York College dance students to cheerlead at Miami Dolphins NFL game on Thanksgiving Weekend

As Will Smith famously sang, they're "Going to Miami!", as cheerleaders for the city’s world-famous American Football team the Dolphins this Sunday on Thanksgiving Weekend. What’s more, they are the only dance school from the UK to do this.

Let's take a moment to reflect on that. The Miami Dolphins' home is the Hard Rock Stadium, a venue so big it takes your breath away. It holds more than 65,000 passionate fans in an eco-friendly architectural masterpiece. The building has staged six NFL Super Bowls and many global-superstar gigs, including Taylor Swift. It is where games in next year’s FIFA World Cup finals will be held and now, for one night only, will host York College students. 

It is easy to say, "They're lucky" but the honour has been earned. According to hip-hop choreographer, Owen Malone, our dancers' pick-up (meaning “how fast they learn”) is “unbelievable", which it needs to be, as they've been given a chunk of extra work.

The original gig was to perform at the half-time interval with schools from the USA, but the producers were so impressed, they've asked our students to join the elite group that opens the show. In an instant, the dancers’ workload rocketed. They were now tasked with learning three complex, mentally and physically demanding routines, in hours, not weeks. Our students were up for it, but it was going to be tough. 

Dancer Daisy Hatfield reflected: "I definitely underestimated how hard it would be. Cheerleading looks so effortless, but the truth is, it's really hard.”

Bliss Kung-Owen agreed: "I remember watching the videos thinking, 'Oh, this is going to be easy' and, then, as soon as we started to learn it, it was panic mode. It was not easy, in the slightest.” 

Kelly Appleby reasoned: "You have to use every part of your body, and it is really tough."

Abi Armstrong added: "It's a lot on the body to get through all three routines, because this style demands a lot of power, like when you're just about to pass out but have to keep smiling."

Another dancer admitted: "I have never sweated so much in my life."

So, how do you respond to such a remarkable challenge? Let's hear more from the students… 

"It's all about focus, making sure that your head stays in the dance, not everything around you. That's what keeps you calm," Evie-Mae Dale explained.  

For Steph Rastenis and Bliss, it's the team that is their bedrock. 

"We all help each other, we're all in it together," they declared. 

And it's true! They're not just a talented troupe, they're a family, founded on grit. It is this cocktail of emotional maturity, rock solid work ethic and whip-fast learning, that will see them through the day.

Of course, the real rock is their tutor, with Abi Smith saying: "Emma Fawcett puts things in perspective and she wouldn't put us in this, if she didn't think we could do it, and that gives me confidence". 

Ava Auton is in agreement. "With Emma, she's always so calm, it makes me feel a lot better because, if she was stressing, we'd be stressing too," she pointed out. 

Abi concurred: "It's nice to have someone in your corner, who you know is always rooting for you, who believes in you more than you believe in yourself."

For these young dancers, to perform on such a massive stage it is a remarkable high, especially for Abi, who enthused: "I haven't been dancing for that long, so the chance to dance in Miami is really exciting." 

It’s a sentiment shared by the whole group.

"It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, to go over there with my friends, to do something I LOVE in such a BIG venue," Steph raved.

"I can't believe it," Daisy confessed.

"It's a really exciting thing to be doing", added Poppy.

"It doesn't feel real...," Aimee Fitzpatrick-Scott declared.

"...until we get to the airport," Emily interjected.

"We've all come very far," Ava concluded.

Our dance students, and their tutor, are inspiring, so it feels right that that they are performing in Miami, the first and only city in America to be founded by a woman. In 1896, Julia Tuttle arrived in Miami and liked what she saw, so decided to make a city out of it. In 2025, our own strong, independent women will celebrate that city, then grin with pride, as 65,000 people cheer their “cheer".

Then, they'll all dash back here, to put on a kids show and inspire the next generation. Let's all cheer them on. November 30th, Hard Rock Stadium, Miami, USA.

To learn more about our Level 3 UAL Extended Diploma in Performance & Production Arts (Dance & Musical Theatre) course, please click here 

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