An Overview Of Foot Stomping Cheers, Part II - Cheer Examples

Edited by Azizi Powell

[revised November 20, 2014]

This is Part II of a post on foot stomping cheers. This post provides examples of foot stomping cheers from four different categories of those cheers.

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/05/an-overview-of-foot-stomping-movement.html for Part I of this post. Part I provides a general overview of the textual structure and performance of foot stomping cheers. Part I also includes my theories about the sources of this children's recreational activity.

I coined the term "foot stomping cheers" in 2000 to distinguish examples of that category from other cheerleader cheers. However, it appears from my direct collection and from my online collection that girls usually referred to these examples as "cheers". Sometimes they were called "chants" or "steps".

Also note that these posts on foot stomping cheers aren't about stomp cheers "stomps". The structure (words) and performance (movements) of stomp cheers may be the same as, slightly different from, or very different from the structure (words) and performance (movements) of foot stomping cheers. Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/11/how-stomp-cheers-differ-from-foot.html "How Stomp Cheers Differ From Foot Stomping Cheers".

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The content of this post is presented for folkloric, cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

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PART II: CATEGORIES OF FOOT STOMPING CHEERS
I've identified four main categories of foot stomping cheers.
These categories may be combined in various cheers. Those categoriess are
Introductory cheers
Confrontational (bragging, insult) cheers
Other bragging cheers
and
Dance style cheers
-snip-
Here's information about and examples of those cheers:

INTRODUCTORY CHEERS
These cheers serve the purpose of introducing members of the group -one at a time- to their imaginary audience. In these cheers girls state their name and/or their nickname, and may also state other personal information such as their favorite color, what they want to be when they grow up, their astrological (sun) sign, their boyfriend's name etc.

Two example of an introductory foot stomping cheer:
Group: Hey, Shaquala!
Soloist #1: Yo! *
Group: Innn-TRO-duce yourself.
Soloist #1: No way.
Group: Innn-TRO-duce yourself.
Soloist #1: Okay.
My name is Shaquala.
Group: Hey! Hey!
Soloist #1:They call me Quala.
Group: Hey! Hey!
Soloist #1: My sign is Aries
Group: Hey! Hey!
Soloist #1: I like to dance
Group: Hey! Hey!
Soloist #1: I wanna be a dancer for the rest of my life.
-T.M.P.; Pittsburgh, PA mid. 1980s; transcribed from audio tape by Azizi Powell, 1997
-snip-
*"Yo" was changed to "What" when that vernacular word became outdated.

Notice that there are no confrontational (threatening) or insult lines in this example.

Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWG4AX09mqQ
for a video example of "Introduce Yourself" (prom scene) from the 2006 American cheerleader movie Bring It On: All Or Nothing (Note that the performance movements of this cheer have been significantly modified.)

**
CONFRONTATIONAL (bragging/insult) foot stomping cheer
These cheers focus on the chanters confronting (saying threatening words to) an unnamed opponent or opponents. The chanter brags about herself, and also may insult (dis) that opponent

Two examples of confrontational foot stomping cheers:
Example #1: HULA HULA
Hula hula
Now who thinks they bad
Hula hula
Now who thinks they bad
I think I’m bad
‘Cause Acie my name
And toys is my game
Take a sip of my potion
And dance in slow motion
Uh-huh
She thinks she bad
Baby baby don’t make me mad
Un-huh
She thinks she cool
Baby baby don’t act a fool
Uh-huh
She think she sweet
Sweetest person you ever meet
Uh-huh
She thinks she fine
Baby baby I’ll blow your mind
-Barbara Michels and Bettye White, Editors: Apple On A Stick, The Folklore of Black Children (Putnam Juvenile; First Edition November 11, 1983)
-snip-
"Bad" here means "very good".

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Example #2: CALL REPUTATION (also known as "Razzle Dazzle")
my name is yonnqa
i'm number one
my reputation has just begun
so if you see me
step a side
cause i don't take no jive
oh think she cool
correction baby
i no i'm cool
i no karate
i no kunfu
you miss with me
i co it on you*
rasasol o dazzo o ox2 **
-yaya, cocojams.com, 2/23/2007
-snip-
*"co" here is probably a typo for "do"
**"ox2" probably means "repeat two times.
-snip-
"Shabooya Roll Call" is another example of a confrontational foot stomping cheer. Here's a video of that cheer from the 2006 Bring It On: All Or Nothing:

Bring It on: Shabooya Roll Call



Angel Arrieta, Published on Jun 9, 2013

shabooya roll cal from bring it on all or nothing
-snip-
"Shabooya Roll Call" is included in Spike Lee's 1996 movie Get On The Bus, it is best known from the 2006 cheerleader movie series Bring It On: All Or Nothing.

