HOLLA'! Cheer and Dance Magazine - SUMMER 2020

TM

SUMMER 2020

EEEEE-YOOOP!

IS 100% CHEERLEADING

Period-T! Why COVID-19

DidBreakNot Our SPIRIT!

A look back celebrating YOUR greatness!

Image credit: Kyiera Williams

Celeb lebrating YOUR Black Exce xcellence

Stay connec nected by signing up for the FREE mont onthly newsletter

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Let Ourr Gir Girls Be Girls!

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We Are Stronger Str Than COVID-19

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HOLLA’!! On Point!

Check out ut this t issue’s blurb regarding g a viral video of a dance team’s inap appropriate dance performanc nce and the reaction of the spectato tators. It is not okay!

Four athlete etes share how despite the pandem emic and socialdistancing g protocols, p they are coping and nd staying encouraged.

Reflecting g on o a season interrupted d and moving forward from being g apart.

DaQuwa wan Mark Bayou Athletics | Geo Prep Academy Ch Cheerleading

By Dan Dan’ Ella Westlark Former Southern University and Lamar University ity cheer athlete DaQuwan Mark didn’t allow obtaining his degrees ees to keep him from cheerleading. Currently a coach at Bayo ayou Athletics in Baton Rouge, LA, he believes the sport is life life-changing for many athletes.

As an educator and cheer coach at Geo Prep p Academy, as well as due to the evolvement of the sport as h he’s witnessed, he believes an athlete’s best advantage is “th “the earlier the detection, the better the outcome.” Committed ed to his mantra of excellence within the sport, there is no delineat eation of critique or praise among the athletes he coaches. “I“I pinpoint and critique them as I would my junior level 4 competi etitive squad [at Bayou Athletics] and hold them all to the same e sstandards.” He does confess that with his older athletes, he hass tto allow some flexibility due to maturity growth. “I understand tha that I am more than just a cheer coach. I am a big brother,r, ccousin, uncle, friend, and whatever else is needed of me.”

PG 14

Similar to many coaches who are also profession ional educators, DaQuwan admits the advantages it has for hisis teams. “Each scholar may require different approaches. One may be a visual learner, social or verbal learner, all in which ich are different methods for the same outcome. Coaching is very similar.

Different tactics work for different athletes.” Tha That advantage has allowed him to become more observantt in his athletes, actions and the ability to identify their eir needs for learning/coaching.

As he acknowledged that cheer has flourished gre greatly since his time as a college cheer athlete, he is anxious for for the next step of the sport in the Olympics. “I cannot confer on the aspects that would need to be aligned to make this tran transition present but I’m certain it can be manifested. That would ld ttruly be epic.”

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Page 15 HOLLA’! 2020 Summer Issue | 1

Publisher Not otes Volumee 7 Edition 4 Publisher Founding Editor-in-Chief Business Manager Copy Editor Contributing Writers Contributing Photographers

Office and Editorial Staff General Graphics and Video Editing Public Relations Marketing and Advertising HOLLA’! Street Crew Website Developer and Host

INSIDE THE WORLD OF STOMP -NSHAKE

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HOLLA’! Cheer and Dance Mag agazine™ Deedra A. Morley-Artis Leroy T. Artis Maude Campbell Adia Boyd ▪ Irina Muñez ▪ Heat eather Sprivage ▪ Dan’Ella Westlark Action Moments ▪ Alphonso Ab Abbott Jr. ▪ Steven Gaither ▪ Garrett A. Garms ▪ JJerry Hughes ▪ Lisa Ringer ▪ Randy Singleton ▪ Andrew Walters ▪ Kevin Waters ▪ Kyiera William iams ▪ Kyle Okita ▪ 2C2K Photography Adia Boyd ▪ Heather Sprivage Kevin Boyd ▪ Raeheem Washin hington ▪ Fivvr.Com HOLLA’! General Staff Allyson Brinson ▪ Ashlin Price Network Solutions, Inc.

“You deserve the he celebration of YOU!” Deedra dra Morley-Artis HOLLA’! Cheer and an Dance Magazine™ Publisherr | Editor-in-Chief

SUBSCRI CRIBE TODAY!

Image courtesy sy oof Norma McDonald

On the Cover: Mia Coates of W Winston-Salem State University photographed by Ga Garrett A. Garms at the 2020 CIAA Basketball Tournamentt in Charlotte, NC.

Celebrating 7 years yea of celebrating YOU!

Pictured above: Winston-Salem State University and Virginia State University cheerleaders at the 1992 CIAA AA in Norfolk, VA.

Produced and Printed in the USA HOLLA’! Cheer and Dance Magazine™ www.HOLLACheerDanceMagazine.com m Letters to the Editor and Feedback editor@HOLLACheerDanceMagazine.com m PLEASE PROTECT THE PLANET AND RECYCLEE TH THIS ISSUE.

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HOLLA’! 2020 Summer Issue | 3

inside ISSN 2472-6494 Print | ISSN 2472-6508 Digit igital Volume 7 Edition ion 4

Being Creative tive COVID-19 did not stop th the celebration of YOU! Thanks ks tto technology and a dynami mic team of talented professionals ls w we made a way, many times out off nno way! Although we were scheduled to cover severa veral events to feature in this issue, the cheer and danc nce season came to halt. With the uncertainty of summe mer events, we safely came together with many in th the industry and great athletes to bring the celebration of a season interrupted to you. At the time of this prin ting ting, many planned events have been canceled do or postponed. Several events for the 2020-2021 seaso ason remain tentative while a few are certain. What is certa rtain is that no matter the current status, we will do ou r be best to safely continue to HOLLA’! the celebration of YO YOU! U ■

Celebrating the Class of 2020 020 We’re celebrating the cheer and dance athletes of the Class of 2020. Although most graduates will not be able to experience the euphoria of commencement, we hope our recognition of your black excellence will remind you that the reward of your educational achievements cannot be taken away by any means.

A special shout out to Ms. Ashlin Price, graduating cum um laude with a Master’s in Social Work from the University ity of Maryland Baltimore. ■

Bringing It Back April 10, 2021 After canceling the 2020 HOLLA’! Spirit Championshi p due to the COVID-19 national emergency, we are moving forward to prepare for the event to take place ce on Saturday, April 10, 2021, in the Washington, D.C./Baltimore, MD, metropolitan area. Check the HOLLA’! Spirit Championship™ and HOLLA’! Cheer and nd Dance Magazine™ social media feeds and websites for complete details. ■

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Contents Summer 2020 | Volume 7 Edition 4 “If you’re walking down the right path and you’ ou’re willing to keep on walking, eventually you’ll make ake progress.” – Barack Obama

HOLLA’! Hype 1

Celebrating YOUR Black Excellence: DaQuw uwan Mark of Bayou Athletics

5

Inside the HOLLA’!

6

HOLLA’! Black

8

Editor’s HOLLA’!

HOLLA’! 4 U! 10

HOLLA’ Fit: Back All In It

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Let’s Fix…Your Dance Turn Technique with Morgan M Cruise

HOLLA’! About U 12

COVID-19 Did Not Break Our Spirit

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Lil HOLLA’s | March–May 2020

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H’! featuring Holidai Frazier

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HOLLA’! Stars | March–May 2020

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HOLLA’! Cover Feature: Stomp-n-Shake Iss Cheerleading C

HOLLA’! Doing U 28

2020 Season Interrupted: Cheer and Dance nce Season Highlights

HOLLA’! On Point!

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The Lights Will Come On Again

HOLLA’! Cheer and Dance Magazine™, Volume 7, No 4 is a trademark of and published publ quarterly by HOLLA’! Cheer and Dance Magazine | PO Box 6358 ▪ Annapolis, MD 21401. Telephone (443) 225-5792. Pleas ase address all editorial and advertising mail to the relevant address listed at www.HOLLACheerDanceMagazine.com. HOLLA’! Cheer Che and Dance Magazine™ is not responsible for loss or damage of any unsolicited material. Any content in whole or part appea ppearing in HOLLA’! Cheer and Dance Magazine™ may not be reprinted without permission. All right ights reserved.

Copyright © 2020 by HOLLA’! Cheer and Dance nce Magazine™ For advertising information and rates, e-mail ads-production@HOLL OLLACheerDanceMagazine.com.

For subscriptions, contact subscriptions@HOLLACheerD erDanceMagazine.com.

All advertising is subject to approval before acceptance. HOLLA’! Cheer and Danc nce Magazine™, reserves the right to refuse any ad for any reason. Prior publication does not constitute any agreement for cont ontinued publication in any form. Advertisers certify that the descriptions of the products or services advertised are factuall in all respects and HOLLA’! Cheer and Dance Magazine™ assumes no liability for the content of the advertising, guarantees es made, or the quality and/or reliability of the products or services offered in such advertisements. Information provided by advertisers is provided on an “as is” basis without guarantees of any kind, either expressed or implied, including but not limited lim to the implied guarantees of the fitness and merchantability for a particular purpose. HOLLA’! Cheer and Dance Maga agazine™, expressly disclaims any and all responsibilities for any and all direct, indirect and consequential loss or damage, ge, included but not limited to loss or damage to property or for loss of profit business, revenue, goodwill or anticipated savings ings resulting or arising from the information contained in the advertisements appearing ng herein.

The instructions and advice presented are in no way intended as a substitute for or professional pr training and instructions. If you – the reader or any persons engage in any exercise program or activity presented d herein, you agree that you do so at your own risk, are voluntarily participating in these activities and assume all risk of injur njury to yourself. HOLLA’! Cheer and Dance Magazine™ disclaims any liabilities or loss in connection with the exercises and nd advice herein. Further the views expressed within this edition’s content are not solely endorsed by the editor or publisher her of this publication, its events or sponsors.

Further HOLLA’! Cheer and Dance Magazine™ and its affiliates will not be liable le for f any content errors within this publications or affiliated electronic and social media entities. ent HOLLA’! Cheer and Dance Magazine™ is available in print format via subscri cription through HOLLA’! Cheer and Dance Magazine™ and individual print sales through MagCloud | Blurb®. The publication ation is available digitally through Magzter.com and MagCloud.com. Complimentary digital issues are available to potentia ntial advertisers by contacting the office.

