Boom rah-rah! The strange thrill of cheering for cheerleaders

MANILA, Philippines - How did an unassuming sideline sport featuring girls with pom-poms turn into one of the UAAP’s most exciting sports events?

Unlike the other sports events, this is the only one that is able to gather all universities under one roof. The tension builds when you see students flocking color-coded according to alma mater. Everyone is ready for the showcase of mind-blowing stunts, vying for a place in the top three. Really, the stunts are insane, and as a show, it’s almost like you’re watching a cheaper Cirque du Soleil. Girls are carrying smaller girls two-bodies high. Girls pirouette on the base of the palm of a guy’s hand, which is like eight feet high. Bodies are flying everywhere. Everything moves in harmony. Everyone is smiling through their tired panting. The energy is euphoric, a state of rapturous pride and a savage-driven showdown of school spirit.

And it’s funny, because technically the winners of the UAAP Cheerdance Competition are not even counted when tallying points for the overall champion of the season. It’s just an exhibition of school pride, what you take home is glory.

Crowd sourced

It’s not just the preposterous talent of the dancers that make this show so entertaining. It’s also the involvement of the people who come to watch the show. Audience participation is not only a part of the scoring, but contributes largely to the power of their performance. It’s an interaction between the exhibition and the people who react to it. Can you imagine technically superior gymnastics while the audience sits deadpan? Yeah, doesn’t work that way. The audience has to be just as witty, creative and lively as the dancers on the mat.

It’s then becomes a shouting contest of whose booster team can cheer louder, and which drum and bass group can produce the sickest heart-thumping beats. Seriously, the vigor is enough to make you want tear your clothes off, crowd-swim through the audience while thumping your chest, crying animalistic pleasure sounds. (But don’t ever do that, because you will most likely get thrown out of the stadium.) Despite the carnivorous rivalry of schools, there is still that subdued layer of traditional UAAP sportsmanship. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone take the trash talk too seriously. It’s a cheer-dancing competition, for crying out loud.

And while the usual top-gunning school names are present in this sport, it should also be known that with cheer dancing, nothing is for certain. In 2007, I remember watching De La Salle University holding up placards trying to spell “La Salle,” but they got their letters mixed up, so the running joke at that time was that the university needed to brush up on their spelling skills. But then in 2011, they grabbed second place. Or Ateneo de Manila University, whose audience support was quite laughable, because no one wanted to watch a sport in which their team never made the top three in history — until they unsuspectingly bagged second place in 2009. Or the University of the Philippines, who had two championships back-to-back in 2007-2008, but fell into third place in 2009 to none other than the tough competitor, Far Eastern University.

Every slip and fall is a fault of error, and could ultimately cause the loss of the team. The pressure on the shoulders of these dancers is insane. Obviously, I’m a fan of the sport. I spent a few good years of my university life watching pep rallies.

Full-blown costumes, sky-high theatrics, body contorting dance moves, school pride, anyone’s game — the UAAP Cheer Dance Competition is one damn impressive show. It’s uncannily fun, cheering for cheerleaders.