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/01/right-rhyming-pattern-for-shabooya-roll.html for a pancocojams post on Shabooya Roll Call.
-snip-
The cheer entitled "U.G.L.Y" that was in that same Bring It On movie and was also in the 1986 movie Wildcats doesn't have a call & response structure. Instead, it is said in unison. Therefore, "U.G.L.Y"it's not a foot stomping cheer. Click http://cocojams2.blogspot.com/2014/11/childrens-taunting-rhymes-m-z.html for the words to that cheer.i

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OTHER BRAGGING FOOT STOMPING CHEERS
In some examples in this category, the chanters brag about their group (their athletic team or school). In other examples the chanters brag about their boyfriend/s. These cheers have less insult content then confrontational foot stomping cheers.

Two examples of other bragging foot stomping cheers:
Example #1: L-O-V-E
All: L-O-V-E. L-O-V-E. L-O-V. L-O-V.
L-O-V-E.
Soloist #1: Well, Kayla’s my name.
And love is my game.
I got this boy on my mind.
And Lord knows he’s fine.
He calls me his girl,
His number 1 girl.
I don’t know his sign
But Taurus is mine.
All: L-O-V-E. L-O-V-E. L-O-V. L-O-V.
L-O-V-E.
Soloist #2 : Well Tamika's my name.
And love is my game.
I got this boy on my mind.
And Lord knows he’s fine.
I got his name on my shirt.
And don't call it dirt.
All: L-O-V-E. L-O-V-E. L-O-V. L-O-V.
L-O-V-E
Soloist #3 : Keisha's name.
And love is my game
I got this boy on my mind
and he sure is fine.
Blue is my color
Don't you worry 'bout my lover.
All: L-O-V-E. L-O-V-E. L-O-V. L-O-V.
L-O-V-E
Tazi M. Powell (remembrance of Pittsburgh, PA. in the mid 1980s), Collected by Azizi Powell, 2/1996

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Example #2: FLY GIRL
All: Fly girl
Fly girl
Fly girl One
Fly girl Two
Pump it up Teresa
See what you do.
Soloist #1:(Oh) my name is Teresa
and I’m a fly girl
It takes a lot of men
to rock my world.
‘cause I can fly like a butterfly
sting like a bee
and that’s way they call me
Sexy
-Tazi M. Powell, (African American female, memories of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in the mid 1980s (audio-tape made in late 1980s and transcribed in 1996)
-snip-
"Fly Girl" means an attractive, hip female (one who is up to date with the latest urban culture fashions, lingo, dances etc)

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DANCE STYLE FOOT STOMPING CHEERS
These cheers provide opportunities for the group and its individual members to show off their dance (and/or stepping) moves. These cheers often mention one or more (then) popular dances. Dance style foot stomping cheers are much less confrontational than cheers in that other category. While dance style foot stomping cheers may include some bragging words, they
usually include little or no insults. Consequently, the cheer performers (stompers/steppers) ddn't act surly or as aggressive as they play act during the chanting of confrontational foot stomping cheers. Many of dance style cheers can be immediately recognizable by the "Hey (person's name) Show me" lines that begin those cheers.

***
Two examples of a dance style foot stomping cheer:

Example #1: GET DOWN
Group (including the first soloist) - I saida D. O. W. N
And that's the way we get down.
D. O. W. N.
And that's the way we get down."
Group (excluding the first soloist) - Hey, Shayla
Shayla - What?
Group- Hey, Shayla
Shayla - What?
Group - Show me how you get down.
Shayla - No way.
Group- Show me how you get down.
Shayla - Okay.
[Shayla does a hip swinging dance while saying]
I saida D. O. WN.
And that's the way
And that's the way
And that's the way I get down.
[Group does dance with Shayla and says]
Group - She saida D. O. WN.
And that's the way
And that's the way
And that's the way she gets down.
-T.M.P, mid 1980s, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; collected by Azizi Powell
-snip-
This foot stomping cheer starts again from the beginning with the next soloist who says the same soloist lines but traditionally isn't supposed to repeat the same foot stomping/dance routine. This pattern continues until every member has had one turn as soloist.

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Example #2: MOVE GIRL
You betta move
girl you betta move.
[say both lines(3x)]
Now drop it low
Drop it low.
Drop it low
Drop it low
-Shaw High School [transcription of the video given below]
-snip-
* Thanks to tknight51, lauren patton, and PrincessAmandaTVfor adding comments to this video's comment thread which indicated that the girls were saying "drop it low".
-snip-
Notice that the soloist's name isn't called. And, unlike most other foot stomping cheers, the soloist doesn't speak, but does her own dance while the others chant. "Now drop it low" means to dance down [close] to the ground, and then comee back up.

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Here are two video examples of dance style foot stomping cheers:
Example #1: Shaw Cheerleaders "Move Girl"



Brandon Thurman, Uploaded on Jan 9, 2011

Shaw High School Cheerleaders Before the game hype
-snip-
The words to this cheer are given above.

