Blue & Gold Cheer
It’s a Thursday in mid-September, the haze of late summer has burned off, there’s a crispness to the air and bright blue sky is filled with…
It’s a Thursday in mid-September, the haze of late summer has burned off, there’s a crispness to the air and bright blue sky is filled with puffy white clouds. The changes in weather signal a change in the seasons: Fall is here and basketball will follow soon after. The latter is what brings me to Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
I meet Pacemates coach Michelle Duggan in the lobby of the Fieldhouse and we take the elevator to the lower level. As we walk to the practice court, we pass iconography from Pacers and Fever history. I spy memorabilia from the Pacers’ ABA tenure and a photo of Reggie Miller on the U.S. Men’s National Team.
It’s early yet: practice doesn’t start until 6, but a few Pacemates are already there including Nici Denney. It’s her first season on the team, but you wouldn’t think that by looking at her. She has the bearing of a veteran. Dancing is a comfort zone for this Columbus, Indiana native, one that has instilled confidence and helped her come out of her shell. The road from Columbus East High School to the Pacemates involved a lot of hard work, dedication and perseverance and began when Denney was young.
“She’s danced her whole life. I actually started her in dance at a different studio here in town when she was 3 and that’s when I realized how much I missed dance. Her starting dance was actually kind of a catalyst for starting the studio,” said Sonya Denney, Nici’s mother and founder of Sonya’s Dance Zone.
Sonya Denney described dance as a source of confidence as well as joy for her daughter.
“She’s a little shy until you get to know her and then when you get to know here she really comes out of her shell and that’s kind of funny because on stage you wouldn’t even be able to tell that she was shy,” said Denney.
Dance has been something Nici has always loved and missing out on it was difficult at times.
“I remember, and I’m going to get teary-eyed talking about this, her first Fall Break after she started college she wasn’t dancing at all, she was doing the cheer program of course and she came back and we were watching an episode of So You Think You Can Dance and she just started crying, she missed it so much. I think it’ll always be a part of her life,” said Denney.
Nici, a junior at Marian University in Indianapolis, is also on the cheerleading squad there. Her coach, Kiley Watson has known Nici for years and has witnessed firsthand her growth.
“I met Nici when she was a sophomore in high school and had been coming to our open gym practices so she’s gone from somebody who’s extremely shy to someone who’s confident in herself. She speaks up now more when she’s upset about things. She’s very, very critical of herself and she’s gotten so much better in that aspect. And her talent of course, is always getting better.”
It’s time for practice and Duggan wheels out a cart with a sound system. Music plays a crucial role at Pacemates practice. The routine is being shaken up a bit today.
“I read an article online that recommended running before stretching, so we’ll do a brisk walk to one song before we stretch, says Duggan.
She plugs in an iPod loaded with the team’s workout and routine music. The Apple devices are ubiquitous here and are piled against the wall, no need for distractions. Duggan hits play and as the first few notes of Justin Bieber’s “What Do You Mean?” come over the speakers. It’s a catchy and energetic tune, a good way to warm up for practice.
I spy some familiar faces as well as a lot of new ones. The Pacers aren’t the only team in the Fieldhouse to undergo roster changes over the summer. Ciara Shellabarger is one of those new faces and, like Nici, she got her start as a Boom Baby last season.
“We started in Boom Babies and ever since we met she’s always been positive and bubbly. We’ve always had a great connection. She’s really awesome, she always brings positive vibes to the team. She never has anything bad to say and we always have a good time together, said Shellabarger.
Everyone must audition the following season, veteran status is no guarantee for making the squad, it’s a reality that helps the Pacemates gel early as a unit. Everyone deserves to be there. A rookie dinner is in the works as well as a sleepover, but already this year’s Pacemates have started bonding.
The song ends and now it’s time to stretch, the next song up is “Pompeii” by Bastille. It’s another uptempo number, perfect for getting the blood flowing. High energy is a trademark of the Pacemates and practice is no different. The squad has existed in different iterations and names since the Pacers first tipped off in the ABA, way back in ’67. They inspired other franchises to create dance squads of their own.
The Pacemates need more time to stretch, so Coach Duggan plays another song, “Love On Top” by Beyoncé. It further buoys the cheerful mood of practice. While the Pacemates are professionals, there’s room for levity and camaraderie. It’s a long season and by the end, these young women will be family as well as teammates.
That’s something Tamara Ammons-Jones can attest to. She was a Pacemate from the 2008 until this year. She’s currently coach of the Lady Knights dancers at Marian University. Being a rookie comes with a bit of a learning curve.
“One of the challenges for Pacemates is learning the choreography. As a rookie, you’re learning what veterans already know, as far as game day routines. Being high energy, you want to be on the same level, same scale as the vets. You don’t want to look like two separate groups, you want to look like one cohesive team,” said Tamara Ammons-Jones.
After the last note of Beyoncé fades, one of the Pacemates gushes about her love for the song.
“It’s like going to church, Beyoncé Church, Mary J. Blige is like that for me,” says Duggan, in response to her comment.
Duggan has already developed a nice rapport with her team, they’ve been practicing twice a week for the past month, gearing up for the Pacers preseason to tip off on October 3.
Now it’s time to clean up dance routines, the first one is “Baby Got Back,” though there’s no music yet, the focus is on getting the moves down. Arbara Rogers, a veteran Pacemate, steps to the front and leads them through the choreography. Coach Duggan observes from the bleachers, making adjustments and sometimes demonstrating exactly what needs to happen.
The mood of practice is upbeat. Duggan is a great leader and as a former Pacemate understands the needs of the team. It’s this insight that makes her an excellent coach. It’s a relationship built on mutual respect.
“I’m probably one of the most passionate people about this team. Just being in the shoes of the girls, it’s helped, because I know what issues they have. I know the ebbs and the flows of the season, so I can understand that a little bit better,” said Duggan.
The dances of the Pacemates combine several different styles and draws on many different disciplines.
“We go to a camp in Las Vegas that a lot of other pro teams go to and we learn anywhere from 20–25 routines at that camp every summer. So we bring back some of those, it depends on what’s going to fit with our environment and our demographic and everything. Some of the girls make up routines and we bring back some oldies but goodies that we just can’t let go of yet. And we have some guest choreographers come as well, from the West Coast, usually,” said Duggan.
The breaking down of choreography sans sound is something that is achingly familiar to anyone who has ever been in marching band or theater. It can be a slow and frustrating process at times, but that’s not the case with the Pacemates, they’re cheerful and enthusiastic. Nici is at center court and performs the choreography with ease and grace. This is a dream come true for the elementary education major, she’s danced her whole life and now she’s dancing for the Indiana Pacers.
“My first year auditioning, I didn’t make the Pacemates and Michelle contacted me and said Boom Babies would be a good thing to try and audition for. So I auditioned for that last year and made it and it really just kind of helped me get involved with the Pacers even though I wasn’t a Pacemate,” said Nici Denney
It’s now time to put the choreography to music and the results are really something, the movements are synchronized and assured. It’s a good run and after they finish, Duggan gives the team a water break. It’s time for me to go. I come away from practice with a sense of admiration and awe for this talented group of young women. There’s something special about Nici Denney.
“She is an entertainer and she is a performer.There is a sparkle to her, there’s something different about her from other performers on our teams here. I love my team and I love the team that I work with. Anyone would be lucky to have her,” said Coach Watson.