Each summer a new group of dancers audition for coveted spots on the Raptors Dance Pak team. This year, 22 dancers were selected from 250 hopefuls. The elite squad, ranging in age from 19 to 31, has extensive background training from classical to competitive, including Acro, a style fusing the precision of ballet with the verve and agility of acrobatics. Just don't call them cheerleaders. "We don't use pompoms," says choreographer Amberley Waddell, who takes the dancers through 45 to 50 three-hour rehearsals during the season, 41 home games plus many more community appearances. In these lively photos, accompanying Deirdre Kelly's story, Mark Blinch captures the squad during practice and a recent home game in front of 20,000 cheering fans.