**
Example #2: Dailey Tigers "Rock Steady"



daileytigers, Published on Nov 17, 2012

Cheerleaders
-snip-
Unlike the "standard" structure for foot stomping cheers, the cheer begins with a soloist's voice.
-snip-
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/05/rock-steady-childrens-cheer-examples.html for a pancocojams post on the "Rock Steady" cheer.

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This concludes Part II of this post on foot stomping cheers.

Thanks to the unknown composer/s of these cheers. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post, the performers who are featured in these videos, and the publishers of these videos on YouTube.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

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How Stomp Cheers Differ From Foot Stomping Cheers

Edited by Azizi Powell

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF FOOT STOMPING CHEERS
In the early part of 2000s I coined the term "foot stomping cheers" to refer to a sub-set of American children's and teenagers' cheerleader cheers. The earliest examples of those cheers that I've found are from the 1970s, and up to at least the beginning of the 21st century those cheers appear to have usually been performed informally as part of the receational activities of two or more African American girls between the ages of 6-12 years old.

The term "foot stomping cheers" refers to the characteristic group/consecutive structure of children's (and less often) teens' recreational (informally performed) cheers. "Foot stomping cheers" also refers to the characteristic manner of performing those cheers, choreographed, synchronized, percussive foot stomps that alternate with individual hand claps, and body pats.

The words of foot stomping cheers may be mostly confrontational and self-bragging, or they may mostly focus on introducing individual nmembers of the group. Other foot stomping cheers simply provide opportunities for the individual members one at a time to show their dance moves.

GENERAL DESCRIPTIONS OF FOOT STOMPS (STOMPS)
The term "stomp cheers" ("stomps") appears to have been coined in the early 2000s as a referent for certain types of cheers and chants that are performed by children and teenagers (usually females), ages 5-18 years old, who are members of athletic teams' cheer squads. Most stomp cheer videos on YouTube feature White American female teenagers.

I believe that stomp cheers are an adaptation of - if not appropriation of- African American originated foot stomping cheers that are often combined with the African American orginated cheer/chant performance styles of stepping, and, less often, stomp and shake cheerleading. But then again, instead of an appropriation, stomp cheers could be considered a folk processed form of that performance art or performance art forms.

STOMP CHEER THEMES
Stomp cheers may focus on introduction. However, unlike foot stomping cheer, the introduction often is of the cheer squad itself and not its individual members.

The words to stomp cheers may also provide an opportunity for the squad to dance as a group or as individuals. Some stomp cheers are confrontational, but usually not as much as foot some foot stomping cheers. And the bragging that occurs in stomp cheers is often bragging about the athletic team, or the school, and not the individual members.

Stomp cheers also focus on the actual game (for instance calling for more offense or defense.) And those cheers also directly address the crowd (for instance, asking the crowd to repeat a line in a chant.) Since foot stomping cheers usually have no audience, they don't include any references to an audience.

Some stomp cheers may repeat themselves with a new soloist after one rendition of that cheer. However, unlike foot stomping cheers, every member of the cheerleading squad may not get a turn as the soloist for that cheer, or they may not get an equal turn (a turn for the same amount of time.)

In my opinion, the "attitude" and "tone" are the main differences between the chanting that's done in stomp cheers and the chanting that's done in foot stomping cheers, historically Black Greek letter fraternity/sorority stepping, and stomp and shake cheerleading. In most of the stomp cheer videos I've seen, when they are chanting confrontational/bragging cheers, the White stomp cheerleaders in those videos don't have the super-confident, don't mess with me, aggressive, come to battle demeanor (play acting or otherwise) that is integal to those cheers. Also, the foot stomping movements often seem to mechanical to me. By "mechanical" I mean that not only are the stomps and other movements in the stomp routine not crisp (tight, sharp, on point), but it often seems as though the cheerleaders are performing the movements machine like, from memory but without any spirit or energy.

STOMP CHEER PERFORMANCE MOVES
Many but not all stomp cheers include the word "stomp" and a brief stomp clap routine. However, the beat pattern of stomp cheers may differ from that of foot stomping cheers. And in some stomp cheers the same beat pattern isn't done in a metronone manner throughout the entire cheer as is the case with foot stomping cheers.

Also, it appears that the stomp cheer performances incorporate, or attempt to successfully incorporate, elements from historically Black (African American) fraternity/sorority stepping, and/or stomp and shake cheerleading.

Apart from whether stepping performances in mainstream cheerleading are done well, I think that stomp cheer squads aren't aware that it is socially incorrect (bad form) to perform, even in a modified manner, the distinctive signature step moves and/or chants/cheers that are associated with a particular historically Black Greek fraternity/sorority or a stomp and cheer cheerleading team. Those moves/chants are only performed by members of those particular organizations, or- with regard to university stomp and shake cheer squads, those cheers and their signature movements may be performed by a high school squad who were taught them by members of that particular university's cheer squad who composed and choreographed those cheers. Of course, given YouTube, it has become increasingly much easier to learn other organizations' and cheer squads' steps and cheers. But performing them instead of creating your own means that the group is considered to be lacking in creativity, and been seen as culturally appropriating cultural products, even though its not illegal to do so.

