All-Star Choreography Spots

[LoveeeTumbling93]

Are you usually in the front? Middle, Back for jumps, opening, cheer, dance, stunt?
jumps-front, opening- middle, cheer-front, dance- front/middle, stunt- middle that was for last year because we haven't had choreography yet!
Are you happy with your placements? yeah i am, i work so hard to get those places and when you do it just makes you feel good that your hard work payed off
Do you think coaches played favorites with spots? no i don't think coaches play favorites even though to some people on the team it seems like that, if you are in the front for one thing you could be in the back for another its really what works out and looks best with the formations and what skill is needed for those spots and also just because its better for the team, your coaches know what they are talking about so you should trust them

 

[ICE_it_up]

This is how I feel aboput the subject. As a choreogrpher and a coach! I try and level the palying field of "front and center" opportunity fairly. Meaning, I provide enough tranisitions for several athletes to have shining moments; however, there are some athletes that don't work hard towards jumps, tumbling, and/or selling a routine. I am not saying every athlete is like this but ut of a team of 20, some athltes shine (whether they are in center or not) and some don't. Yes everyone pays the same to practice and compete on a team, but its more than that... sometimes effort doesn't have a price. I look at it as another sport soccer, which i have played for 14 years. There were times where I showed up early, practiced extra hard in and out of practice, and made a huge contribution to the practicing efforts of the team, and was then playing most of the game. Then there were times where I was lazy, would rather converse with friends on the sidelines, and go half- gas during practice --in doing that i didn't play as much on the field. I see cheer as the same way.The more effort you put into gaining skills, practicing hard, effort, and drive- the more you will be "seen" and not put in back. Some girls can dance and some just don't have rhythm. So i should sacrifice the overall effect of a routine b/c suzie wants to be center for the dance when we all know she can't move to the beat of a jukebox. Not really!! There are ways to choreograph a routine and not have a handful of kids nugget in the back for everything- that way everyone feels they make an equal contribution, but don't get upset if your daughter doesn't have the skills, required to be in the st. tumbling section or her handsprings looks like she is landing on her head. Now, athletes being on a level they deserve b/c of their skills or just fill-ins is a different subject. ex. level 4 kid that is on a level 5 team. I am not here to offend anyone, just giving my opionion.

 

[ICE_it_up]

When I choreograph a team, I don't like to see the same 1-3 girls in center for everything, however if that is all the team has b/c no one else steps up to take an initiative to work hard and perfect skills, then what other choice is there?? This is what the summer is for to work towards skills b/c when the season starts, its more about the routine and perfecting it than gaining new skills. And I have a problem with parents who decide to take their daughters, daughters decision is included as well, out for the summer and when they return to cheer demand to have their front and center spot back on the team.

 

[Snowchic798]

EVERY year at our gym we have parents ask why their child isnt in the front of the routine so this year in our parent email I told all of them directly that when I do the choreography, I will do what is best for the team. So if is best for the teams overall score to have the same 5-8 girls in the front of the routine, then thats whats best. If it is best to put a few in the front that I know arent the best at the beginning of the season then I may put them infront so they will push themselves to not be the odd one out in the front.

 

[SheCheers]

If you (or cp) have had choreography already this year - if not, last year?
Are you usually in the front? Middle, Back for jumps, opening, cheer, dance, stunt?
Are you happy with your placements?
Do you think coaches played favorites with spots?

Some parents get upset at this when its obvious thier susie belongs in the back. Thoughts?

Last year she was point stunt (but didn't start there), she actually had 2 special highlight basket tosses and was 2nd to last pass. she was in the front row for jumps and, not surprisingly, completely hidden for the dance (she got her mama's rhythm).
This season, i was SHOCKED to see her being point dancer...ROFLMAO. i don't know what happened there. but, i think it was more a symmetry thing than a skill thing. she's the youngest/smallest on the team by about 2 years and at least 4 inches. Most of the routine she's either middle or front, but always on the far right.

I always feel sad for those kids and their parents that are REALLY small compared to their teammates and also in the back, they just get lost in there.

