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 Being part of the Scottish Rockettes means we are actively involved in many charity events; like dinners, balls, fashion shows, etc… I've even been lowered off the roof of the Sky Park Building in Finneston for 'Sense Scotland' and more recently was volunteered by 'someone else' to be shark-bait in a 'Dive with the Sharks' for The Anthony Nolan Trust…!! Maybe they're trying to get rid of me… What do you think?
Being involved in charities is something we really take great pride in. However, in saying that, we have never organised an event ourselves for a charity before… well that was until we decided that we'd put on a Fashion Show in aid of 'Breast Cancer Care Scotland'! Piece of cake really eh…? or so we thought…!
Can't begin to describe how much running around we have all done in preparation for the fashion show 'Fashion Fusion' which was held on Thursday 14th April in The Corinthian in Glasgow. Just as well Carole Anne doesn't need a lot of sleep! Meetings with clothes shops like Open, Cult, Flip & La Senza to choose all the clothes. Meetings with U-Concept who were doing all the hair; stage & lighting guys; sponsors; not to mention begging for freebies for the event and tickets/flyers… Mind you, Natalie from the Special Events Squad helped out too – she's a born beggar!
 Rehearsals were almost every night or when we could all fit time in. All the routines for each set had to be choreographed and after the first few months of rehearsals I think our heads were puggled with tiredness. Eventually everything for the event was slowly clicking into place and everyone was juggling their lives around rehearsals. I can't remember now how I managed to split my time from working full-time, teaching dance, teaching cheerleading classes, normal Rockettes duties like games, promotions and then doing rehearsals… not to mention trying to organise things for the fashion show too…! phew… Poor Carole Anne was working right round the clock all day every day – don't think she got to her bed at night, she's still counting her bald patches! Maybe Clayr could loan her some hair extensions.
So it was the day of the show (a day we never thought we'd see) and another early start for us. Carole Anne and I were at the shop doors for them opening to collect the remaining clothes, everything else was safely in The Corinthian, we had dropped them off the day before. The stage had arrived at 7am and was being set up as we headed to Cult. Thankfully that was the last shop and it was straight to the car to do our final drop. Ohh Oh… back at the car and the police were all around Carole Anne's car. Passenger-side window had been smashed and my purse stolen! Let that be a lesson to anyone not to be as stupid as I was and leave your purse in the car…! Quite ironic really, we were running around like mad trying to organise a charity event meanwhile we were being robbed!!
 So it was a detour to Phoenix Honda where we dropped off the car; picked up my car; ran into Ikea for 3 chairs for the 'Vogue' dance; collected helium from Balloons and Gas Direct; …sooked some helium so we'd sound like a Smurf… I mean, NO put helium in boot…!! AND eventually made our way to U-Concept Academy where all the girls were having their hair done. What fantastic styles there were. The punk section looked fab… huge back-combed creations with pink spray and massive quifs sprinkled with glitter dust… awh… I wanted to be a punk…! I actually found myself examining everyone's hair and picking out who I wanted to do mine! As soon as the seat was free I bee-lined my butt into that seat! U-Concept did a fantastic job of all our hair, it was great having my own personal hairdresser for the day. I think mine was getting a bit fed up with me though… I was following her about everywhere and asking for hairspray and another kirby every two minutes… Even when ma superstar celeb pal Suzie McGuire (I say 'pal' – she's actually got a restraining order coming out against me!) arrived to host the night looking very glam and needed spray too I was like… 'Ya, ya… Where's my hair dresser?'…!
SO the night was about to kick off… Folk were arriving by the dozens. Suzie's run-down list had around two pages of amendments which she just took in her stride, Adrian was on the decks doing his stuff and Paul Doll (formerly from boy-band No Reason) had his duo tan on and was looking A-OK! He only wanted to come so he could get a 'burd' – left him upstairs at the bar with Mary from XTM, she'll find him a wumin…!
The dressing room was buzzing with girls frantically trying to get dressed. Carrie's boot had gone missing and Pauline was running around looking for tights. The make-up artists busy topping-up eye-liner and lip-gloss. Clayr D actually hogged the make-up chair, if she wasn't on stage she was in the chair. Hairdryers and straighteners were heating up an already hot room, Cancer Care volunteers were packing goodie-bags – pandemonium is a close enough description. Deep breath time, I stood and spoke to Carole Anne for a second and could not move for laughing… …poor lassie had a stress-rash growin up her neck…! HA HA Ha… awh…! brilliant…! Away I went, sat in a corner and ate the O'Brien's sandwiches… ahh… well, one does need a rest! Tick… Tick… Tick… 8.00pm exact and it was showtime…! Gulp!
