Through Dance and Mentoring, GFC Director Joie Ashworth Finds the Joy Of Living

Recently, UltimateCheerleaders featured interviews with three members of the Georgia Force Cheerleaders, all exceptional women in their chosen fields and as performers. And the remaining members of the squad are no different, and between them all, they cover an amazing range of careers and achievements. So it is no surprise that these characteristics are also personified by their Director, Joie Ashworth.

Multi-faceted Joie’s path to Director of the Arena Football League’s talented GFC squad included an extensive dance history, including dancing for NBA, NFL, and AFL teams, and an impressive corporate resume, including being a Vice President. All of this began in Prince George’s County, Maryland, where Joie first started cheerleading and gymnastics during elementary school. Joie continued competitive cheerleading throughout high school and college, and discovered a love for physical fitness and nutrition along the way.

Joie’s professional dance career began with the Washington Bullets NBA Dance Team in 1993, where she danced for two seasons. After moving to Atlanta, Joie became a member of the AFL’s Georgia Force Cheerleaders for six seasons, two of which she served as line captain. Joie had the privilege of being selected to perform at the 2008 Arena Bowl in New Orleans as a member of the Aaron’s AFL Dream Team. Joie is also a former Atlanta Falcons Cheerleader of three seasons, receiving such awards as “Teammate of the Year” and the team “Community Service” award. Outside of cheerleading, Joie has choreographed and performed in various concerts and themed shows in the Atlanta and Washington, DC metro areas.

Mentoring is a passion for Joie in all areas of her life, and she considers herself a lifelong youth mentor and dance enthusiast. In addition, Joie’s professional career led her to become a Vice President for a major financial institution. Over the course of 15 years with the company, she developed and mentored several young men and women. Today, she continues her role as mentor by serving as the Director of the Georgia Force Cheerleaders. She is also a small business owner and a regular volunteer for Habitat for Humanity. Joie is a graduate of The University of Maryland College Park where she obtained a B.S. in Marketing.

Joie graciously agreed to share her insights and history with UltimateCheerleaders.com.

UC.com: Tell us about your progression from childhood to pro cheerleading.

Joie: I grew up a painfully shy kid in Maryland who couldn’t sit still. My only release was to dance and sing in the family room for my parents with the fireplace hearth as my stage and my brother’s Legos as my ‘mike.’ I knew I had to break out of my shyness, so cheerleading became the answer to that problem. You see, as a cheerleader on a team, I could dance and scream because I was supposed to and I was not the only one! Perfect! I cheered in middle school, high school and college, and cheerleading was pretty much my life. It was so important to me to do well in cheerleading that I taught myself how to do back hand springs and other gymnastic stunts.

I heard an ad for Washington Bullets dance team tryouts on the radio, so I decided to give it a shot. I had to be brave and do something I wouldn’t normally do. All these years I had challenged myself to get outside of my comfort zone and see how far it would take me. That bravery paid off and I made the team. That also landed me a gig at Six Flags singing, acting, and dancing in a Sixties sock hop revue; yes, I was on a REAL stage! My fireplace hearth rehearsals paid off too!

After two years dancing with the Bullets (now the Washington Wizards), I was ready to graduate college and test my bravery again by moving to a new city. I landed a job as a Vice President at a major financial institution and set my sights on Atlanta. I chose Atlanta because of the youth of the city and the opportunity to buy cheap real estate. After settling in I began to ‘gig’ around town, dancing for various recording artists and meeting great people in the process. I heard about the Georgia Force and thought it might be right up my alley; I was right. I made the team and loved every minute of my six years on the team. For the last two years of my Force career, I danced for the Atlanta Falcons simultaneously. There were several Georgia Force Cheerleaders (GFCs) that cheered for the Atlanta Falcons Cheerleaders as well. Therefore, we rehearsed Monday and Wednesday for the Force, Tuesday and Thursday for the Falcons, and we still had Force games on the weekends. My final year as a GFC, I was blessed to be chosen as the Dream Team representative for the Force at Arena Bowl. Therefore, I also had to learn all of the material from a DVD. I’m not sure how I did all of that, but I was addicted to dancing and I loved it! If the AFL had not folded after 2008, I’m not sure I would have quit dancing for the Force. But it did, and life goes on. I still had the Falcons. I danced for the AFC for one final AMAZING year and I quit while I was ahead. I had danced for eleven amazing seasons in the NBA, AFL and NFL and I have no regrets.

UC.com: What do you remember about those first tryouts with the Bullets Dance Team? Did you have any idea you would still be part of pro cheer/dance years into the future?

Joie: I couldn’t believe I made the team my first try! I didn’t know what to expect so I just did what I had been doing throughout high school and college. I was a little embarrassed because I was such a cheerleader! The other girls had studio dance training and I had none. So I had to quickly adapt and gave it my best shot. The only thing I remember clearly is the smile on the face of who turned out to be the President of Washington Sports; she came up to me after my audition and told me I did a great job. That actually made me feel welcome and when they called my name, I felt this was the beginning of something big in my life. Professional cheerleading was not something I intended to be a part of, but I’ve never felt more at home than when I’m with my teammates, all doing what we love.

UC.com: What are you most memorable moments in your years cheering for the Bullets, Force, and Falcons; any moments when you were a little TOO close to the action?

