Sabers passion leads her to spot on Tops in Blue

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Tammie Moore
  • 52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany --  A 52nd Dental Squadron Airman is about to embark on the adventure of a lifetime as a vocalist for the 2008 Tops in Blue team.

Senior Airman Gina Bauza, a dental technician, first saw Tops in Blue perform in Washington, D.C. when she was in high school and was instantly impressed.

"The first time I saw Tops in Blue I felt very excited about it," she said, but felt a little intimidated watching the show at first because of the detailed choreography.

"At the time I saw the show I wasn't in the military, but I knew that I loved the stage and would love to pursue something like Tops in Blue," Airman Bauza. "When I joined the military, I continued watching their shows and felt like, 'I should be in there.' The last time I worked on stage was in July of 2005, when I played Audrey from 'Little Shop of Horrors' in Act Eifel. I missed the stage, all aspects of it. So my drive to get in Tops in Blue heightened and I worked very hard for it."

Airman Bauza was one of 160 Airmen who applied for Tops in Blue this year. Out of these applicants, 56 were chosen to compete for the team, and less than half of those were selected for a position. Airman Bauza earned one of the team's nine female vocalist slots.

The application process involved producing a video showcasing her talents. After receiving the notice that she would be moving on to the in person selection process Airman Bauza learned a variety of songs ranging from classical and R&B to rap and gospel. In addition, she worked to improve her over all physical fitness.

"I upped my cardio workouts because cardio is important for your endurance in singing and dancing," she said. "You can see how challenging their choreography can be and it requires a lot of energy. I felt it would be a good idea to start early rather than try to play catch up at the audition. Right now, I'm trying to do as much cardio as I can so that when I start staging my body will be used to the hard aerobic workout and I don't let the team down by being unprepared."

Before the big audition she also met with Staff Sgt. Mike Lemorie, 52nd Fighter Wing protocol office, who was a member of the team in 2006. Sergeant Lemorie offered her advice based on his experiences.

"I told Airman Bauza everything I could about my experiences and shot straight about just how difficult it would be if she chose to audition and was subsequently selected," Sergeant Lemoire said. "I have continued to be honest and non-filtered with her now that she has been selected. I told her to expect long days, between 14-20 hours a day seven days a week, lots of hard, physical work and to be patient with herself and the staff."

In addition, he talked to Airman Bauza about being able to accept and grow from criticism to become a better performer.

"You must be willing to hear that 'your no good' and then quickly move on to listening to the staff as they tell you how to improve," he said. "Tops in Blue does not have a lot of time for individual feelings, they are there to produce a show. You must be willing to work hard and take a lot of lumps because in the end it will only make you a better performer. You must also be willing to give everything you have to make the show succeed."

"Tops in Blue is a huge family and is one of the most rewarding things you can do in your Air Force career," Sergeant Lemoire said. "It is also the most difficult! Always remember, the most beautiful and rewarding things in life are also the ones that are the most difficult to come by and the hardest to achieve."

While Airman Bauza's friends and family were excited about her acceptance to the team she relizes her work has just begun.

"It will be a lot of hard work, but it is an honorable way to serve," she said. "Everyone is really talented; they push you and help you learn a lot about yourself. We give a little piece of home to everyone by performing at a majority of Air Force bases."

Now that Airman Bauza has her slot on the team she is looking forward to beginning the adventure.

"There were a lot of great performers, it is going to be really nice to be with other people who are passionate about the art," she said. "I feel gracious to accept this slot. It was a great surprise. It is what I love to do and to make the team my first time. I'm honored to be representing my squadron and wing as I go through the tour. I want to thank everyone who has supported me to make my dream of performing with the best come true."