Wonder Women: The 2017 P-R-O Convention – Part One
The most successful and critically acclaimed movie of the year is Wonder Woman. It is a tale of a strong woman who makes a difference in the world through her courage, intelligence, strength and compassion. It is a fable that serves as an inspiration to a new generation, both young and old.
There is a parallel here and it is with professional cheerleaders, who are in no uncertain terms, wonder women in their own right.
When I was younger, I must admit my perception of cheerleaders was not the most flattering, but as the years passed it has evolved. And in my capacity with UltimateCheerleaders.com, I have met many impressive young women…professional cheerleaders who would become scientists, lawyers, doctors, business owners and many who would go on to have loving families.
I came to realize that unlike the pop culture stereotype that we all know, these young women had several admirable qualities in common: dedication, goal orientation, passion, and a strong work ethic to mention a few. Traits that would lead to success later in life.
Yes, I enjoy the sight of these provocatively dressed women entertaining the fans during breaks in the game action, but I realize that professional cheerleaders are all that and a lot more…much more.
They are wonder women and many of them will go on to make a difference in the world in their own way…but for now, we get to enjoy their gifts and talents as dancers of the highest order.
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The P-R-O Convention is the premier professional dance convention and the instructors represent the very best in professional cheerleading and dance. This year’s instructors included:
Jakene Ashford – NFL Atlanta Falcons Cheerleaders
Tara Battiato – NFL Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cheerleaders
Coach Alto Gary – NFL Houston Texans Cheerleaders, WCW Nitrogirls, Former NBA Atlanta Hawks & Charlotte Hornets Choreographer
Kristina Ferdig – NFL Arizona Cardinals Cheerleaders
Jerod Fewell – Hip Hop Extraodinaire
Denise Garvey – NFL New York Jets Flight Crew
Katie Gibbons – NBA San Antonio-Spurs Silver Dancers and AHL Rampage
Stephanie Jojokian – NFL Washington Redskins Cheerleaders
Nikki Kill – NFL Minnesota Vikings Cheerleaders
Stacie Kinder – NFL Nashville Tennessee Titans Cheerleaders
Brandii McCoy – NBA Charlotte Hornets Honeybees and AHL Charlotte Checkers CheckMates
Tracy Rutledge – Former NBA Atlanta Hawks, AFL2 Georgia Wildcats
Derric Whitfield – NBA Washington Wizards, Wizard Girls
Each year, the best professional cheerleaders gather in Atlanta, Georgia to attend the annual P-R-O Convention for two days of intensive dance training and team building. This year marks the 14th year anniversary of this marvelous event and over 250 cheerleaders and dancers were in attendance.
UltimateCheerleaders.com was given exclusive access by the organizers of the event, All-Pro3. For our readers who have never attended a dance convention, the following report will give you an idea of what goes on during a weekend of nonstop dance action.
SATURDAY
With the registration set to begin at 9:00 a.m., I got up early and went on down to the Collage cafe to grab a bite to eat. For me, the P-R-O Convention is a long day of hard work, so starting the day off right with a hot breakfast is imperative. There is little down time at this event and even the few minutes in between sessions is working time for me, so you got to fuel up when you can.
The first dancers started showing up just after 8:30 am. Every year, there are some girls that get there early because they want to scope out the sponsor tables and peruse the convention-wear on sale at the P-R-O Convention table. Every year, I mention that the savvy convention attendee lines up early to get the best selection and this year was no different.
Convention Sponsors
Diva Hosiery, the official hosiery of the Dallas Mavericks Dancers and the Chicago Bulls Luvabulls, was giving out free pairs of pantyhose to the cheerleaders in attendance. Diva Hosiery products are low rise and sheer to the waist, perfect for the most revealing dance uniforms.
The Line Up is a provider of custom dance costumes and creative performance apparel. Their uniforms and performance apparel are worn by the most renown professional dance teams, such as the Minnesota Vikings, Washington Redskins, Houston Texans, Tennessee Titans, Baltimore Ravens, and the Wizard Girls.
Satin Stitches, another major player in the custom uniform business, was in attendance and showing off their uniform designs. Satin Stitches provides uniforms to several professional dance teams as well as serving the high school, college and skating markets.
Pastry shoes was showing off their line of dance sneakers that have become popular with many dancers. Pastry’s distinct quality features and passion for innovation have established the brand as America’s # Dance Sneaker for professional and university dance teams.
Rodan + Fields, a leading skin care and beauty products company was a first time convention sponsor and they were there demonstrating their product line.
