When comp season begins, it is hard to believe the amount of time, energy, and effort that is put into each and every routine to make it turn into the product that everyone sees at competition.
Not only does it tend to look amazing the first time it is performed, but each performance throughout the course of the season tends to get better and better as well.
Although the end results after months and months of hard work are truly a sight to see, each routine begins every Summer as athletes start to work out and begin to get stunt configurations, tumble passes, etc. together and work through a VERY IMPORTANT time period which is known as ‘Choreography’.
Choreography is the art of designing the sequence of moves and routines that each team will ultimately perform at competition. This includes a mix of stunts, tumbling, jumps, dance components, and transitions. Think of it like a dance routine but with more flips, lifts, and high-energy moves.
Choreography is very important in cheerleading competitions. Judges look at how well the team performs the routine, how creative it is, and how well the athletes work together. Good choreography can make a team stand out and earn higher scores.
A typical Elite Athlete All Star Cheer routine is about two and a half minutes long. In that short time, the team has to show off their skills, energy, and teamwork. The choreography needs to be exciting and smooth, with no mistakes. EVERY athlete has to know their part and do it perfectly.
Stunts are one of the most exciting parts of a cheer routine. These are the lifts and throws where cheerleaders are lifted into the air by their teammates. The choreography includes planning how to get into the stunt, hold it, and come down safely. It also includes making sure everyone is in the right place at the right time.
Tumbling is another key part of the choreography. This includes walkovers, handsprings, and a variety of other tumble skills. Tumbling passes are usually done by one or two athletes at a time, but sometimes the whole team will do tumbling skills together. The choreographer plans these passes to make sure they look impressive and fit well with the music.
Jumps are high-energy moves where the athletes jump into the air and kick their legs out in different directions. There are many types of jumps, such as toe touches and pikes. Choreography includes deciding when and where the jumps will happen in the routine.
Dance sections in a cheer routine are just like dance routines you might see in other types of performances. These sections are set to the music of the routine and include a number of synchronized movements. The dance part of the routine is a chance for the team to show their rhythm and style and really put a stamp on their performance as a whole.
Transitions are the moves that link all the different parts of the routine together. Good transitions are smooth and quick so that the routine flows nicely from one element to the next. They make sure that the routine doesn’t look choppy or disorganized.
Creating a cheer routine requires a lot of creativity and skill. Choreographers have to think about the strengths of each cheerleader and how to show those off. They also have to consider the rules and scoring system of the various competitions the program will be competing in. For example, some moves might earn more points than others, and there are rules about what is safe to perform (and avoid the dreaded ‘DEDUCTION’).
Good choreography makes the routine exciting and impressive, helping the team to earn high scores and WOW the audience, and though done at the very beginning of the season, is SUPER critical as it forms the foundation of every spectacular routine that hits the mat months after it is first designed!
