Bucks Dancer Lauren

Bucks Dancer Lauren (photo via John Grant Photography)

Bucks Dancer Lauren is the girl next door – especially if your door is in Milwaukee.

I actually tried to find one flaw in sweet Lauren of the Milwaukee Bucks Dancers and it’s just not possible. It’s not that I didn’t want to like her, she just seemed too good to be true. She’s humble. She’s a better dancer than 99% of the people you’ve ever met in real life. She’s pretty funny. She loves basketball, but almost as important, she loves the fans and the city that supports the basketball that she loves. She’s a self-proclaimed “scaredy-cat” and as much as she loves a tropical beach vacation (especially in the heart of the brutal Wisconsin cold winters), she’s content being at home with nothing more than laugher and her friends and family.

We had the pleasure of getting to learn a little more about Lauren during our exclusive Q&A, so check out some of her answers. We’re pretty sure no matter which NBA team you root for, you’ll quickly become a fan of hers…

Jayme Lamm: Where are you from?

Lauren: I was born in Lansing, MI and moved around a couple times as a kid, but I’ve considered Milwaukee, Wisconsin home for the past 18 years!

JL: Occupation or School?

L: I am an administrative assistant for a company called Rexnord, which is manufacturing company based out of Milwaukee, WI. I am also the administrator of the Rexnord Foundation, so I have the wonderful privilege of being very involved in working with several non-profit organizations in the Milwaukee community.

JL: Years on team (did you try out multiple times before making it)?

L: I, fortunately, made the team the first time that I tried out, and this is my second season as a Milwaukee Bucks Dancer.

JL: Tell me about your dance background? You ladies have moves I wish I had; I know you didn’t just learn them…

L: Well, I have been dancing since I was four years old. My mom always tells me she knew I’d have a career in dance because of how comfortable I was on stage. I was such a shy, quiet little girl, but when I was on stage, I was a completely different person! So I danced my whole life, in all different genres, and I competed nationally with my studio in middle and high school. I was also on my high school poms team, and danced for my university in college.

JL: Hardest part about being an NBA dancer?

L: The hardest part about being an NBA dancer is probably the time commitment. It is one of the longest sport seasons and 41 home games that we have to be at. Don’t get me wrong- I love dancing in the NBA and having all those extra opportunities to dance because of the longer season – but you definitely have to have your mind set before the season starts that you are going to be dedicated and busy for the next few months.

JL: Have you ever gone onto the court and forgotten your routine?

L: I have never gone on court and forgotten a routine, but during my very first ever preseason game, I started facing the wrong way for our routine. I realized it within the first eight-count and quickly turned myself around and covered it up. But, I was mortified! It took me a few days to laugh that one off.

JL: Favorite NBA player and why?

L: This may be cliché, but I think my favorite player would have to be Michael Jordan. I grew up with two brothers who were his biggest fans, so I of course joined the bandwagon and rooted for him as well. It was a way to connect with my sporty brothers, so they wouldn’t just look at me as the “dancing queen.”

JL: What’s the best part about basketball?

L: I think the best part about basketball is the pace. It is one of the quickest-moving sports, and the

Bucks Dancer Lauren (photo via John Grant Photography)

game can change in a matter of seconds! It keeps everyone on their toes, and keeps the fans engaged throughout the whole four quarters. In my opinion, there is never a dull moment!

JL: What’s the coolest part of your arena?

L: Our arena is called the BMO Harris Bradley Center. I think the coolest part of the arena is our fans! Milwaukee has some of the greatest fans in the NBA because they are fans through thick and thin. They are always supportive and friendly, and they make our job as dancers more fun because they engage with us and have a good time.

JL: If you had a Real Housewives intro, what would yours be?

L: I love The Real Housewives — it’s my guilty pleasure. My friends and I often joke with each other about what our tag lines would be if we were Real Housewives. I think mine would be something like “Happy girls are the prettiest.”

JL: Miley or Taylor?

L: T-Swift all the way! My new favorite of hers is “Shake It Off.” I mean that is just such a good mindset to live with in general!

JL: Biggest misconception about NBA dancers?

L: I think one of the biggest misconceptions about being an NBA dancer is that we don’t do anything else. In reality, every single one of us on the team either has a full-time job or is a full-time student. We all have busy schedules, but we fit in the second job as an NBA dancer because dancing is our passion and what makes us truly happy!

JL: Favorite music to dance to?

L: I honestly don’t have a favorite type to dance to. I like to mix it up a lot. That’s one thing I love so much about dancing; you can do it to all different types of music!

