Laker Girls

History

Jerry Buss commissioned the Laker Girls in 1979 after he had purchased the Lakers. He believed a basketball game should be entertaining, and he was a big fan of college basketball. Cheerleaders were not common in the NBA at the time, but Buss ordered the formation of the squad—a team of top female dancers who were as talented as they were sexy—as part of his vision for Showtime. "I thought the game itself was fantastic, but the ambiance was really kind of dead. It was quiet and boring, and so I thought what I'd like to do is spice it up with having some dancers," he explained.

The Laker Girls are a semi-professional squad and members hold regular day jobs ranging from professional dancers to waitresses and university professors. The squad typically performs about 30 routines over the course of the season. They are also local ambassadors for the Lakers organization and local advocates for female empowerment in the Los Angeles area.

The Laker Girls hold auditions in July of every year. Each current member of the squad must also audition to keep her place on the team. Each woman auditioning must come with a resume of her previous jobs. Each candidate must come prepared with her own routine and is taught two routines to perform for the current Laker Girls and other judges. Dance skills are the main criterion on which they are judged, but personality, style, and teamwork are also important.

Laker Girl Paula Abdul was discovered by The Jacksons, who hired her to choreograph the music video for the song "Torture". Abdul's success has given an extra prestige to being a Laker Girl.

In Media

A television movie named Laker Girls, starring Tina Yothers (from TV's Family Ties) and Alexandra Paul (Baywatch) aired in 1990, detailing the fictional tribulations of a trio of acolytes trying out to become members of the cheer leading troupe.

Notable former cheerleaders

Many former Laker Girl cheerleaders have gone on to achieve success in entertainment and other notable occupation. They include:

• Paula Abdul (singer, actress)
• Lisa Joann Thompson (choreographer)
• Tina Landon (choreographer)
• Emily Harper (actress)
• Vanessa Curry (dancer)
• Taylour Paige (dancer)
• Carmella (wrestler)
• Shelby Rabara (actress)
• Anne Fletcher (actress, director)
• Robyn Semien (producer)

References

References

1. (1988). "Winnin' times : the magical journey of the Los Angeles Lakers". Collier Books.
2. "Dr. Jerry Buss - Hall of Fame". NBA.com.
3. Markazi, Arash. (February 18, 2011). "Showtime Lakers weren't built overnight". ESPN.com.
4. Hubbard, Jan. (November 3, 1990). "Lakers Retain Strong Foundation". The Washington Post.
5. Carpenter, Susan. (13 December 1999). "The Bod Squad". [[Los Angeles Times]].
6. Rose, Adam. (20 July 2008). "So you think you can dance?". [[Los Angeles Times]].
7. Cart, Julie. (22 December 1991). "The Greatest Flattery : Success of the Knicks' New Dancers Simply Proves What the Lakers Have Known All Along". [[Los Angeles Times]].
8. (11 August 1989). "Abdul Delivers More Than the Same Old Song and Dance". [[San Jose Mercury News]].
9. "Laker Girls".
10. Norment, Lynn. (11 May 1990). "The Many Talents of Paula Abdul: Sassy Entertainer Gives Expanded Definition to Term "Multiple."".