This was the first time that representatives from the San Antonio Spurs made the trip to P-R-O. Silver Dancers Director Raquel Garcia brought along her two captains, Tina and Monica.
Apparently my P-R-O: Goodbye post was a little cryptic for some new readers, so let me explain.
This past weekend cheerleaders and dancers from football, basketball, hockey, soccer, rugby, you name it, came to Atlanta to learn the best choreography for the upcoming season.
Everything from high-stepping county routines and high-energy jazz performances to rousing patriotic spectacles and holiday-themed routines were taught by the top choreographers and directors from professional sports.
This was the 6th annual P-R-O Convention and the third I have been fortunate to attend. Over the next couple of weeks I’ll be sharing photos and a little bit about some of the dancers who were in attendance.
I’d like to start by acknowledging everyone who was part of this great weekend.
Now you may recognize this photo of Brandii McCoy (Director of the NBA Charlotte Lady Cats and ECHL Charlotte Checkmates) from last year’s convention. Brandii is now delightfully pregnant. Yea! But she threatened me with severe bodily harm, if I posted any photos of her from the weekend. So this will have to do.
See who else was there in the P-R-O Gallery. (Apologies if I missed anyone)
MLS Houston Dynamo Girl Daisy writes:
I just turned 30 in April and was a former NBA dancer with the Houston Rockets (2002-03) I have 2 boys: Dylan, 5, and Brandon, 21 months. I was very excited to return to Pro Dancing after a 6 year break and be apart of the Houston Dynamo Girls MLS. I teach dance and am a choreographer but most importantly I am a mother of 2 little boys!
Local dancers share stage with superstar. For the two, tour has become a ‘personal growth experience.’
By Nedra Rhone
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It’s hard not to notice Saidah Fishenden and Kimberly Gipson. The defined biceps, streamlined physiques and the way they seem to float rather than walk —- even in four-inch heels —- have a way of attracting attention.
This year, the two Atlanta dancers are getting some of the best attention possible. All the world is a stage for Fishenden and Gipson, who perform several nights a week as backup dancers on Beyonce’s “I AM…” global tour, which kicked off its U.S. leg last week and hits Philips Arena on Wednesday.
The journey from Atlanta to Zagreb, Croatia (where the tour opened in April) began with auditions late last year, not long after Gipson, a New Jersey native, moved to Atlanta. After three years as a Sixers dancer in Philadelphia and gigs at every casino in Atlantic City, Gipson hoped to find more opportunity in the South.
Kimberly at the Sixers Dancers Auditions in 2006
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Good friend of the blog and former Atlanta Hawks Dancer Desiree Nathanson sends us this photo from Fitness Universe 2009. Desiree is on the left and placed 13th in Fitness, moving her way up from 24th last year! In the center is former Cincinnati Ben-Gal Brooke Griffin who is the new Miss Fitness Universe 2009! On the right is another good friend of the blog, Amy Campbell, who cheered for the Atlanta Falcons and the Cincinnati Bengals. Amy won Miss Fitness Classic!
Congrats to all the ladies!
I skedaddled out of the hotel on Sunday to catch my flight, so I missed the chance to say good-bye to most of the convention attendees.
Thanks to everyone: the organizers, instructors, sponsors, cheerleaders and dancers for a wonderful weekend.
Lots of photos coming over the next couple of weeks (that’s right, weeks!).
Dance Your A** Off is a cross between The Biggest Loser meets So You Think You Can Dance.
The show features teams of overweight contestants will attempt to drop the extra pounds by dancing.
“Teams will get a new dance challenge each week that helps them sweat off those extra pounds,” Oxygen explained in a press release. “They will also learn how to incorporate healthy cuisine into their lifestyle. Each episode culminates with a weigh-in and dance-off.”
Sarah isn’t one of the contestants trying to drop a few pounds; she’s one of the professional dancers paired up with a contestant.
The show premieres Monday, June 29th at 10pm E/PT on Oxygen.
Good friend of the blog Sharica Brown (Ravens, Texans, Redskins) has just launched her personal website! Please visit www.sharicabrown.com for updates, photos, videos and more!
You can find more sites for teams and individual cheerleaders on our restored links page here. It’s a little out of date. Any corrections, additions, suggestions are welcome.
Head on over to the 49ers website and check out the bios for the new Gold Rush squad. Cassandra is a Kindergarten teacher.
From Buccaneers.com
“Oorah!”
That, as a dozen members of the 2009 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cheerleaders team are now well aware, is a traditional cry of greeting or enthusiasm by a U.S. Marine. Apparently, it can also mean, ‘Job well done!’
Meagan Pravden, whose father, grandfather and uncles have all served in the U.S. military, was recently treated to a rousing chorus of ‘Oorahs!’ at Camp Kinser in Okinawa, Japan, as were her fellow Buccaneer Cheerleaders. The cheerleaders, part of a traveling troupe participating in an Armed Forces Entertainment overseas tour, had just concluded a variety show performance for a large group of Marines, and there was little doubt it had gone well.
“They received our show very well,” gushed Pravden, one of only two rookie cheerleaders on the tour. “They say, ‘Oorah!’ and we absolutely love performing for them. The Marines are the best! Then again, we’re performing for sailors [Thursday] and that’s unexplored territory for me. I’ve never performed for sailors before. We’re excited to see how they receive the show, but all of our performances have gone over very well so far.”
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