Background photo credit: Johnson C. Smith University Luv-A-Bull Cheerleader ders at the 2020 CIAA Basketball Tournament, Charlotte, NC. | Randy Singleton

HOLLA’! 2020 Summer Issue | 5

HOLLA’!bl black

l

Get in on This!

YOUR FEEDB ACK

If you are a gym ym owner or program director, chec eck out WhitakerTM. WhitakerTM provi ovides sports/businesshuman resource rces management to startup businesse sses and spirit industry clients within the United States. CEO Joyce Whitaker, r, an a expert in the cheer and dance aren na, emphasizes that the services offere fered are to help clients increase produ ductivity by providing comprehensive eo ongoing service and training to theirir c customers. For more informa rmation, visit www.PCBrand ndsSolutions.com.

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What a great cove over feature from this magazine! Thank you for being g a black business that shows the best in our young black men.

Ama manda Goings-Rohns | Los Angeles, CA

I disagreed dw with the HOLLA’! [On Point] marketing advisors in the article saying that black event producers ne need to stop complaining about their share of tthe market money. Black businesses continue to o st struggle at a different rate than white businesses b because of who controls the money.

The black eve events my daughter has competed at are very low quality and don’t have the professionalism they need. If these businesses had more money they’d have em more to work with to match the other producers.

K. Lyons | Lithonia, GA

This is NOT OK!

Image credit: Facebook

There is so much wrong with this video (pictured ed right), we at HOLLA’! did not know where to begin regarding comments. Our first reac action questioned where the parental guidance was to allow this in the concept pha phase of planning the performance choreography. In addition, with the coach resp sponding on social media (pictured bottom right), once again we have to ask, parents, nts, who are coaching your children?

A 2017 study from the Georgetown Law Cente nter on Poverty and Inequality titled, Girlhood Interrupted: The Erasure of Black G Girls’ Childhood, examined adult perceptions of black girls. The data’s summary reve revealed that adults view black girls as less innocent and more adult like than their white ite peers, especially in the age range of 5–14. Their data further revealed how that perc erception is infused in the educational and juvenile systems within the United States and g globally.

This perception dates back to slavery. Accordin ding to Dr. Jennifer Hallam’s document The Slave Experiment: Men Women and Gender: “Througho hout the period of slavery in America, white society believed black women to be innately lustful beings ings. Because the ideal white woman was pure and, in the nineteenth century, modest to the degree ree of prudishness, the perception of the African woman as hyper-sexual made her both the object ect of white man's abhorrence and his fantasy.”

To debate that this style of dance goes backk tto our roots from African is obtuse. The adults documenting the performance with their cell phon hones and the organizers of this event failed in th eir responsibility to these children as well. The perform formance was vastly inappropriate and this type of complicity must stop. Let our girls be girls. This is not OK! ■

Image credit: Canstockphoto edited

Blame COVID-19?

HOLLA’! at the Edit ditor This is YOUR magazine for YOUR UR voice. Join the celebration and connect!

Send in your letters to editor@HOLLACheerDanceMag agazine.com.

6 | HOLLA’! 2020 Summer Issue | HOLLACheerDanceMagazine.com

COVID-19 has allowed many in the cheer and dance realm to share their feelings for the sports.

Several posts have confessed that some athletes will not be returning to the spirit sports.

Instead they will participate in sports with an outdoor atmosphere such as soccer, tennis, or track. Is this a pattern due to the pandemic? To be continued. ■

The above ab pictorial image has been blurred to protect pro the identity of the minors performing. The social media communica nication image shown above has also been n redacted re for protection identity of the minors in the video.

2020 SUMMER ISSUE SUE NOTICE Due to the uncertainty of cheer an and dance businesses and events operations, the HOLLA’! Happenings Ha feature is not included in this his issue.

Editor’s

Take the celebration cele of

My SNS Experience!

YOU YO

Myy parents moved our family from West Phila hiladelphia and public schools after my first day ay in the fourth grade. I had attended private scho chool through the twelfth grade since that mov ove. I missed my West Philly friends and the blac lack neighborhood of energy and culture. I rem emember imitating some of the older girls and nd their stomp cheers. We moved to the Wes est Mt. Airy area of Philly and I went to an allgirl private middle and high school, which was pred redominantly white. I remember one of the black girls from my third-grade public school class ss llabeled me a BBB—Black Bougie (expletive) after we had moved. It happened when we were e vvisiting cousins in West Philly and we were playing around with the latest dance moves and sto stomp beats. It was an unofficial battle of which many said I won. The girl I beat awarded mee with that distinctive label.

HOLLA’!

Country Day School of the Sacred Heart (SHA) wass tthe name of the school I attended after moving to West Mt. Airy. You can perhaps see whe here I’m going culturally with the school’s name. When I became an upper school studentt as they had designated for high school, I tried out for the cheer team. We each had to perfo rform an original cheer and I chose a stomp cheer. I was precise and I could tumble. A white gi girl named Debbie also tried out. She was a “Queen Bee” who couldn’t catch a beat for any mo move, had no sense of body positioning, precision, or placement, nor could she tumble. She made the team. I did not. I knew, as the judges were the future cheer team captains and we were white, that something was off. I wanted to protest but my parents told me not to and I relu luctantly c obeyed. Debbie quit the team within a few months of the season. I had made the team m my second year. I became one of three black girls on n th the team.

VISIT VI US HOLLA OLLACheerDanceMagazine.com

While we were re sstuck on cheers like “S.U.C.C.E.S.S . – That’s the way we spe spell success,” I missed the flavor of the West and South Philly hilly cheers that had that stomp beat! When we would visit m my grandparents in Rockingham, NC, we would drive out of that still sleepy little town and I remember see eeing the HBCU and high school cheerleaders. TThey were like fire to me! Plus, I was mortified when en we had to cheer against the black girls from West Cath atholic High School for Girls from West Philly, who rocked it lik like nobody’s business. I would bring that style back to m my squad for new material. Only one girl was able to ca catch the beat as I had demonstrated. She was a white girl named Staci.

As Coach Vida ida Felder of Seventy First High School in Fayetteville, NC NC, explains in this issue, stomp-n-shake (SNS) cheer is an experience. The few cheers and chants nts we were able to inflect the stomp beat in, I loved the experience. There definitely was no shak hake, but if I could sneak in a little hip action or bounce, I did.

Compiling the research for this issue made me regr egret that I did not cheer as a student at Howard University. I loved watching the (real) HU Biso Bison cheerleaders at games when I was able to enjoy a rare break from my curriculum for archite hitecture. With every fact we uncovered, there was more that made us dig deeper. As we kept dig digging, the vast amount of knowledge and historical cultural relationships that birthed stomp-n--shake proved unending.

I know we have not included everyone or everything hing we discovered in this issue. There are a vast amount of opinions and recollections that I am am sure will challenge the oral histories and written accounts we included. We condensed boxe oxes of research, oral interviews, video footages, and archive images to hopefully let youu iin to the world of stomp-n-shake. COVID-19 forced us to get et creative, but we hope that we have truly bestowed the res respect and admiration of a cheer genre that deserves the spotlight.

To the many peo eople who helped us complete this issue, I extend my deep epest gratitude. Being able to share your great history, lega legacies, and traditions truly has been a wonderful experie erience. To our readers – Enjoy!

Deedra Morley-Artis Publisher | Editor-in-Chief

Chat with th Ms Ms. D 8 | HOLLA’! 2020 Summer Issue | HOLLACheerDanceMagazine.com

Tell Ms. D what cheer and dance issues are important to you in person! She will continue to be at various events once the COVID-19 pandemic has been contained.

FOLLOW FOL US

Special Feature Guest Shawn Zachery Founder of HBCU Auxiliary Dance ce Directors Association

Special Featu ture Guest Darien Michele and Emery Alexis is Gregory Co-Founders of Cheer Live ives Matter

FITNE TNESS Back All In It! After being sidelined, sid your

body needs to lift back up to fullll fitness fit effect!

3 tips to get your started Comp mpiled by HOLLA’! staff

■ Stretch S and Flex ■ This is an im important first step to give your blood circula ulation and joint mobility a jump start. Because e your yo body has perhaps settled in a sedate ate pattern, you must allow your body dy to adjust to anaerobic sports activity such as cheer and dance. Try a few beginner yoga ga flow exercises at 60-second intervals to prep your body.

■ Ease Eas in the Cardio ■ Don’t rush to run n th those tumbling passes just yet!

You have to build ild back up your cardiovascular strength to execute those ose skills safely and effectively. If you have cardio exercise equipment in yo your home such as a treadmill, stationary bike, or elliptical machines, es, use them once a day for 20 minutes. If you can safety take a brisk 20 20-minute walk, go for it to also invigorate your mind.

■ Build Back ack Your Strength ■ Being sidelined may have affected your pos osterior chain, which is needed for basic everyday movement. Easy no-gy gym strength-building exercises such as squats, hamstring curls, and abdo dominal exercises are great for awa wakening your core muscles. ■

Check Out |

www.ReganJa nJanell.com. Ms. Janell is a certified fitnes ess consultant and a co-owner of U-Fit Cheer er and Dance.

Always consult with your physician before starting any ny exercise, nutrition, or fitness regimen.

APPLY

Illustration credit: iStockPhoto, o, EEdited by HOLLA’! Cheer and Dance Magazine™

NOW

College Internships careers@HOLLACheerDanceMagazine.com

10 | HOLLA’! 2020 Summer Issue | HOLLACheerDanceMagazine.com om

Let’s Fix Yo Your

TURN

Technique Our 2018 Winter cove ver guest Morgan Cruise is bac ack to offer quick advice on impr proving your dance turn technique ue!

Compiled by Adia Boyd Vector image created from Kyle Okita Photogra graphy

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Core Strength

It's important to have strong core muscles and a sta stable supporting leg. Exercises such as planks, sit- up/crun runches, and twists crunches done properly can build core muscles. s. D Don’t forget cardio such as jogging for leg stability as well.

