Hi Redskins Fans!
Its Jade J here, and it sure was hot in the ATL on Saturday, June 18, 2016, when my teammates and I attended the 13th Annual 2016 P-R-O Convention, which was held in Atlanta, Ga. Being able to represent our organization was just one of the exciting parts of the fun and action packed weekend!
The P-R-O Convention is the biggest and best convention for professional cheerleaders and dancers. Many NFL, NBA, semi-professional and college dancers came out to learn from various choreographers. The convention was led by the industry's leading guest instructors all the way from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cheerleaders, Houston Texans Cheerleaders, Atlanta Falcons Cheerleaders, San Antonio-Spurs Silver Dancers, to our very own Washington Redskins Cheerleaders director, just to name a few. Learning different styles from the various coaches gave us all an admiration for each team. Styles ranged from Jazz, Hip-Hop, Funk and even Country. We even had a class to focus on stretching and meditation, which we all were excited about.
"Learning from other choreographers and directors was eye opening. This was one of the most fun, exciting and exhausting weekends of my life!" Masako said.
The convention increased our pride in what it takes to be a professional dancer and reminded us of how many talented and unique women there are across the country. We were able to learn exciting, new routines for two whole days from amazing directors and choreographers and learn about ALL THINGS P-R-O!
"The different styles of dance we got to learn and perform gave me such a rush. Being able to showcase our dance style and abilities to the other teams made me so proud, and in kept me in awe of my teammates, who are my sisters for life," Chantelle said.
This was my first time attending this convention, so I was extremely honored to represent our organization. Standing beside my sisters, and next to so many ladies in different colored uniforms was so thrilling! One of my favorite moments was talking to other girls from different teams. Every team had their own style, but you know we turned the heat up Redskins Nation!
"The convention is a validation of the unique style, personality and diversity that our team brings to the table," Tedi said.
Learning from other directors with different leadership styles and dance strengths challenged us as dancers. It was equally rewarding to show off our director, Stephanie Jojokian. Her classes were always packed with girls who were willing and eager to learn.
"Stephanie's organization, innovation and commitment to excellence is highly respected and sought after," Chantelle said.
The convention helped us appreciate the leadership we have within our own program, but it also helped us expand our knowledge of the professional dance world. It also gave us a chance to bond with each other.
"I really enjoyed the camaraderie amongst the different NFL, NBA and other professional sports cheerleaders. It gave us a chance to see why we are all so uniquely different," Chantelle said.
It was such an incredible opportunity to have so many diverse women in the same room and make new friends at the same time.
"I found so much joy in watching my teammates taking pride in themselves, their performance and the team they represented," Tedi said.
The convention also featured the 13th P-R-O Edition of the Sideline Distraction Magazine. The magazine features cheerleaders and dancers who attended the event, and it gave an inside scoop into what's going on in the world of professional cheerleading. I was so excited to see the magazine for the first time! To my surprise, Chantelle, Masako and I were all featured in the magazine!! What an honor!
"That was icing on the cake!" Chantelle said.
"I fell in love with dancing all over again! Every routine we did was beyond fun to perform, and I loved watching my teammates rock it!" Jordyn said.
Needless to say, we all had an amazing time representing the Burgundy & Gold! We hope to continue our representation of the Redskins organization next year, make more new friends, and continue to grow closer to our WRC sisters.
Hail to the Redskins!
-Jade J
