Monday, January 7, 2019
  Alumni

By Ester Navarro


RIO GRANDE VALLEY –
When the Houston Rockets kicked off the season in October, Pharr native and UTRGV alumna Sarah Nicole Zepeda hit the court for the first time as a Rockets Power Dancer (RPD) for the NBA team.

A rookie on the dance squad, Zepeda was selected from more than 100 women who tried out for one of just 11 spots. Now, she is one of three rookies on the team for the 2018-2019 season.

“RPD represents strength, power and confidence,” Zepeda said. “Every aspect – from performances, uniforms, giving back and fan interactions – shows the environment that the Rockets organization has created, and I knew I needed to be on the team.”

Zepeda graduated from UTRGV in December of 2017 with a bachelor’s degree in English and a minor in communication.

She plans to get a master’s degree in communication from UTRGV, and hopes to one day be a sports entertainment director for the NBA.

To become an RPD, Zepeda competed in a two-round, day-long audition to determine who would move forward to the week-long finals, which included new routines and intense trainings.

Throughout the process, Zepeda said, she not only danced, but also was required to go through interviews and was tested on the Houston Rockets history. 

“I’m a lucky woman to be able to do what truly makes me happy every single day,” Zepeda said.

As an RPD, Zepeda practices three times a week and meets with trainers once a week. Aside from rehearsals, there are also game days and appearances.

On game days, the dancers perform during timeout breaks for a minute and a half. During appearances, the RPDs interact with Rocket fans throughout the Houston community and volunteer for events in the area. 

“RPD requires dedication and commitment, and hours and hours of rehearsal,” she said. “We have to maintain our image, and of course how we represent ourselves to our fans.”

When she completes her rookie year, Zepeda hopes to return as a veteran Rockets Power Dancer for the next basketball season.

“It may seem like a part-time job, but it’s a full-time schedule,” Zepeda said. “It’s all possible if you have the passion for it.”

Sarah Nicole Zepeda hit the court for the first time as a Rockets Power Dancer (RPD) for the NBA team.
Pharr native and UTRGV alumna Sarah Nicole Zepeda is one of three rookies on the Houston Rockets Power Dance team for the 2018-2019 season. Zepeda was selected from more than 100 women who tried out for just 11 spots this summer. Zepeda graduated from UTRGV in December 2017 with a bachelor’s degree in English and a minor in communication. (Courtesy Photo)



ABOUT UTRGV

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) was created by the Texas Legislature in 2013 as the first major public university of the 21st century in Texas. This transformative initiative provided the opportunity to expand educational opportunities in the Rio Grande Valley, including a new School of Medicine, and made it possible for residents of the region to benefit from the Permanent University Fund – a public endowment contributing support to the University of Texas System and other institutions.

UTRGV has campuses and off-campus research and teaching sites throughout the Rio Grande Valley including in Boca Chica Beach, Brownsville (formerly The University of Texas at Brownsville campus), Edinburg (formerly The University of Texas-Pan American campus), Harlingen, McAllen, Port Isabel, Rio Grande City, and South Padre Island. UTRGV, a comprehensive academic institution, enrolled its first class in the fall of 2015, and the School of Medicine welcomed its first class in the summer of 2016.