Catching Up! Since Morgan’s feature in the 2018 Winter issue, she has been selected as a brand ambassador for the 2020 Russian Pointe and Ballet in the City brand. As of this printing, she is also volunteering with her church to help with COVID-19 relief efforts. ■

●

Balance

In order to understan tand the correct positioning for a turn, urn, each dancer has to discover their metho thods of balancing. Once that is discovered, practice finding that hat balance effectively. Pay attention to your passé position regard arding balance and understand the correct position off yo your relevé to guide to proper technique.

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Makee it Quick

Dancers can improv rove their turns by first practicing having a quick spot, strong rel relevés, and getting to the proper alignment quickly. Th This is where a deep and technically correct plié will help. lp. ■

One resource to check out is the e RA RAFT strategy: Rectangle, Arch, Focus, Tightness that sho should be in place before each h tu turn.

| Check Out

Always consult with your physician before starting any exercis rcise, nutrition, or fitness or training regimen.

GET YOURS TODAY AY AT

DANCECLOCK CKS.COM HOLLA’! 2020 Summer Issue | 11

Image courtesy of Clay Morgan Photography

Image courtesy of Whitney Derry

Image courtesy of Johnathan Hughes

Johnathan Hughes

Nevaeh Drukira E. Derry

Serenity Janai Bagby

Iowa Central Community College Fort Dodge, Iowa

Cheer Militia All Stars Levittown, PA

Dynasty Spirit Elite Philadelphia, PA

COVID-19 became personal for Johnathan when it invaded his family and his team’s ambition for a championship performance at Nationals.

After a series of personal traumas, Nevaeh’s cheer coach introduced her to cheerleading as a way to focus beyond any challenges, even COVID-19.

This Th season was Serenity’s debut de as a flyer. She had also lso been cast as a dancer in two tw school spring shows.

Then T COVID-19 stopped everything.

As a member of the IC Cheer Team, Johnathan and his team formed a tight bond. Although nervous to be in the presence of many talented athletes, it pushed him to work harder. They were ready to conquer the mat and then everything stopped. “That really messed up my team's spirit.” However, for Johnathan it became personal as his grandfather became infected and that hit him hard.

As a true survivor of past personal wounds, the COVID-19 pandemic has a different meaning for Nevaeh. Her season was cut short before the pandemic hit due to a series of seizures. “I remember asking my mom, why me?”

“Ourr team te went to Cheersport and won a bid id to t The Summit. I feel lost because my m whole life is cheer and dance. I worked w so hard during my [school] audit ditions to be cast and I’m not sure if I’ll ’ll have h the opportunity to perform at those venues next year.”

His grandfather has now recovered and is healthy. As for cheer, “I will be able to cheer with my team again, which motivates me. COVID-19 taught me that at any moment your life could change instantly. So live in the moment now, and be grateful for the time given.” ■

12 | HOLLA’! 2020 Summer Issue | HOLLACheerDanceMagazine.com om

Although she is glad to participate in Zoom sessions with her teammates, Navaeh does have her low moments. It is during those moments where she engages in something she likes to do, which is draw and paint.

Turning her focus to her passion for cheer and art, Nevaeh knows there is more to life than the virus. ■ Read more how cheer helped Nevaeh triumph over her personal traumas in the upcoming 2020 Fall Issue.

Serenity describes herself as an optimist. She stays motivated by revamping her vision board, chal hallenging her teammates on social med edia, and putting a new strategy on her goals.

“Peo People say you don’t know what you have ave until it’s gone. Well, I know what I have now and I never want to be without my gym again.” ■

Image courtesy of Shanti Ross Holloway

Kenaday Holloway Raleigh Elite Diamonds Raleigh, NC

December 12-13, 2020 Orlando, FL January 18, 2021 Monaca, PA January 24, 2021 Wheeling, WV January 30 2021 Henrietta, NY February 7, 2021 Slippery Rock, PA

February 13, 2021 Niagara Falls, NY February 20, 2021 Philadelphia, PA February 27, 2021 Pittsburgh, PA March 6, 2021 Erie, PA

March 13, 2021 Orchard Park, NY March 21, 2021 Providence, RI April 10-11, 2021 New York City, NY April 17-18, 2021 Myrtle Beach, SC May 1-2, 2021 Virtual Finals

Voted Best All-Around Cheerleader by her coaches, Kenaday continues to be a leader that will uphold the stronger bonds formed from being apart.

“I am coping with this pandemic by trying to keep things as normal as possible and keeping a schedule.”

While admitting that she has bingewatched Netflix’s movies and shows, she is keeping up with her academics and maintaining her physical conditioning to be ready for the season.

“One insight I will take [from this] will be that I will work much harder and not take for granted any more opportunities and appreciate the things I have and the people I have around me. I think our bond will grow stronger for what we have been through and being away from each other for so long.” ■

Schedule update ates as dates and venues are finalized wiil be b posted on our website.

To register please contact Jen at: shoutch tcheerjen@gmail.com.

www. w.ShoutCheer.com 716-679-8890 716

HOLLA’! 2020 Summer Issue | 13

Taliyah Aubri Marshall

Savannah A. James

Xiar Simone Hallett

Broward Elite All-Stars Davie, FL Taliyah’s Taliyah’s favorite thing about cheer and dance: She loves flipping, dancing, and being competitive!

Brooklyn Royal Diamonds Brooklyn, NY When she grows up: Savannah wants to be a dancer!

Windsor Knights Elite Savannah, GA If she could not cheer: Xiar would do gymnastics because she loves to tumble.

Celebrating our cheer and dance athletes 6 years old and under!

Submit your athlete at bit.ly/LilHOLLA

Ryann Kay Taylor

Zuri Gabrielle Massey

Bianca Ivonne DeLeon

Taylor Made All-Stars Upper Marlboro, MD When she grows up: Ryann wants to be a doctor.

ZD Dance Academy Landover, MD If she could not dance: dance: Zuri would play baseball.

DMV Knights Cheerleading District Heights, MD Bianca’s favorite thing about cheer: cheer: She likes the pom-poms and having fun with her friends!

Tianna Rylee Johnson

Kayleigh A. Simmons

Leah Grace Carthens

Dance Savannah Savannah, GA For the upcoming competition season: Tianna is looking forward to meeting new people!

In10sity Elite All-Star Philadelphia, PA Kayleigh’s favorite thing about cheer: cheer: Competitions and putting on makeup!

Power Athletics All-Stars Forestville, MD When she grows up: Leah wants to be a hairdresser and own a beauty salon.

14 | HOLLA’! 2020 Summer Issue | HOLLACheerDanceMagazine.com

Check out the Lil HOLLA’!

FUN PAGE from the FREE monthly newsletter or from the website!

mee meet Ho Holidai Frazier zier Bunke unker Dance Center

▪ Las Vegas gas, NV

Q&A w with a talented athlete you ne need to know!

By Irina Muñ uñez | Photography from Frazier Personal Files Q. Tell us ab about how you became a dancer and why being a dan dancer is important to you.

When Holidai was the mini dancer in her first series of dance classes, she would follow the older dancers’ movements.

She was drawn to the energy she experienced from dancing. One of her favorite aspects about dance is learning new choreography.

Choreography allows her a way to explore and express new energy she shares with her fellow dancers and her audience. HOLLA’! caught up with Holidai for an exclusive H’!

Q&A. Questions and answers have been edited for clarity and spatial fit.

A. I started d dancing before my fifth birthday. I started taking one e SSaturday combo class a week. I was the mini in the class, ss, but when jazz would start, I would justt m move. When I made the competing team, I love ved being onstage and performing.

Dancing is iimportant to me because I feel good when I am md dancing.

Q. You were ere featured in many popular performanc nces. Tell our readers what that is like for you and how you manage the attention to your success. ne thing I always do is have fun. I’m A. The one usually danc ancing with friends so having fun is pretty easy. sy. My mom and dad are always by my side, rem reminding me that what I have is a gift. It can nb be taken from me if I abuse it.

Q. How do o yyou handle school, dance, and time with yo your family and friends? What other activities are you involved with?

A. My danc nce life is pretty crazy, especially during comp mpetition season. I have practice five days a week. My school is my second-favorite place to be, after the dance studio. I am also a st straight-A student. My schedule does not allow for extra playtime, so having friends at school and the dance studio is very importantt to me. My family is very close and I have two older brothers who put up with my silliness. I like to draw and read. I like to make things for pe people like bracelets as a way of saying thank you for being you. u. IIt makes people smile and feel good.

Q. If you we were not a dancer, what would be your alternate athletic choice and nd why?

A. If I wasn’t sn’t a dancer, I would be a gymnast. I love tumbling and being physic ysical. I’m also a big fan of Simone Biles. She’s always smiling and nd happy.

Q. Tell us wh what you want to do when you get older?

A. I wantt to be a dance and gymnastics teacher. My studio would be “T “The Joy of Dance” for students who love to move. ■ ■

Washing ington D.C./Baltimore Area VVisit bit.ly/HOLLASpirit for complete details

HOLLA’! 2020 Summer Issue | 15

HOLLA’! Stars Celebrating YOU as cheer and dance champions!

March 2020 Zaniyah Mosley is completing her freshman year in high school. Cheering since the age of four, she has been a level three cheer athlete with Ultimate Thunder All-Stars.

Zaniyah was also an athlete on her school’s varsity cheerleading team. Also a 4.0 GPA honor roll student, she is planning on a successful nursing career after college.

Zaniyah is known as a stellar athlete who continues to push herself every day towards her athlete and scholastic goals. Off the mat, she is a Netflix movie fan and enjoys decorating tumbler cups! ■

Zaniyah Mosley Ultimate Thunder All-Stars – Tampa, FL Image credit: Lisa Ringer Photography

April 2020 Sixteen-year-old, Mahogany Mobley is part of the resilient Class of 2020 of Lovejoy High School in Hampton, GA. A cheer athlete since the age of five, she shared her passion for the sport of cheer as indescribable. Mahogany credits cheerleading as a major part of her development into a young adult. “It has had ups and downs as with anything in life but through it all I remained grounded.”

