The Miami Dolphins Cheerleaders is the professional cheerleading squad of the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. The squad performs a variety of dance moves at the Hard Rock Stadium, the home stadium of the Dolphins. The Dolphins Cheerleaders released an annual swimsuit calendar every year.[1][2][3][4][5] The squad hosts auditions every May.[6] Like most other squads in the league, the MDC also has a youth cheer squad and help mentor young girls in the Miami area.[7] The squad also makes USO trips.[8][9] Every year, the MDC sends a cheerleader to the Pro Bowl.[10][11][12][13][14][15] The MDC also sends a number of alumni to the Indian Premier League every year.[16]
History
Swimsuit Show at Hardrock Stadium
The group's inaugural season was in 1978, but the cheerleading squad was around since the team's inception since 1966. The original squad was known as the Dolphins Dolls, consisting in 125 girls ranging from 8 to 18 years of age. The group performed in the Miami Orange Bowl until 1977. The professional group came around in 1978 under owner Joe Robbie, consisting of 30 women. The group was known as the Starbrites under a sponsorship with Starbrite Car Polish until 1983, when the sponsorship ended. The Dolphins made a deal with Burger King to hold a "Name the Cheerleaders" contest, and the Miami Dolphins Cheerleaders was ultimately selected. In 1990, founder June Taylor retired and was replaced by Kathy Morton Shashaty, who was a Dolphins cheerleader from 1981–1985. When Jimmie Johnson was brought in to coach the team, he also brought Dorie Braddy, a former Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader, to be the new Director of the Cheerleaders. She ran the squad from 1996-2004, when she named Heather Phillips the new Cheer Manager and she moved into game entertainment full time. Heather Phillips would leave after 2007 and then Emily Newton took over. Another former DCC, Trisia Brown, former MDC was hired as choreographer. [17][18]
Anna Noriega, Celebrity Event & Wedding Planner owner of Alorè Event Firm and part of the founding members of the official Miami Dolphins Cheerleaders Alumni Association
