Turning 30 is a major milestone, something that the New York Liberty and Ellie the Elephant kept in mind when brainstorming ways to celebrate its 30th season in the WNBA<\/a>. All eyes would not only be on the team to start the season strong with a win (which they did!), but also, on its beloved mascot Ellie<\/a>. Ellie\u2019s half-time show performances have become a marquee event for Liberty fans\u2014and everyone<\/em> else online\u2014so the team had to go big. And nothing says legendary quite like an ode to the late, great Whitney Houston<\/a>.<\/p>\n Deciding to create a performance inspired by the true diva was a reverant nod to Houston\u2019s ties to the New York Liberty, which go way back to another major milestone for the team and the WNBA. \u201cWe wanted to anchor Ellie\u2019s first half-time performance of the season in something that felt both nostalgic and distinctly New York,\u201d says Criscia Long<\/a>, senior director of entertainment at Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment, \u201cwhich led us back to the very first WNBA All-Star Game [in 1999], hosted by the Liberty, where Whitney Houston delivered an iconic National Anthem performance.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I think of Whitney, I think of legacy,\u201d Ellie the Elephant tells Vogue<\/em>. \u201cSo many have been inspired by her presence and performance. She\u2019s raised several generations of vocalists through her eternal art. I strive to have a legacy that exudes that level of confidence, originality, and inspiration.\u201d<\/p>\n Photo: Marcus Stevens \/ ESPN Images<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n The performance has been months in the making, with Ellie deep in rehearsals and training to get her stamina half-time ready. Ellie\u2019s workout regimen mostly included running a few miles every day (a Whitney playlist was queued up on Spotify) for cardio. While rehearsals were physically intense, they also demanded a lot of mental preparation from Ellie and her team. \u201cI\u2019ve studied everything: [Whitney\u2019s] vocals, her movement, her energy, her presence,\u201d Ellie says. \u201cI spent hours immersed in her performances and interviews, making sure every detail feels authentic.\u201d An even more impressive athletic feat, considering Ellie\u2026is an elephant.<\/p>\n Narrowing down the great Whitney Houston catalog to just five minutes was no easy task, either. Long and her team worked with DJ Jay Jung to create a tight, hits-spanning set list. What started out as a mashup of 15 career-traversing songs was cut down to an energetic six\u2014\u201cThe Star-Spangled Banner,\u201d \u201cHow Will I Know,\u201d \u201cIt\u2019s Not Right But It\u2019s Okay,\u201d \u201cI\u2019m Every Woman,\u201d \u201cI Will Always Love You,\u201d and \u201cI Wanna Dance With Somebody.\u201d \u201cWe had to be intentional about pacing,\u201d says Long. \u201cBalancing big vocal moments with high-energy sections to keep the performance dynamic from start to finish.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n![\"Ellie](\"https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/69ff131ea9013e4b4c1d0600\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/Halftime%25201.jpg\"\/)
<\/picture><\/span><\/div>\nTraining to Be Ellie Houston<\/h2>\n