All-Star An Outsider's Perspective

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Dec 21, 2016
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I come to this board with no cheer experience. I had many years in competitive dance and coaching, but, as I go into my thirties, I miss those days! It makes me happy to watch dances on YouTube and to see who wins the different nationals every year. One day I went down a YouTube rabbit hole and found this documentary on the World Cup Twinkles. I thought it was so interesting, and I really got an appreciation for cheer and how difficult it is! That led me to find videos of the Shooting Stars, and I was blown away by that Jersey Boys routine! Anyway, that leads me to my point...I've lurked around here and seen posts talking about the future of cheer, cheer being taken seriously, etc., and I'm not sure anyone has hit the nail on the head, in my opinion. It's not the hair or the makeup that is making people not take the sport seriously--- it's the music. In my opinion, cheer music is dreadful. It is so hard to listen to, generally not that melodic, and doesn't do that much to enhance the amazingness of the stunts that are being performed. I thought hearing "Orange Colored Sky" a thousand times at a dance competition was bad, but I can't imagine having to sit through these mixes back to back all day. The music on many of these routines takes away from their YouTube "rewatchability." Not every team needs to have a theme like the Shooting Stars do, but maybe a little more attention to the songs might be the thing that allows all star cheer to go mainstream as a sport. I don't mean this disrespectfully to the people who engineer the music, because it seems like the production value on these mixes is very high, but the source material can be lacking. I know this is going to be harder with the new music rules, but I think the new Shooting Stars music shows it can be done.

That's just my two cents...
 
Most people are not even familiar with all star cheer. When they hear Cheer they think of Dallas cowboy Cheerleaders and sideline Cheer. They have no clue what all star cheer music sounds like.
 
I come to this board with no cheer experience. I had many years in competitive dance and coaching, but, as I go into my thirties, I miss those days! It makes me happy to watch dances on YouTube and to see who wins the different nationals every year. One day I went down a YouTube rabbit hole and found this documentary on the World Cup Twinkles. I thought it was so interesting, and I really got an appreciation for cheer and how difficult it is! That led me to find videos of the Shooting Stars, and I was blown away by that Jersey Boys routine! Anyway, that leads me to my point...I've lurked around here and seen posts talking about the future of cheer, cheer being taken seriously, etc., and I'm not sure anyone has hit the nail on the head, in my opinion. It's not the hair or the makeup that is making people not take the sport seriously--- it's the music. In my opinion, cheer music is dreadful. It is so hard to listen to, generally not that melodic, and doesn't do that much to enhance the amazingness of the stunts that are being performed. I thought hearing "Orange Colored Sky" a thousand times at a dance competition was bad, but I can't imagine having to sit through these mixes back to back all day. The music on many of these routines takes away from their YouTube "rewatchability." Not every team needs to have a theme like the Shooting Stars do, but maybe a little more attention to the songs might be the thing that allows all star cheer to go mainstream as a sport. I don't mean this disrespectfully to the people who engineer the music, because it seems like the production value on these mixes is very high, but the source material can be lacking. I know this is going to be harder with the new music rules, but I think the new Shooting Stars music shows it can be done.

That's just my two cents...


I could not agree with you more on the music. It can get quite cringe worthy.
 
@quietmom do you think people outside the all star cheer world know what our music sounds like? They see pictures, but I don't know many that take the time to watch videos and listen to Cheer music.
 
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Tbh, speaking as a person who was an outsider for a long time before my daughter joined the AS cheer circuit for a short time...I highly disagree with the assessment that cheer is not considered a sport because of the music.... I can say the same thing about figure skating and gymnastics, I sometime hate the music too, but it does not stop these events from being sporting events... In my mind, I think the scarcity of seeing it on TV, and when it do appeared on ESPN, it is presented more like a special event, similar like the NCA/UCA Dance competitions, the Spelling Bee contests, which in all of our minds are not considered sport events. So, in my mind, cheerleading also have fallen in the same arena. Furthermore, I think, the overemphasized flashy uniforms, hair makeup, etc...put this activity more as a pageantry than a sporting event...jmo!