Mahogany has always been athletic in other sports as well. A track and field athlete since middle school, her biggest accomplishment is being able to graduate early with the Class of 2020 as an honor student.

She maintains her positive spirit and encouragement with an important motivational quote: “I do because I can, I can because I want to, I want to because You said I couldn’t!”■

Mahogany Jade Mobley Georgia Heat All-Star Cheer Co. – Newnan, GA 16 | HOLLA’! 2020 Summer Issue | HOLLACheerDanceMagazine.com

Image credit: Keshia Gilliam

May 2020 Nine-year-old Aubriyana Skye Moore is an athlete that stays busy. A cheer and dance athlete with CMS Elite All-Stars based in Pennsylvania, Aubriyana has been a cheer athlete since the age of five.

Known for giving performance sass on the mat, she represents several industry brands and is one of their strongest role models.

Aubriyana is the current title holder for Pennsylvania’s Perfect Cheerleader and is scheduled to compete at the “World’s Perfect Athlete” competition in June.

When not giving pure performance gold on the mat, Aubriyana is active in her school’s Service Dog Club and the Fitness Club. She also volunteers helping senior citizens and the homeless. ■

Aubriyana Skye Moore CMS Elite All-Star | Coatesville, PA Image credit: Alicia Milbourne

There’s always

that shine the brightest.

Nominate your star at bit.ly/HOLLAStar HOLLA’! 2020 Summer Issue | 17 17

HOLLA’!

Cover Feature

Stomp-n- Shake

By Adia Boyd, Deedra Morley-Artis, Irina Muñez, Heather Sprivage, and Dan’Ella Westlark Special Image Photography by Alphonso Abbott Jr., Steven Gaither, Garrett A. Garms, A. Duane Jones, and Randy Singleton

Stomp-n-shake cheer is real cheerleading. Seventy First High School’s head cheerleading coach Vida Felder defends that statement to the core definition of cheerleading. “The basic definition is a sport involving the performance of organized cheering, chanting, and dancing in support of a sports team at games. It doesn’t say anything about how that must look. As long as a team is cheering on their team, getting their crowd involved, providing overall entertainment, and does so in a manner that is pleasing to their crowd, then they have met the definition of cheerleading.”

As those in the stomp-n-shake realm continually have to defend their existence as part of the spirit sports industry, one compelling aspect typically surrounds the questions of who started it, when did it start, and who is best at it. What is known based on genre and style research, stomp-n-shake has influences from the vast archives of African American and African culture and history. Often erroneously defined as urban and negatively as ghetto because “it’s a black thing,” it continues to be discounted. With the in crease of black participation in all-star or competitive cheerleading, it has become compelling to observe the complicity of some African Americans and international black audiences aligning with the negative descriptions for stomp-n-shake.

Yet what is revealing, whether you are observing the naysayers or observing the athletes who perform with precision, energy, and finesse, one is either silen ced in awe or engaged by the infectious energy.

Stomp-n-shake cheer also has power. It can stir uninhibited passion to imitate and admire. Its passion can lead to unofficial opinion battles as to who “really” won at the annual CIAA* Super Saturday Cheerleading Exhibition. It can stir the passion for spectators to come from the audience at a competition to hit the floor and perform their own version of a time-out pick-up dance moment. That passion will lead to chatter as a team enters the venue with their customary walk or stroll. It is not foreign at a stomp-n-shake competition to see the judges come from behind their panels and perform an impromptu snippet demonstrating the criteria of precision, synchronization, and energy they are tasked with critiquing. When you put all the teams together on the floor, whether waiting for awards, or just taking a break, sitting pretty is not an option. You must get up because the feeling is electrifying and unexplainable!

Stomp-n-shake cheer is something you cannot just explain.

It’s an experience you have to just feel to understand.

18 | HOLLA’! 2020 Summer Issue | HOLLACheerDanceMagazine.com

Image credit: Alphonso Abbott Jr.

Behind the Research: 4 Teams As there are many excellent stomp-n-shake cheer teams who deserve the spotlight, we focused on four teams from the regions of stomp-n-shake origins. The cheer teams from Winston-Salem State University and Virginia State University and their core histories with stomp-nshake cheer icons Debra Rivers-Johnson and Dr. Paulette Walker Johnson respectfully proved a valuable and necessary asset to historical accuracy. Seventy First High School’s cheer program based out of Fayetteville, NC, possessed historical origins that influenced stomp-nshake onto the HBCU campuses. The founders and coaches of Crown Athletix, LLC located in Richmond, VA, started their competitive teams based off their careers as award-winning coaches for one of the top stomp-nshake scholastic cheer teams in the nation.

One will find that among the four teams profiled, there is a generational evolution that proves to be revealing.

While the current generation embraces the expansion of the genre, Debra Rivers-Johnson expressed the concern of many if the credit for the genre will remain with its black origins historically and monetarily. ■ *CIAA: Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association

African customs have long been proven to have ea an influence on black American customs. As music and rhy rhythms in African societies had many purposes, its purpose for comm mmunication and sur survival of captive Afric fricans during the We Brought It from the transatlan tlantic slave trade and traffi afficking was vital.

Motherland The use of hands and feet repla placed the drumbe beats when white captors discovered the communication strategies ies of their captive cargo. Despite the restraint, enslaved Africans ns preserved their cultural rhythms and customs. Those evoked rhy rhythms were and continue to be constant, energizing, and captivati vating as inflected in the worldwide black cultures of dance, and the eb black American culture of step and stomp p-n-shake cheer.

Black diaspora beyond the slave trade into the Un United States has hindered pinpointing certain origins. Stomp-n-shak hake cheer is one of those genres that leave many questions about out its core origins.

The cheer genre originated from “stomp” as “shak hake” came later.

Questions remain if gumboot dance had its influ influence as it has with step and black Greek step or if it derived from black folklore rhythmic poetry or song. What is known is that as far back as the mid-1930s, although embracing their white coun ounterparts’ cheer style typically designated as “traditional,” blac lack cheer teams inflected their own flav flavor into the mix.

Images from segregated high school cheerleaders ers as far back as the late 1930s displayed an alternate demea eanor in style and imagery. The collection of origins for the stomp p-n-shake cheer genre is fractured among the black communiti nities of its roots in

North Carolina and Southern Virginia that were ere not in settings defined as urban. However, in urban communitie ities of color such as in New York City, Philadelphia, and Baltimore ore, stomp beats were prevalent. African American-inspired child hildren’s games of their style of “patty cakes” or even the adult affe ffection basing of “playing the dozens,” could garner credit for the e fo foot stomps and verbiage of the chants of the sideline cheers. A c clear reference could be the popular 1970s black power chant, nt, “Um, Ungawa, Ungawa black powa!” In many black commun unities, this chant

was often combined with rhythmic ic sstomps and evolved into game-day chants with or without ce censured revisions.

Two of the prominent coaches off th the expansion of stomp-n-shake cheer in the Carolina and Southern rn Virginia areas, Coach RiversJohnson and Dr. Walker Johnson recollected rec how it was the cheer athletes who were responsible forr th the content and contribution of the stomp-n-shake style. That style ew was a direct inheritance to the athletes from their communities and nd pre-collegiate schools from a myriad of social and cultural influe fluences, which continues today.

It is also made clear that stomp-n-sh shake was created purposefully to be different from the white perce rceived version of cheer. That intentional content and style could ld p perhaps be contributed to the social atmosphere and unapologet getic feelings of those who created the words, beats, and mov ovements of stomp-n-shake. This is evident with the seasoned stomp-n-shake cheer athletes’ overall demeanor during their entrances, s, overall o performance, and exits.

Although most of the core stomp-n -shake teams remain faithful to the commitment to maintain origina inality, technology has spurned imitators. As Winston-Salem State University Un cheer alumni Norma McDonald shared, “I can tell whatt cheer c came from where,” therefore confirming the diaspora o of stomp-n-shake itself.

What is also perplexing is to why it is designated “ghetto” or not real cheerleading from some black ck observers. Many European blacks who view stomp-n-shake only through the portals of social media and video express being ent enthralled and confused. While some African Americans maintain in th the attitude that if the style is not reflective of “white” traditionall ch cheer style, it is just dance or something else that is not cheer. Ho However, prominent non blackowned event producers do see adv dvantages of catering to the

expanding market of stomp-n-shake ake cheer currently dominated by athletes and coaches of color. r. Therefore T divisions at mainstream cheer competitions have ha been created to cater to the stomp-n-shake demographic.. What W these event producers have not done is properly educate te and train their judges regarding the genre. This adds to th the concerns many have as expressed by Coach Rivers-Johnson son as to expansion of the genre outside of its root community. Perr th the editor-in-chief of HOLLA’!

Cheer and Dance Magazine™, “You “Yo can’t just judge stomp-nshake without understanding the de depth of what it wholly is.”

What is not debatable is the existenc ence of the expansive depth of the core roots of stomp-n-shake. What Wh remains questionable, along with many interviewed for this feature, is if we again are sharing too much of our culture, allowing allo for exposure to appropriation and sacrificing the credit for stomp-n-shake in distant future references. ► Image credit: Alphonso Abbott Jr.

Dig Deeper: Say What?

The deep voice label lab is a misconception. According Ac to U-Fit Cheer and Dance, Da Inc., co-founder Regan an-Janell Hales (pictured), “Stomp-n-shake cheer ch vocals are taught to not cheer with a traditio ditional high-pitch voice or singing but utilizing ing your diaphragm and breathing techniqu iques to execute the cheer or chant. Naturally,, be because everyone’s voice pitch and range is differe ferent, when chanting/cheering as a team it can n so sound deeper than what is traditionally expect ected.”

HOLLA’! 2020 Summer Issue | 19

HOLL LLA’!

