GOLDSEA | ASIAMS.NET | ASIAN AMERICAN PERSONALITIES
HEAD CHEERLEADER
PAGE 4 of 4
| "If you feel uncomfortable about what you're doing or give other the chance to demean you, they most assuredly will." |
Yes, as Tanaka shows, there is life after the Raiderettes. Though never losing the vigor or enthusiasm called for by her duties as a squad veteran, she admits that the physical demands of the job began taking their toll on her posture. "Not many people realize this, but we usually perform in high heels. You can imagine the effects that years of dancing around in high-heeled boots can have if you're not careful. And that classic Raiderette pose," she continues with just a hint of sarcasm, "the upright shoulders, the arched back -- it may look sexy, but it's hard to maintain over time." Citing concerns about recurrent back pains that she'd just as soon keep from worsening, Tanaka decided to strike out on her own this year and leave the tryouts to those young girls who haven't yet had their chance at stardom.
Tanaka currently divides her time among several competing endeavors, all of which in some way or another relate to her body and her determination to keep fit. Her pride and joy is the nutrition business she's owned for the past year. "I counsel clients in many different ways," she says, "everything from proper eating routines to the best ways for them to keep in shape." Tanaka is still heavily involved with professional cheerleading, though admittedly her loyalty is no longe to one specific team. A group she now heads, aptly dubbed American Spirit, schedules on average three world tours a year, most recently to England, France, Germany and Japan. The routines are a veritable combination of Americana and entertainment, which many assume are one and the same thing anyway.
Asked about whether she sometimes finds the intense attention to her physical appearance rather shallow, or whether the continual demand to position herself in provocative yet unnatural poses demeans her, Tanaka answers with a coy smile. "Your own attitude about such things is what's most important. If you feel uncomfortable about what you're doing or give other the chance to demean you, they most assuredly will. But if you're comfortable with yourself and what you do with your life, others will pick up on that feeling and be comfortable with you as well."
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