nba dancers

In this week's episode, Mhkeeba discusses all of the feedback listeners wrote in about what they wish they could share with their directors of pro cheerleading and dance teams.  Often the feedback received in pro cheerleading is a one-way street directed at the pro cheerleaders and dancers so this episode is an opportunity to share some constructive criticism for the directors from a different perspective.  Mhkeeba covers everything including how directors select the team through the auditions process, how they manage the team with favoritism, how the team is marketed and overall how much of an impact they have over their team individually as well as within the broader pro cheerleading and dance community.  

This week, Mhkeeba welcomes a very special panel of women to discuss all things hair for professional cheerleaders.  Kira Dior, CEO of Kira Dior Hair, Mariah Lewis, Founder of Pro Hair Collection, and Rosemary Osondu, Owner of Rose Style Studio share their expertise as hair care entrepreneurs on beauty and hair standards in pro cheerleading, hair care tips and the latest hair style trends. 

https://kiradiorhair.com/
https://www.instagram.com/kiradiorhair/
https://prohaircollection.com/
https://www.instagram.com/prohaircollection/
https://rosestylestudios.com/
https://www.instagram.com/rosestylestudio/

In this week's episode, Mhkeeba interviews Criscia Long, Director of Entertainment Marketing for the Brooklyn Nets about her role in creating the authentic brand and image of the Brooklynettes dance team and the other entertainment teams under her direction.  Criscia also discusses her performance background as a professional dancer and former member of the Knicks City Dancers and her transition to coaching. She also shares details of the Brooklynettes audition process and her perspective of what qualities she seeks in entertainers. 

During Cheer Chat, Mhkeeba discusses the season debut of Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team and how well the cheerleaders are marketed despite the effects of the coronavirus on the NFL season.  She also shares the results of the Poll of the Week of whether NBA dancers should still have a season even if there are no fans in the arenas for the vast majority of markets. 

https://www.instagram.com/brooklynettes/
https://www.instagram.com/criscialong/
https://www.nba.com/nets/brooklynettes-dancers

This week Mhkeeba interviews Kayla Marie Jackson, Professional Dancer and former Atlanta Hawks Dancer, about her transition from dancing in the NBA to establishing herself in the commercial dance industry with a very impressive list of credits of TV/film roles, live performances, tours, music videos and commercials. In Part 1, Kayla shares her dance background and training, experience dancing for Mahogany N Motion while at Spelman College, and her time dancing in the NBA for the Atlanta Hawks. In Part 2, she shares amazing tips on how professional cheerleaders and dancers in the sports industry can successfully prepare for this bold yet challenging career move.

https://www.instagram.com/kaylamarie.j/
https://www.instagram.com/xtentionsdancetique/
https://www.instagram.com/mahoganynmotion/
https://xceltalent.com/

This week Mhkeeba interviews Kayla Marie Jackson, Professional Dancer and former Atlanta Hawks Dancer, about her transition from dancing in the NBA to establishing herself in the commercial dance industry with a very impressive list of credits of TV/film roles, live performances, tours, music videos and commercials. In Part 1, Kayla shares her dance background and training, experience dancing for Mahogany N Motion while at Spelman College, and her time dancing in the NBA for the Atlanta Hawks. In Part 2, she shares amazing tips on how professional cheerleaders and dancers in the sports industry can successfully prepare for this bold yet challenging career move.

https://www.instagram.com/kaylamarie.j/
https://www.instagram.com/xtentionsdancetique/
https://www.instagram.com/mahoganynmotion/
https://xceltalent.com/

In this episode, Mhkeeba interviews Sarah Yarbrough, the reigning 2019-2020 International Junior Ms Tennessee and former cheerleader at Austin Peay State University about her cheerleading and pageantry background.  Sarah also bravely speaks about her experience as a survivor of domestic violence and her how she has been using her title to advocate for healthy relationships while educating others on the warning signs of an abusive relationship.  

During Cheer Chat, Mhkeeba shares the poll results on whether NFL cheerleading teams should still select a Pro Bowl Cheerleader representative even though the 2021 Pro Bowl is cancelled due to COVID-19.  She also shares an update on NBA dance team auditions in light of the NBA season launching in late December. 