St Stomp-n- Shake

Ret etrospective

As there are no oa archival records as to who founded stomp-n-shake o or the exact pinpoint location of where stomp-n--shake originated, historical records and oral histories ries confirm the location demographics and the sociall e economic influences. For many black Americans ans, particularly among the upper-income black Am Americans, and the white population, the he style was defined as “ghetto,” also due to negativ ative socioeconomic theories. Started rted as stomp cheers, stomp-n-shake style street pro prose and rhythms were popular among ng children as play games before their entrance int into the college and scholastic cheer eer arena. There is also debate that stomp-n-shake ke was influenced by the Greek sings and nd then step patterns of the black Greek organizatio ations. While some believe the reverse is ac accurate, stomp-n-shake does have a strong relatio lationship with black culture.

The time line includes four parts as follow llows: American history and mainstream cheer histo istory, black historical moments, and black cheer histo istory.

|Time Line

Dig Deeper: Dee The Games Black Girls G Play: Learning the Ropes from m Double Dutch to o Hip-Hop. H See promo code to order on page 26.

Book cover image courtesy of NYU Press

Pictured: WSSU Cheerleading 1971 cour ourtesy of the Winston-Salem State Universit ersity Archives – C.G. O’Kelly Library

Debra Rivers-J Johnson As the first black cheerleade ader at Hendersonville High School in Henders ersonville, NC, Coach Rivers-Johnson recollected ted having to make a choice based on her love of the sport. “Allll of the black students decided to stage a walkout (not not sure what we were protesting). At that time, I was a senior and the e captain of the cheerleading squad.

While I totally agreed with the protest, I knew if I join joined in I would be removed from the squad. I decided to leave class but not join the eg group in the cafeteria and several of my friends stayed outside with me.” Coach Rive Rivers-Johnson became captain of her high school cheer team dur during the 1971-1972 academic year.

While her sister Rosalyn who was a student at W WSSU, Coach Rivers-Johnson shared her reaction watching the WSSU cheerleaders ers. “It was like nothing I remembered.

During that time, one of the major things gs HBCUs did was sing. Of course they cheered, but the thing for me was hearing hund undreds of black people cheering and singing songs like ‘Over My Head I See Trouble le in the Air’ and rolling chants like ‘This is Section #1...’ It was during a basketball all g game in the old Whitaker Gym that I decided I had to go to WSSU and I had to c cheer there! Just being around that many black people was invigorating. I ma made the squad my freshman year in 1972.” ■ Head Cheerleading Coach (1982-2 2000) | Winston-Salem State University (WSSU)

Pictured: WSSU Cheerleading 1946 19 courtesy of the WinstonSalem State University Univ Archives – C.G. O’Kelly Library

A Look Blac ack:

1939 193

Before the Shaw University cheerleaders became known as the Chi-Chis and Chicos, pictured is a spotlight on their history as an HBCU cheer team located in Raleigh, NC, in 1 1939. With the start of World War II, wom omen became prominent as cheerleaders while hile men served in the armed forces. ■ Pictured: Shaw University rsity Cheerleaders 1939 courtesy of University Archiv chives, James Cheek Library, Shaw University

20 | HOLLA’! 2020 Summer Issue | HOLLACheerDanceMagazine.com om

Dr. Paulette te Walker Johnson A Look Black: 1946 1943 (below) Virginia State University Cheerleaders and 1946 (above) Highland Springs High School Cheerleaders. Images courtesy of Virginia State University Special Collections and Archives.

There certainly was no vision ion for stomp-nshake cheer at the segregat gated Highland Springs High School cheerr te team of 1946 in Virginia. Highland Springs Hig High School became desegregated in 1959. The e Highland Springs High School ool cheer team has won th the Powerhouse Spirit Nation ional Stomp-N-Shake Cheer er and Dance Champ mpionships for four consec secutive years. ■

© HOLL LLA’! Archives: Highland Springs High School Cheer 2016 Image credit: Randy Singleton. Below: Yale photo courtesy of Yale Banner Publications.

Petersburg is home e ffor Dr. Paulette Walker Johnson and home forr the th Virginia State University (VSU) cheerleaders. Dr. r. Walker W Johnson returned home as the head coach in 1975 bringing her experience as a Morgan State tate University (MSU) cheerleader.

Coming from an area in the early 1970s where stomp (no shake) cheer was starting to ex expand, Dr. Walker Johnson was cheering a style at MSU SU that leaned toward the more “traditional”” sideline sid genre of college cheer.

As an educated and trained phys hysical education major, upon the beginning of her coaching ten tenure at VSU, she insisted upon being organized and unique. Alth Although at one time she taught gymnastics, she would not require uire it for her team because she knew everyone that tried out would not have tumbling skills.

“I just got the cheerleaders together and they did what they knew how to do,” she shared. ■

1975 19 Virginia State University Cheerleaders.

Ch Image courtesy of Virginia Vi State University Special Collections Co and Archives.

Color Struck Clapback

A Florida newspaper, The St. Petersburg Independent, had reported that the National Intercollegiate Athletic Association’s (NAIA) would not be played again due to the integration of Negro football players and cheerleaders.

Hillsdale College cheerleader Averett Moon was the target of racist criticism and was “the last straw.” ■

A Look Black: 1957

Coach Riv Rivers–Johnson became WSSU’s cheer coach after the retire tirement of former cheer coach Vivienne Conley. It was suggested ed by some that Coach Rivers-Johnson roster the team with “light-skinn kinned, pretty girls with long hair.” “I was pretty amazed at that. I h had always had to work so hard at what I thought was perfecting m my skills as a cheerleader and I really thought that was what ma mattered. I thought about how hard it was to make the squad in n hi high school and how I had to be so much better than the white ite girls just to get a chance, and how it seemed that it wasn't alwa lways about how good you were. And now I heard this thought proce ocess actually spoken.” Coach Rivers-Johnson rejected the colorism m ssuggestions. “Cheering was just like any other sport. It was about skills.”

“Of course,, wh while I was coaching every now and then I would get com comments about the skin color of my squads (i.e., they were ere light-skinned), but that was really never the case. If yo you check then and even now, you will see an array of co color tones on the squads. I remember at one game I g got a comment that I was an equal opportunity em employer; I would hire the fat, the [dark, and unlovely] ly]. That was disheartening because I thought all my girls (and guys) were attractive but I realized some me might see things differently.” ■

A Look Black: 1928 “On the field we have our cheerleaders jumping up, yelling screaming and even begging for a yell, but all in vain. The only reward they receive are sore throats. No one seems to notice them. No one seems to care. No one is interested.” ■ Edward A. Perpall Jr., ‘38 Students’ Forum Image Im The courtesyHilltop of The PurdueNewspaper Exponent Howard University 1928

WSSU 1983 courtesy of the Winston-Salem State University Archives – C.G. O’Kelly Library

HOLLA’! 2020 Summer Issue | 21 21

A Look Black: 1969 69 “If you wanted to be a Fauquier High School (VA) cheerleader, you had to be white. I remember Francis ‘Doola’ Washington and Garland Walker approaching me in the hallway one day to inform me that there was going to be a sit-in in the school lobby to protest that there were no blacks on the cheer squad. At the time I paid little attention to it, from my perspective who would want to be on that team? Why would anyone want to join that stiff bunch that was my question. We were used to seeing some hip action at Taylor, some bumping and grinding, like with those Washington girls from uptown, ‘Chill’, ‘Tooda,” and ‘Doola.’” ■ Growing Up Colored: Nothing to Cheer About

by S.P. Brown | September 2, 2013

Dig Deeper: To learn more about life in rural Virginia in the '50s, '60s, and '70s and its relationship to Virginia stomp-n-shake, visit GrowingUpColored.com.

Who Said S Woo Woos?

“They had not seen it befor fore. Once they saw it, no one said we couldn’ ldn’t do it!” Dr. Walker Johnson’s recollection of the Woo Wo Woos appearance at a game at Georgetown [Universit rsity] gives you the basis for the famous name Woo oW Woos. As the full origins of the famous nickname e re remains guarded, she credits former VSU president, Wesle esley Cornelius McClure, Ph.D., as describing the team’s m’s unbeatable high energetic signature as “Woo!” That at vocal emphasis was carried throughout the VSU co community at pep rallies and among local sportscasters.

VSU’s Upstomp!

Most of the HBCU CIAA cheer teams had their own distinctive style of stomp-n-shake. Each team respected that originality and knew not to copy. The VSU Woo Woos are known for their unique upstomp with a bounce and added movement on the floor. ■

Staying true to the voca cal definition of their signature name, it did not take long ong for international audiences to embrace the “Woo Woo” as well. Sponsored by the RuJohn Foundation,, Dr. Dr Walker Johnson and Parish Haynes Talley traveled to Jamaica in 2007 and 2008 to lead a weeklong ng cheer camp. As there were logistical restraints thatt could co not accommodate the entire cheer team to trav travel to the country, Dr. Walker Johnson and Haynes Talley lley were able to share with the camp participants som ome of the Woo Woos’ style. ■ Pictured: Dr. Walker Johnson and Parish Haynes Talley in Jamaica courtesy of Dr. Paulette Walker Johnson.

Pictured above VSU at the 2016 CIAA Cheerleading Exhibition by Randy Singleton.

Pictured left VSU 1980 courtesy of Virginia State University Special Collections and Archives.

Pictured: WSSU Cheerleading captain Lisa Stewart 198586 courtesy of the WinstonSalem State University Archives – C.G. O’Kelly Library

A Look Black: Cheer Phi at WSSU

They Got t the Look!

Discipline was the key to the cheer legacy thatt rem remains in place for the WSSU cheerleading program. According to form rmer cheer athletes, Coach Rivers-Johnson “was complete.” It could uld also be said that Coach Rivers-Johnson was observant and strategi egic in solidifying the team’s reputation in every aspect. Reflecting and nd drawing from her admiration of North Carolina A&T University’s chee eer squad when she was a WSSU cheer athlete, tenacity of the total al p package was key.

