Saturday night at 10:15 p.m. the Ravens cheerleaders performed a flash mob for surprised crowds at the Power Plant Live!  The dance and acrobatics were all carried out to bring attention to “Making the Cut” the open-to-the-public cheerleader try-outs on Saturday, March 17th at the Lyric. About 90 finalists will bust moves and show their skills on stage in front on a live audience as judges narrow down the pool of candidates to the final 60 person squad.  Go to the Ravens website for more information.

With their perpetual smiles and dizzying high kicks, NFL cheerleaders are another over-the-top aspect of today’s super-charged football teams. And while the Ravens cheerleaders — all volunteers, ranging in age from 18 to 37 — may be just as toned and cheery as those on other teams, there is one way they stand apart from the crowd:  some of them are men.

Okay, they don’t like being called cheerleaders — they prefer “male stunt team.” They’re the ones responsible for flinging female cheerleaders around for special aerial moves. A recent CBS spot highlighting the men seemed intent on proving their manliness, highlighting Jim Schqille, an Afghanistan vet who spends his days selling lumber.

Interested in joining the squad? Tryouts are in March; start practicing your somersaults now.