Dancing To Success with Quinton Peron

Quinton Peron was discovered when he tried out for and landed a spot as one of the first male cheerleaders in the NFL during the 2018-19 season. He, alongside Napoleon Jinnies, joined the LA Rams cheerleaders, launching his dance career beyond what he had ever imagined. Drawing on his dance background, Quinton lent his choreography and performance talents to names like Ellen DeGeneres, T-Pain, Carrie Underwood, RuPaul, Good Morning America and beyond.

This is just the beginning for this multi-talented performer. Although an avid Beyonce’ fan, Quinton shares that if Rhianna decides to get back in the business, he would love the opportunity to collaborate with her. So, Rhianna, if you’re reading this- please come back because this collab would be guaranteed FIRE! With an electric personality and a smile to match, Quinton is truly an inspiration. Passion and positivity exude from his aura, and the message he sends extends far beyond the world of dance. Cheerleader, teacher, dancer, choreographer, and (as I discovered during my interview with him) aspiring chef- Mr.Q, as his students call him, is a force on and off the stage. While he had originally dreamt of becoming a chef, as a high school sophomore, it was the series ‘So You think Can Dance’ and the awe he felt after watching Twitch perform that took him in a direction he hadn’t yet imagined.

“I saw him dive into different styles. He wasn’t just a HipHop dancer. He was doing Jazz and the way he was accepted and highlighted- it was so awesome to me. It was that moment that the lightbulb switched, and I was like: I’m going to dive head-first and see what happens. And now- I’m here.”

If there is anything that Quinton could encourage others to take away from his accomplishments, its to trust the process and be your biggest fan. Having had his own fair share of unsuccessful moments, he says, “I have so many parents who come up to me and are like: ‘Should I take my daughter out (of class), she’s not placing?’ and I’m like ‘neither did I and look what I’m doing now.’” And it is that positivity and belief in himself that lead him to becoming one of the first male cheerleaders to perform at the Super Bowl, among his other accomplishments.

“It’s not about getting that first place overall; it’s about the process and the journey that it takes you on,” Peron adds. Often the portrayal of gay, Black men can be misleading, and being able to show that there are “50 Shades of Gay”, as Quinton jokingly calls it, he feels that it’s important to give visibility of what it is to be a successful gay, Black man. “I’m not as flamboyant as some, and some aren’t as masculine as I am. There’s different types and it’s okay to be either one. He goes on to describe how we are lumped into boxes and stereotyped into categories whether it comes to sexuality, race, etc., “There’s a broader spectrum of us,” Peron says. When asked to reflect on where he is in life now and what message he would give to his younger self, Quinton lets out a deep exhale, “It’s going to be okay. Especially growing up gay. I didn’t know what that was and kind of suppressing that and I didn’t know. I mean, I knew I was different, but I didn’t know what that different was. I would be bullied sometimes, and I would be like,

‘What am I doing that is really off, that nobody else is doing? I thought I was just following the masses, but I guess I was standing out in a weird way. But yeah, I would tell him that it’s going to be okay. Don’t be afraid to have conversations and just be you. It took a little bit, but we’re here. I’m here. I’m me.”