Pro Cheerleading Podcast: The Truth Behind the Poms

Join me for Cheer Chat to discuss the 2026 NFL Pro Bowl Cheerleaders and all of the changes to the Pro Bowl experience!

Join me for Cheer Chat to discuss the year in review for NFL Cheerleading and what I'm looking forward to the most in 2026! I also recap my visits to see the New England Patriots Cheerleaders and Atlanta Falcons Cheerleaders perform.

Join me for Cheer Chat to hear all about my trip to Madrid, Spain to watch the Miami Dolphins Cheerleaders perform at the first ever NFL game at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium!

Mhkeeba interviews Hadar Shalom, a Professional Dancer & Choreographer based in Los Angeles, about her experience moving from Israel to follow her passion and build her dream dance career.

Join me for Cheer Chat to discuss the finale Episode 7 of Netflix's America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders!

Join me for Cheer Chat to discuss Episode 6 of Netflix's America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders!

Join me for Cheer Chat to discuss Episode 5 of America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders! We chatted about the DCC sponsorships showcase, all of the life adjustments the ladies have to make after making the team, and the DCC "sit down" with HR & Legal about their contracts!

Join me for Cheer Chat to discuss Episode 4 of America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders! The live chat was extra spirited as we dove into Dayton's cut from the team and her recent Glamour Magazine article. We also touched on the "sit down"at the diner with the line leaders in this episode to discuss their contracts with the Cowboys legal department and whether other pro teams should take similar actions to increase their pay. And lots of commentary, questions and perspectives from the chat!

Join me for Cheer Chat to hear my recap of Episode 3 of the new season of the Netflix series, America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders!

Join me for Cheer Chat to hear my recap of Episode 2 of the new season of the Netflix series, America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders!

Join me for Cheer Chat to hear my reactions to the first episode of the new season of the Netflix series, America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders!

Join me for Cheer Chat to hear all about my trip to Minneapolis to watch the Minnesota Vikings Cheerleaders perform for Monday Night Football!

Mhkeeba interviews Gina Mormando, Head Coach of the new dance team for the New York Mets - The Queens Crew about their exciting inaugural season and upcoming auditions.

Join me for Cheer Chat to discuss the removal of the Arizona Cardinals Cheerleaders from the sidelines on Monday Night Football and what this means to the pro cheerleading community.

Join me for Cheer Chat to hear my recap of my trip to Indianapolis to watch the Colts Cheerleaders perform on game day!

Join me for Cheer Chat to hear my observations on the official start of the NFL regular season and give a recap of the Seahawks Dancers Alumni Showcase.

Mhkeeba interviews Wendy Murphy, former New England Patriots Cheerleader and New England Law Boston Adjunct Professor, about her time cheering professionally in the USFL and NFL and her amazing legal career fighting for women's rights.

Join me for Cheer Chat to hear about my observations from attending the showcase at the Pro Action Dance Convention held in Las Vegas with the most talented dancers from the professional sports leagues and collegiate teams.

Mhkeeba interviews Jasmine Thomas Reed, a former NFL Pro Bowl Cheerleader for the Houston Texans and NBA Dancer for the Houston Rockets Power Dancers. Jasmine shares her inspirational story of organizing her second annual Dance Camp 409 in her hometown of Beaumont, TX as a way of giving back to the youth in her community.

Join me for Cheer Chat to hear all about the 6th National Football Cheerleaders Alumni Organization Reunion held in Boston over the weekend!

Join me for Cheer Chat to hear my final thoughts on the impact of the popularity of the Netflix America's Sweethearts Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders series and what I hope to see for Season 2!

Mhkeeba interviews Jami Stigliano, CEO & Founder of DivaDance, an exciting dance experience brand that offers all-levels of choreography for dance classes, parties, and dance team performance programs. Jami shares how DivaDance provides jobs for choreographers and dance teachers and helps women start and run their own business through its franchising opportunity.

