend all 10 Dolphins home games – two preseason games and eight regular-season games.
“The hardest part of Miami Dolphins Cheerleading is the physical demand,” Aubert said. “We dance in 3-inch heels every practice and every game. The main reason why I do it is just the girls. We see each other more than our boyfriends and our families. We end up becoming really close and sharing the experience of being on the field, cheering on an NFL team.”
And while some people might think that being a Miami Dolphins Cheerleader only entails pom-poms, dancing and loud voices, Miami Dolphins Cheerleading Director Emily Newton said the girls make more than 400 charitable and corporate appearances a year.
“There are always stereotypes that come with the word ‘cheerleader,’ but anyone who meets a Miami Dolphins Cheerleader will meet a well-spoken, talented, smart woman,” she said. “We are ambassadors for the sport of football and role models for young girls in the community. I feel honored to work in the environment that I do and with the girls that I do. To hear these girls say that they are participating in a life-changing experience is nice to hear.”
Newton said the cheerleaders participate in charitable events such as passing out Christmas presents to the needy during the holidays, taking less privileged children to Publix for a shopping spree and walking in 5Ks to support organizations like Women in Distress. The girls also visit military bases around the world to perform dances and meet the brave men and women who serve their country – they have traveled to military bases in Iraq, Afghanistan, Haiti and Honduras to help boost morale and show their appreciation to the armed forces. For Aubert, participating in these events gives her the opportunity to make a positive impact in the lives of other people.
“We love doing things in the community,” Aubert said. “It’s important for us to be role models, especially to kids. They look up to us. The Dolphins Cheerleaders are great. I would do it ‘till I was 45 if I could.”
For more information about the Dolphins Cheerleaders, visit www.miamidolphinscheerleaders.net.