PS: I think, cheerleading can get the sport recognition, if they do a better job of explaining judging criteria and have the cheerleaders represented as athletes, as opposed to dressed up dolls. Additionally, more programs must be presented showing the hard work, sweat and tears that these athletes put in to be the best instead of arguing over wearing a pouf or extra sparkly uniform...
 
I come to this board with no cheer experience. I had many years in competitive dance and coaching, but, as I go into my thirties, I miss those days! It makes me happy to watch dances on YouTube and to see who wins the different nationals every year. One day I went down a YouTube rabbit hole and found this documentary on the World Cup Twinkles. I thought it was so interesting, and I really got an appreciation for cheer and how difficult it is! That led me to find videos of the Shooting Stars, and I was blown away by that Jersey Boys routine! Anyway, that leads me to my point...I've lurked around here and seen posts talking about the future of cheer, cheer being taken seriously, etc., and I'm not sure anyone has hit the nail on the head, in my opinion. It's not the hair or the makeup that is making people not take the sport seriously--- it's the music. In my opinion, cheer music is dreadful. It is so hard to listen to, generally not that melodic, and doesn't do that much to enhance the amazingness of the stunts that are being performed. I thought hearing "Orange Colored Sky" a thousand times at a dance competition was bad, but I can't imagine having to sit through these mixes back to back all day. The music on many of these routines takes away from their YouTube "rewatchability." Not every team needs to have a theme like the Shooting Stars do, but maybe a little more attention to the songs might be the thing that allows all star cheer to go mainstream as a sport. I don't mean this disrespectfully to the people who engineer the music, because it seems like the production value on these mixes is very high, but the source material can be lacking. I know this is going to be harder with the new music rules, but I think the new Shooting Stars music shows it can be done.

That's just my two cents...

I realize you're a Shooting Stars fan and we have several parents of Stars on the board, but I personally think their music is dreadful. In fact, with the new music rules, I have yet to find a mix I actually like.

With that said, exposure is our biggest obstacle. Most people don't know AS Cheer exists and for those who do, you're either involved, were previously involved or know someone involved.
 
Honestly I think there are many reasons why people don't consider cheer as a sport-music I wouldn't think was one. But even if those "issues" were fixed people would think of new reasons lol.

I love cheer music. Some not all. Now I must say sometimes music can change the way I see or view a routine. For example Stars lady gaga music (for me anyway) takes away for their awesome routine. Or it could've been the jersey boys music/routine that loved so much that it skewed my view of that gaga routine.
 
Maybe I overstated the premise that the music is why people don't take cheer seriously, but for any performing sport, song choice does matter. Laurie Hernandez became the breakout star of the Olympics, which led to Dancing with the Stars, because she had a great floor routine set to really catchy music. The routine showcased her gymnastics AND her personality, and people connected to it. Simone Biles had a much better routine technically, but the overall performance wasn't as memorable. People still talk about Torville and Dean ice dancing to Bolero...that was before I was born, and I only watch ice dancing once every 4 years, but I still know that that performance was considered iconic. Dominique Moceanu in 1996 with The Devil Went Down to Georgia...there's another one. The song choice highlights the difficulty of the sport, but it also gives you something to hold onto. There just isn't much of that in cheer, which is why I, as someone who hasn't cheered, like to watch the Shooting Stars more than pretty much everyone else.
 