Welcome and Introduction
A few minutes before 10:00 am, the girls filtered in and claimed their spot on the dance floor. Some of the late arriving teams were relegated to the middle and the rear of the room because the premium locations in the front were already taken. This year, the Derric Whitfield’s Wizard Girls were first in and set up shop right in the center.
Other teams in attendance this year were the Arizona Cardinals Cheerleaders, Atlanta Blaze, Atlanta Dream, Atlanta Falcons Cheerleaders, Baltimore Brigade, Cincinnati Ben Gals, Charlotte Checkmates, Charlotte Foxes, Charlotte Honey Bees, Denver Nuggets Dancers, Georgia State University Dance Team, Houston Texans Cheerleaders, Minnesota Vikings Cheerleaders, New York Jets Flight Crew, Portland State University Dance Team, San Antonio Spurs Silver Dancers, Tennessee Titans Cheerleaders, Tennessee State University Dance Team, Washington Redskins Cheerleaders, Washington Valor, and the USF Sun Dolls. At least those were the teams that I could remember…I am sure there were a few more that I forgot to mention.
Shortly after 10:00 am, Melanie Snare, our convention host for the weekend, welcomed all the attendees and introduced the instructors to their usual rousing fanfare. This year, twelve instructors were in Atlanta and they represented the very best choreographers in professional dance.
Warm Up
Tara Battiato of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cheerleaders started off things by leading the group in a vigorous warm up and stretching session.
Group Dance
The first official dance routine taught at P-R-O is the group dance and Brandii McCoy of the Charlotte Honey Bees taught the routine by breaking it down into a series of 8 count segments.
Sidelines Distractions Cover Girls Announcement
Once the group dance routine was taught, it was time to recognize this year’s Sideline Distractions magazine honorees. The names of the girls who made it through the selection process were announced and they were called up to the front of the stage to stand and be recognized for their achievement. Over thirty five girls names called and the final one was this year’s cover girl…Brittany from the Tennessee Titans.
Upon conclusion of the ceremony, the Sideline Distraction magazine was distributed to all the girls in attendance. This was important because not only did the publication features some of the most talented cheerleaders and dancers in professional sports, it also included the schedule of instruction.
Session 1
This year, there would be 29 classes featuring a variety of dance styles, routines (jazz, hip hop, funk, country, holiday), and fitness/meditation classes. For the first session, there would be four classes: Jakene Ashford – old school funk, Denise Garvey – novelty dance, Kristina Ferdig – Jazz/pom, and Tracy Rutledge – country. At the conclusion of the instruction, the girls would showcase what they learned in the grand ballroom.
Lunch Break
At 1:30 pm, we broke for lunch. There were a few cheerleaders hanging out in the grand ballroom so I snagged a few of them, my usual lunch time routine, to pose for some photos for my P-R-O Convention All Star series. According to the schedule, there would be no down time. Sunday would be a full day of activities and there wouldn’t be time to shoot the girls between sessions, so I tried to maximize my opportunities and be able to showcase as many beautiful and talented dancers for our readers.
Session 2
After the lunch break, it was back to the dance sessions. It was 2:45 pm and the girls had already endured a full day. In this session, there were five classes taught: Alto Gary – funky/sassy, Derric Whitford – booty funk, Tara Battiato – sassy jazz, Stephanie Jojokian – technique class, and Ginger – pom.
Session 3
At the conclusion of the Session 2 showcase, the girls were quickly ushered on to their final classes of the day. Four more dances were taught: Nikki Kill – sassy pom, Katie Gibbons – Latin jazz, Jerod Fewell – hip hop, and Brandii McCoy – jazz funk.
End of Day 1
It was 5:30 pm and the last showcase of the day had concluded, but there was one more dance to perform…the group dance. After learning 13 routines, the girls had to remember the very first dance they learned six hours earlier and perform the group dance. And they did so with gusto.
After that rousing performance, the organizers had one more session scheduled…a cooling off, meditation class that included deep relaxation and some yoga instruction. It was very effective at bringing the frenetic energy of the day down to a calm and peaceful conclusion.
Up next: Day Two from P-R-O. Please check back soon.
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I want to take this opportunity to thank Brandii McCoy, Alto Gary, Tracy Rutledge and the staff of AllPro3 for allowing me the opportunity to cover the 2017 P-R-O Convention. I had a wonderful time and hope to be back next year.
For more cheerleader articles and photos, please visit my personal blog: thehottestdanceteam.wordpress.com.
