DBC Finals - April 10, 2011

Denver Bronco Cheerleader Finals

Me performing my solo

Sunday April 10th - Finals began for the DBC squad of 2011-2012: Held at Performing Arts Complex

After a long and stressful week of workshops, interviews, and football tests.. it came time to perform the 4 dances and kickline I had been practicing all week long. The walk through began at 4 pm and the show started right at 6pm with a packed house and screaming fans! Jon, Christy and Diane were there to cheer me on! 

After stretching, running the dances over and over again, make up, hair, and wardrobe.. I was ready! #49

We started the evening by walking through the audience on to the stage where we performed as a group (31-60) to our first dance, "Born this Way". - With a smile on my face I finished the dance perfectly! 

Next up was our introduction... trying to catch my breath and put some sort of saliva back in my dry mouth I walked up to the microphone and announced " Hi I'm Kendal Volpe, Number 49. I have a degree in Fashion Photography and award winning portfolio books. But this season I hope to be in front of the camera dancing in orange and blue!" - I did it! without a stutter or mumble! Everything was going as hoped! 

As we marched off to side stage I was pumped! Ready for the next step! All my nerves gone! and adrenaline pumping through my veins! We lined up in order and strutted out for the famous Mile High Kick line-

Next up was our group routines. I was in group B performing to "On The floor" with two other girls. As # 49 approached I marched out there with my two other girls and did group b routine perfect!

With a short break I had some time before my solo began. I rested, drank lots of water, streched, and rehearsed. Finally.. the last stage of finals. I twirled myself out onto stage and performed my funky 4-8 counts, and strutted off. I WAS DONE! I DID IT! :) I was so releaved that everything went perfect and I gave it my all! I was so confident and I knew in my head I had this in the bag! I got dressed for the final routine.. because duh. I was gonna make it....

As I sat there patiently in a group circle with the rest of the girls... I closed my eyes, prayed, and waited for them to call out my name and number. As they aprroached the #40's my hands bagan to sweat. I kept repeating my name and number in my head and was invisioning her saying it aloud..#45 (whatever her name was)... #50...... my heart sank.. no number #49? what!? how could this be!? I had this.... as soon as the names were called I sat there in shock. Tears began to swell my face... and I watched as 26 girls got dressed in broncos outfits to go on stage for the finaley. 

And in one second.. that was it.. all my hard work, stress, nerves, emotional distress... all for what? I was disappointed.. not only in myself.. but in how convinced I was that I was 100% gonna make it. I started looking back at the whole experience trying to rack my brain as to what I must have done to make them not choose me. It just didn't make sense.

So I left the PAC - crying on Jons shoulder. He gave me a hug and was too in disbelief. He had made a huge sign and purchased a beauitful bouquet of flower for me. It made me cry even harder. I felt like I didnt deserve that... I didnt make it. I'm not sure what I would have done if Jon wasn't there. He is amazing, supportive and truly my best friend! 

So with my head held (sorta) high. I will take all that I can from this amazing experience. Learn, grow, and hopefully be more prepared and ready for NEXT SEASON. " If at first you don't succeed, try, try again!"

So next season - I WILL MAKE IT!

Denver Bronco Cheerleaders

Ever since I graduated high school a huge part of who I am has been missing.... that part is dancing. Dancing on a poms team through out school made me who I am. It helped me understand myself, express myself, and release passion and frustration all at the same time. For some reason dancing always came naturally and I am able to feel the music through my veins when I dance.

After High School I never got the chance to dance on a College Team because of the school I decided to attend. Unfortunately the Art Institute doesn't offer much on the athletic side. After several years of pondering what my next step could be for my dance career I looked toward professional dancing with some of the Denver Sports teams. I knew that to be a Broncos Cheerleader you had to be 21.. so I waited until that day came. But when 21 rolled by and I was knee deep in school and work full time.. dancing seemed to slip out of sight.

Now that I have graduated and currently working at an amazing company, I feel it's necessary and important for my health, sanity and overall balance of my life. On March 18th I attended the Denver Broncos Cheerleading workshop at Invesco field (1 week before that I made up my mind to give it a shot and see what it was all about).... After attending the 3 hour, non stop dance session, I quickly relized that "THAT" was exactly was I was missing in my life and there was no turning back - I was gonna try out for the team!

So I worked out hard for 2 weeks, tried to get my skillz back on track.. and on April 3, 2011 I headed off for Preliminaries at Invesco field. Not knowing what to expect, I walked in to 170 amazing beautiful and talented girls - bedazzled out! Extremely nervous and ready to show all that I had.. I danced in front of 13 judges (some ex football players and cheerleaders!). First round went off without a hitch! The first elimination came and I made it! #42 was called and I had a sigh of relief. But... then came the announcement that we would then learn another dance and perform it right away for a 2nd cut. SO trying to keep my confidence up I gave it all I had left.. and yes with a few mess ups I finished the routine with a huge smile on my face.

Not sure what to expect.. I knew in my mind that I had a 50-50 chance I could stay or go. But as the judges deliberated and came back with results I realized how "real" this had became. I sat there with sweaty palms as they ran through the numbers and soon enough #42 came through their mouth. :) I was over joyed, shocked, and speechless! I made it.. I was one of 60 girls to go to finals!


The week to come brought two workshops, 4 dances, kickline, interviews, a football test and a whole lot of memorization! Exauhsted and drained I pushed through.


This Sunday April 10, 2011 - I will be a finalist for the Denver Broncos Cheerleaders! Performing 4 dances and kickline I will show off my stuff and hope for the best! Whether I make it or not... I have realized a huge passion and dream of mine that had been supressed for so long! And even after so long I still had so much to give. I made it this far for a reason and that with confidence and motivation there was no stopping me!  I want this, and I'm gonna get it! 

Photos they took after my Preliminary Dance - April 3, 2011