Kimberly Cantoni

New Year. New Home. New Team. The Cosmos Girls get a Kick Start to the New Season.

The Cosmos Girls kicked off the 2017 Season by selecting the newest squad members in their new home of Brooklyn, New York on Sunday, March 12th. The one day open audition took place at Dynamic Dance Academy in Bensonhurst. I had the exclusive behind the scenes pass as one of the judges who would help select the new team.

For the past four years, the New York Cosmos made their home at Hofstra University’s Shuart Stadium in Long Island. As one of many new elements to the 2017 season, the New York Cosmos have moved downtown to the borough of Brooklyn to kick off their season as MCU Park.

“The [New York] Cosmos are under new management,” according to Christina Moore, the new Director and Head Coach of the Cosmos Girls. “The Commisso family of Mediacom Communications and Cable Television have so graciously become our new owners of this organization.” The announcement was made official on January 10th on the team’s website that Mediacom CEO Rocco B. Commisso and his family have purchased a majority ownership stake in the soccer club. The website also states that Commisso will be its new Chairman.

The Cosmos Girls, the official dance team for the New York Cosmos, has been affiliated with this North American Soccer League club since its reboot in 2013. And it’s been nothing less than exciting for these young women.

“The New York Cosmos Girls were the first ever professional cheerleading and dance team for soccer,” said Jillian, the squad’s Captain for this season. “It’s the most amazing experience!” The fifth year veteran continued saying “You just push yourself harder and harder every year to get where you want to be.” Jillian has seen the New York Cosmos win the NASL Championship three out of the last four years she has stood on the sidelines. “It was the most incredible experience!”

Celebrating their fifth anniversary season as one of the NASL’s top dance teams, the stakes were high as new candidates as well as returning veterans were vying for a spot on the Cosmos Girls.  “We want a very well-rounded group of young women. Dance talent is wonderful, but we are also looking for showmans.”

Ms. Moore explained to me she was looking to cast about 12-14 young women for her new squad. Once a Cosmos Girl, the time commitment begins rather quickly. “We practice once a week and only perform at home games,” according to Jillian. There are a total of sixteen home games on the schedule for the Cosmos Girls, with their first rehearsal set for a week after the audition. No time to waste, especially when you are performing in front of 10,000 people. Their biggest performance is during halftime, which can be as short as thirty seconds to as long as a two minute dance routine.

As one of the three judges on the panel, I arrived to the dance studio early to assist with check in. There were about twenty-five excited, but nervous dancers hoping to earn a spot on this prestigious team. Team Director, Christina Moore, welcomed the hopefuls to the open call and introduced each judge along with their expertise. Joining me on the judging panel was NASM certified trainer Lana Herzig and former Cosmos Girls Director Kelly Olsen. We were all enthusiastic to watch the candidates shine and entertain.

“Whoever wants to be here, we want them!” Ms. Moore said she expects women from all over the borough as well as Long Island, New Jersey, and Queens to make it out for the one day open call audition. “For today, our captain Jillian will lead [the candidates] in a basic stretch, an across the floor to see some technique, and then will go into a combination.”

Captain Jillian warmed up the girls with a long stretch followed by some core exercises. Jillian then took the candidates off to the side to begin the across the floor section of the audition. I got to see some high kicks, long legs, and fierce performances. After all that technique, it was time to get down and funky with the first choreography round. Jillian taught a fast paced hip hop routine that did not disappoint. So many candidates caught my attention as they were hitting the moves as sharp as they could.

The time had come to watch the women audition for a spot on the squad. In numerical order, the women were broken up into groups of five to show us their skills and showmanship. After much deliberation, we made our first cut, bringing back those who were one step closer to achieving their dreams.

Ms. Moore, an accomplished dancer herself, led the second round of choreography with a Broadway styled jazz routine. This was definitely an eye opener in seeing who could master a very different dance style. Once again, the time had come for the candidates to showcase their dance ability and intellect. Beside the Broadway round, these finalists were also interviewed to see if they could be the brand ambassadors the New York Cosmos were in search of.

Let me just say, deciding who would make the final squad was no easy task. The judges and I went back and forth discussing who our top choices were and why they would be excellent ambassadors.

At the end of the day, thirteen beautifully talented and articulate young women were selected as the Cosmos Girls. “It’s amazing,” says fourth year veteran Adrianna who auditioned to earn her spot back. “I’ve loved my job since day one. It’s amazing to be able to dance in front of so many fans and to get to know the fans. You have that comradery; you have that family life. It’s just indescribable.” As for Rookie Cosmos Girl Aly, she’s hoping to make a lasting impression during her first year. When I asked her what she was looking forward to most this season, she didn’t hesitate by saying, “Dancing at game; I love performing.”

Jillian summed up the year ahead by saying that being a Cosmos Girl “is more than just a label. There’s a lot of hard work and there’s a lot of dedication that goes beyond it. It’s an opportunity and it’s a privilege.”

Make sure you come out to MCU Park this spring and cheer on the reigning NASL Champions. You’ll have no problem rooting for the home team thanks to these sideline attractions.

Stay up to date with the Cosmos Girls by following all their social media accounts: Instagram @nycosmosgirls | Twitter @NYCosmosGirls | Facebook @NewYorkCosmosGirls

To get the full New York Cosmos schedule visit their website.