Submitted by:  Justine Nofal

 

It seems to be counter-intuitive to think of a choreographer to design a routine of any kind without the performers being right there in front of him or her, working intimately with the choreographer. It will therefore come as a surprise to learn that most cheer routines at the very top levels of competition are created without the choreographers ever having seen the squads in action or even having met the coach. This is partly because highly skilled cheerleading choreographers are a rarity. There are only a handful of these in the USA and they are in huge demand. It is impossible for these cheer experts to travel everywhere to offer their skills. Coaches and squads can now commission cheer choreographers via the internet to supply all the choreography they need. This is done in a structured way so that the choreographer has as much information at his or her fingertips before starting work. When the coach commissions the work, the choreographer generally has many questions to ask: What are the skills levels of each and every performer in all the various moves? How large is the squad? What is their experience level? What is the routine for? Are videos available of the squad in action so the choreographer can take a look? By when is the choreography required? How long does the squad have at its disposal to learn the routine? What cheer mix has been chosen for the routine? The more information the choreographer has at his or her fingertips, the more likely the routine will shine and the squad will do well, particularly if a competition is in the offing. Once the choreographer has plenty of information available, he or she uses the combined power of imagination, knowledge and experience to craft the perfect routine for the squad. This is written down in a specific cheer notation that coaches and cheer squad members can easily follow. Then the choreographer travels to meet the squad, possibly for the first time, and teach the routine. After only a few hours the essence of the performance has been imparted to the squad and the choreographer departs, leaving a copy of the routine, with any alterations, with the coach. It is up to coach and squad to perfect the execution of the routine.