Team Spirit

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PD MAGAZINE
TEAM SPIRIT
Story By Ellen Futterman Of the Post-Dispatch Staff

St. Louis Post-Dispatch
FIVE STAR
Page 08

"OK kids," shouts choreographer Janet Ehrlich, clapping her hands to rouse everyone, "let's show these visitors what we've got."

Within seconds, a dozen sprawled-out bodies spring to attention, shaking their limbs to loosen up. Then, with Prussian precision, members of Team 11 take their places on the floor and wait for the music to begin.

As Ehrlich hits the play switch on the boom box, Carlos Dixon hits hard with his rap. He struts his stuff, singing about being cool and staying in school while his "teammates" leap, kick and gyrate, striking poses that look as if they must hurt, if they aren't in fact anatomically impossible.

"I write my own raps and try to pick topics that are relevant to young people today," explained Dixon, a graduate of Edwardsville High School who hopes to study acting and filmmaking in college. "I moved to Edwardsville from East St. Louis in the sixth grade and believe me, those are two very different places. I try to mix my experiences from both into my raps so they cut across all sorts of lines and can speak to a lot of people's experiences.

"One of the things I like most about Team 11 is its diversity. There are some extremely talented people involved in this group and together, I think, we're doing something that's pretty good."

Some might even argue great. Nearing the end of its inaugural year, Team 11 is a group of St. Louis area multi-talented teens who help promote kids programming for KPLR (Channel 11). They create vignettes during the station's "Disney Afternoons" from 3 to 5 p.m.; they also sing and dance at live shows that pay each of the 12-member team $50 a pop. The group even traveled to Disney World to perform.

Victoria Recano , a senior at Cor Jesu Academy, said she was "thrilled" when she was picked from more than 200 young people who auditioned for Team 11 last summer. "They were looking for kids between the ages of 13 and 23 who gave off a wholesome image and also could sing and dance and act," she said. "I figured I'd give it a shot - I had been taking dancing lessons for years and years. When I made it, I couldn't believe it. Now it's as if the group has become my second family."

In addition to singing and dancing, Victoria is one of four "reporters" for Team 11 who produce news featurettes. Some of these topics include anorexia/bulimia, depression, divorce and the environment.

But mostly, the group is about performing. Team 11 members meet for rehearsals about four times a week, earning $5 an hour; live shows are staged periodically.

"All I can say is, choreographing and directing these young adults is more than stimulating," Ehrlich said. "Channeling their energy, multi-talents and personalities into performance makes rehearsals wild, challenging, exhausting - but mostly fun and exciting."

Auditions for new members will be held June 17 and 18. The site for auditions will be announced on Channel 11.

PHOTO; Caption: (1) Photo by Odell Mitchell Jr./Post-Dispatch - Lisa Udasco, Kim Hoey (behind her) and others rehearse a dance. (2) Color Photo By Odell Mitchell Jr./Post-Dispatch - Choreographer Janet Ehrlich (in front) starts rehearsal with a warm-up routine. (3) Color Photo By Odell Mitchell Jr./Post-Dispatch - As Victoria Recano (right) demonstrates a dance step, Amy Ehrlich tries out some moves of her own. (4) Color Photo By Odell Mitchell Jr./Post-Dispatch - Michael Kiermaier sprawls in exhaustion after a tough rehearsal. (5) Color Photo By Odell Mitchell Jr./Post-Dispatch - Dressing room drama: Kim Hoey, Vicky Recano and Lisa Udasco share a mirror. (6) Color Photo By Odell Mitchell Jr./Post-Dispatch - Carlos Dixon raps, the dancers dance, a number comes together. (7) Color Photo By Odell Mitchell Jr./Post-Dispatch - Team 11 sings "The Star Spangled Banner" before a Blues game at the Arena. (8) Color Photo By Odell Mitchell Jr./Post-Dispatch - In their studio in the Ones Building, the team runs through a dance called "You Gotta Believe." (9) Color Photo By Odell Mitchell Jr./Post-Dispatch - Carlos Dixon listens to a song he and his teammates have just recorded.