In the Season 7 opener, Mhkeeba interviews Sabrina Ellison, Dance Team Director for the Golden State Warriors about how the Warriors organization supported the dance team members coming together to use their voices and platform to speak out against racial injustice. Sabrina also shares her personal journey as a professional cheerleader in the NFL and career as an NBA Dance Team Director.

During Cheer Chat, Mhkeeba shares the poll results of how the NFL cheerleading season is going from not being able to dance on the sidelines or perform at all and gives a preview of what exciting episodes you can expect in Season 7!

https://www.instagram.com/gswdanceteam/
https://instagram.com/thewerkshopokc?igshid=15rt26elaxnrk

In the Season 6 finale, Mhkeeba interviews Neeley Neal, former NFL cheerleader for the Arizona Cardinals and founder of Go Fit Win about reconnecting with her passion for cheer and dance after retirement.  Neeley shares the vision of her Go Fit Win program to reclaim the joy of performing, dancing, learning challenging choreography, and staying fit through dance and cheer alongside a like-minded community of former cheerleaders and dancers.   

During Cheer Chat, Mhkeeba shares her final thoughts on the Rona by sharing key points from the Open Letter written by the President of the NFL Players' Association, J.C. Tretter, "Protecting the Rights of Football Players." She also shares the Open Letter she wrote to the pro cheerleading community on diversity and inclusion to address systemic racism in pro cheerleading and offer solutions for pro cheerleaders, squad directors and pro sports teams.

https://www.procheerleadingpodcast.com/post/open-letter-to-the-pro-cheerleading-community-on-diversity-inclusion
https://nflpa.com/posts/misconceptions-around-football-and-coronavirus
https://www.instagram.com/gofitwinsquad/
https://start.gofitwin.com/first-routine-free/
https://www.instagram.com/prodanceboyz/
https://www.instagram.com/_sisterspace/
https://www.instagram.com/pomsuphealthandfitness/

This week Mhkeeba interviews Vivian Ralena about her experience as a training camp candidate for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders and how it negatively impacted her self esteem and body image.  Vivian shares her powerful story of how she learned to love herself again and truly embrace her body.  

https://www.instagram.com/vivianralena/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl1RMfq4IRpCDg0SYAlg7Wg

In this week's episode, Mhkeeba shares the most recent updates regarding how the risks of COVID-19 and the impact of the Black Lives Matter movement are weighing in on both college and pro athletes' decisions of whether to sit out the 2020-21 season. She raises the question of whether pro cheerleaders should sit out this season and what may be required of them if they decide to stick it out.  During Cheer Chat, Mhkeeba discusses the Nike BeTrue campaign in honor of Pride Month that celebrates the power of the team and features LGBTQIA+ Nike athletes and allies across the world of sport.  Nike recognized Quinton Peron & Napoleon Jinnies from the LA Rams for uplifting the LGBTQIA+ community and using their voices for change as the first male cheerleaders to perform during the Super Bowl. 

https://mynorthwest.com/1934697/uw-dance-program-coach/
https://www.bruinsnation.com/2020/6/21/21298261/ucla-football-read-full-letter-coronavirus-protection-demanding-chip-kelly-dorian-thompson-robinson
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2896028-stephen-jackson-speaks-on-nba-players-sitting-out-amid-racial-injustice-protests
https://www.latimes.com/sports/ucla/story/2020-06-19/ucla-football-players-demand-protections-amid-pandemic-return
https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2020-06-23/ncaa-athletes-coronavirus-colleges-pay
https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-working-to-refine-covid-19-protocols-testing-guidelines
https://www.nike.com/betrue
https://purpose.nike.com/pride-and-community-betrue-2020

Mhkeeba shares her thoughts on how pro cheerleaders should get back to life and still continue to get educated on the social and human rights issues, practice self-reflection and self care, and keep up the momentum from the social activism to make changes in their communities.  She discusses how the Miami Dolphins Cheerleaders and Indianapolis Colts cheerleaders empowered their cheerleaders to use the team social media platforms to support the Black Lives Matter movement.  She also shares the latest news in pro cheerleading auditions, including the addition of male cheerleaders for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs Cheerleaders. 

http://lindsayrosenbergphotography.com/
https://www.instagram.com/p/CBd36IkgXu4/
https://www.instagram.com/prodanceboyz/

