Entertainment

The 'L.A. Clippers Dance Squad' Cast Is Inspiring

by Laura Rosenfeld

When you're a member of a professional sports dance or cheerleading team, your job is to pump up the crowd and the athletes. But now the Clippers Spirit, the dance team behind the NBA's Los Angeles Clippers, finally gets the spotlight in the new E! reality series L.A. Clippers Dance Squad premiering Tuesday, March 15 at 10 p.m. ET. You can expect a lot of fun and drama as well as the busting of a few moves as you get to know the L.A. Clippers Dance Squad cast beyond just what you see on the court.

But first, they've got to find the talented and dynamic ladies who will be a part of the Clippers Spirit. The eight-episode series, according to a press release announcing the new show, will begin with summer auditions for the dance squad, which will feature hundreds of women competing to be on the team. However, since the L.A. Clippers Dance Squad cast has already been announced, not to mention the full Clippers Spirit roster is available to view online, we already have an idea of which ladies made the cut.

So you have two choices. You can either stop reading this article now so that you don't know who's on the team before L.A. Clippers Dance Squad premieres. Or, you can get to know the show's cast below and just pretend to be surprised when the series begins. It's your call, but I personally think the latter is way more fun.

Hannah Cormier

Hannah Cormier is the new girl on the court. Originally from Lake Charles, Louisiana, this southern belle is chasing her dreams of performing in L.A., according to her show bio. However, she's no rookie. She used to dance for the NFL's New Orleans Saints, according to her show bio, so she definitely knows a thing or two about dancing in the big leagues.

Kellie Janeski

Quite the opposite of Hannah, Kellie Janeski has been with the Clippers Spirit for six years, according to her Clipper Spirit bio. However, this Santa Clarita, California native is looking for more. She recently graduated from Loyola Marymount University with a degree in Business Management and wants to take on the role of captain on the team, according to her show bio. While some of Kellie's teammates think she's "the glue that keeps the team together," according to her official L.A. Clippers Dance Squad bio, others think that she's not assertive enough to be a leader. We'll have to see if this is finally Kellie's season to take charge. And fun fact: Kellie is also dating Big Brother 12 winner and Survivor: Blood vs. Water contestant Hayden Moss, which you can see all over her Instagram feed. Fingers crossed that he appears on L.A. Clippers Dance Squad as well.

Blair Kim

Blair Kim is an L.A. native, calling North Hollywood, California her hometown, as described in her show bio. But Blair has just as big of dreams to make it in show business as anyone that has moved to the City of Angels with the hope of becoming a star. Blair is the lead singer of a "girl group," and the quotations around that phrase are not mine but are included in her official L.A. Clippers Dance Squad bio. Though Blair is the daughter of a police officer and an "opinionated mother," she's not really conservative but a "hopeless flirt," according to her bio. Blair is too interesting to not be entertaining on this show.

Athena Perample

Athena Perample is kind of a big deal. Originally from Traverse City, Michigan, she arrived in L.A. in 2010, she has already collaborated with some celebrities (Lil Wayne, Cody Simpson) as well as some big-name brands (Nike, MAC Cosmetics, Beats By Dre), as described in her bio on her official website and for the show, respectively. With a background that includes gymnastics and dance, she seems like the perfect fit for the Clippers Spirit. Her official L.A. Clippers Dance Squad bio describes her as having "little patience for other women (or men) who can't match her intensity," so it sounds like she's going to be fun to watch. However, it's actually unclear if Athena is currently a part of the team. She's not featured in the Clippers Spirit roster on the team's website, and there's no mention of her being a part of the squad in either the bio on her website or in her Instagram bio. But from her Insta pics, it looks like she's still dancing, and that's the important thing.

Savanna Read

Like Hannah, Savanna Read is another new addition to the Clippers Spirit and L.A., hailing from Hendersonville, Tennessee originally, according to her show bio. Savanna came to L.A. to follow her dream of becoming a professional dancer and one day choreographing. She's done a good job of that so far as a back-up dancer for the likes of Taylor Swift and Rae Sremmurd and Silento during halftime at the Staples Center, according to her resume on her official website. However, Savanna is described as being "sarcastic for sport" whose "direct and blunt style can come across as harsh," according to her L.A. Clippers Dance Squad bio.

Natalie Tenerelli

Natalie Tenerelli is no stranger to reality TV. She was the second runner-up of Season 22 of Survivor . But will the Acton, California native be voted out of the Clippers Spirit? Her bio for the show suggests that her position on the team is in jeopardy with new management in Creative Director Petra Pope and lots of talented newcomers vying for a spot. However, since Natalie is going to be featured on L.A. Clippers Dance Squad, I have to say that things seem to be working out for her so far.

Candace Washington

Prepare to feel all of the emotions. Torrance, California native Candace Washington has earned the squad's award for "Most Inspirational" for the past two years and hopes that third time is also the charm to continue her winning streak, according to her show bio. It's easy to see why Candace is so inspirational. She's one busy lady, working as a principle performer at Disneyland as well as serving as head coach and creator of Biola Dance Crew at Biola University in La Mirada, California, in addition to being a dancer with the Clippers Spirit, according to her LinkedIn profile. Candace's show bio also says that she's all about charity work and female empowerment, and she dreams of being on Broadway. I don't know about you, but I'm feeling inspired already.

All of these ladies sound lovely and talented, but as we'll soon see when L.A. Clippers Dance Squad premieres, making the team is only their first challenge.

Image: Tommy Garcia/E! Entertainment