We were lucky to catch up with Adrianne “AH” Harris recently and have shared our conversation below.
Adrianne “AH” Harris, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?
My mom was (and still is) an absolute angel. She encouraged my siblings and me to try a lot of different things/hobbies. She was a single parent and there wasn’t a lot of money. However there was alot of love and support. I truly don’t know how my mother was at EVERYTHING for my sister, my brother and me. It’s almost like she cloned herself, lol
She diligently looked for, found and signed us up for community programs so we could be exposed to many things. As a youngster, I’m grateful I was afforded the opportunity to bowl in a league (with my own ball/bag/shoes/coat and lots of trophies), take gymnastics, play tennis, play on a basketball team, play flute for 3 years, model in fashion shows, enter (and win) local beauty/scholarship pageants (all which were fun and my mom always said “you started, you can’t/won’t quit)…AND THEN BECOME A CHEERLEADER AND I DANCED! That’s where it all began, that’s what “stuck”. Around 8 years old, I took a modern dance class at an after school program at a community college. I remember wearing my dancewear under my clothes to school, being so super-excited to go straight to dance class from school. It was at the age of 8 that I also started little league cheerleading for a little league. I cheered there until aged out, I was drill team co-captain at Westchester High School and it was my mother who suggested I audition for the Los Angeles Raiderettes (Raiders Cheerleaders) in 1987. She was there by my side when I was not selected for the team that year and also when I was selected in 1988! She has been by my side every step of the way…through my illustrious NFL Cheerleading career (also 49ers and Oakland Raiders, attending Super Bowl XXXVII as my guest when I cheered, all auditions, even driving me to some appearances herself) and all my auditions over the years (Lion King, Lady GaGa, “In Living Color” Fly Girls in 1990. etc…). She’s been there during the losses as well, when I didn’t make Laker Girls and Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders (made finals for both). There is so much more but Mom has been very instrumental in my success. Not just the physical success but emotional and spiritual success. It’s tough out here and my road has been made more smooth by her presence and undying support. I love her.
Adrianne “AH” Harris, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I am a native Angelino. I started my dance/cheer career as a Little League Cheerleader at the age of 8, and I used to “make up” Mickey Mouse Club dances as a youngster. I’d get my friends, and we would put on shows in my backyard, using my mom’s sheets on a clothing line as a curtain, and charge a quarter to “get in” to the show. The neighbors would show up! I was a Little League cheerleader until I aged out at 14, and then I started training the younger cheerleaders and choreographing dance routines. When I entered High School, I became a part of the drill team and was named Co-Captain in my very 1st year. We entered competitions and always placed, usually 1st place. While in High School, I also danced on “American Bandstand”! What a blast…1985-1987. When I was 18 in 1987 (I graduated high school 1986 and had to wait a whole year because I was still too young to audition for professional teams), I auditioned for the Los Angeles Raiderettes (Raiders cheerleaders), and I made it to the finals but not the team. I auditioned for the Laker Girls made it to the finals, but not the team. I used the next year to sharpen up my dance skills and get in even better shape. In 1988, I beat out 1000+ hopefuls and was awarded a spot on the Los Angeles Raiderettes squad, where I stayed and cheered for six seasons (1988-1994).
During that time, I was captain 5 seasons and won every award there was to win (Rookie of the Year, Dancer of the Year, Raiderette of the Year, and Wanetta Horton Award/Most Inspirational). I also attended the University of Southern California at the same time, I was cheering, so I’d be a screaming USC student at the LA Coliseum on Saturdays, and then I’d don my boots, silver and black on Sundays as as sexy sideline lady. I was a great student so I was able to handle the load until graduating in 1991. In my last season with the Raiders, I decided I wanted a change and auditioned for the Laker Girls again in 1993, feeling more confident and mature than six years earlier. Once again, I made the finals but not the team, so I decided a change of scenery was what I needed. I flew to Dallas to audition for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, made the finals but not the team. By this time, this pattern was really getting “old” but being the go-getter I am, I’m never defeated. I took the last plane from Dallas to San Francisco that night and auditioned for the San Francisco 49ers Gold Rush Cheerleaders the very next morning…I made made the team! I cheered there for four seasons, getting the amazing opportunity to cheer in Super Bowl XXIX (and winning,…I have a Super Bowl ring!), serving as captain 2 seasons, and being voted on by my teammates to represent the organization in Hawaii for Pro Bowl 1997. I also got to serve our country by traveling on a couple of neat USO Tours to other countries to visit our servicemen and women. What an honor!
