Jacob LaMontagna is willing to share a few touchdown celebration dance moves he’s learned over the years should any Super Bowl-bound players on Los Angeles Rams or New England Patriots want some tips.
An avid sports enthusiast, the 11-year-old from Naperville plays baseball and football. But it’s his skills on the basketball court at the United Center in Chicago that captivate the thousands that show up for Chicago Bulls games.
Jake, as he’s known by friends, is one of eight boys and eight girls selected by Chicago Bulls Entertainment to be members of Bullskidz, a dance squad that performs choreographed routines during timeouts of Bulls basketball games. Bullskidz also make community appearances.
Jake’s dad, Ronnie LaMontagna, said from September until March, the Bullskidz will have performed at perform at 12 to 15 Chicago Bulls homes games, and the kids danced in the annual Chicago Bulls Spooktacular Halftime show in October alongside the Luvabulls, Incredibulls and Benny the Bull.
Jake said hours before game time, the Bullskidz must arrive at the United Center to rehearse on the court. Often he’s just feet away from his favorite Bulls player Zach LaVine, who is warming up and shooting baskets, he said.
“We are not allowed to talk to any of the players,” Jake said. It’s one of the rules.
As challenging it is to remain silent and not stare, Jake said he wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize his spot on Bullskidz.
Being a Bullskidz member has its perks.
Bulls Entertainment provides the kids — ages 7 to 12 — with dance costumes, jackets, shoes, snacks when they’re on break and tickets to the games for family members, Jake’s mother, Mary LaMontagna, said.
After practicing their routines, the kids head to a locker room where they have their own lockers to change in to and out of their costumes, eat pizza, and wait until their performance, usually during the first or second quarter. When that is done, the kids head up to the press box, where their families are waiting.
Mary LaMontagna said the family likes to watch the game together when Jake returns. “Why not stay? It’s fun, and it’s a great family night out,” she said.
A fifth-grader at Cowlishaw Elementary School in Naperville, Jake says his friends are a bit envious that he gets so close to Bulls players or other teams’ members. “They say, ‘Take me to a game,’” he said.
Jake admitted he sometimes gets a little nervous, but once music starts his mind is so caught up in the performance he doesn’t notice who is around him, even if it’s Chicago basketball legend like Scottie Pippen.
Pippen was courtside at the first game of the season when the Bullskidz performed. It wasn’t until Jake saw a replay on the giant video screens that he realized how close he was.
“Scottie Pippen was right next to us. He was watching us,” Jake said.
Of the 16 kids on the Bullskidz, Jake is one of five dancers who take lessons at Xtreme Dance Center in Naperville. The others include Alec Catalano, of Naperville, Selena-Gloria Costales-Roman, of Aurora, Nate Buescher, of Chicago and Anastasia Kladis, of Palos Heights, according to Sarah Moran, corporate communications manager for the Bulls.
Mary LaMontagna said having other kids nearby helps with carpooling because it’s not easy getting her son to practice once a week in Niles, especially when Jake’s little sister needs to get to dance lessons and other activities.
“You just make it work. You do whatever you have to do,” Mary LaMontagna said.
Although she was extremely proud Jake made the dance team, she wasn’t completely surprised, she said.
“I always knew he was a good dancer,” mom said. “When Jake was about 2 or 3 (years old), he was a big Justin Bieber fan. … He has always had rhythm.”
Dad said Jake started taking lessons at the Xtreme Dance Center at age 5. He wanted to give dance a try after sitting through one of his sister’s dance recitals and seeing an all-boys group perform a hip-hop routine, Mary LaMontagna said.
When he gets older, Jake said he’d like to try out for the 312 Crew, a hip-hop troupe affiliated with Chicago Bulls Entertainment.
“When you’re young, the dance moves are easier,” Jake said. “They do harder moves. It is going to take me a while, but I think I can do it.”
Jake said his hip-hop skills already translate well to football, where he can juke around opposing players, or to baseball, where he can move fast around the bases. “Footwork in basketball can be tricky,” he said.
As for dance moves during the Super Bowl, Jake suggests a back flip like Tarik Cohen of the Chicago Bears and landing in the splits. Or, he said, a player could twerk like Antonio Brown, the Pittsburgh Steeler who was fined for his moves in 2016.
