Redskins Cheerleaders in Kyrgyzstan
by Staff Sgt. Carolyn Viss
376th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
Twelve talented women visiting the troops in Kyrgyzstan were excited to be the recipients of some entertainment Jan. 27, 2010, when they went with Transit Center at Manas Airmen to a local music school.
Washington Redskins Cheerleaders, along with Airmen from the Transit Center at Manas, pose for a group photo with a sign that reads “Bishkek” during a cultural tour of the city in Kyrgyzstan.While on an Armed Forces Entertainment tour here, the Washington Redskins cheerleaders visited the Abdraev Musical Boarding School in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, where the students enthralled their captive audience for 30 minutes.
“It’s humbling to see such gifted children put all the time and effort into sharing their talent with us and be so interested in [our] culture,” said Abigail Dymond, one of the cheerleaders. “I would never see this kind of thing if it weren’t for the Redskins and AFE.”
As the only musical school in the whole country, the Abdraev Musical Boarding School has drawn 450 1st- through 12th-grade students from all around the country.
“I am very glad to see Americans here,” said Zarema Kiyizbaeva, Deputy Director of the Abdraev Musical Boarding School and a pianist of more than 30 years. “We’ve always been glad to welcome you as guests and interact with you.”
Many of the students are not from full families, or are in difficult financial situations, but the performance they presented was breathtaking.
“It’s absolutely amazing to see such talent at such a young age,” said Master Sgt. Linda Mezza-Romero, the 376th Expeditionary Force Support Squadron community service flight chief who was responsible for the cheerleaders’ tour once they arrived at the Transit Center.
The school is more than 40 years old, and produces world-renown musicians who finish their musical educations at a conservatory in Moscow before moving on to work as professional musicians in other countries including the United States and all over Europe, Ms. Kiyizbaeva said.
The Washington Redskins Cheerleaders pass out candy to students from the Abdraev Musical Boarding School in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.All of the young musicians have rigorous academic programs that accompany their musical training, and many were able to interact with Airmen and the cheerleaders in a bit of English. Those who weren’t able to connect verbally or through a translator still had profound interactions with their American visitors.
“Art as a form transcends all language barriers,” said Talmesha Richards, a Redskins cheerleader. “Ours is dance, theirs is music; but it’s all the same, and we get to share it.”
Asanbekova Rano, a 17-year-old 10th grade student, amazed the crowd with her proficiency on the violin.“I am very pleased you enjoyed my performance,” she said humbly. “I think the Americans are a very good and positive influence on the students here. Being able to perform for you motivates us to play better.”
But the honor of enjoying each others’ music goes both ways for the U.S. Air Force and the Abdraev Musical Boarding School. Just a few weeks ago, one of the U.S. Air Forces Central bands that was touring the area of responsibility performed for the students, creating quite the buzz.
“After the last Air Force band came through to play for the students, they were talking about it for two weeks,” Ms. Kiyizbaeva said.
The Washington Redskins Cheerleaders pose for a photograph in front of the guards during a history and cultural tour of downtown Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Similar to the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington, Va., guards stand to protect the Kygryz flag 24 hours a day.“It’s hard to come in to work every day and call it a job when it’s this much fun,” said Sergeant Mezza-Romero, who is deployed from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C. In her time here, she’s arranged for many tour groups and visitors from the United States to perform at the Transit Center and for the Kyrgyz people. “Not every place in the AOR can take (visitors) downtown, so it’s a good chance for them to see how the military interacts with the local community.”
It also shows the local community that military servicemembers and civilian Americans care very much about the country of Kyrgyzstan, said Staff Sgt. Tina McCloskey, the noncommissioned officer in charge of Shooters, a 376th EFSS recreation facility on the Transit Center.
“It meant the world to me to be able to interact with the kids and further establish community relations in our own small way,” said Megan Bressler, whose full time occupation outside of being a Redskins cheerleader is teaching an outreach dance program to children ages three through the 12th grade. “It’s cool to see them light up on stage when they look up and see me smiling at them.”
Although they were here in Kyrgyzstan to raise troop morale for transiting Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors and Marines, the Redskins agreed it was a nice bonus to see the city of Bishkek and the gifted students of the Abdraev Musical Boarding School.
“I know we give back to the troops, but who else gets to do this?” Ms. Dymond said. “It was just absolutely incredible.”