Join me for Cheer Chat to hear my thoughts on the last few episodes of the Netflix America's Sweethearts Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders series! So many topics to discuss and awesome comments from my live IG session.

Join me for Cheer Chat to hear my reactions to the first three episodes of the Netflix series, America's Sweethearts on the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders!

Mhkeeba interviews Vicky "Miz V" Harris, Owner of Choreography Pros, about her pro dance career as part of the inaugural WNBA Phoenix Mercury Hip Hop Squad and over 25 years of pro sports and commercial style choreography for the NBA, NFL, college and high school dance teams. She also shares all of the details of her upcoming Pro Dance Convention in Tempe, Arizona on July 26-28, 2024.

In Part 2 of this episode, Mhkeeba continues her conversation with Ray Cook, former Baltimore Ravens Cheerleader, about his favorite experiences being part of the squad over five seasons, the challenges he faced after retirement, and all of the amazing opportunities that have opened up from him as a former NFL cheerleader.

Join me for Cheer Chat to hear my thoughts on the controversial Harrison Butker speech at the Benedictine College commencement ceremony and the one group of women who I wish could have been part of the dialogue.

Mhkeeba interviews Ray Cook, former Baltimore Ravens Cheerleader, about the stunting side of pro cheerleading in the NFL, the auditions process for the Baltimore Ravens, and the very moving story of his first year auditioning for the team.

Join me for Cheer Chat to discuss the competition structure and categories for the 2024 NBA Dance Team Playoffs.

Mhkeeba interviews Rodney McDaniel, former Washington Wizards Dancer, about his first sesason in the NBA on one of the first coed dance teams and his experience mixing music for the hottest choreographers in the pro cheer and dance industry.

Join me for Cheer Chat to discuss ideas of how we can structure the NBA Dance Team Playoffs to showcase the best performances of the various NBA dance teams throughout the past season.

Join me for Cheer Chat to discuss the latest leadership changes in NFL cheerleading teams, audition tips, showing facials and the request to host another NBA Dance Team Playoffs on the podcast.

Mhkeeba interviews Celine Edmondson, Assistant Coach and Choreographer of the Brooklynettes Dancers, about her experiences coaching, choreographing for performances with musical artists and her appearance on the Netflix Dance 100 reality show competition.

Mhkeeba interviews Kayla Cruz, a captain and five-year veteran of the Brooklynettes Dancers, about her experiences growing as a leader on the team and how the organization has shaped her career as a Professional Dancer, Model and Actress.

Mhkeeba interviews Ally Miller, a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner and former NFL Cheerleader for the Washington Command Force, who helps dancers fuel like athletes to feel confident in their bodies, achieve optimal health, and perform at the highest levels–without dieting or restriction.

Cheer Chat: Recap of my trip to NYC to attend the New York Knicks game to see the Knicks City Dancers perform and also the Brooklyn Nets game to see the Brooklynettes and Nets Team Hype perform for Noche Latina theme night.

Listen in to Cheer Chat covering all these hot topics: 💖 New podcast platform 🖤 Trip to NYC to see Brooklynettes and Knicks City Dancers perform 💖 Upcoming interviews 🖤 Love is Blind with our very own Amber Desiree 💖 NYPD Dance Team controversy 🖤 Reflections on Black History Month in pro cheer and dance community

Mhkeeba introduces each of the 2024 NFL Pro Bowl Cheerleaders and shares her experiences and observations from her trip to Orlando, FL to see them in action!

Mhkeeba joyfully comes out of podcast retirement to interview Savannah Dunaway, a captain and three-year veteran on the Portland BlazerDancers team. Savannah shares her incredible journey of overcoming challenges with how body image is perceived in the pro dance industry.  She openly discusses how she dealt with criticism of her body type and pushed through rejection to accompilsh her dream of becoming an NBA dancer. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Mhkeeba interviews former Los Angeles Rams Cheerleaders Quinton Peron and Mattie Lynch in an exciting bonus episode about their experiences competing on The Amazing Race reality TV show. They share some of the toughest challenges they have faced so far on the show and how their strong friendship and background as NFL cheerleaders helped them support each other throughout the competition.