I'm not sure if cheer squads purposely incorporate the moves, and tunes (if not the actual chants) of fraternity/sorority step teams, or stomp and cheer squads because they weren't aware that there are differences between the way that foot stomping cheers, stepping, and stomp and shake cheerleading is done.

I've also noticed in almost all videos of the foot stomping cheer "Shabooya Roll Call" cheer includes swaying back and forth instead of doing foot stomps (steps). The 2006 Bring It On: All Or Nothing movie which featured that cheer as well as the "Introduce Yourself" cheer that included some "Shabooya Roll Call" lines showed two different ways of performing those cheers. In the cafeteria scene in that movie, two African American girls and one Latina girl do a foot stomp routine that changes to some motions that may have been patterned after exaggerated forms of stomp and shake cheer movements. I think that was probably because stomping was considered to be too difficult for those actresses to credibly perform. Click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWG4AX09mqQ for a video of the "Introduce Yourself" scene from that Bring It On: All Or Nothing movie.

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TEXT (WORD) EXAMPLES OF STOMP CHEERS

Example #1:
Cheerleaders: Hey Cherokees!
Crowd: Hey What!
Cheerleaders: Let me see you get down! Let me see you shake it!
Crowd: No way!
Cheerleaders: Jump shake your booty! Jump! Jump! Shake your booty!
Cheerleaders: Hey Cherokees!
Crowd: Hey What!
Cheerleaders: Let me see you get down! Let me see you shake it!
Crowd: Okay!
Cheerleaders: Jump shake your booty! Jump! Jump! Shake your booty!
Cherokees! We wanna see you stomp (stomp) and shake it! (repeat)
-SEXYTAYLOR17, http://cheerleading.about.com/od/collectionofcheers/l/blcheer3.htm
-snip-
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/05/an-overview-of-foot-stomping-movement.html for an example of "Get Down".

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Example #2:
Irish fans in the stands,
let me hear you clap your hands.
(clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap)
Now that you've got the beat, let me hear you stomp your feet
(stomp stomp stomp stomp stomp stomp stomp stomp stomp stomp stomp)
Now that you've got the groove, let me see your body move
Ahuga ahah Ahuga (clap clap)
-SEXYTAYLOR17, http://cheerleading.about.com/od/collectionofcheers/l/blcheer3.htm

-snip-
"Irish" is probably part of the team name or part of the name of the high school.

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Example #3:
You may be good at Football
You may be good at Track
But when it comes to Wrestling
You better watch your Back
Cadets Attack!
(Stomp, Clap, Stomp Stomp, Clap, Stomp Stomp, Clap Clap, Stomp Stomp, Clap)
Repeat Once
Repeat Cheer and Stomp and Clap
-no name given, http://cheerleading.about.com/od/cheerschantsyells/a/cheers100.htm

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Example #4:
The one i learned when i was in 5th grade was (out mascot was an eagle so we replaced girls with eagles):

Bang bang choo choo train
Come on Eagles do your thing
Peanut better reese cup
Mess with us, see whats up
To the front to the back to the front back side side
Let me see your butterfly
And shake and shake your funky little hips
Now i want you and you too cheer with me too
-Amanda,cocojams.com, June 21, 2012

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VIDEO EXAMPLES OF STOMP CHEERS
These examples are presented in no particular order.

Example #1: Stomp Cheer



kmt122181, Uploaded on Jul 14, 2008

Stomp Cheer
-anip-
The narrator says "You have to remember that the most difficult thing about this cheer is keeping the beat". The neat pattern these girls are using for this routine as superimposed on the screen is
"stomp x stomp stomp x stomp stomp xx stomp stomp x" ["x" = clap]
-snip-
There are two standard beat patterns for foot stomping cheers. Those patterns remind consistent throughout almost all cheers. They are either "stomp x stomp stomp x" or "stomp stomp x stomp stomp x">
-snip-
I think that if these girls had raised their feet higher off the ground, they would have gotten a deeper bass tone. That bass is what steppers doing foot stomping cheers want to achieve.

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Example #2: Reno Cheerleading Stomp



Anne Goodman. Published on Mar 25, 2013
2011 RHS
-snip-
The switching movements that this cheer squad does before they begin their routine reminds me of the switching, preening movements that are a signature feature of the historically Black Greek letter sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha. Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpvlfWVYX6s

That type of female preening isn't at all a part of stomp and shake cheerleading. That switching movements also doesn't occur as a prelude to foot stomping cheers - although girls often shake their hips during
their solo portion of those cheers. Also,
for a video of those same movements by those sorors.

