Ravens cheerleader hopefuls strut their stuff

BALTIMORE - Almost 200 bright eyed Ravens cheerleader hopefuls showed up Saturday morning at the Downtown Athletic Club to try to shimmy and shake their way into a spot on the 2012 squad.

Saturday is the first round of open tryouts for the squad. On Sunday the group will be whittled down to 90 with the final selection of 60 taking place on March 17 at the Lyric in front of a live audience.

For the second-consecutive year, fans can purchase tickets for $20 to be part of the selection process. Cheerleader hopefuls will compete in two rounds - a skills round and a dance round - and be graded on a point scale by a panel of cheerleading experts and local celebrity judges.

Additionally, tryouts for the Playmakers squad will be held on Sunday, March 4, at the Downtown Athletic Club. The Ravens Playmakers are the organization's elite promotions team. They make appearances throughout the Baltimore area, and although they do not perform on gameday, they promote fan interaction and fun at home games.

For those looking to apply this season, and for fans look to purchase tickets to the final round of tryouts, more information can be found at  www.BaltimoreRavens.com/Cheerleaders.