In the Season 10 and Pro Cheerleading Podcast final episode, Mhkeeba shares her love letter to the pro cheer and dance industry of her reflections on how far things have progressed over the past four years as well as her hopes and plans for the future.

This week Mhkeeba invites Matt Montenegro, former captain of the Golden State Warriors Blue Crew, Phi VoBa, former Seahawks Dancer and Khayla Shipman, former member of the Phoenix Suns Solar Squad, to share their experiences dancing for NFL and NBA dance teams. They offer their perspectives on the shift in the pro cheer and dance industry toward more hip hop focused entertainment teams as well as how dancers and coaches can show respect and appreciation for hip hop culture in the way that they train and manage these teams.

Mhkeeba interviews Geralyn Joy Marcelino about her experiences auditioning and cheering professionally in the NHL for the Las Vegas Golden Knights, the San Francisco 49ers Gold Rush, and the Arena Football League San Jose Sabercats. Geralyn also shares how she used her pro cheerleading background and training to pursue modeling, acting and other opportunities as a professional dancer.

Mhkeeba interviews her "Carrie Bradshaw" of the pro cheer and dance community, Emily Leibert, who is a Writer for Jezebel and former Los Angeles Rams Cheerleader. Emily covers the intersection of gender and sport with a focus on effeminate sports including dance, cheerleading, and gymnastics. Her work has also been featured in Refinery 29, Teen Vogue, NBC News, Fast Company, allure, Men’s Health, and Bustle. Emily shares her experience as an NFL cheerleader and what inspired her to pursue a career merging her passions of dance, gender equality, and writing.

In this week's episode, Mhkeeba finally gets to sit down with Quinton Peron, one of the first male NFL cheerleaders for the Los Angeles Rams Cheerleaders, who recently retired from the squad after cheering four seasons that ended with the Super Bowl LVI championship. Quinton shares his background as a dance teacher and choreographer, his journey making NFL history and changing the pro cheerleading and dance community to be more inclusive of male dancers, and his future plans coming out of retirement.

This week Mhkeeba interviews Kelsey Nicholson, a former Kansas City Chiefs Cheerleader, about her career as a Thyroid & Metabolism Nutritionist and how pro cheerleaders and dancers can benefit from increased awareness of how nutrition impacts overall wellness. Kelsey shares helpful insight on topics such as weight loss resistance, increasing metabolism, intermittent fasting and so much more!

In this week's episode Mhkeeba interviews Jackie Koegel, a prominent choreographer in the cheer and dance industry and the Owner & Founder of Dance Team Central that provides high school and college dance camps as well as a Creative Development Program and online business courses for choreographers. Jackie shares her story of building her career as a dancer and choreographer and how her tenacity opened up opportunities throughout her journey.

This week Mhkeeba interviews Jasmine Lee, a former NBA Dancer for over five years with the Atlanta Hawks and Washington Wizards and the Owner of Nxt Lvl Prep. Nxt Lvl Prep is an audition prep training program offering pro level dance classes in Atlanta, Charlotte, Denver and the DC/Maryland/Virginia area. Jasmine shares her experiences dancing in the NBA during her teams' transitions from all-female dance teams to coed teams and what it is like to feel unappreciated while dancing on a pro team. The ladies also discuss how Nxt Lvl Prep is helping dancers achieve their dreams of dancing for a professional team by teaching technique and the fundamentals necessary to succeed at pro auditions.

In this week's episode Mhkeeba interviews Tracey Hirsch, Director of the Austin Division of USA Cheerleaders and Brigitte Menard, a current USA Cheerleader about the mission, history and growth of the USA Cheerleaders organization. USA Cheerleaders is a volunteer-based cheerleading organization comprised of former professional cheerleaders and dancers who perform dances, community service and appearances to support the military, first responders, and their families. The ladies discuss the audition process, team commitment, and how the experience compares to the cheerleading and dance teams for the major sports leagues.

