Module 8: Cheer Leading and Cheer Dance
WHAT WILL YOU LEARN FROM THIS MODULE?
At the end of the module, you should be able to:
a. explain the nature of Cheer Dance and its basic Elements; and
b. perform the basic hand movement and position in Cheer Dance.
WHAT IS THIS MODULE ALL ABOUT?
This module is designed for you to explore the idea of getting into a physically
demanding, death defying and highly competitive dances namely, Cheer Dance and
Cheer Leading. It is physically demanding because you need to train really hard to
achieve the appropriate fitness that the dance demands. In relation, it is death defying
because of the tricks, tumbling, pyramids and toss-up that dancers will experience.
Finally, the dance is highly competitive because of its massive popularity among schools’
regular competitions and its commercial value.
What is Cheer Leading?
Cheerleading is the performance of a routine, usually dominated by gymnastics skills
such as jumps, tumbling skills, lifts and tosses combined with shouting of cheers and yells
to lead the crowd to cheer for a certain team during a game or sport. Cheerleading is an
activity wherein the participants (referred to as "cheerleaders") cheer for their team as a
form of encouragement. It can range from chanting slogans to intense physical activity. It
can be performed to motivate sports teams, to entertain the audience, or for competition.
Competitive routines typically range anywhere from one to three minutes, and contain
components of tumbling, dance, jumps, cheers, and stunts.
What is Cheer Dance?
Cheer Dance is coined from the words, Cheer and Dance. To CHEER is to shout out
words or phrases that may help motivate and boost the morale of a playing team and
perform better during a game. DANCE, on the other hand, is a physical activity where one
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expresses emotions or gestures while performing bodily movements usually in time with
rhythm. Also, the dance is rooted from Cheer Leading.
The History of Cheerleading
Cheerleading’s roots are closely tied to American football’s. In 1960s, cheerleading could
be found virtually in every high school and grade school across the country as part of the
extra-curricular program of the school. On the other hand, All Star cheerleading started
in the late ‘80s, and grew rapidly through the ‘90s. It focused on athletic training and
competition performances, as opposed to school-based cheerleading, which still
encompassed leadership and spirit qualities.
Cheerleaders are the promoters of their schools and communities. They are key
marketing tool to the athletics programs that they support, and they create the community
patriotism called “school spirit”. Most importantly, cheerleaders are expected to be the
future leaders who through the development of athletic skills, leadership, and teamwork
will be vital members of the community.
In our country, the Cheerleading Philippines Federation governs cheerleading, which is
the national confederation of cheerleading organizations. Its primary activities are
organized through standing commissions that are each responsible for some aspect of
cheerleading's development in the country. The organization is mandated to sponsor and
sanction cheerleading & cheer dance competitions and a variety of national and
international cheerleading competitions, including the Cheerleading World
Championships, the Asia Cup, and the IFC World Cup.
Essentials of Cheer Dancing
Arms / Hand Movements Legs/Feet Positions
• Beginning stance and cheer • Feet Together
stance • Feet Apart
• “T” and “Half” positions • Dig (front and Side)
• Clasp, clap, overhead clasp, • Hitch, Liberty, and Scale
low clasp • Lunge (front and Side)
• Touchdown, low touchdown • Knees and Hips positions
• High “V” and Low “V”
• Tabletop and Punch, etc.
• “L” and diagonal position
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Cheer dance basic (gymnastics side)
Jumps: Tuck, star, pike, split, Tumbling Skills:
Hurdle jump • Forward roll and backward
• Cartwheel
Pyramid (optional) • Head stand
• Round off
Composition:
Flyer, base and Spotter Steps in Executing a Pyramid:
Setting up (preparing to lift)
Levels: Load (actual lift)
One-and-a- half high Hit (striking for a final pause)
Two high Dismount (To move down by the
Two-and-a-half high flyer)
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I DARE YOU
Activity 1: Millennial Cheer and Yell
• Form 3 groups
• Each group has to make a team name; each letter of your group name should have
a corresponding word and you will use it to create a short cheer.
• You will perform your own cheer in front of the class (min of 30 seconds max 1
minute) routine.
• Loudness and Clarity of the words is highly expected.
• Profanity and other inappropriate language are strictly prohibited.
Criteria: Cheer and Yell
Audibility - 10 points
Content - 10 points
20 points
Activity 2: Cheerleading
• Each group is given the free hand for their choice of music and costume.
• Dance routines should have elements of cheer dance basics.
• The performance must at least five (5) minutes and shall not exceed ten (10)
minutes to include entrance and exit
• Stunts and lifting are encouraged but not required.
• Tossing is strictly prohibited
• 3rd degree lifting is not allowed (lifting is limited to second level only)
Criteria: Cheerleading
Degree of difficulty - 40 points
Dance technique - 30 points
Gymnastics skills - 20 points
Pyramids - 10 points_
100 points
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BOTTOM LINE
1. Why is cheer leading considered a sport?
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2. What do you think are the reasons why majority of the schools in the city do not include
cheer dance or cheer leading as one of the major events or programs of the school?
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3. What does it take to be a cheer dancer or cheerleader? What are the attitudes that one
must possess to be successful in the sport?
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