By Michael Gioia
"I was in choir every year at [high] school, which introduced me to music and theatre, but I always focused more on cheer," said Dahlston Delgado, 23, from Belton, TX. "My senior year I made the big decision to make a two-and-a-half-hour commute three times a week to be a part of one of the most prestigious gyms in the country, Spirit of Texas. For the next five years I worked toward perfecting every skill and aspect of the sport, winning numerous national [and world] titles."
However, Delgado distinctly remembered telling a friend at the age of 16, "I want to be on Broadway someday, that would be so fun." Now, the Bring In On swing has his castmates to thank for pushing him forward. "I can't help but look around and think that I wouldn't be here in New York without all these people," he said. "We have made lifelong friendships throughout this entire process. Unlike any other show, we all come from such different backgrounds. A group of cheerleaders, dancers, singers and actors were thrown together, and we manage to make magic eight times a week. I've never stopped learning from my castmates, and they are the ones who have inspired me to see it through."
"I never really had my eye on Broadway, but it all fell into place for me," said 24-year-old ensemble member Brooklyn Alexis Freitag. Freitag, who has won numerous Universal Cheerleader's Association and National Cheerleader's Association national titles, made the switch from competitive gymnastics to competitive cheerleading in high school. "I fell in love with my team and the thrill of competing, and never looked back! I went on to cheer at the University of Louisville," said Freitag, who was born in Canada and raised in Paris, KY.
14 Aug 2012
Dahlston Delgado
Brooklyn Alexis Freitag