This week Mhkeeba interviews Shaniah Randall, the NFL Cheerleader selected for the 2022 and 2021 NFL Pro Bowl to represent the Las Vegas Raiders, about her pro cheerleading journey and recent Pro Bowl experience in Las Vegas. Shaniah is a seventh year veteran, three-time Captain, and recipient of the Wanetta Horton Award that is awarded to the Raiderette who is considered most inspirational. She shares her highs and lows of auditioning for teams, the confidence that came from owning her truth, and truly exemplifies inner beauty through her love for her teammates.

In this week's episode Mhkeeba interviews Madison Forsythe, a high school senior and former competitive cheerleader, about her experiences with racism from coaches and teammates and her inspiration to spread awareness and change competitive cheerleading to be a more positive experience for the younger generations of African American and other minority cheerleaders.

This week Mhkeeba interviews Haley Marie McClain Hill, a cheerleader for the San Francisco 49ers Gold Rush, a proud member of the United States Air Force, and Founder of Torch Warriorwear and Seek and Set Free. The ladies discuss Haley's background in dance and competitive cheerleading and how it prepared her to become an NFL cheerleader and how she balanced serving in the U.S. Air Force while cheering in college and professionally in the NFL. Haley also shares her latest entrepreneurial endeavors with Torch Warriorwear, a clothing line for women in the military, law enforcement, first responders and sports, and Seek and Set Free, an event planning business focused on women's wellness retreats.

Season 10 kicks off with an interview featuring Sabrina Ellison and Amira Mourad, the Co-Founders of The Cultivate Code pro dance mentorship program. Sabrina and Amira are current NBA dance team coaches who saw a gap in the industry to mentor and coach all aspiring pro dancers to make their dreams a reality with a growth mindset and self-love as the foundation. The ladies discuss their Learn Clean Set Clean & Confident program that is designed to dive deeper into developing as a dancer, performer, and teammate and building the skills necessary to succeed once you make your dream team.

In the Season 9 finale, Mhkeeba shares the winners of the inaugural Pro Cheerleading Podcast Awards for various categories including best uniform, social media trends, concept video, and team showmanship. She also honors the teams that invest the most in their dancers and that best challenge cheerleading stereotypes, recognizes up and coming choreographers and pro cheer programs, and selects the most inspirational director and her best game day experiences from the Pro Cheerleading Podcast Tour.

In this episode Mhkeeba interviews Jennifer DePaola, CEO and Founder of Doctors for Dancers, about her inspiration to create a nationwide network connecting dancers with targeted dance specialists and to provide dance medicine education and resources to the dance community. Jennifer also shares the advocacy and collaborative initiatives to help dancers at the high school, collegiate and professional levels receive access to health resources that are specialized for dancers.

This week Mhkeeba shares all of her favorite moments and observations from attending NFL and NBA games for the Pro Cheerleading Podcast tour over the past few months that would create the perfect game day experience for pro cheerleaders and dancers. She covers everything that would give them the ultimate spotlight from fan engagement activities, pre-game routines, intro videos and player tunnels, uniforms, leading cheers to game performances.

In this episode, Mhkeeba reflects on why there are so few pro cheerleading teams that outwardly celebrate the history and legacy of their programs, the role of pro cheerleader alumni organizations, and what legacy pro cheerleaders leave behind when they are no longer on the sidelines. She also shares her thoughts on the legacy she hopes the podcast will have built within the pro cheerleading community over time.

This week's episode features an interview with Dr. Chelsea Pierotti, Sports Psychologist and Host of the Passion for Dance Podcast created specifically for dancers and dance educators. Dr. Pierotti shares how she uses her background as a professional dancer and coach along with her expertise in sports psychology to teach tools that help dancers, coaches and dance educators develop confidence, resilience, growth mindset, passion, and perseverance.

