It’s not an easy job but we always find that it’s worth it in the end!
Cheerleading is, I like to think, a bit like dance’s younger, less expressive second-cousin-twice-removed. We’re in the same family but have very little in common at first glance and can often appear as though not remotely related at all. However, once all the basics are out of the way and you really start to put it all together, you really come to appreicate how all movement really does come from the same place. Dancers make excellent cheerleaders because they approach cheer as a discipline in it’s own right.
Today was of course the free open day at Danceworks and the London Rockets Coaching Team held a session that focused on the core body positions involved in cheerleading and taught a short routine to a group of dancers.
Without exception each participant was completely surprised by how strong you needed to be to cheer – a ballerina in particular said on the way out that she’d only taken part for fun but couldn’t believe what we’d got the class to do (unsurprisingly really as she went up in a ‘baby falls’!) nor how difficult it had been.
At the end of the class we had introduced at least 15 new dancers to the joys of cheerleading and if any of them are reading this now – we meant it, you all really could go on to be cheerleaders so well done!
The Coaching Team also took part in the fabulous Theatrical Jazz class and learnt a Hairspray routine. It was all so much fun – and coming from one cheerleader who just doesn’t ‘do’ dance that’s saying a lot. Other Rockets took the street dance class and salsa. Check out the Danceworks website for more info on all the classes.
This summer the coaching team are focusing on the key elements involved in cheer and will be teaching a cheerleading course at Danceworks on Fridays from 8pm.
Email beacheerleader@gmail.com for more information.
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