Question by hokeypokey: Advice for cheerleading tryouts?
I’m in 8th grade. I’m trying out for freshman cheerleading. I did gymnastics in 4th grade for a while so i have a backround. Now im taking 8 classes over the course of 4 weeks for tumbling.
Does anybody have any tips for trying out in front of judges? Any cheerleaders that know what judges want? Or know what you did right and what others did wrong? Any people who tried out and know what you did wrong?
Best answer:
Answer by PJ
make sure to take charge. always be nice to everybody you come across even if they are biyotches. but don’t suck up. sucking up is so apparent and desperate and childish. don’t be sarcastic. listen carefully to everything said in the tryouts. be confident. compliment people. don’t look ugly. never stop smiling. never say anything negative.dont be obnoxious with the chit chat. dont act ditzy or dumb. if you fall on your face, whatever, give a cute smile shake your head and continue. dont obsess over it. be mature, but dont be snooty.
good luck
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I was a cheerleader through my whole ‘career’ in senior high school. Smile, smile, smile……I would practice a cheer and a smile. If the cheerleading squad already has a style (the voice style they cheer in, the way the move) then learn how to do that.
If they use short percussive movements incorporate that into the tryouts, if they use more flowing patterns incorporate that into the tryout….usually you tryout with returning cheerleaders. Observe what they do. The judges want you to be precise, enthusiastic, a leader….if you make a mistake (it’s inevitable) keep going and don’t stop. If you’re cheering in front of a crowd then you know you can’t just ‘do it over’ so act like you would in front of an audience.
Not being prepared and only doing the audition half way was many other people’s biggest mistakes. You need to give 150%, a lot of people in the tryouts don’t do that. I don’t know what I did wrong and that’s not the focus. I know that I worked so hard on the audition material that I almost backed out on the day I was supposed to audition. I was so sore from constantly practicing my Dad had to pull me out of bed….literally.
Just be focused, committed, enthusiastic, well rehearsed, smile, smile, smile, and know the background style of the team you’re auditioning for. Best to you.
It’s pretty easy and it worked for me. the entire time smile!!!! Keep your head up and don’t sing song your words. make everything sharp, your hands,your landings claps any special moves. make sure you don’t look like your thinking. make sure you have good jumps and i suppose you have a backhandspring they always like that. but the 2 most important things are have fun(or pretend) and be LOUD!!!
Good Luck
I taught cheerleading and gymnastics for 15 years.
Best thing you can do is be confident. There will be girls with sharper motions, higher jumps, and more tumbling experience. But those are all things that can be taught. Judges look for someone who can lead a crowd. Someone who isn’t intimidated by a stadium full of fans or a panel of 3 judges. Head up, shoulders back, eye contact with the judges, and smile like you want to be there. It’s fun, remember?
Oh, and my personal pet peave when I was judging tryouts: Don’t yell “Wooo!” You’re you’re a cheerleader, not a freight train. lol.. Good luck