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Women from in and around Washington, D.C., dance in the Coyote Ugly bartender search held at the F Street Sports Bar in the MCI Center.
(Left to right) Hyun Yim, Mai-Kim Norman and Juanita Enamarado practice steps to one of two routines contestants had to learn.
Men and women circled the main dance floor in hopes of getting a better view of Coyote Ugly hopefuls. Auditions included dancing and a lot of attitude.
Jamie Sexton (right), who took second place in the Coyote Ugly bartender search contest, hugs the winner, Angela Bouloubassis Coyote contestant Lisa Mayer of Fairfax wears a 'Stop Crying' T-shirt while retouching her hair and makeup in the men's bathroom of the F Street Sports Bar and Grill in Washington. |
ASHINGTON--Cigarette smoke hovered heavy like fog inside the packed F Street Sports Bar and Grill last week. But it wasn't the close quarters at the Washington club that had the mostly-male crowd perspiring.
Seventy-seven ladies, dressed in skin-tight jeans and micro-minis, thigh-high boots and spiky stilettos, steamed up the bar like a sauna last Wednesday night.
They wiggled and writhed, shimmied and shook, in hopes of landing the bar-tending job of a lifetime.
But only about 30 would win the chance to work at Washington's new Coyote Ugly Bar & Dance Saloon. The four-story club, which also will feature a rooftop deck, is scheduled to open on Sixth Street in February.
Known for its sexy, tough-talking female bartenders, Coyote Ugly became more widely known, thanks to the 2000 release of the blockbuster film of the same name. Several bars are scattered across the country, including sites in New York, Dallas, Chicago, Boston and Tampa, Fla.
Coyotes, as the sultry lady bartenders are called, have smoking bodies and take-no-prisoners attitudes. And they're known for their fiery antics like dancing on the bar, spraying water into the crowd and twirling alcohol bottles like batons.
The women also blow fire, perform body shots and dance to choreographed routines--whatever it takes to whip the room into a frenzy and drive the men wild.
"These are really strong A-personality girls who can get up on the bar and draw a crowd," said Jennifer Worthington, co-owner of Coyote Ugly Las Vegas and associate producer of the movie.
"These are just cool chicks," she said.
Worthington, who is also owner of the new Coyote Ugly in D.C., flew in to preside over last week's competition. Choreographers from her Las Vegas bar also came to teach Coyote wannabes some signature dance moves.
The hopefuls had less than two hours to nail the boot-stomping, hip-shaking, lasso-twirling routines to "Cowboy" by Kid Rock and "Foxy Lady" by Jimi Hendrix.
"If you can't dance," the teachers told the girls, "just get crazy."
Worthington doled out some more last-minute advice just before the first 10 contestants filed out to face the crowd:
"Have fun out there, smile," she said. "Good luck to everybody."
The women, wearing numbers pinned to their clothing, performed the choreographed routines on one stage. Then, they moved to another to dance free-style to songs like "You Shook Me All Night Long" and "The Devil Went Down to Georgia."
Event organizers waited on the sidelines to shower the dancers with buckets of water. The women tossed their wet hair, sending droplets through the crowd.
"That's Coyote Ugly for you," said Farrah Hines, entertainment director and choreographer at the Las Vegas bar. "That's how we do it."
A panel of celebrity judges, including former Washington Redskin Gary Clark and Washington Freedom soccer player Jacqui Little, rated contestants on dance ability, attitude and flair.
Mike Carlson of Nokesville shoved his way through the crowd for a closer look. His pushiness paid off when one of the sassy dancers pulled him toward her. But she threw him back again when he got too close.
Moe Harris, an instructor at the Professional Bartending School of Arlington, had the evening's most dangerous job--teaching girls to sling bottles like six-shooters.
Audience members ducked as the novice tossers sent bottles clinking and clanking. And shards of broken glass littered the stage by night's end.
Calls from Coyote wannabes started pouring in last November, when promotions for the new bar began to appear.
Worthington and other Coyote Ugly workers fielded more than 1,000 phone calls. Job applications, Polaroid pictures, preliminary interviews and impromptu dance auditions narrowed the group down to about 100.
Bold personalities, Worthington said, go further than good looks in the bar-tending business. Not that being gorgeous could hurt anyone's chance of becoming a Coyote.
"If I don't make it, I don't make it," said No. 71, Mich Thaung, who sprawled on the floor to stretch her long legs. "I'm just trying out for fun."
Alisha Graves, No. 56, wore a flowery pink dress with fishnet stockings and brought along a bunch of friends for luck.
"I really like to dance," said Graves, who works as a nursing-home activity therapist. "I wouldn't mind getting paid for it."
Meredith McLeod, No. 12, shook her dripping locks. "I'm soaking wet," she said. "It was great."
Judges announced their top three picks last week, and promised to call the other winners after all the scores were tallied.
Angela Bouloubassis of Baltimore, No. 3, took first place.
"I wasn't expecting it," said Bouloubassis, who gets plenty of practice kicking up her heels at the Baltimore bar where she currently works.
Stephanie Wilson, marketing director for Coyote Ugly Las Vegas, said she loves the saloon because it puts women in control. And the power is contagious.
"You'll have the most conservative woman walk in the bar," Wilson said. "Thirty minutes later, her ponytail is down, and she's dancing on the bar."
To reach LISA CHINN: 540/374-5424 lchinn@freelancestar.com
