How to Learn a Cheer Dance

There are many levels of cheerleading, ranging from young children participating in an after-school activity to grown women getting paid for cheering at professional sports games. An essential part of being a cheerleader means that you have to learn choreographed steps, and sometimes, even dance moves. Learning a new cheer dance can seem difficult at first, but if you start with the basics, study the routine carefully and practice as much as possible, you can learn it.

Instructions

    • 1

      Learn some basic moves. If you already know the basics, then you've got a good start. But if you don't know any, you can find some moves online at mspineapple.com or try joining a cheerleading squad at school.

    • 2

      Become familiar with counting beats and steps. Beats are the number of counts in a measure, while steps are the choreographed moves that sync up with the beats. Sometimes, if you have quick steps, there may be two or three of them in a single beat. Because cheer dance moves are so intricately timed, you really have to practice staying on beat, so get a metronome and use it when you practice your moves. Try your best to stay on the count of the click, but don't let your form become sloppy. This will take lots of practice, so be persistent.

    • 3

      Tape the routine you want to learn or see if it's available online. Watch it in slow motion and take note of the steps. It's best to learn the dance in eight counts, which would be two bars of music. Practice these small sections of the song, rather than trying to learn the entire routine at once. After you've mastered one eight-count section, move to the next one.

    • 4

      Practice the dance, alongside your video, in front of a mirror. Skip any steps that are too complicated or risky for now. Just try to rehearse everything you can. Again, start out slow and over time, you can gradually increase the speed of the routine until it's at full speed. When you do learn the trickier parts, learn them with a friend who can support you until you learn to do the moves on your own. Also, it's a good idea to use mats or couch cushions to prevent injury.

    • 5

      Practice the cheer dance without a mirror now. Remember to try and keep your form tight and your steps on beat. Keep your attitude positive, remember to smile and keep practicing.