Elspeth A. Lodge

01:00 AM EDT on Monday, September 6, 2010

Sentimentality filled the air when former and new Patriots cheerleaders gathered for a family reunion: a special event at the opening of the “Cheers Through The Years” Exhibit at The Hall at Patriot Place.

Cheerleaders ran to pose beside life-sized images and looked at old photos, video from auditions and others from swimsuit calendar shoots, and uniforms ranging from the 1960s among other artifacts. All in all, the exhibit depicts 50 years of Patriot cheerleading history.

Michelle Gagnon, a former Patriots cheerleader from 2000-2003, says “it’s hard to condense so many great people and years into one exhibit.”

“We have the best colors in the NFL,” cheerleader director (and former Patriots cheerleader) Tracy Sormanti says, ““I love them,” says Kimberly Mello, a member of the 2003 squad, referring to the new 2010 cheerleader uniforms. “I liked the white ones but they just weren’t the Patriots.”

I will post the Individual workouts and the rest of the story later– this is a teaser! Here are some of my own photos from the ‘Cheers Through the Years’ event, where the cheerleaders revealed the 2010 uniforms.

Ok, so here it is guys! What everyone’s been waiting for. The new uniform! They reverted back to the patriotic colors from white and to stand out on the sidelines each has 650 crystals sewn around the belt and neck! Here are some of my own snap-shots from the event:

01:00 AM EDT on Monday, September 6, 2010

By Elspeth Lodge

Journal Staff Writer

Behind the tight abs and toned arms of the New England Patriots cheerleaders are months of circuit training, running ramps, kicks, and workouts including the famed grueling and effective P90X Fitness Program, according to the squad’s director/choreographer, Warwick’s Tracy Sormanti.

“The Patriots cheerleaders work extremely hard to stay fit,” says Sormanti. “Six sets of eight kicks, running the ramps at the stadium, and their own personal workouts are key components to their fitness programs.

“Our circuit training drills, using a combo of the players’ equipment, such as heavy bags, medicine balls and steps, integrated with the cheerleaders’ equipment, such as balance boards, hand weights and jump ropes, ties it all together,” she adds.

“Couple that with a ‘no junk food policy’ in the locker room, which carries over into their personal lives, and it lends to overall healthiness,” Sormanti says. “That gives these women a feeling a confidence and empowerment — you look good, feel good, you perform even better.”

Sormanti did not always aspire to lead, let alone be a Patriots’ NFL cheerleader, but “I always loved to dance,” she says, and was a cheerleader in high school. “I was on my way to the beach and I heard about ‘Patriots Cheerleader Tryouts’ on the radio.”

The spur-of-the-moment adventure changed Sormanti’s life; she cheered on the Pats for five seasons, before moving up the ranks to director and choreographer, which, she finds just as, and possibly even more, gratifying than being on the team.

A native of Warwick, Sormanti was always a Patriots fan, but when she got to the tryouts she felt intimidated by all the “gorgeous cheerleading talent.” She almost stepped out of line –– but, she stayed put–– because, “my mother taught me never to be a quitter,” she said.

Sormanti got to design the 2010 cheerleading uniform for her squad; not only have the Patriots returned to their “patriotic colors” (from just white) but are more glamorous than ever before. Each red, white and blue uniform is bedazzled with 650 crystals so that the women are sure to stand out on the sidelines.

The cheerleaders showed off the new uniform for the first time at the opening of the “Cheers through the Years Exhibit” at the Hall at Patriot Place in July. The exhibit –– a compilation of photographs, videos, artifacts and a map of the evolution of the cheerleaders –– was a testament to the hard work and dedication it takes to be on the squad.

More recently, just fitting into smaller and more revealing uniforms has been an added reason for working out.

“These [uniforms] are really trendy,” says Lisa Matta-Paze, a member of the late 1970s, early ‘80s squads. “Back in the olden days, they were very simple,” she says, “but you have to be very thin to wear these. You can’t have anything extra.” .

elodge@projo.com

In preparation for my Patriots Cheerleaders piece!

Here’s a sneak peek: We’re profiling the New England Patriots Cheerleaders in the Thrive section of Monday’s Providence Journal.

In the piece, one of the cheerleaders, Patricia Fox, 22, of Westford, Mass., (shown at right from the New England Patriots Cheerleaders’ Facebook fan page) says she does “mason twists” for an ab workout.

To be honest, I had no idea what that exercise was, so I looked it up. You do it seated, and clasp hands together, raise feet in air, twist upper torso from side to side, touching knuckles on either side of floor.