WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Winston-Salem State University cheerleaders one-two stepped their way into the music video of a big star.
Ciara just dropped a music video for her latest song 'JUMP,' which features seven WSSU Powerhouse of Red and White cheerleaders.
The squad and their coaches flew to Los Angeles, California in the spring to be part of the music video.
Ne'Sheila Washington said it was a proud moment for her as a coach.
"They had a different crew member assigned to each cheerleader. Seeing crew members swoop in throughout the day to touch up make-up or provide little water bottles with straws was so cool. It made me feel like a proud mom watching all of this happen,” Washington said.
The opportunity blossomed with the help of social media. WSSU officials said one of Ciara's dancers saw the Red and White cheerleaders online and thought they would be an excellent fit for the song.
The cheerleaders and dancers said it was an unforgettable experience.
"Seeing all the dancers that I’ve been watching on Instagram since middle school was incredible," Dance Captain Destiny Martin said. "Being in the studio with these dancers was amazing. It was also great to see that these professional dancers started exactly where we are and now have successful careers.”
The student-athletes even had finals the week of filming.
“I woke up at 5 a.m. to take a final exam," Cheerleader Tiffany Jacobs said. "Waking up early, being on set all day, and still being able to do a great job with my coursework made me feel like anything is possible. We did one of our finals in an Uber on the way to the beach. We always have to make sure to plan and to have school be our number one priority.”
Washington said it's just the beginning of what these young women can do.
“I want Powerhouse to appear on awards shows. Or maybe have their own reality show. This has shown me that there is no ceiling to what they can do,” she said.