Although looks and hair were not a priority for Coac oach Rivers-Johnson, she did have some requirements. “The only requi quirement I ever had was you had to have a cut and when your hair fell (as it certainly would), you had to look decent. In the ‘80s, ‘90ss a and into the 2000s, WSSU was the hardest-working squad in the eC CIAA. We cheered nonstop, rain, shine, cold, and hot. One of the ep perks of success is that everyone wanted to be a part of it. More gi girls tried out for the squad. A lot of them had that ‘look’ that has been een referred to but a lot of them didn't. At that point, you choose from rom who tried out.” It was the cheerleaders of the team who added the styling perfection that the team am is recognized for.

Among the many traditions distinct to WSSU’s che heer stomp-n-shake style was the addition of the squeal added byy c cheer captain Lisa Stewart. With the collected added elements from th the cheer athletes, their style remains one of the dominant appealss of HBCU cheer. ■ Pictured: WSSU Cheerleading 1991-1992 (upper right) Co Courtesy of the Noma McDonald

“It was a collective idea from us just playing around,” according to WSSU cheer alumni, Chundra Young-Waters and Norma McDonald. Cheer Phi was as the t creation of the 1992 WSSU varsity team with members (pictured) combining c the letters “C” and “V” into a hand symbol. “There was neverr a pledge and we did not require anybody to pledge,” according to McD cDonald. Yet, per Coach RiversJohnson, “As most of the squads will tell you, I didn't have anything to do with it and didn't even encourage it. I'm old school and a Zeta [Phi Beta], so my thought was if you wanted to be a part of ‘Phi’ anything you should pledge. The squads took hold of it and nd it has become part of who we are today.”

Young-Waters became the first WSSU ch cheer alumni president and established the tradition for alumni che heerleaders. As word of mouth and social media information spread throug oughout the years, many of WSSU’s cheer styles and origins were duplicate ted, including their Cheer Phi. “Each name [of several CIAA cheer teams]] is their own, Cheer Phi Smoov, ChiChis, etc.” They share that there was an unofficial pact among all the teams not to use each other’s style orr trtraditions. ■

A Look Black: ck: 1968 During the racial unrest and civil rights ts p protest period of 1968, Pam King was one of two first bla black cheerleaders at Purdue University. Regarded as a much-criticized mu instigator of the Black Student Action gr group demonstration, King quit the team after being criticized ized for her Black Power salute in her cheer uniform at games. s. ■ Courtesy of the Purdue University Archives and Special Col ollections - The Exponent

22| HOLLA’! 2020 Summer Issue | HOLLACheerDanceMagazine.comm

A Look Black: In the ‘90s!

“It happened when I was the cheer coach at James Madison University between 1993 to 1998. We had a game against Morgan State and I told my kids that Morgan had a different style of cheer; that they did traditional and stomp-n-shake. When Morgan performed a stomp-n-shake cheer during a time-out, my kids were in awe.

But their faces got cracked when they saw that Morgan could throw those backhandspring back tucks! They enjoyed watching them and it was a great learning experience for them.” ■ –Ricky Hill, Former Head Cheerleading Coach James Madison University. Current Head Coach at Loyola University in New Orleans.

C CIAA Cheerleading W WSSU Coach Rivers-Johnson credits Dr. Walker Johnson and LLuann Edmonds-Harris of North Carolina Central University (N (NCCU) for the concept. According to Dr. Walker Johnson, sseven CIAA HBCU teams competed at the original c competition. VSU won the competition event to the reception o of negative opinions that their win was not official because o only seven teams competed.

TThe next CIAA Cheerleading competition event, sponsored by Duke Du and Raveen Hair PProducts in Norfolk, VA, had all the CIAA cheer teams in the comp mpetition. VSU won the $300 fifirst-place prize. Dr. Walker Johnson recalled it was the year in whi which VSU’s men and women’s b basketball team also won the CIAA Basketball Tournament. As VSU rewarded their athletes, in including the cheerleaders, with jackets, public animosity grew.

EExhausted from the negative outcry, Dr. Walker Johnson suggeste sted the event become an e exhibition. The format would make it fair to teams who did not have ha coaches and it would h help with forming regulations for the cheer teams. To date, the CIAA C Cheerleading Exhibition is one of the most popular stomp-n-shake events in the country ry a and at the CIAA Basketball TTournament week in its Super Saturday format. Fans and spectato tators continue to choose their p preferred champions of the event. ■

A Look Black: Transformation T

Cheerleading style has transforme rmed tremendously from its start and the stomp-n-shake team eams are no exception, as displayed from the North C Carolina Central University cheerleaders (pictured) 1947,, 19 1988 (JV team), and 2016 (MEAC Cheer eerleading Competition). ■ Images courtesy of North Carolina Central University Archives / James E. Shepard Memorial Library

Image credit: Randy Singleton

Pictured left: 2018 CIA CIAA Basketball Tournament.

Image credit: Garrett rett Gams

Pictured: SSU at CHEERSPORT Nationals 2017.

Image credit: A. Duane Jones

A Look k Black: B The Shake The “shake” o of stomp-n-shake, according to Coach Riv Rivers-Johnson, “came in later and was really ally perfected by the squad in the late 1990s.

0s.” The idea of the shake was to ‘pop the skirt.’ The concept evolved into variationss ssuch as the ‘jiggle pop,’ and ‘double shake.’ ■

Dig Deeper: Cheer Phi Beyond WSSU In 1985, Grambling State University Cheer in Louisiana had formed their chapter of Cheer Phi know as Cheer Phi Leader. According to Coach Terry Lilly, the purpose of Cheer Phi Leader was to help with cheerleading skill development, solidify team unity, and promote camaraderie among the student body. During the early years of Cheer Phi Leader, pledging was required but was deemed illegal among many institutions. As many HBCUs adopted their own chapters, Cheer Phi expanded beyond both traditional and stomp-n-shake cheer teams nationally. ■

Image courtesy of Grambling State University Cheerleaders

ROCK! WSSU cheerleaders were never strictly stomp-n-shake.

Coach Rivers-Johnson share red how the team incorporated stunting and tumbling. “The e ssquads from the 1980s were very much into technique.. [M [Many of the NC -area schools] still had their roots in the blac lack style of cheering. Those were the influencers for the double ble stomp and the upstomp.”

When WSSU took that style to Clark Atlanta University for a tournament, “they had neve ver seen anyone cheer like we did. At first there were comm mments like we were just some Southern small school ‘bamm mmas.’ Then the more we cheered, the more engaged ged they became. One of the team called ‘ROCK,’ and at the end there is a skirt pop and a look which we held for em mphasis. After that, the guys went crazy. They came out ut of the stands yelling and whooping and made such h a mess they had to call a timeout to get them back in their eir seats. They later tried to follow us back to the hotel.” ■ Pictured above: WSSU Cheer at 2020 CIAA Chee heerleading Exhibition. Image credit: Randy Singleton

HOLLA’! 2020 Summer Issue | 23

A Look Black:

Adrian L. Taylor

Themed Routines

VSU Head Cheerleadin ading Coach

Woo Woo cheer alumni Adr Adrian L. Taylor returned to Virginia State Univ niversity as the head cheerleading coach with ith over twenty years, experience as a cheer and dan dance coach.

Originally from Dothan, AL, while a studen ent at VSU she was a member of the Lady Trojans Volle olleyball team before her tenure as a VSU cheerleader.r. A Additionally, she started the student organization Aboo boogie Dance Troupe, which she formed into the Aboo boogie Dance Studio after ter graduating.

Although Coach Taylor was unava vailable to be interviewed for this feature, she continues to om maintain the international legacy of the Woo Woos. Her co contribution to stom stomp-n-shake chee heer has been immensely va valuable to its po popularity and e expansion. ■ VSU ima mages credit: Randy Singleto eton. Adrian L Taylor image ec courtesy of Adrian n LL. Taylor.

Dr. Walker John hnson shared that the reason the cheer routines es at the CIAA Super Saturday Cheerleading Exhibition Ex are themed was to “equalize the routines.” ro Because the event is an exhibition, exh the premise was to showcase their heir base talent. Therefore, if a team did not have the strength for skills such ha as stunting, they are allowed five minutes tes to showcase their talent. ■

Woo Nation Love The city of Petersburg, VA continues to embrace the Woo Woos as the pride of their city. The cheer team and alumni members continue to be active wit within the school, surrounding communities, and nationally. Dr.. Walker Wa Johnson retired as the Woo Woos coach in 2010 after 35 years. From Fro her time starting as the head cheer coach at the age of 22, Dr. Walker lker Johnson was enshrined in the VSU Wall of Fame in 2003 and the CIAA Hall all of Fame in 2011. ■

Dig Deeper:

Continuing the Legacy

A Look ook Black: Protégé

Roger Johnson (pictured left) was on the first cheer team that Coach Rivers-Johnson coached at WSSU. An alumni from Ben L. Smith High School in Greensboro, NC, he was one of the athletes Coach Rivers-Johnson credited for bringing g tthe “stomp” style to the team. “We used to have these breakout ut ssessions. A friend of mine ‘Tumbleweed’ and I came up with this cheer ‘What Time is It,’ that had the stomp in the cheer,” ac according to Johnson. As his high school and cheer team was div diverse racially, he states that the white cheerleaders ‘had to get it!’ The popularity of the style made it necessary. Johnson ca carried his knowledge from Coach Rivers-Johnson to coach che cheer at his high school alma mater, North Carolina A&T Universit rsity, and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. He currently hold olds the bragging rights for the only MEAC cheer coach to ha have two MEAC coed team championship titles from two diffe ifferent HBCUs. ■

“I love what they've done with the different teams and tried to maintain the legacy that is WSSU cheering. But times change and some of the changes have not always been easy for our alumni.

[The changes are] a part of today's culture and alumni are not always sure how to feel about it. Of course they don't always remember that some of the things we did when we were younger were looked at the same way.” ■

Evolution

Coach Ri Rivers-Johnson

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Ground Gained The evolution of Granby High School Cheerleaders of Norfolk, VA, from segregation (1951) and integration (1975) 5) to a team recognized for its high-energy stomp mp-n-shake and traditional cheer style (2020). ■

Pictured: 1951 and 1975 Granby High School Images courtesy of Virginia State University Special Collections and Archives.