Standing on stage in uniform ready for our first routine, we were all just so hyper and overly nervous. The Corinthian was jam-packed with a very loud audience, bright lights illuminated us on stage, cheesy grins were glued to our faces, music boomed on and we were off…  The stage was pretty small and we were all repeatedly whacking each other with our poms… …constant 'ouches' and 'arghhs' were coming from all around me as we performed our opening routine. Claire Nimmo who was dancing to my left was hysterically laughing… and that was me away too…!
The crowd were great, a bit rowdy and loud at times but were certainly enjoying the night. Suzie held everything together during our breaks with her amusing banter and chat. On one occasion I almost toppled down the stairs during sets as I was too busy laughing. The first half of the show included sets like 'Vogue', 'Scissor Sisters', 'sporty section', 'sweet-n-sexy La Senza' and my personal favourite 'Disco Divas'.
While each group took to the stage for their set there was chaos and flying clothes in the changing room as everyone jumped from one outfit to the next. Everyone was grabbing wrong boots and there were almost a few cat fights over bras and pom poms…! No-one could afford to be a second late on stage. We'd never have had a chance anyway – Sergeants Julie and Cheryl were blasting through the walkie-talkies to each other ensuring we all moved at the right times! I was really worried that I would be on stage late. During one set, 'Vogue' I think it was, I repeatedly asked Carole Anne 'can we go on yet?… Can we go on yet?… Is that us now?… Can we GO on yet?… Can we go on yet?… CAN WE GO ON YET?…' I felt like Donkey from 'Shrek' – folk would have been like, 'Aww is she back on again ALREADY?!' Pure creeping in the back of the stage… 'Hi Mom'…!!
 Paul Martin performed two fantastic songs during our break to a very appreciative audience. What a voice he has, fantastic! Suzie then put him through his paces with some questions for the girls…! …and judging by some of the photos he was showing off his six-pack too!! Either that or Suzie was trying to take his shirt off, the latter of the two is more believable – you can judge for yourselves! Raffles followed, drawn by Adrian and Carole Anne. Adrian then hosted a mini-auction using new up-and-coming designer Dawn Marie Kelly's punk creations, used for the 'Scissor Sister's' set. Each outfit went for £50 - £80 each! Great eh…! Thank you to everyone who donated money during the auction. Special thanks to Mrs King who donated £400.
 The second-half kicked off with an explosive routine from 'Charlie's Angels' followed by 'Old Skool', 'Nightwear from La Sensa', 'Sex in the City' and one of my other favourites – a Gothic set featuring 'Tainted Love' by Marylin Manson! Pauline looked like my mini-me in this section as most of our outfit matched. Carole Anne on the other hand, I thought she looked Dennis the Menace's dog Gnasher from 'The Beano'. It was maybe just the dark curly hair and stripy top…! I must say the clothes in 'Sex in the City' were absolutely stunning, all from Open in Buchanan Galleries. I especially loved the green skirt and top that Carrie was wearing and Karen looked like a wee doll in her flowery dress and cute ringlet hair.
So if after all that the audience were getting bored with us on stage we had a surprise lined up for them. A wee something for the ladies…! Enter onto the stage Rock's Head Coach Steve Swanson; Assistant Coach Ross Hutton; players Lamont McIntosh, Adrian Henning, Donald Cole and Ronnie Gordon. The crowd were going mad – loud cheers, whistles and claps broke out round the room as the boys strutted their stuff on stage. Donald had actually practised his moves well in advance of his debut and had the entire routine timed perfectly.  No-one could have stolen his glory or wiped the huge smile off his face… or could they… Lamont surprised everyone by flipping back into a backward summersault…! whooo hooo more screams from hysterical women in the crowd. Not wanting to feel upstaged in any way Ronnie Gordon took to waltzing around the stage with Assistant Coach Ross Hutton, while Coach Swanson probably couldn't help but wonder why the guys don't move like that on court!!
Overall the night went really well. The Rockettes and support squad were all really pleased our hard work had paid off. Hopefully everyone enjoyed watching the show as much as we enjoyed performing. Massive thanks to everyone who came along on the night to support us.
Thanks to all the shops involved, Open, Cult, Flip, High n Mighty, U-Concept, New Look, La Senza, Stage Hire Scotland, O'Briens, Balloons and Gas Direct, Our Secret, Clyde Action, nail manicurist E-Nails Paisley, holistic therapist Una McDade for the mini massages, Aqua Suio, Phoenix Honda, Brian Warrick for the flyer design, GHD for hair-straightener demonstrations and to all the volunteers who worked behind the scenes.
Thanks to the Rocks coaches and players, to Paul Martin who's still looking for a burd. Adrian Coll who helps us out with loads of events, your our wee star, thanks a million…! To mad Suzie, ma best pal… ha ha… oops… there's that restraining order through the post now…! Thanks so much for everything – we really apprecitate it. AND finally to Lorna and everyone at Breast Cancer Care Scotland for everything you do, all day, every day, thank you so much! Keep up the great work…!
Kat x x
Please visit Breast Cancer Care's website for more information about this important charity.
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