From WSMV.com
Kiara Young has been a Tennessee Titans cheerleader for the past three years, but she also happens to be this year’s reigning Miss Tennessee.
Young will compete in the Miss USA pageant next month, but there’s much more to the talented young woman.
“I’m a science nerd in my other life,” Young said.
Young’s undergraduate work was in biology. She now has a master’s degree in public health with the ultimate goal of being a pediatrician.
Even as a little girl, Young said she loved to watch pageants.
“I always wanted to compete,” she said.
At 16, she found out the pageants could lead to college scholarships. She competed for Miss Tennessee four times before she was crowned.
“I’m very determined,” Young said. “And once I set my mind on something, I always accomplish it.”
Young said being a Titans cheerleader fits her personality perfectly.
“I like to think that we’re the highlight of the game,” she said.
“I pride myself on being a role model,” Young added. “I strive to be an example to young girls and women in general that you can be pretty and smart as well.”
The Miss USA pageant is scheduled for July 12.
Annie of the Washington Redskins Cheerleaders
Charlotte Honeybees Kirsten and Kristen
Congratulations to Baranese of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cheerleaders on being the cover model for the 12th anniversary edition of the P-R-O Convention’s Sideline Distraction Magazine.
Melanie Snare was an Atlanta Falcons Cheerleader and represented her squad at the 2006 Pro Bowl.
Since retiring from cheerleading, she has gone on to act, model, host and produce, include appearances on ESPN and HLN. Learn more about Melanie at her website.
From The Vicksburg Post
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For Vicksburg native Molleigh Wallace achieving her dream of being a professional dancer has exceeded her expectations.
Wallace is now a member of the 2015-16 Orlando Magic dance team of the NBA. She was thrilled about making the final cuts and being named a member of the team.
Wallace found out about the audition through word of mouth. She had friends already going to the audition and they talked her in to trying out.
“The process was pretty difficult. They had a boot camp week with 90 girls and later in the week they had the actual audition,” Wallace said.
The audition consisted of multiple cuts, dance routines and a sponsored trip to the Bahamas.
The girls went through an across the floor combination and the first cuts were made. Then the group of girls learned a jazz and hip-hop combination routine before a cut to the final 30 was made.
Baha Mar, the official sponsor of the Orland Magic, flew the girls to the Bahamas where the heat of the auditions picked up. The group shot a swimsuit calendar, instructed dance classes, participated in community events and learned the final routines for the audition.
“Auditions were open to the public and streamed live,” Wallace said.
The new team was announced and consists of 20 dancers. Wallace is excited be working for an organization like the Magic and said the fans have a really good connection with everyone in the organization.
Wallace danced for the Orlando Predators of the Arena Football League before auditioning for the Magic. She also danced for Royal Caribbean Cruises and spent three years in Europe, Universal Studios and Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando and on the infamous strip of Las Vegas.
She really enjoys dancing and has fun doing it and couldn’t ask for anything else. For her it’s a great stress reliever and a great way to stay in shape.
Wallace is from a family with an art and dance background. She is the daughter of Debra Franco, who owns a dance studio in Vicksburg and her father is into theatre. Franco said Wallace is a well-rounded dancer and has been dancing since the age of three.
“She’s always wanted to dance but I don’t think we ever really discussed it,” Franco said. “She just assumed she would dance.”
Wallace began doing competitions at the age of eight and when competing, Franco made her daughter do a ballet solo and a lyrical piece, she would win top honors for her performance.
“When you see her do the lyrical and jazz, you’d see much more of the passion, life and enjoyment of it. It’s really her field,” Franco said.
Every summer in high school Wallace attended a camp in Los Angeles. One part of the camp taught dancers how to audition and when she turned 16 she auditioned for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines and was hired when she was 17-years-old.
Wallace was on dance teams in high school and college and said the teams helped her prepare for bigger auditions. She had great instructors and it helped her know what to expect moving forward in this career.
Franco and Wallace are excited for the new path of being a professional NBA dancer and they both believe it is a wonderful opportunity.
“I’ve been a professional dancers for a few years and it’s still surreal that I can achieve many goals,” Wallace said. “I’ve been very fortunate and I hope it opens many more doors for me.”
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At registration this morning
Ashli cheered for the Indianapolis Colts for six consecutive years (2006-2012) and at three Super Bowls bringing home a Win (Colts vs Bears in 2006) and a beautiful shiny Super Bowl Championship ring!
Super Bowl Rings
She was the team Fitness Captain and a Squad Captain and a member of the Colts AFE/USO Show Troop and traveled the world to entertain troops and their families. Japan, Hawaii, Egypt, Greece, Turkey and Jordan were a few of her favorite stops!
Ashli just got married in Turks and Caicos last month and each one of her bridesmaids also cheered with her!
With Maid of Honor, current Colts Cheerleader and Super Bowl Teammate Lauren M. They met in dance class at age 3.
She made friends with each girl at different points throughout her life and lucky enough for them, they each made the team and got to cheer together!
Bride and Bridesmaids, Colts Cheerleaders all
More Super Bowl Rings!
Ashli and Cody
Bonus! Courtesy of our own David Tyau, here’s Ashli at the 2011 P-R-O Convention:
From AltantaFalcons.com
Atlanta Falcons Cheerleaders rookie Suzi R. is getting ready for her first NFL season, but first, she’s got her eye on another big event
In addition to preparing for the upcoming football season, Atlanta Falcons Cheerleaders rookie Suzi R. is competing in the Miss South Carolina Pageant as the representative from Hartsville County, SC.
“It’s very hectic,” she said. “It’s been a week-long (event). We get up every morning at 7:30 and go all the way into the afternoon and have a competition, get home at midnight and get started again the next day.
“It’s been pretty crazy, but it’s awesome. I feel like every single day I’m growing so much and learning a lot.”
Suzi and the other competitors have faced a wide-range of challenges — including interviews about politics and leadership, talent competitions and on-stage questions. For her performance, Suzi did a classical ballet routine; her platform, which she presented earlier this week, focuses on arts education in elementary schools.
If she makes it through the finals, she’ll have an opportunity to participate in the Miss America Pageant.
“I feel pretty good right now,” she said. “I feel really good about how I danced and feel like I was on the top of my group. So we’ll see. As a first year competitor, I feel like I’ve done well.
