Cheerleading

Cheerleading is a team activity that mixes dance moves, chants, jumps and sometimes acrobatic stunts into lively routines. It began in the United States as a way to cheer on sports teams, and today it's also a competitive sport in its own right. At its heart it's all about teamwork, energy and big smiles. Pom-poms are optional, but they do make everything better.

Sideline cheerleading is the classic kind, with chants and short routines that lift the crowd at games.

Competitive cheerleading is a sport of its own. Teams perform routines packed with jumps, tumbling and stunts, where team members are lifted into the air.

Dance cheer, sometimes called pom dance, focuses on sharp, perfectly timed dance moves, often with pom-poms, and leaves out the stunts.

Cheer arm movements are called motions, and they're sharp, straight and strong. The high V has both arms stretched up and out in a V shape, the low V points them down and the T holds them straight out to the sides. Jumps include the star jump and the toe touch, where the legs fly out to the sides. Put them together with a catchy chant, and you've got the start of a routine.

Your Activity Leader starts with a warm-up, then teaches the basic motions, a few simple jumps and a chant or two. Everyone then puts the moves together into a short routine with their own cheer team. The secret is to be loud, sharp and in time with each other. Stunts take a lot of training, so a first go usually sticks to motions, jumps, chants and plenty of teamwork.

Yes, it's a brilliant one for children and grown-ups to try together. It's great for building confidence, coordination and teamwork, and shouting a cheer at the top of your voice feels wonderful. Nobody needs dance experience, as the moves are simple and repeated until they stick. Children often love leading the chants, so grown-ups might want to warm up their voices too.

Clothes you can move in and trainers with good grip. Tie back long hair so it stays out of the way when you jump.

You might also like Afrobeats Dance, Street Dance and K-Pop Dance.

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