Once Upon A Time In Atlanta: The 2019 P-R-O Convention – Part One

2019 has been a year of change in professional cheerleading.  Recent social developments have led to the elimination of several traditional all female dance teams in favor of more coed hip hop squads or promotional teams.  Sadly this has become the norm.  And other changes, some long over due, have necessitated the evolution of professional cheerleading to where it is today, a more inclusive and socially responsible endeavor.

That being said, there will always be a demand for in game entertainment that engages the fan base and enlivens the game day experience.  This is an ever evolving concept and events like the annual P-R-O Convention in Atlanta meet that demand by providing the very best in dance choreography for the modern day sporting event.

And because it is what it is, the P-R-O Convention is, for me, one of the best events to cover and a personal favorite of mine.

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 16th anniversary of this amazing event and over 250 cheerleaders and dancers were in attendance.

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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
Theresa Baugus – NFL Minnesota Vikings Cheerleaders
Jerod Fewell – Hip Hop Extraodinaire
Denise Garvey – NFL New York Jets Flight Crew
Katie Gibbons – NBA Cleveland Cavaliers
Stephanie Jojokian – NFL Washington Redskins Cheerleaders
Brandii McCoy – NBA Charlotte Hornets Honeybees & AHL Charlotte Checkers CheckMates
Dres Reid – Industry/Hip Hop
Tracy Rutledge – Former NBA Atlanta Hawks, AFL2 Georgia Wildcats
Nicole Smith – NFL Carolina Panthers TopCats
Toni Wall – NBA Cleveland Cavaliers
Derric Whitfield – NBA Washington Wizards, Wizard Girls
Marla Viturello – Philadelphia Soul/NFL Alum

UltimateCheerleaders.com was given exclusive access by the organizers of the event, All-Pro3 and 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

It is my custom to wake up a little early and grab a full breakfast before my day begins in earnest.  For me, the P-R-O Convention is a long day of hard work and there is little downtime, even during the lunch break, so starting the day off with a hot breakfast is imperative.  And at breakfast, it is the time where I am able to review my priorities for the day and focus on what I need to get done. 

It is the quiet before the storm.

The first dancers started showing up just after 8:45 a.m.  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.   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

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.

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 #1 Dance Sneaker for professional and university dance teams.

Peavey Hosiery, a long time sponsor of the convention, provided a complimentary pair of tights to all the dancers in attendance.  Peavey is better known as the hosiery supplier to Hooters Restaurants.

Clean Juice, a new sponsor, believes in a healthy body and strong spirit.  They were there providing samples of their organic juice to the attendees.  Clean Juice is the first and only USDA-certified organic juice bar franchise with more than 70 stores open nationwide.

Discount Dance Supply is the leading dance wear catalog and online retailer in the United States.  Specializing in a wide selection of high-quality, affordable dance wear, dance shoes and dance performance wear, Discount Dance Supply was present at the convention showcasing their products and services to all attendees.

Welcome and Introduction

A little before 10:00 a.m., the girls started filtering into the main ballroom and claimed their spot on the dance floor.  This is a longstanding tradition as the returning professional squads always secure their spot on the dance floor early…yes, it is important and there is usually a pecking order.

This year, there was extra space up front because of the absence of a few teams that are normally here in Atlanta. 

Yes.  The times, they are a changing. 

But not all change is bad.  This year, there were a lot more college dance teams in attendance and that was a good thing…but someone needs to tell them that they can come up to the front of the room and dance with the professional cheerleaders.

Are you reading this, USF SunDolls?

Shortly after 10:00 a.m., our convention hosts from AllPro3 welcomed all the attendees and introduced the instructors to their usual rousing fanfare.  This year, fourteen instructors were in Atlanta and they represented the very best choreographers in professional dance.

Warm Up

Marla Viturello of the Philadelphia Soul 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 has always been the group dance and this year was no different.  Brandii McCoy of the Charlotte Honey Bees choreographed a nice country themed dance to the viral hit of the year, “Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X.

Sidelines Distractions Cover Girls Announcement

Once the group dance was taught, it was time to recognize this year’s Sideline Distraction magazine honorees.  The names of the girls who made it through the selection process were announced and they were called up to the stage to stand and be recognized for their achievement.  Over twenty girls were announced and the final two were this year’s cover girls…Emily from the USF SunDolls and Gigi from the Atlanta Falcons.

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 feature some of the most talented cheerleaders and dancers in professional sports, it also included the schedule of instruction.

Session 1 – 11:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

This year, there were 27 classes featuring a variety of dance styles, routines (jazz, hip hop, funk, country, holiday).  For the first session of day 1, there would be four classes: Jakene Ashford – disco, Denise Garvey – classic rock, Jerrod Fewell hip hop, and Marla Viturello– an alumni exclusive.  At the conclusion of the instruction period, the girls would gather in the grand ballroom and showcase what they learned.

Lunch Break – 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

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 – 2:45 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

After the lunch break, it was back to the dance sessions.  It was 2:45 pm and the day of dance instruction had only just begun.  In this session, there were another four classes taught: Derric Whitfield – “booty” dance, Tara Battiato – country, Theresa Baugus – pom, and Stephanie Jojokian – field jazz.

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Session 3 – 4:15 P.M. TO 5:30 P.M.

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: Katie Gibbons – Jazz, Dres Reid – Hip Hop, Nicole Smith – field jazz, and Toni Wall – court jazz.

End of Day 1

It was 5:30 p.m. and the last showcase of the day had concluded, but there was one more dance to perform.  After six hours of instruction and 12 dance routines, the girls had to perform the very first dance they learned…the group dance. 

After that rousing performance, the organizers excused the attendees for the rest of the day and offered one piece of advice…get some rest because there was another day.

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 2019 P-R-O Convention.  I had a wonderful time and hope to see them again, next year.