Mhkeeba interviews Alicia Harrington and Nicolette Peloquin, former New England Patriots Cheerleaders and Owners of The Prep Talk, a personal development and branding company for aspiring professional cheerleaders. The ladies discuss their background as cheerleaders and ambassadors for the Patriots organization and the importance of presenting a well rounded dance resume and investing in interview preparation. Nicolette and Alicia share their inspiration for launching The Prep Talk and their favorite memories of their late beloved New England Patriots Cheerleading Director and Hall of Fame honoree, Tracy Sormanti.

In this week's episode, Mhkeeba connects with Samantha Popham, NBA dancer and creator of The Sideline Secrets - an exciting new platform covering the pro cheerleading and dance industry by dancers and for dancers on topics such as beauty, style, health and fitness, lifestyle and insider secrets. She shares her journey to becoming a professional dancer and what inspired her to curate content to capture all of the knowledge, experiences and insights to help aspiring pro dancers and cheerleaders also achieve their dream.

This week Mhkeeba interviews Andy Vaca, Professor of Dance at California State University, Long Beach and Pro Action Dance Instructor who shares the history of how some professional cheerleading and dance teams formed on the West coast. Andy also discusses his experiences performing and choreographing for pro teams during his career and his perspective on the progress that has been made over time for male dancers.

In this week's episode, Mhkeeba spends some one on one time with her audience to share the truth behind the poms of some of the ups and downs of running the podcast over the past three years as well as her goals and inspiration for the future.

In the Season 9 opener, Mhkeeba interviews Taja Riley, one of the most talented principal lead dance artists and choreographers in the entertainment industry. Taja spreads awareness of the issues facing dance artists and advocates for better working conditions while on production sets and tours, injury prevention and health resources, attribution for content, and improved representation by the unions.

In the Season 8 finale, Mhkeeba interviews Adrienne Lawrence, award winning author of Staying In The Game: The Playbook for Beating Workplace Sexual Harassment, about her experience overcoming sexual harassment, misogynoir and gender discrimination at her former employer ESPN. Adrienne shares some advice from her book and offers her perspective for pro cheerleaders to navigate sexual harassment in the workplace.

In this week's episode, Mhkeeba invites former and aspiring professional cheerleaders to share their experiences with diversity and inclusion while auditioning and cheering in the NBA and NFL. Kaitlin, a professional dancer, Bianca Calingo, former NFL cheerleader and NBA dancer, and Erika Quan, former Seahawks Dancer, also discuss their perspectives on what changes are needed to improve the representation of dancers from the Asian American and Pacific Islander community in professional cheerleading.

This week Mhkeeba interviews Sierra Martinez, former member of the Oakland Raiderettes and Miami Dolphins Cheerleaders, about her experience relocating and cheering for two NFL teams and launching her business, Mohita Mami Swimwear. Sierra also shares her positive mindset of pursuing goals and adding value to her life all while remaining open to opportunities that may not come as expected.

In this episode Mhkeeba interviews Jada Davis, Owner of Poms Up! Health & Fitness and former Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cheerleader and The Roar Cheerleaders for the Jacksonville Jaguars.  Jada shares her inspirational journey becoming an NFL Pro Bowl Cheerleader and the amazing Poms Up! community she started  after retirement focused on helping former pro team cheerleaders and dancers look and feel like themselves again.

This week Mhkeeba interviews Nicole Dreher, a former NFL Cheerleader for the Cincinnati Ben Gals and current NHL Cheerleader about her journey auditioning for different NFL teams and her incredible experience as a Ben Gals Captain and performing at professional hockey games. Nicole also shares her latest venture as Owner and Choreographer of Dance With Dreher teaching pro style Sassy Sidelines and Master Classes.