Granby High School cheerleaders at the 2020 U-Fit CIAA Cheerleading Competition courtesy of Alphonso Abbott, Jr.

Eboni L. Graham, JD D

WSSU Head Cheerleading Coach Co As the current head cheerleader coa oach for WSSU Powerhouse of Red and White te C Cheerleaders, Coach Eboni Graham’s first experienc ence with stomp-n-shake was as a cheerleader for WSSU. “As a cheerlea leader, I thought that not having the stomp-n-shake background would ould hinder me, but now that I am on the other side of the skirt, coachin hing, I see how far from the truth that ideology was.” She now has to th the opportunity to fuse both stomp-n-shake with traditional cheer er styles s to continue the unique flavor and authenticity that has derive rived from the team’s past legacies. That fusion of ideology iss pa part of a trend prevalent in many current HBCU teams. “What sets stom omp-n-shake apart from other cheer styles is the fact that we canno not and will not be put in a box,” she expresses. “The precision is pulled lled from the traditional style, but when you mix in a stomp, shake, and nd performance, that is the difference. That is stomp-n-shake!”

One could reflect that the past silent code of originality now has a different definition.

Coach Graham views the imitation as an inspiration. “When we create, we do not do it with the intent to receive credit. We only hope to encourage others to also illustrate their originality.

We always look to be trendsetters Image credits: Protégé with WSSU and Roger Johnson and are grateful that our style courtesy c of Roger Johnson; Evolution with WSSU Alumni inspires others.” ■ courte urtesy of Steven Gaither; WSSU pictured Garrett Gams; E.

Graham courtesy of E. Graham

Image credit: Twitter

Dig Deeper: The Cheer Battles

Christie Tyson, Randi Onley, On and Christian Robers erson

Often associated with stomp-n-shake cheer, there is no real pinpoint date for when this trend started. Oral history confirms it was meant to “diss in fun.”

Teams would “rag” on who may have had the better team, moves, or who is on whose turf. Many state that it did not start to get confrontational until the ‘80s.

Along generational lines of opinions, many believe untrained coaches along with overenthusiastic crowds have contributed to the negative displays, verbiage, and physical altercations that led to the elimination of battle cheers from many stomp-n-shake cheer team related events.

Pictured is a video still of a battle between East St. Louis High School and Trinity Catholic High School cheer in Missouri with a rule infraction (crossing the neutral line of battle), which led to a physical altercation among the cheer athletes in February 2020. Both teams were suspended and their seasons canceled.■

Crown Athletix, LLC | Richmond ond, VA C Crown Athletix, LLC, represents the growing trend of competit etitive sstomp-n-shake combined with traditional elements familiarr w with all-star c cheerleading. With their multiple award-winning roots from the acclaimed H Highland Springs High School in Virginia, their commitmentt to cultivating a strong sense of pride and a traditions will silence the most ost ardent critics of the style. “People have ha a lot of opinions about stomp-n--shake and traditional cheerleading.. A lot of the time, those people are critic ritics with no credentials– it’s easy to criticiz ticize something you’ve never done befo efore,” express the ladies behind the th brand.

With four compe petitive teams starting at the age of five, five Crown Athletix, LLC, is promoting mo more than the genre.

“We aim to prom romote leadership, in integrity, sportsmanship, and unity. Our goal is to e encourage each athlete to be the best version of tthemselves on the mat and in society.” Just off ttheir win at the 2020 U-Fit CIAA High School C Championship along with a host of championship ffirst-place awards, Crown Athletix, LLC, is just getting sstarted with a new generation of stomp-n-shake ttrailblazers. ■

A Look Black: 1938 19

Vida L. Felder 71

st

High Schooll Days Da

Hig High School

Fayette tteville, NC Seventy First High Schoo ool Cheerleaders’ stellar reputation has always preceded them.. C Coming off of a feature in Missy Elliott’s “Throw It Back” video, the team had an amazing experience representing the excellen llence of stomp-nshake cheer.

Coach Vida Felder has been the head cheerlead eading coach for the squad, also known as Fierce Finesse, since 20 2008. Admittedly hesitate to embrace stomp-n-shake for the team m originally considered traditional in genre, 2008-2009 team m captain Leah Gordoné persuaded Coach Felder how the two o sstyles could merge cohesively. After in-depth research of stomp-n-shake and their attendance at the Powerhouse of Red and White "SU America" team camp at WSSU, the team was able to evolve their adaptation of the stomp-n-shake style.

Defining stomp-n-shake as an experience, Coach Felder wants to squash the biggest misconception of the genre labeled as “ghetto” or not “real cheerleading.” Her stance is clear, “We must get away from judging one another on how we carry out our differen rent cheer visions.

If we are be being honest, there are te teams that show excellence ce in whatever style theyy c chose.” ■

Coach Rivers-Johnson recollected how the cheer athletes from Seventy First High School, Dudley High School in Greensboro, NC, West Charlotte High School (pictured 1938), and others have their roots in stomp-n-shake cheerleading. Looking back bac in historical research, many of the predomin inantly black schools in North Carolina with cheer eer teams developed their own sense of style yle and finesse early as pictured right. ■

Pictured Crown Athletix, LLC, at the 2020 U-Fit CIAA High School Competition in Charlotte, NC. Image credit: Randy Singleton (above) and courtesy of Crown Athletix (right).

West Charlotte High School Cheerleaders 1938 Image Credit: Digital NC Archives.

Dig Deeper:

Walking It Out

Pictured above: Seventy First High School Varsity with Coach Tyleer McNeil (left) and Coach Felder (right) on the set for Missy Elliott’s “Throw It Back” video.

Pictured right: Seventy First High School Varsity at the 2016 HOLLA’! Spirit Championship

According to Coach Rivers-JJohnson and Coach Felder, former WSSU cheerleader, coach, and a alumni, Joevanne Estrada gets the credit for “the walk” or as some refers to as “the stroll.” “She told me it was a technique e sshe used to keep the squad on step when they came into a gam ame,” recalls Coach Rivers-Johnson.

For Coach Felder, ”The walk alk introduces us without us having to say a word.” Coach Estrada is co-owner along with fellow former WSSU cheerleader and alumna Regan-Janell Hales of U-Fit Cheer and Dance, Inc. ■

HOLLA’! 2020 Summer Issue | 25

Dig Deeper: The U Word Former St. Augustine’s University (SAU) cheer athlete Bryan Hunter (pictured) has definite opinions about the “U” word, “urban,” when referencing stomp-n-shake cheer. As a former member of the SAU Bluechips (2006-2010), located in Raleigh, NC, he states how that description for stomp-n-shake comes from those who are not educated in the genre. “They don’t know the culture of stomp-n-shake and therefore they should not touch it!” He further states how the designation of “urban” has the ability to tarnish and confuse many. Although he supports stomp-n-shake gaining attention in the mainstream, he insists that the roots must be upheld. As a choreographer and judge for both stomp-n-shake and traditional cheer, he frowns upon teams, coaches and industry professionals who reference social media for material. “This is our house,” he states adamantly protective of the stomp-n-shake culture with concerns of appropriation. He makes it clear that just because stomp-n-shake is rooted in African American culture from roots that are not geographically urban, it should not be categorized as urban just because it is part of black culture. ■

Stomp-n-Shake United

Pictured right: Indy’s Finest Stomp-n-Shake at the 2020 Powerhouse Spirit DMV Championship courtesy of Elizabeth Harris. NSASCF image inset by Alphonso Abbott, Jr. for U-Fit Cheer and Dance. University of North Carolina at Charlotte Cheer Nation image courtesy of A. Raymond.

Elizabeth Harris

Indy’s Finest Stomp-n-Shake

Crispus Attucks High School was the first public high school ol in the city provided for African Americans. Elizabeth Harris, as the cheer coach for Crispus Attucks High School cheerleaders in Indianapolis, IN, decided that a change was w due from the traditional style of cheer. “The biggest draw was the technique,” she e rrecollects her embrace of stomp-n-shake as a change for her team. As they initially lly performed p the style during game day on the sidelines, she admits it was not received ed well by the Midwestern audience, “due to the way it was performed,” she shared. d. This led to her 2017 decision to start Indy’s Finest Stomp-n-Shake.

Admittedly a novice with the cheer style, Coach Harris and nd the team studied stomp-nshake from internet and social media footage. After theirir first fir stomp-n-shake competition, the coach and athletes of another competin ting school shared their knowledge with Coach Harris. “As we embraced the techni hnique, we got better and were more widely accepted.” The creation of Indy’s Finest st also a allowed the athletes exposure to the HBCU world and outside theirir b bubble within the urban Midwestern community. As Coach Harris reflects cts that some of the predominantly black schools in her area do perform pe some version of stomp-n-shake, having an independentt team te for cheer athletes allows them an experience that also expose oses them to opportunities without the travel restraints implemented by the schools. ■

Preservation:

National Stomp and Shake Cheerleading Federation

Addressing the expansion and popularity of stomp p-n-shake cheer, the National Stomp and Shake Cheerleading Federatio ration (NSASCF) was formed.