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Example #3: Sikeston Cheer 2014 Stomp



T&Cs Dad, Published on Apr 11, 2014
-snip-
Click for another stomp vide of this cheer squad. Both videos really remind me of the signature, distinctive step style of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. The chant in the video that is embedded in this post also is a lot like (same tune as) a Que (Omega Psi Phi) chant that is well known to those who are familiar with historically Black Greek letter fraternities.

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Example #4: Cheer Squad Stomp During Pep Rally



Shelly Tan,Uploaded on Aug 10, 2010

The 09-10 JV and Freshman Cheerleaders doing a stomp for the Bird Bowl Pep Rally! :)

i had a blast with these girls, some of my bestest friends EVER.
-snip-
I think that this cheer squad didn't convey the attitude and spirit that I believe is an integral part of foot stomping cheer performances, or that I think should be an integral part of stomp cheer performances. Also, a cheer squads performance would make the audieence be attentive. The cheerleaders don't have to tell the crowd to be quiet. Actually, in the case of stomp and shake cheerleaders, or historically Black fraternity or sorority step teams, the cheer squad wants to raise the enthusiasm of the crowd (pump them up). They don't want the crowd to be quiet.

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RELATED LINK
http://cocojams2.blogspot.com/2014/11/the-african-american-sources-of-bring.html The African American Sources Of Bring It On (2000 & 2006) Movies Cheers

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Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and who are featured in these videos. Thanks also to those who published these videos on YouTube.

The content of this post is presented for folkloric and recreational purposes.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

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"Work It" (Virginia State University Cheer) & Other Examples Of Encouragement & Appreciation Phrases

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases two examples of Viriginia State University's "Work It" cheer as performed by the Woo Woos, VSU's cheerleaders.

This post also includes an explanation of what "Work it" means and examples of other similar interjections that have their source in African American Vernacular English.

A bonus video of a VSU pep rally is also included in this post and a bonus video of a video of theVSU Trojan Explosion marching band are also included in this post.

The content of this post is presented for cultural and entertainment purpose.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to past and present members of Viriginia State University Woo Woo cheerleaders. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post, all those who are featured in these videos, and the publishers of these videos on YouTube.

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WHAT "WORK IT" MEANS
From http://onlineslangdictionary.com/meaning-definition-of/work-it
"Work it!

[part of speech] interjection

[Meaning] a phrase of encouragement or a compliment to a person engaging in some activity. The activity that prompts a call of "Work it!" is usually physical, e.g. dancing, walking, etc.

Example: Work it, girl!"

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SOME OTHER ENCOURAGEMENT & APPRECIATION INTERJECTIONS (from African American Vernacular English)

[These interjections are presented in alphabetical order.]

Be owt!

Bring it!

Do it!

Get down!

Get hype!

Get it!

Go [person's first name or nickname]!

Go in!

Go off!

Let's go!

You betta work it!

You go, [girl]!
-snip-
Encouragement/appreciation interjections addressed to singers
Sang! [present tense]

Sang it! [present tense]

Sing it!
-snip-
What other encouragement and/or appreciation interjections can you think of?

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FEATURED VIDEOS:
Example #1: Virgina State University Woo Woos - "Work It"



Uploaded by GoTrojans on Sep 11, 2008

VSU vs. NSU Labor Day Classic August 30, 2008
-snip-
Lyrics: Work It
(VSU Cheerleaders)

V-S-U let's work it
Ayeee yee yee
Work it
Aayyeee yee yee
Trojans [you] know how we do
Get out ya seats and work big blue
Ahhhhh work it
Ayeeee yee yee

(repeat)
- transcription by Azizi Powell; additions and corrections welcome.

"Trojans" is the name of VSU's football team.

When the cheerleaders complete this cheer, an excited member of the crowd can be heard spontaneously shouting "Woo Woo!"

A theory I've read is that the name "Woo Woo" is said to have been given to Virginia State University's cheerleading squad because that's the sound that men made when they saw the attractive cheerleaders.

Generally speaking, in the United States, along with "wolf whistles", sometimes still make the "woo woo" sound when they see an attractive young female approaching them. However, that type of attention is often not welcome.

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Example #2: VSU Woo Woo's 2012



BlaWaiian2008's channel, Published on Sep 8, 2012

V-State Cheerleaders.

Here are some comments from that video's discussion threadz:

[2013]

OneVoice412
"FINALLY!!!!! SOMETHING DIFFERENT!!!! YESSS!!"

**
Diontey Michael
"GOOOOO OFFFFF WOO!!!!!"
**
marcus simpson
"GO SHAY SHAY! we are proud of you!"
**
Sam Brown
"Remiiiiiiiix!!!! Love ladies"
**
GScott7
"aww they changed it!"

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BONUS VIDEO: VSU's Homecoming Pep Rally (2011)

.

