How to Do Cheerleading Stunts

Cheerleading stunts are a lot of fun but it takes teamwork to successfully make them happen. Stunts require hours of rehearsing and with protective mats to assist until stunts are perfected. To do this basic stunt you will need at least four people.

Things You'll Need

  • Cheerleaders
  • Mats
  • Proper clothing
  • Tennis shoes
  • Smiles
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Instructions

    • 1

      Work on basing. To be a base stunt person you need to be bigger and stronger than the person that you will be lifting or the flyer. Most of the time you will need more than one base person depending on what type of stunt you plan on doing. The base is the foundation of every stunt big or small.

    • 2

      Practice flying. The flier is the person going up in the air. This person needs a lot of balance and needs to have no fear of heights. These people are typically small because small people are easier to lift. Fliers must remain stiff and have lots of balance to stay up with ease.

    • 3

      Perfect spotting. Every stunt needs someone to assist the flier, which is the spotter. A spotter will help the flier up into position from behind, protecting them while in the air and will help them down. They help but are not the main support. The spotter needs to be a good height and very alert through the whole stunt. The spotter is the flier’s safety net so they must be able to act fast.

    • 4

      Try the basic elevation stunt. You will need two people basing, facing each other. One person will be flying and the other will be spotting the flier. For the first time, a flier may climb into position. The cheerleaders, who are basing, will hold one foot each of the flier, starting at the chest, carefully lifting evenly to elevate the flier into the air above each bases' heads. The flier remains straight with the spotter guarding the back legs. If this is your first time, you may also want a spotter in the front to hold hands of flier until everyone is comfortable. The spotter will call the dismount. In unison, the bases will pop their hands up to get rid of the fliers’ foot. The flier will come straight down with arms straight out. The bases will catch the fliers stiff arm and the back spotter will catch the flier on their sides all at the same time. The flier will land lightly on their feet.

    • 5

      Layout dismount. There are several ways to come out of a stunt. The layout dismount is not the first one a rookie needs to try. Bases pop flier up again. The flier will come down with arms out, lying down. The back spotter will have the arms to catch this time while the bases will cradle the back and legs. Larger stunts take quite a few cheerleaders. You can do several elevations closely together or make pyramids. Be creative, have fun but most importantly be safe.