After 10 seasons in the NFL, it was “time”. Time to move on. I moved back to LA and began my acting career, landing some co-star and guest star roles on cool shows like “Martin” and ‘Days of our Lives”, sharing sets with likes of The Beach Boys and Andrew Dice Clay. I also did some commercials, voice over work and stage plays. Still connected to my dance bug, I danced on my church (First AME, Los Angeles) praise dance ministry and also danced with Caribbean Spectacular (a West Indian Carnival-style dance troupe). For some reason, the NFL performance bug bit me again, and I decided to move yet again back to the Bay Area. Now by this time, the Raiders had moved back to Oakland. So at 32 years old, I auditioned for the Oakland Raiderettes and earned my spot. I went on to cheer for four seasons, finally retiring from pro cheerleading for good. But I did get to serve as captain for two of those four seasons, cheer in another Super Bowl XXXVII (the Raiders weren’t victorious, but it was a blast!), and go on two more USO Tours to visit our service men and women. From 2004-2019, I danced around in classes and continued to act here and there. I also worked for the LA Clippers as a Floor Manager for a few years, so I was still in and around the spaces and places I loved so much, sports entertainment. In 2019 I started teaching Soul Line Dance and quickly built up a nice group of dancers who loved my style of teaching and the energy I bring to my classes. Then…Covid hit. Never one to give up, I continued teaching on Zoom. I had even more dance students now because they could virtually attend class from all over the country, sometimes out of the country. Then my students desired MORE from me. More than just line dance, I started teaching hip hop, breathe/stretch classes, and pom pom classes too.
Soon I was invited to teach dance virtually for my Alma Mater USC and when COVID lightened up, I was asked to actually come in to teach dance at the three fitness centers (where I still teach today)! I had now secured an amazing dance agent (BLOC LA, who I’m still represented by) and was auditioning again (virtually and in person, having booked a large commercial and some fitness projects) and still teaching line dance here and there and was awarded “Turbo Woman Line Dance Award” at large line dance convention attended by many all around the country. It was very special since the committee who gave me the award never saw me dance in person, just online. They felt the love and passion via social media. I love teaching, but the performance bug bit me again in March 2023, and I decided to audition for the WNBA LA Sparks Ole School Crew (over 40+ hip hop dance crew). Our games ran from May to August, and it was a blast! I danced my heart out and really “showed up” for senior dancers, especially since I was second from the oldest at 54. I enjoyed supporting the beautiful city of Los Angeles and women’s sports. Even though it was my 1st season on Sparks, I quickly became a FAN FAVORITE based upon my positive, long time affiliation with the LA sports scene (LA Raiders, USC, Clippers…from staff to courtside guests to ushers and janitors!) Their “friendly, smiling face” was back!
Currently I get so much joy from teaching others ALL AGES, ALL GENDERS, ALL LEVELS, ALL ETHNICITIES. Currently I teach a beginner Hip Hop class and a Soul Line Dance class at USC and a Soul Line Dance Class in Carson, CA. I love all my students, they come in so ready to learn and get moving and that inspires me. I am available for and have TONS of experience, teaching, private dance lessons…(bridal showers, baby showers, special occasions, weddings, couples, etc…). I’m also available for dance/acting performance opportunities.
As a constant performer/artist/creative and forever dancer, I am also a working dancer/actor with an agent BLOC LA, and am always on the lookout for new opportunities. In a perfect world, I’d be working dance jobs more and dancing all the time, but I just know when it’s my time, it’s my time…and I trust my agents to find the right projects for me.
Lastly, to reach the masses, I have a YouTube channel which is designed for the average person who wants to simply get up and move and dance. As a trained professional dancer, I realize there’s a whole group of people who need and want to feel something by simply moving your body. I enjoy creating fun YouTube dance-along/“follow the leader” content/videos that bridges the gap between all ages, nationalities, genders, walks of life, etc I envision MILLIONS dancing with me in front of their tv’s and computers, solo and in large groups!
Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
So for a twist on this question and to combine it with the resilience question, I’d like to share that back when I started this dance/cheer career, there was no social media, no internet, no computer access. Everything I (and all others of that day) did to learn about and prepare for auditions, performances and dance opportunities was onsite and pounding the pavement to find out what I needed to know. Word of mouth and asking questions was essential and everything. Back then (80’s and 90’s) seems everyone’s communication skills were top tier, they had to be. It was REAL interaction. Real face to face.
There were no prep classes for dance teams nor was there a virtual audition or “sending in a tape” of even leaning or teach a dance class online. When I auditioned for DCC (Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders) in 1994, I flew from LA to Dallas to audition. Flew back home and back to Dallas for the final round. I stood in line for hours to audition for the Laker Girls in 1987 and 1993 and for “In Living Color” Fly Girls in 1991 (they chose Jennifer Lopez that year!). I had to go to games and study the Laker Girls closely (there was no website to go to) and I watched “In Living Color” religiously to study the style of the Fly Girls.
So as I sit here answering this question, I do realize that if technology had been accessible at “back in the day”, the road may have been easier, as it is today. But I wouldn’t trade it for the world. It’s what built tenacity and character. Made me who I am today. I’m a motivator….dance is the vehicle.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
I don’t know how I’d live and function if I couldn’t and didn’t dance. I dance to communicate. My motto when I dance and when I teach my classes is “It’s More Than Just Steps”. Dance is telling a story, MY STORY through movement. It’s bringing a song to life and that looks different on everyone due to where we “come from” and that’s the beauty of dance. I honestly dance when I can’t speak or don’t what to say. I dance through all emotions. Dance is art and it’s rewarding to be able to actually FEEL. The next level in this rewarding dance journey is sharing my motto with others so they can feel as empowered as I do today.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dance_with_adrianne/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrianne-harris-212a7710a/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgJF8Re4CIgPzF3pJDmMbzg
- Other: YouTube: @AdrianneAH