In this episode Mhkeeba interviews former San Francisco 49ers Gold Rush cheerleaders, Erin and Jordan, who are now hosts of Breaking Formation: A Pomcast aiming to redefine the word "cheerleader" one episode at a time. The ladies discuss their time cheering in the NFL together and what inspired them to launch their platform to build connections in the pro cheer and dance community and break free from the negative stereotypes of professional cheerleaders.

Mhkeeba interviews Donivous Odom, Curator of Pro Dance Boyz, about his experience becoming a male cheerleader in the NFL and the inspiration behind creating a platform dedicated to showcasing and connecting the amazing male performers of the professional entertainment industry. They also discuss some of the dynamics of creating coed cheer and dance teams and how these changes are impacting the pro cheerleading industry.

In this week's episode, Mhkeeba interviews two former New York Jets Flight Crew Cheerleaders, Samantha Scarpa and Ashley Gonzalez, who launched 3 Cheers Dance & Fitness focused on teaching and building confidence through movement in cheer, dance, gymnastics and fitness for youth of all ages.

This week Mhkeeba interviews Jenn Padilla, a former NBA dancer and Host of the Life Unfiltered Podcast about her inspiration to share conversations through an unfiltered version of what life really looks like off our social media feeds and to normalize life's struggles particularly with mental health. In Part 1, Cheer Chat includes a robust discussion of diversity and inclusion in professional cheerleading in light of the Denver Broncos squad announcement. Part 2 launches into the interview with Jenn where she shares her journey as a professional dancer and how she overcame some very difficult struggles through therapy and her willingness to explore and redefine what mental health means in her life.

This week Mhkeeba interviews Jenn Padilla, a former NBA dancer and Host of the Life Unfiltered Podcast about her inspiration to share conversations through an unfiltered version of what life really looks like off our social media feeds and to normalize life's struggles particularly with mental health. In Part 1, Cheer Chat includes a robust discussion of diversity and inclusion in professional cheerleading in light of the Denver Broncos squad announcement. Part 2 launches into the interview with Jenn where she shares her journey as a professional dancer and how she overcame some very difficult struggles through therapy and her willingness to explore and redefine what mental health means in her life.

In the Season 8 launch, Mhkeeba shares feedback from listeners about episode ideas for the new season and reviews of the most popular and impactful audition prep programs that have helped dancers reach their goals of becoming a professional cheerleader. Mhkeeba also interviews Brandon Belmiro, a former NBA dancer and Coach of the DMV Lady Warriors about his experience auditioning for the new Washington Football Team co-ed entertainment team.

In the Season 7 finale episode, Mhkeeba is joined by a panel of outstanding women including Sara Blackwell, Yu Gu, and Amanda Ross to learn what a union is and how it works, the benefits and legal protections of having a union, some context and history of what happened when NFL cheerleaders tried to unionize in the past, and what are the next steps for NFL cheerleaders to come together to form a union and help shape the future of pro cheerleading.

This week Mhkeeba interviews Kurt A. David, an Emmy Award winning Executive Producer of the 'From Glory Days' TV Show, where he interviews Hall of Fame and World Champion former professional athletes about their successful transition into life after pro sports. Kurt is also an International Speaker on Sudden Change and shares his five keys for successfully navigating sudden change that pro cheerleaders can use in the transition from dancing professionally.

This week Mhkeeba interviews Marcus Sophus II, a former member of the Dallas Cowboys Rhythm & Blue Dancers and currently a professional dancer based in Los Angeles. A man of many talents, Marcus shares his experiences following his passion for dance and the challenges he overcame along the way.

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 and beauty standards in pro cheerleading, hair care tips and the latest hair style trends.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 along with a group of like-minded community of former cheerleaders and dancers.

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 story of how she learned to love herself again and truly embrace her body.

