Cheerdancing combines elements of cheerleading, dance, and gymnastics. It originated from cheerleading routines performed at American university sporting events starting in the late 19th century. Today, it is featured prominently in collegiate sports competitions in the Philippines and involves choreographed routines incorporating jumps, tumbling, lifts, cheers, and dance moves from styles like hip hop, jazz, and classical. Proper technique is required for both the gymnastic and dance components as well as safely executing pyramids and other lifts. Cheering is also a key part of cheerdance to motivate and encourage teams or individuals.

1. CHEERDANCE

2. CHEERDANCE
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 expresses emotions or gestures
while performing bodily movements usually in
time with rhythm.

3. CHEERDANCE
Cheerdancing rooted from cheerleading
- performance of a routine, usually
dominated by gymnastic 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.

4. CHEERDANCE
Today, cheerdancing is identified as
one of the most spectacular events in
one of the biggest collegiate sports
events in the country, the UAAP
(University Athletic Association of
the Philippines).

5. History
Ivy league college sporting events.
Cheerleading/Cheerdance originated in USA. In the
1980s at Princeton University, Thomas Peebles
together with other students supported a local
American Football team w/ cheers.
On 2 November 1898, standing in front of a crowd of
sport fans, Johnny Campbell, a medical student,
started conducting the cheer on the spur of the
moment. He was so effective that the team won and
he made history as the first cheerleader.

6. History
It might hard to believe that the first cheerleading
was mainly performed by men. It was not until
World War II that women dominated this activity.
1923, at University of Minnesota, Women
participated.
Since then, nearly 90% of competitions have been
girls.
In the year 1951 after the war, National Cheerleaders
Association was established and the founder is
Laurence “Herkie” Hurkimer.
1965, Fred Gastoff invented the Vinyl pom-pom.

7. History
The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders soon gained the spotlight
with their revealing outfits and sophisticated dance moves,
debuting in the 1972-1973.
In 1970 they established cheerleaders as “American Leon of
Wholesome sex appeal.”
In 1980s is the beginning of modern cheerleading.
The Baltimore Colts cheerleading group, formed in 1960,
was the first professional team.

8. History
From the 1970s on, the popularity of cheerleading
continued to rise, and the female dancers acted as
supporters not only for American football or
basketball teams, but also swimming and track-and-
field competitors.
In the 1980s and the 1990s, cheerleading started
gaining popularity in various other countries, such as
Japan, Chile, The United Kingdom, Germany and in
Scandinavia. This discipline started to flourish in the
USA as well, as evidenced by the massive number of
competitions held nearly every weekend in many
American towns and cities.

9. ARMS/HAND MOVEMENTS
Beginning stance and cheer stance
“T” and half “T” positions
Clasp, clap, overhead clasp, low clasp
Touchdown, low touchdown
High “V” and low “V”
Tabletop and punch, etc.
“L” and diagonal positions

10. LEGS/FEET POSITIONS
Feet Together
Feet Apart
Dig (front and side)
Hitch, Liberty, and Scale
Lunge (front and side)
Knees and Hips position

11. ESSENTIALS OF CHEERDANCING

12. ESSENTIALS OF CHEERDANCING

14. CHEERDANCE BASICS (GYMNASTIC
SIDE)
JUMPS
Tuck
Star/spread eagle
Pike
Split
Hurdle Jump/Hurkie
Toe Touch Jump

15. CHEERDANCE BASICS (GYMNASTIC
SIDE)
Pyramids
Composition: Flyer Base Spotter
Levels: One-and-a-half high
Two-high
Two-and-a-half high

16. STEPS IN EXECUTING A PYRAMID
Setting up (Preparing to lift)
•Load (Actual lift)
•Hit (Striking for a final pause)
•Dismount (To move down by the
flyer)

17. CHEERDANCE BASICS (DANCE SIDE)
Hip Hop Basics Jazz/Classical Dance Basics:
• Bounce (Downrock) ● Tendu (point)
• Groove (Toprock) ● Pliē (knees slightly bent)
• Power moves: ● Grand Plie (full knees bent)
- Pump ● Relevē (heels raised)
- Lock ● Piquē (Raising a knee)
- Point ● Battement (Kicks)
- Curl ● Ball Change and Chassē
• Freezes ● Piroutte and Chainē (Turns)

20. CHEERDANCE BASICS (CHEER SIDE)
Cheering is the very essence of cheerdance
performances. To cheer is to make
someone or a team motivated and
encouraged. It boosts, salutes or acclaims
the morale of individuals and teams. In
cheerdance, cheering needs to be strong,
loud, and metered so that it will be
delivered in time with rhythm or the music
played.