Firewerks Dance Team Lights Up Portland WNBA Games

The Portland Fire WNBA team's dance squad, the Firewerks, has been performing to tens of thousands of fans at the Moda Center during home games. At the Aug. 12 game against the Minnesota Lynx, the team executed a synchronized backbend to a mix of Rump Shaker by Wreckx-N-Effect, drawing cheers. The Lynx won 85-81. Coach Jasmine Shannon, a former Portland Trail Blazers dancer, draws inspiration from music, listening to tracks for three to four days before choreographing. The 18-member team, comprising 15 women and three men aged 20 to 40, practices four hours weekly and spends about eight hours perfecting each routine. Dancers hold other jobs, including corporate and service industry roles. Shannon and dancer Quinn, both former Blazers dancers, spoke with ArtsWatch about the team's first season. Shannon noted the city needed this energy post-pandemic, and fans have been ecstatic. Quinn described the atmosphere as electric, with fans high-fiving after performances. Shannon's musical choices include Beyoncé, Bad Bunny, and Daddy Yankee, tailored to themed nights like Latin Heritage and rivalry games. Quinn, a classically trained ballet dancer and Irish dancer, appreciates the team's diversity. The Firewerks aim to represent Portland's diversity, with Shannon stating, "They are Portland on this court." Auditions for next season are already attracting interest.