In this week's episode, Mhkeeba interviews Nicole R. Smith about her experiences going to over 20 professional cheerleading auditions and getting cut that led to her writing her book, Game On!: Relentlessly Pursue Your Dreams. She also discusses the pros and cons of virtual auditions shared by listeners and shares a special message to directors on behalf of veterans who are cut during auditions. During Cheer Chat, Mhkeeba goes off about the recent scandal involving the Philadelphia Sixers Dance Team member who racially targeted and bullied a Black woman on the team.

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 this season out and what may be required of them if they decide to stick it out.

Mhkeeba shares her thoughts on how to get back to life as a pro cheerleader while continuing to get educated on the social and human rights issues, practicing self-reflection and self care, and keeping up the momentum from all of the social activism to make changes in their communities.

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 professional cheerleading community for people of color.

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.

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.

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

Season 6 launches in a two-part episode with Part 2 featuring a very special Mother's Day themed group interview of six fabulous women who balanced motherhood and being a professional cheerleader. Mhkeeba interviews two former Washington Redskins Cheerleaders - London Myrick and Lee Henggeler, two former Oakland Raiderettes - Emily Herrera and Summer Imamura, and two former NBA Dancers - Mariah Palmiter from the Sacramento Kings and Amayrani Smith from the New Orleans Pelicans. In this heartfelt episode, the ladies give the real truth behind the poms of all of the sacrifices, fears, concerns, and hopes they experienced in pursuing their dream to dance professionally while also being a great mother to their children.

Season 6 launches in a two-part episode with Part 1 catching up on all the virtual NFL cheerleading auditions that have taken place over the last two months as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Mhkeeba walks you through the virtual auditions process for each NFL team, including the requirements for submissions of video introductions, dance performances, and interviews. She also shares the status update of the auditions process for each NFL team that has started to build the 2020-21 squad. Despite the NFL's release of the 2020 team schedules, there is a lot uncertainty around the NFL season especially as it pertains to NFL cheerleaders. Mhkeeba discusses all of her open questions and concerns around how COVID-19 impacts whether NFL cheerleaders will even get to dance on the field this season.

In this special bonus episode, Mhkeeba interviews Terra Saunders, Owner of Dallaswear Uniforms, who recently repurposed her entire factory from making audition attire and NBA & NFL cheerleading uniforms to making personal protective equipment for American healthcare workers fighting the Coronavirus pandemic. Terra reveals the truth behind the poms about how her business had been impacted with the lockdowns on professional sports and cheerleading and how she quickly turned a crisis into an opportunity for her team to get involved and help source the the immense shortage of protective masks and gowns. She also shares her story of how she learned to overcome fear and build a successful business in the professional cheerleading industry. Terra finishes this inspirational video with a hilarious take on Drop It Like It's Hot!

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.

In this long awaited episode, Mhkeeba interviews Yu Gu, the award-winning Director of A Woman's Work: The NFL's Cheerleader Problem - a documentary that follows two former NFL cheerleaders who file class-action lawsuits against their teams and the NFL alleging wage theft and illegal employment practices. The ladies discuss the film's exploration of gender inequality and fair wages if based on the true value of a woman's worth in the pro cheerleading industry. Yu joins Mhkeeba for Cheer Chat to discuss how the coronavirus has impacted NFL cheerleading audition season and the remainder of the NBA and other sports leagues' seasons for pro dancers. In this week's Locker Talk, Yu shares a dance performance as a young child that thankfully didn't tarnish her desire to dance.

In this week's episode, Mhkeeba interviews Charles Smith Jr., a NYC-based professional choreographer, dancer, creative director, actor and singer. Charles is currently a contributing choreographer for the NBA Brooklynettes and other NFL and NBA dance teams. He shares his perspective of how professional cheerleaders and dancers from sports teams are prepared to make the transition to the commercial dance industry. During Cheer Chat, Mhkeeba recaps the weekend of NFL auditions and gives a preview of the last few episodes of the season. Charles ends the episode with a Locker Talk story of freestyling his choreography during an audition and plays along with the Drop It Like It's Hot segment.