TheVSUTube Published on Mar 17, 2012

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Bonus Video: VSU Trojan Explosion march to Davis Hall for da Tunnel @ the end of Explosion Day 2013 Pt. 1



Harley Her Yeah Her, Published on Apr 28, 2013

via YouTube Capture
-snip-
Here's a past tense [verb] use of the phrase "go off":

Deontre Wilkes, 2013
"Omg Baritones went off at 0:42 #AtomicTones!"

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RELATED LINKS: Two records whose lyrics include the interjection "Work it!"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vw9LOrHU8JI RuPaul - Supermodel (Of The World)[1993]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zm28EEeyLek
"Missy Elliott - Work It" (HQ) [2002]

[This song and video may not be appropriate for children.]

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Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

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African American Male Stomp & Shake Cheerleaders (videos)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcase six videos of University level stomp and shake cheerleader squads that include at least one male.

The content of this video is provided for historical, cultural, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

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EDITORIAL COMMENT AND DISCLAIMER:
I'm aware that some non-Black cheerleaders participate in university level stomp and shake cheerleading. However, there is no question that almost all of the cheerleaders who have participated in this African American originated sport/performance art in the past and the present are Black (if not African American). And to date, in my perusal of multiple YouTube stomp and shake university level cheerleading videos, I have never seen a non-Black male cheerleader.

However, by no means is this post a comprehensive video presentation of African American males in stomp and shake cheerleading.

From my review of YouTube videos, it seems to me that 99.9% of university (and high school) stomp and shake cheerleaders are female. In contrast, according to http://cheerleading.about.com/od/cheerleadingfunstuff/l/blfunfacts.htm "97% of all cheerleaders are female, however, almost 50% of collegiate Cheerleaders are male." [end of quote.] The term "collegiate cheerleaders" in that quote for the most part probably refers to traditional college & university level cheerleading squads.

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FEATURED VIDEOS
These videos are presented in chronological order with the oldest dated videos presented first.
No comments from these selected videos are included in this post and they are presented with relatively very little editorial comments.

Multiple videos of the same squad from different years are included in this post to show different examples of male cheerleaders on that particular squad.

WARNING: As is the case with many YouTube videos, the comment threads of these videos may contain profanity, racist comments, and other objectionable content.

That said, some of the comments on these threads provide historical information and/or provide glimpses of African American opinions about the subject of traditional cheerleading versus stomp and shake cheerleading, and about African Americans themselves.

Example #1: WSSU CHEERLEADERS FOR MTV (watch in High Quality)



Flowchildent, Uploaded on Sep 24, 2008

WSSU Cheerleaders tryout for MTV Show
-snip-
WSSU = Winston Salem State University is a historically Black university located in North Carolina.

The MTV show was Paula Abdul's Rah! Cheerleader show (2009). From the comments on this viewer comment thread and another video comment thread for the "traditional" female cheerleading squad for Morehouse University, Atlanta, Ceorgia, a historically Black male university*, neither of those squads were accepted as participants on that reality television show. I haven't been able to find the names of the five cheerleader squads that were featured on that show. However, from the comments I read, all the featured squads were traditional cheerleaders.

*Morehouse's cheerleaders are Spelman University students. That nearby female historically Black university is considered a sister institution to Morehouse.

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Example #2: VSU Woo Woos and NSU Cheerleaders "Hello Cheer" 1997



GoTrojans, Uploaded on Nov 12, 2008

NSU vs VSU 1997 Labor Day Classic - 1st game at NSU Dick Price Football Stadium
-snip-
Virginia State University is a historically Black university. It's cheerleaders are called "Woo Woos. Norfolk State University is a historically Black university in Virginia.

Notice the male cheerleaders on both teams.

I've watched a number of YouTube videos of the VSU Woo Woo. I was surprised to see male Woo Woo cheerleaders as there were no male cheerleaders in any of those other Woo Woo videos. I wonder what year this changed.

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Example #3: LC Cheerleaders Cheerin' Their Team On!!!



vcheer88 Uploaded on Mar 13, 2009

Livingstone College Cheerleaders
-snip-
Livingstone is a historically Black university located in North Carolina.

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Example #4: WSSU Cheerleaders 09-10/ Talkin out the side of yo neck!



yorztrulie, Uploaded on Feb 4, 2010

Dancing to the song "Talkin out the side of your neck" at the WSSU vs. NCAT bball game where the Rams won. GO RAMS!!!! lol
-snip-
WSSU = Winston Salem State University, North Carolina; NCAT = North Carolina Agricultural & Tecnologial State University

"Talkin out the side of your neck" is a recording by Cameo. To "talk out the side of your neck" means to talk nonsense.

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Example #5: Tuskegee Cheerleaders Spring Open House 2010



Gashlyn2010, Uploaded on Jun 20, 2010

Tuskegee Cheerleaders Performing "Get on that Skegee Train"
-snip-
Tuskegee is a historically Black university that is located in Alabama.

The words to this chant and the words to a number of other stomp & shake chants and cheers can be found on my cocojams.com stomp & shake cheerleader page. The link to that page is given below in the Related Links section.