Joie: If you cheer or dance long enough, you will come a little TOO close to the action! I was tumbling during an NBA time out to my favorite song – YMCA! I stepped out of my tumbling pass at the end of the court and didn’t see the photographer sitting cross legged under the basket. I plopped right down into his lap and he looked at me and said, “Hi there!” I was mortified, especially since it made the highlight reel that night.

UC.com: What parts of the world or things have you been able to experience only because you have been part of pro cheerleading? And have you met any memorable people outside of sports because of your time as a pro cheerleader?

Joie: As a part of the NFL’s effort to support our military troops, I went to Seattle, Washington for a military base visit. I went twice in two seasons and the first time I met John Ratzenberger, Cliff the Mailman from the sitcom “Cheers.” I’ve also had the pleasure of meeting various new artists throughout the years.

UC.com: When did you first think about choreography and in the management side of a squad? What best prepared you for your role?

Joie: For years, I actually stressed over the eventuality that I would have to stop dancing one day simply because of “old age.” I was blessed to be able to retire on my own terms after I got married and accepted the idea of being a pro cheer alumnus. I had cheered and danced until I was 36! I had done all this while juggling a career as a banker. In my role as a manager, I learned something about myself: I love helping people and I want to see them benefit from my experience. When I heard that the Force would be back in 2011, I knew it would be a perfect opportunity the mentor young women who would embark upon the same journey I did. Imagining how much farther they could go with my help, I knew I had to put my name in the hat for the director position. Having such great directors and coordinators over the years has prepared me for the creative side of this role. Being a manager of several large teams at a bank for 15 years prepared me for the business side.

UC.com: What experiences did you take away from pro cheer/dance that you would like your Force cheerleaders also to have?

Joie: The biggest part of professional dance and cheerleading that I’d like my GFC to master is confidence. There is a quiet, humble confidence that one earns after so many years of auditions, professional dance conventions, and performances in front of packed houses. You know that your next season is never promised to you. You know that your boss at work may not be in love with your choice of hobbies. And you know that every game day performance could very well be your last. So we learn to be smart about who we tell about our “fame,” we learn to always work to improve and we learn to soak it all in because this is something many women may not ever get to do.

UC.com: What do you try to bring to the squad that is unique to the Force; choreography, music, style? What are your goals for the future of the squad?

Joie: I try to create a different pro dance experience for AFL versus the NFL or NBA. I believe our fans respond more to a high energy dance style, so I try to keep that in mind when choosing music and choreography.

UC.com: It seems with leagues like the AFL really rely a lot on their cheerleaders for promotions and connection to the community. Besides dancing, what else do you look for the ideal AFL cheerleader?

Joie: GFCs embrace their community like no other dance team. Therefore, ladies who are considering trying out for my team need to be willing to really give back at every turn. For several years, we have been involved with Habitat for Humanity, building houses with hundreds of other volunteers in our community. GFCs need to have that sugary-sweet quality that makes kids and community members fall in love and want to work with us again. This is so important since the AFL energy tends to be more community-oriented and “hands-on.” We get closer to our fan and our community, and we bring the action to their schools and neighborhoods.

UC.com: You have been part of NBA, AFL, and NFL squads, and they seem somewhat different in style of dance, amount of time in the game spotlight, et cetera. What do you think were the best parts of each contrasting the three leagues you performed in?

Joie: I can only speak in general because every team is different, but I have found the NFL teams to be more “eye candy” with flirty, fun routines that appeal to a massive, diverse audience, whereas NBA and NFL dance teams tend to be more high-energy, hip-hop because the audiences are closer, the field and courts are smaller. However, most AFL dance teams are dancing non-stop during the games with at least two to three routines at center field, and filler routines on the sidelines whenever music is playing. There is something for everyone in the world of professional dance, you just have to put yourself out there and audition until you find what style is right for you.

UC.com: Mentoring is very important to you; what personal mentors did you have come to mind that added to your life, and who influenced on how you perform your leadership role with the Force?

Joie: I would not be where I am today had it not been for the few key mentors in my life. They took an interest in helping me personally and professionally, helping me find balance. My mother is an entrepreneur and simply a wonderful mother, leader and person. I have been blessed to be mentored by some wonderful managers during my years in banking who taught me the best ways to lead large teams. Most recently, I have had the pleasure of sitting with Chato Waters and Jakene Ashford who are both with the Atlanta Falcons Cheerleaders and they do a wonderful job leading and mentoring 40 young women every year. From these mentors, I have learned patience, humility and the importance of simply listening.

UC.com: What do you like to do when you are not working?

Joie: When I’m not working I enjoy volunteering for Habitat for Humanity, spending time with my husband, renovating our 100-year old home, spending quality time with friends, family, and our wonderful Weimeraners.

UC.com: Tell me about being a small business owner, what the business is, and its opportunities and challenges? Does the experience of being a pro cheerleader provide skills that also are valued in business?

Joie: I am an entrepreneur, following in the footsteps of my mother, so I have my hooks in real estate investing as well as an online jewelry business. I think being a cheerleader has helped me understand how important it is for women to be able to feel pretty when they want to dress up. That is the motivation behind starting a jewelry company.

We thank Joie so much for her time and thoughts during the hectic time of the final regular season home game. Her first name is part of the French phrase, “joie de vivre,” literally translated as the “joy of living,” which is often used in English to indicate a cheerful enjoyment of life, or joy of anything one might do. Joie finds joy in performing and encouraging others to find the same fulfillment, and it is obvious the Georgia Force Cheerleaders find joy in Joie.

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