Committed to promoting safety practices and reso resources for stomp-n-shake cheer, including education, the organization wants nts to assure that the authenticity of the cheer genre remains true to its c core roots. The organization’s agenda includes consolidating certi ertified and qualified judges, trained coaches and athletes, and access to reso sources to assist stomp-nshake programs. More information about NSASCF CF can be found at www.ufit365.com/nsascf. ■

Respect Debra Rivers-Johnson ▪ Dr. Paulette Walker Johnson ▪ Reg Regan-Janell Hales ▪ Terry Lilly ▪ Ayanna Morrison ▪ Ricky Hill ▪ Tamyra Littleton ▪ Norma McD McDonald ▪ Chundra YoungWaters ▪ Eboni L. Graham, JD ▪ Adrian L. Taylor ▪ Christie e Ty Tyson ▪ Randi Onley ▪ Christian Roberson ▪ Vida Felder ▪ Joevanne Estrada ▪ Roger Johns nson ▪ NeSheila Washington ▪ Tahvyea Rains ▪ S. P. Brown ▪ Elizabeth Harris ▪ Carlos Barre rrett ▪ Bryan Hunter ▪ Mary Beth Jarrad and Laura Ewen of the NYU Press ▪ St. Petersburg g In Independent ▪ Digital NC Library Archives ▪ Howard University The Hilltop Digital Arch rchives ▪ Winston-Salem State University Archives – C.G. O’Kelly Library ▪ Staci Solomon nR Ruiz ▪ Virginia State University Special Collections and Archives ▪ Purdue University Archiv hives and Special Collections The Exponent ▪ The Progress-Index ▪ The News Argus ▪ Mot other Jones Digital Magazine ▪ University Archives, James Cheek Library, Shaw University ▪ Haley N. Gingles ▪ Country Day School of the Sacred Heart – Bryn Mawr, PA ▪ Overbro brook High School, PA, alumnae ▪ West Philadelphia Catholic Girls Alumnae Association ▪ TThe Yale Banner Publication Archives ▪ The Southern Digest ▪ Article and research phot hotographers, videographers, and former and current stomp-n-shake athletes and coac oaches. ■

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A Look Black: Stomp-n-Shake e a at PWIs and Beyond Stomp-n-shake is no longer lon exclusive to HBCUs and predominantly black schools. sc With the growing appeal to the spirit sports and d the th desire to diversify cheer, many predominantlyy white w institutions (PWIs) are accepting student orga rganization stomp-n-shake cheer teams. The University of North Carolina at Charlotte started their competitive titive stomp-n-shake in 2010.

In addition, HBCUs with ith traditional cheer teams also expanded by allowing g separate s student organized stomp-n-shake cheerr teams. te In 2019, the stomp-nshake team Code Blue lue was introduced at Southern University in Baton Rouge, LA. Their debut performance was received by mixed reactions, according to several press reports and social media posts.

■

Dig Deeper:

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A Look Black: It’s a Guy Thing!

“The male athletes bring a different level,” according to former WSSU cheer athlete Carlos Barrett (pictured abo bove). A part of the cheer team from 2009-2012, Barrett described how the em male athletes compliment the energy from the ladies on the team. “We have to make that performance chemistry work with the females,” he ex explains. As perhaps the males may not shake like their female count unterparts, they have to make sure they are coordinated and cohesive re regarding timing, synchronization, and movements. The male stomp-n-sha shake athletes are clear that they have to also execute the technical aspec ects of traditional cheer elements such as stunting and tumbling. Overall, ll, th the core requirements of cheer have to be in their DNA to be an ne effective part of the team dynamic.

Most fans of stomp mp-n-shake cheer confess that at tim times they prefer to see the male chee heer athletes perform, especially ially leading the chants and cheers ers. “They just bring so much powerr to the whole scene of it,” shares Tamyr yra Littleton of Hampton, VA. “IfIf th they are in the front, you don’t see the girls at all and that just how wd dynamic they are.” ■ WSSU Cheer at the 2020 CIAA Basketball Tournament. Image credit: Garrett A. Garms

Some Things to Clear Up Up: Stomp-n-shake has a deep history ory rooted primarily in the hands of those who have ph physically participated in the genre. As many any details uncovered could or could not be substantiated, they perhaps required more resea earch, factual oral collaboration, or clarification. Inclu ncluded below are three main details that required cla clarification.

Stomp-n-shake was started by a m man.

It is believed that this theory stems from the dispu spute between black male Greek organizations and HBCU cheerle erleaders. As the Greek sings have a connection to step, there is a an underlying dispute that many of the step moves from blackk G Greeks came from stomp cheer moves and vice-versa. Despite pite the dispute, there exists no record of any person or name, ma ale or female, credited with the creation of stomp-n-sha hake. ■

Teams have to pay to belong to Che heer Phi. Currently, Ultimate Cheer and Dance Experience e (U (UCDE), claims to have trademarked the name Cheer Phi. Sev Several HBCU competitive and scholastic cheer teams interviewe ewed have paid membership to UCDE’s Official Cheer Phi Inc. Soro orority/Fraternity and their Official Cheer Phi Club. Based on the tra traditions and oral collaborations we uncovered of both HBCU sto stomp-n-shake and HBCU traditional cheer teams, the formation no of a Cheer Phi team chapter is based internally from those teams ms and without patronage to any official organization. UCDE did dn not respond to our request for clarification or comment ent. ■

All CIAA cheer teams are stomp-n-shake ake teams.

The short answer is false. Bowie State University,, located in Maryland, is one of several CIAA-affiliated cheer eer teams that perform both traditional and stomp-n-shake cheer eer. Many HBCU conference (MEAC, SWAC, and SIAC) cheer team eams currently perform a combination of both styles of ch cheer. ■ ■

HOLL OLLA’!

IS ABOUT AB

YOU! YO Your our Celebration!

Cel

Cover Fea eature ● Lil HOLLA’!s HOLLA’! Stars ● H’! ’! Guest G Feature ● and more

startsts here! here

www.HOLLACheerDanc anceMagazine.com HOLLA’! 2020 Summer Issue | 27

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Season Interrupted Chapter 1: Game Day Revisited Photography by Randy Singleton, Kevin Waters, and 2C2K Photography

HOLLA’! 2020 Summer Issue | 29

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Season Interrupted Chapter 2: College Nationals Photography by Jerry Hughes, Kyle Okita, and Andrew Walters

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Season Interrupted Chapter 3: National Championships Photography by Kyle Okita, Kevin Waters, and Action Moments

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Season Interrupted Chapter 4: Season Championships Photography by Kyle Okita, Andrew Waters, and Action Moments

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Season Interrupted Chapter 5: BB Gameday Photography by Randy Singleton and 2C2K Photography

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Season Interrupted Chapter 6: U-Fit and CIAA Photography by Randy Singleton and Alphonso Abbott, Jr.

HOLLA’! 2020 Summer Issue | 39

HOLLA’!

On Point!

The Lights Will Come On Again

By HOLLA’! Editorial Team

The lights will come on again.

We do not think anyone will ever forget what is happening now. Those who are not experiencing proms, graduations, final competitions, or special moments will always have a different view of this time. What is happening now is going to change how we make decisions regarding cheer and dance.

Let’s be honest. How many of you are wondering if you will continue with the expenses of cheer? How many parents are contemplating how to continue with dance intensive workshops? Who is your child going to travel with and can they be exposed? How are you going to travel to judge and share your hotel room with a judge when you don’t know if they are an asymptomatic carrier? Do we do virtual competitions and still pay the same amount of participant fees? Will my child want to return or is she just over the whole thing? How many of you are loving that your bank accounts may be a little fuller without the last season event travel and performance expenses? It’s okay to admit that these questions have crossed your mind.

What is certain is that we will need to reevaluate how the spirit industry operates. We also must be clear: It is not all about the kids. The main coefficient is the economics of the equation.

We naturally want to give our children everything we can. If our children have a love or passion for something, we want to provide and fuel that passion. If our children have a particular gift or talent for cheer or dance, the expense is a worthy investment. Yet our conversation with three parents who began to ponder the uncertainty revealed unfiltered honesty and concern.

Identifying each by their first name only to be respectful of their privacy, Andrea, Tay’Juanna, and Phillip admitted that they never really processed the expenses of their children to cheer or dance until the COVID-19 lockdown began. Phillip confessed, “Over the past two months, my bank account has a cushion that it never really had. I want [her] to cheer when this is over, but we need to talk about some of these costs.” Andrea shared how her child’s dance team was traveling every weekend to competitions. “That’s going to stop. It was a problem before the shutdown and now they are talking about virtual competitions for the same price. We may have to make some tough choices but she still wants to dance.”

Tay’Juanna is scared. “How are you going to do social distancing in a gym? Are they going to limit team sizes? I am just too scared to think about next season now until I know my child will be safe!” As for each of their children who had their seasons ended abruptly, they miss the sport but they miss the interaction more. Cheer and dance for their children was more of a social activity. It has been an outlet that they have and had passion for. One of the parents did admit that she does not think that her child wants to be in the spirit sports and is eyeing tennis or track.

Her decision was not as difficult, as her program had to close due to the economic downturn caused by the pandemic.

Gym and studio owners have difficult choices to ponder as well.

One concern that no one has really discussed is liability.

Of the two parents whose children will remain in the spirit sports, they agree that some things will need to be done differently. Now with virtual homeschooling, although very productive for their honor roll students, they will no longer agree to the many school absences due to competitions.

One parent also shared that on a recent virtual parent meeting about next season, the parents were unanimous about a season with half virtual events and live events at the end of the season to curb costs.

On the other side, you have the coaches and industry professionals. Gym and studio owners have difficult choices to ponder as well. One concern that no one has really discussed is liability. “I can guarantee you that if we open and one of our kids gets infected, I’m making a phone call to my insurance company, if they’ll cover it, and my lawyer because I know I’m going to get sued,” expressed a dance studio coach we also spoke to with our promise of anonymity.

This is perhaps a time where this “time-out” is allowing a chance to reassess, to regroup towards recovery. We would like to see all in the spirit industry do just that. A balance must be formed in order for the sport to remain sustainable, even through a crisis. Yet all professionals in the spirit sports must admit, it not just for the kids—for many it’s for their pocketbooks. It’s the C word: capitalism. Capitalism is not a bad existence but it can be vulnerable. The spirit sports industry has benefited greatly from capitalism. How it benefited must be visited to understand and correct the course moving forward.

COVID-19 has exposed much of the flaws of the business aspect of cheer and dance. It has also exposed some of the best aspects of it as well. Yet, a new player has arrived at the game. Do we stay the course and force the new player to adapt to the norms or do we adapt? It remains to be seen for those who will be able to continue to the next season.

The lights will come on again perhaps with a different type of shine. ■

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