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Example #6: 2013 WSSU Homecoming Cheerleaders pump it up



Artistry Photography, Published on Oct 13, 2013

2013 WSSU Cheerleaders perform during Homecoming
-snip-
The way that male cheerleaders perform within the same squad has changed over time. For instance, a number of comments in the viewer comment thread for the 2007 video "HBCU CHEER BATTLE pt. 2" criticized Winston-Salem State University's cheerleaders because they said that the one lone WSSU male cheerleader, Darius, shaked while doing the cheers. In response to this, CharlesClarkTV, a commenter who supported WSSU wrote that year that "...I didn't see Darius shake not one time so someone needs to look at the video a little clearer. Ya'll hating because he killed just like that girls did without shaking!!"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5NoNatVZ8s

WARNING: The publisher's summary statement and the viewer comment thread for that video contain profanity.

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RELATED LINKS
Click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Intercollegiate_Athletic_Association for information about another conference of historically Black colleges and universities, mostly in North Carolina. The universities in this post that are members of CIAA are WSSU, Livingstone, NCAT, and VSU which was previously a member of MEAC.

That above linked CIAA page contains a statement about stomp and shake cheerleading. All the squads of CIAA universities perform stomp and shake cheerleading.

Also, click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mid-Eastern_Athletic_Conference.

Some cheerleading squads in the MEAC perform stomp and shake cheerleading while others perform traditional cheerleading. The universities in this post which were members of MEAC at the time of those videos are VSU and NSU.

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Click http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs039/1102836658889/archive/1110810635530.html for some historical information about males on Winston-Salem State University's cheerleading squads.

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Click http://www.cocojams.com/content/stomp-and-shake-cheerleader-cheers this page of my cocojams.com cultural website to find general information & comments about and selected videos & the words of university level stomp & shake cheerleading squads.

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Thanks to the cheerleading squads that are showcased in these videos. Thanks also to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Read More

What Qualities Are Valued In Stomp & Shake Cheerleading?

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post provides a list of qualities that appear to me to be valued in stomp and shake cheerleading (as suggested by comments from selected YouTube stomp and shake video viewer comment threads).

Most of these comments come from the viewer comment threads of five videos of West Mecklenburg High School Varsity Cheerleading Squad (Charlotte, North Carolina).

Those five videos and a transcription of their cheers are showcased in this companion post: http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/01/five-stomp-and-shake-videos-of-west.html "Five Stomp And Shake Videos Of The West Meck High School Varsity Cheerleading Squad (North Carolina)".

I'm showcasing these videos because a number of comments in these videos' viewer comment thread refer to the squad's performance. I also selected these videos because the words to these cheers are either transcribed in the video's comment section, or I believe I understood the words of that cheer enough to attempt a transcription.

It's significant that this cheerleading squad is from North Carolina as my online research strongly suggests that North Carolina and Virginia were the birth places of stomp and cheer cheerleading. And those states along with South Carolina and Washington D. C. appear to be the centers of stomp and shake cheer activities.

The additional comments in this post are from the viewer comment thread of a battle cheer video between two South Carolina High Schools: Manning High School vs. Timberland High School. A link to that video is given in this post. In addition, that video is included in this previous pancocojams post: http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/03/confrontational-words-body-stances-in.html "Confrontational Words & Body Stances In Stomp & Shake Cheerleading"

The content of this post is presented for cultural purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

UPDATE February 5, 2014
Here's a comment from the Wikipedia page of the CIAA (Central Intercollegiate Athletic_Association)that addresses the qualities that are valued in their cheerleading competitions:
"The CIAA cheering squads practice Stomp 'N Shake that incorporates voice, gymnastics, and dance. Over the past few decades, S-N-S has evolved into a more technical style, priding itself on precision, accuracy, and creativity. Included in this style are the techniques of up-stomp, up-step, down-stomp, kick, side-kick, roll, roll-break, power-arms, slpaz-hand, clasp, blade, and the shakes(car-wash shake, single shake, double shake, hit-shake, and jiggle-pop). CIAA Cheerleading is most known for its cheer battles. This is where squads battle each other during games verbally with chants. It provides a heightened level of excitement and competition to the sports they are cheering for. It showcases cheerleading in a different dimension. Only in this style can you excite the crowd, rally them to cheer on the team, cheer on the team and slay your opponent all at the same time." Central_Intercollegiate_Athletic_Association

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QUALITIES THAT ARE VALUED IN STOMP AND SHAKE CHEERLEADING
From reading these and other YouTube stomp and shake video viewer comment threads, it seems to me that the qualities that commenters appear to value can be categorized as referring to
technique, showmanship, the words of the cheer or chant itself, and originality (whether squad performed its own cheer or a cheer from another squad that they found online or otherwise). In some examples, I've added an explanation of a slang term.