I've been super happy with cp's placements. I would probably not be happy if she was always in the back, IF her skills were just as good as or better than those in front of her. but she wouldn't care. she's just happy to be performing.

 

[Aussiekat]

I'm up the back for the elite stunt sequence, although I'm one of the stronger flyers I don't really mind because it works best for my transition. I get a whole minute of spotlight when I compete partner stunt, so that's more than enough point for me

ETA: I'm close to front for everything else, but a lot of that is because we're a coed team, and I'm tiny. If I wasn't near the front I may as well be nuggeting ... which I am actually okay with, 2:30 of just stunts and nuggets is a dream!

 

[all_starPek312]

Are you usually in the front? Middle, Back for jumps, opening, cheer, dance, stunt?
jumps-front row this year. last year I was 4th behind center. Being behind the point jumper last year really made me push myself so that this summer I could come to the front more.
opening- start back left if you're looking to the mat tumble to the front. Same thing last year but I was on the right.

cheer-dont have one!
dance- back :/ My favorite part of the routine too, but my pyramid ends in the end in back so I know it was bound to happen. Last year I was in the front for the dance.
stunt- second row left corner. Last year I was center. Got a new flyer this year
Are you happy with your placements? For the most part yes. I'm really happy about my jump spot since It was my goal to get first two rows.
Do you think coaches played favorites with spots? Not at all. If you're in the front you probably deserve to be there. Our coaches don't really tell our choreographer where to place us, he tends to figure it out for himself. There are a few odd balls here and there this year that got really good spots toward the front, which I don't necessarily agree with, but it's the entire team that matters, not the individual.

 

[cheer4ever0522]

I front for almost everything on j5 and I like it but I hate having that much pressure of it

 

[cupieqt]

I was actually really exited about my spots for choreography! Last year was my first year on this team so I was kinda shy at first and because of that I was put in the back for most of the dance because my coaches assumed I wasn't too good at dancing. Not to be a Susie or anything, but I'm a pretty good dancer and once I get on the floor, I'm not shy at all! My coaches really noticed that last year, and this year I'm point dancer

I can't wait to be given a reason to move kids up! I will always remember that feeling of "getting picked" for front row or center. It's like winning miss America every time!

 

[cheeromgbre]

My spots have a good range . I normally start in the back doing some type of stunt and since i'm not the best standing tumbler i end up in the middle/back. For jumps i am in the 2nd/3rd row, for any motions i'm in the front since my motions are pretty good, running tumbling i'm in the middle of the "lineup". Dance on the other hand i usually end up back center, which i am completely okay with since i look ridiculous in the dance.

In most cases, the better a person is in whatever section (jumps, tumbling, etc.), the closer they are to the front or being visible. They want to be closer to the front, they'll have to get better. If i was a coach, i would put the best "motioners" in the front, not someone with so-so motions because i had to be "fair".

 

[cheerleaderforlife]

for the cheer im in the first row
jumps im in 2nd row
for the opening im basing a stunt
and we havent learned the dance yet but i hope im in 1st or 2nd row

 

[Keep_Believing]

It is not an individual sport like gymnastics. It is a team sport. So, everyone needs to do what is best for the team.

 

[ErinS]

For allstar my sister is typically in the front center, or near the front. She is a good performer, she has some of the best jumps, etc...its deserved

For her high school team she always hovers near the front, but never in the spots she deserves to be in (for instance if they did jumps by actual skill and talent, she should be point, but shes not). I think favoritism comes into play for her high school team, and last year the routine was choreographed around one girl because she was on a team at the gym that handled the choreography. The girl was good...but the routine itself looked ridiculous. Fortunately my sister is laid back and doesn't have an ego. Whereas some girls flip out when not in the front, my sister just takes it all in stride because she knows that shes good enough to be in the front but doesn't need that type of validation.

 

[coach12]

We usually let our choreographer place everyone in the routine. We might point out a few kids that have exceptional skills (jumps, dance, etc.), but for the most part we let him go with it. A lot, of course, is based on where they are in stunts & pyramid. Now that he finished everything, us coaches might move a couple people around once we see them actually doing the routine.

 

[Rudags]

Spots in the front are earned just as much as the spots in back are EARNED.