Maybe I overstated the premise that the music is why people don't take cheer seriously, but for any performing sport, song choice does matter. Laurie Hernandez became the breakout star of the Olympics, which led to Dancing with the Stars, because she had a great floor routine set to really catchy music. The routine showcased her gymnastics AND her personality, and people connected to it. Simone Biles had a much better routine technically, but the overall performance wasn't as memorable. People still talk about Torville and Dean ice dancing to Bolero...that was before I was born, and I only watch ice dancing once every 4 years, but I still know that that performance was considered iconic. Dominique Moceanu in 1996 with The Devil Went Down to Georgia...there's another one. The song choice highlights the difficulty of the sport, but it also gives you something to hold onto. There just isn't much of that in cheer, which is why I, as someone who hasn't cheered, like to watch the Shooting Stars more than pretty much everyone else.

I think what you are describing means music is important to you and helps you create an association as you mentioned above and while it might matter, I think you overstate it's importance still. I remember Mary Lou Retton, because of her power, smile and that iconic uniform with the stars. Can't for the life of me remember her music. Same with Kristi Yamaguchi or Nancy Kerrigan...I actually remember their sparkly uniforms more than music.
 
Maybe I overstated the premise that the music is why people don't take cheer seriously, but for any performing sport, song choice does matter. Laurie Hernandez became the breakout star of the Olympics, which led to Dancing with the Stars, because she had a great floor routine set to really catchy music. The routine showcased her gymnastics AND her personality, and people connected to it. Simone Biles had a much better routine technically, but the overall performance wasn't as memorable. People still talk about Torville and Dean ice dancing to Bolero...that was before I was born, and I only watch ice dancing once every 4 years, but I still know that that performance was considered iconic. Dominique Moceanu in 1996 with The Devil Went Down to Georgia...there's another one. The song choice highlights the difficulty of the sport, but it also gives you something to hold onto. There just isn't much of that in cheer, which is why I, as someone who hasn't cheered, like to watch the Shooting Stars more than pretty much everyone else.

This is kind of funny because one of the most -iconic- stunts in cheer was to a Belinda Carlisle song from the 80s. And the use of old school songs mixes are the best. I think my fave performances are to older songs because those aren't the songs being played on the radio, and aren't the songs in EVERY routine on the market. Because there are 100s of mixes of cheer music every season. You can't really say that music is all that's keeping us from being a sport. Like mentioned above so many people don't even know there are routines in cheerleading. That's half the battle.

With new rules on music I'm interested to see how unique routines will actually be.
 
Tbh, speaking as a person who was an outsider for a long time before my daughter joined the AS cheer circuit for a short time...I highly disagree with the assessment that cheer is not considered a sport because of the music.... I can say the same thing about figure skating and gymnastics, I sometime hate the music too, but it does not stop these events from being sporting events... In my mind, I think the scarcity of seeing it on TV, and when it do appeared on ESPN, it is presented more like a special event, similar like the NCA/UCA Dance competitions, the Spelling Bee contests, which in all of our minds are not considered sport events. So, in my mind, cheerleading also have fallen in the same arena. Furthermore, I think, the overemphasized flashy uniforms, hair makeup, etc...put this activity more as a pageantry than a sporting event...jmo!

PS: I think, cheerleading can get the sport recognition, if they do a better job of explaining judging criteria and have the cheerleaders represented as athletes, as opposed to dressed up dolls. Additionally, more programs must be presented showing the hard work, sweat and tears that these athletes put in to be the best instead of arguing over wearing a pouf or extra sparkly uniform...
I never heard anybody say it wasn't a sport due to the music ;o
 
honestly... I don't think it has anything to do with the music - and everything to do with social media. Seeing spray-tanned skin, bleached hair, over the top makeup finished with a glitzy uniform on the 'discover page' on Instagram with the #cheerleader discredits the sport more then anything. With that said - I don't have a solution, and I know this is talked about endlessly in other threads. But when that is all someone sees - in absent of a performance video, or an insight on practices - I can understand why one might think it is similar to sideline cheer. :deadhorse:
 
I realize you're a Shooting Stars fan and we have several parents of Stars on the board, but I personally think their music is dreadful. In fact, with the new music rules, I have yet to find a mix I actually like.

With that said, exposure is our biggest obstacle.
As seen in the uniform thread
 
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