Mhkeeba invites Black former professional cheerleaders to share their experiences dealing with racial inequities and microaggressions while cheering in the NFL and what changes need to be made in the pro cheerleading community for people of color.  Alumni from the Oakland Raiderettes - Jazzmine Duke, Cincinnati Ben Gals - Renee Williams and Tennessee Titans Cheerleaders - Jocelyn Watts all share their truth behind the poms in a candid discussion about the difficult situations they endured, how they challenged the status quo to push for more diversity and inclusion, and their message of encouragement to current pro cheerleaders. 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ftw/2020/06/06/black-lives-matter-nfl-video-created-help-rogue-employee/3162869001/

Mhkeeba shares her reflections on the Blackout Tuesday movement within the pro cheerleading community to show solidarity with the international protests in response to the murder of George Floyd by members of the Minneapolis Police Department.  She identifies the teams within the NBA and NFL that did not participate in Blackout Tuesday by posting publicly on social media and what message that sends to current, former and aspiring pro cheerleaders and dancers.  She also discusses the reactions some pro cheerleaders have had about the silence from their teammates and what more can be done to initiate and advance conversations about racism as a team.   Mhkeeba offers some final thoughts on where to go from here and how each member of the pro cheerleading community can use their personal power to bring about change for the better.

Mhkeeba interviews Jonni Rogers, a former NFL Pro Bowl Cheerleader for the Oakland Raiderettes, about her transition from pro cheerleading to being a professional choreographer and NCAA PAC-12 and ACC dance team coach.  The ladies discuss the challenges of relocating for work, the importance of relationships in establishing a career in the pro cheerleading industry and the life lessons learned along the way. During Cheer Chat, Mhkeeba discusses the cancellation of the Jacksonville Jaguars Roar cheerleading auditions and whether NBA dancers will be a part of the season potentially resuming at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida late this summer. 

https://www.instagram.com/jonni_xo/

Mhkeeba interviews the first male professional dancer to appear on the podcast, Durante Lambert, who is a choreographer and former member of the all-male Rip City Crew for the Portland Trailblazers.  He shares his experience as part of the inaugural season for the hip hop  dance team and his outlook on future opportunities for male dancers on professional sports teams. 
https://www.instagram.com/durantelambertchoreography/
https://www.instagram.com/ripcitycrew/

The Pro Cheerleading Podcast is going on hiatus due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic that has impacted everyone's lives in the professional dance and cheerleading community. In this episode Mhkeeba reflects on quarantine life and shares what keeps her encouraged during these difficult times. She also shares some thoughts from listeners of what they appreciate and miss the most about dance. The podcast will resume as soon as NFL cheerleading auditions and other developments in the pro cheerleading industry unfold. Until then, follow the Pro Cheerleading Podcast on social media and participate in virtual happy hours that will take place on Wednesdays.

http://www.csmithofficial.com/
https://www.instagram.com/kingchuckaduck/

https://www.kineticshighperformance.com/
https://www.instagram.com/kelseypesola/

In this week's episode, Mhkeeba shares her favorite pieces of advice from past guests of the podcast on pro cheerleading auditions and what teams are looking for in a professional cheerleader. The past guests include Michelle Burch - Performance Teams Manager for the Portland Trail Blazers, Derric Whitfield - Senior Director of Dance Teams for the Washington Wizards, Michelle Vaughn - NBA/NFL Choreographer, Patrisha Yabes - Former Golden State Warriors Dancer and Los Angeles Charger Girl, GeNienne Samuels - President & CEO of Sideline Prep, and Candess Carroll - Washington Redskins Cheerleader, NFL Pro Bowl Cheerleader & Captain. Each segment covers various topics from learning choreography quickly, what judges are looking for beyond dancing and how to handle the experience of being cut during auditions.

During Cheer Chat, Mhkeeba discusses the only male member of the Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleaders, Kyle Tanguay, who auditioned on American Idol and made it to the Hollywood round and the Miami Dolphins Cheerleaders recent UNIR dance showcase featuring pro, college and youth dancers and cheerleaders from South Florida.

https://www.afterorangeslices.com/
https://www.instagram.com/afterorangeslices/