JL: What song instantly puts you in a good mood?

L: These days, I am immediately in a better mood when the song “Thinking Out Loud” by Ed Sheeran comes on the radio. I turn up the volume and sign as loud as I can. Funny thing – the louder you turn up the volume, the better your own voice sounds.

JL: Dream vacation?

L: As the long Wisconsin winter finally comes to an end, my dream vacation would be a week in the Bahamas or Jamaica. Nothing sounds better than the hot sun and a cool ocean right now! I think either spot would be perfect to travel with a big group of friends and stay at an all-inclusive resort.

JL: Most embarrassing thing we’d find in your recent Google history?

L: It was recently pointed out to me by a teammate that I play with my hair a lot, which is an embarrassment in itself. It’s a bad habit that I’ve developed. So, I have embarrassingly searched, “Why do people play with their hair?” I found several theories, but the one that I am going to stick with is that it is because I’m a perfectionist; whether or not that’s the case – I’m not sure. But it sounds like the best (least crazy) explanation, so I’m sticking with it.

JL: Look in your purse/bag right now – what’s the most random thing in there?

L: I guess the most random item in my purse right now is my unopened eyeliner pencil. I actually ran out of eyeliner during last night’s Bucks game, so I picked some up on my way into work this morning (as I knew it was the only time I’d have to stop and pick some up before the next game, where I would need it again).

JL: Fan of selfies? Do you have any secrets to the perfect selfie?

L: I’m not a huge fan of selfies, unless I’m taking them with other people. It makes me feel a little less silly, I guess, if there are other people joining me in the selfie craze!

JL: Favorite thing about your city?

L: My favorite part of Milwaukee is the lakefront. It is so beautiful, especially in the spring and summer. I love sitting out on the beach when the weather is nice, or going for runs along the shoreline.

JL: When I say the letter “W” what’s the first word that comes to mind?

L: Two words come to my mind — am I allowed to have two first words? The words “win” and “Wisconsin” come to mind. My teammates and I like to throw up the “W” for pictures whenever The Bucks win! And, being from Wisconsin, it is very common to make a “W” with your fingers to represent Wisconsin or the University of Wisconsin. We like to rep our state!

Lauren’s got moves (photo courtesy Milwaukee Bucks)

JL: What app do you use most?

L: I think I use Instagram the most. I am a shameless poster of pictures with friends, family, the boyfriend, and of course, my lovely teammates! I also have the role of being the social media lead on my team, so I post pictures on the Milwaukee Bucks Dancers Instagram to keep our fans updated on what we are up to during games and in the community.

JL: If you could go to dinner with any celebrity/athlete in the world, who would it be?

L: I think it would be Jennifer Aniston. She has always been one of my favorite actresses, and she seems like such a sweet, kind person. I would love to sit down and get to know her as Jennifer Aniston, and not one of her several characters that I have grown to love. I imagine that we’d be really good friends if we ever met. Or maybe I just like to fantasize that we would be BFF’s…

JL: Homebody or an adventurer?

L: As much as I’d like to say I’m an adventurer, I’m probably more realistically, a homebody. I am content in Milwaukee, surrounded by my family and friends. I like to travel and go on vacations, but I am always happy to come home after a week or two.

JL: So what’s most adventurous thing you’ve done?

L: It probably won’t come as a shock due to my previous answer, that I haven’t done anything too overly adventurous. I’m kind of a “scaredy-cat.” Off the top of my head, the most adventurous thing I can think of is hang gliding. I actually went with the rest of the Milwaukee Bucks Dancers. We did it as a team-building activity over the summer. I was a little nervous to jump off the ledge at first, but it was really fun once I did it!

JL: Tell me something about you people would find completely out of character?

L: A lot of people who didn’t know me before I became a Milwaukee Bucks Dancer find it interesting to know that I have my teaching license. I actually got my degree in English Education, but wanted to pursue my dance career after college, so I put my teaching career on hold for the time being. However, I do have dreams to pursue my passion for teaching once my passion for dance is finally fulfilled (but who knows when that will be because I’ve already been dancing for 20 years of my life and still can’t seem to get enough!)

To see the original interview along with more smashing photos of Lauren, click here to see it on CBS Man Cave Daily. Thanks to the Milwaukee Bucks for partaking in this awesome series showcasing some of the best NBA dancers and thanks to Ideal Protein Houston for sponsoring it. Ideal Protein help with many aspects of weight loss and management, and offers something unique for each client.