I've numbered these qualities ("values") according to what I think is the highest and lowest values, with #1 being the highest value. The category of the quality (technique, showmanship, or originality) is placed in brackets and the source of the comment is also given after the comment.

1. Moves are "tight" ("on point"), "sharp". Another way of saying that is that the moves are "clean" (not sloppy). [technique]

ashley horne, 2012
"thats a good cheer...just sharpen up the arms on the up stomps and the claps...good job but be thighter" [West Meck HS Varsity Cheerleaders-Fire it up.MOV; Example #3 in Pancocojams' West Meck Cheerleading Post]
**
Ash Mars, 2011
"omg this ish tight mann , wish my cheer squad cheered like this we'd be phye ! :)" [West Meck HS Varsity Cheerleaders-Can you jam.MOV; Example #2 in Pancocojams' West Meck Cheerleading Post]
-snip-
I think "phye" is a hip way of writing "fly" -as in "hip" :)
**
"You guys are really good!! The movements are very precise! What are the words? ["West Meck HS Varsity Cheerleaders-Hawk Rock"; Example #4 in Pancocojams' West Meck Cheerleading Post]

**
LadyCheeks97, 2011 ["West Meck HS Varsity Cheerleaders-Hawk Rock"; Example #2 in Pancocojams' West Meck Cheerleading Post]
"Veryyy precisee and cleann!"

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2. Being aggressive ; “going hard” (how the cheer is performed as shown in the cheer’s words, the cheerleaders' body stances and facial expressions) [showmanship]

EsquireandQueen; 2011 "Bring it On: Manning High School vs. Timberland High School" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIcLsCHKglw
"I seen two familiar faces in that THS squad (Laci and Kamari) But I have to say MHS was pretty aggressive and hard hitting."

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3. Having attitude, having "swag" [This is closely related to #2] [showmanship]

jboyfreshVUU, 2011
"that girl who started this cheer off has some crazy swagg! i love it!" [West Meck HS Varsity Cheerleaders-Fire it up.MOV; Example #3 in Pancocojams' West Meck Cheerleading Post]
-snip-
The same quality or a closely related quality is "showing spirit" (being spirited in their chanting/cheering and foot stomping). Read a comment below from a person commenting in the discussion thread of a video of the West Meck High School jr. varsity cheerleaders.

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4. Having the right tempo for the foot stomp/cheer (not chanting too fast or too slow) [showmanship]

namegoesheree, 2013 [West Meck HS Varsity Cheerleaders-Hawks We Do.; Example #5 in Pancocojams' West Meck Cheerleading Post]

"If she would have called the cheer slower, it would have probably been better."
**
ashley horne, 2013, [[West Meck HS Varsity Cheerleaders-Hawks We Do.; xample #5 in Pancocojams' West Meck Cheerleading Post]

"slow down a little bit becuase half the team was barely stomping because it was to fast..get a nice tempo and slow down..gives you more time to grove in that cheer"

5. Making sure people are able to hear the chant/cheer and understand its words [technique]

EastMeckJayVee, 2012 ["Bring it On: Manning High School vs. Timberland High School"]
"Like so, the cheers are good and stuff but the tightness is not there. Also as far as gettin your words out that was good too."
-snip-
For the record, both Manning High School and Timberland High School are located in South Carolina [as per the publisher of this video.]

Read the comments below about cheering with a deep voice and cheering from your diaphragm that were posted in a discussion thread of a video of the West Meck High School jr. varsity cheerleaders.

**
kenyettaparkerkp, 2012 ["West Meck HS Varsity Cheerleaders-Hawk Rock"]
"Yall are awesome! Very sharp and great voices!
-snip-
I believe the "very sharp" comment refers to Point #1 in this list.

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6. Looking good (their uniforms, and/or the overall way the squad looks while doing their cheers/chants) [showmanship]

1SwaggTeam, 2012 ["West Meck HS Varsity Cheerleaders-Hawk Rock"]
"those uniforms are amazing ^_^"
**
gilliamdaisha, 2011 years ago [West Meck HS Varsity Cheerleaders-Hawk Rock.MOV]
"It dnt even matta wat they satin it mattas about the way they look...TOGETHER"

**
7. being original (doing your own cheers and not “stealing” other people’s cheers) [originality]

John Outlaw, 2011 [West Meck HS Varsity Cheerleaders-Fire it up]
"I'm feeling woo wooish, it is a great cheer nonetheless...and yall are some of the fliest cheerleaders I have ever seen!!! Great job!!!"
-snip-
This comment refers to the "Woo Woos", Virginia State Union's stomp and shake cheerleader squad ("Woo Woo" is an exclamation of approval males are known to give to attractive females.) Saying "I'm feeling woo wooish" is "throwing shade" in that it indirectly implies that that squad is doing one or more of the Woo Woo's cheers.
**
[All of these other comments are from "Bring it On: Manning High School vs. Timberland High School". Sorry. I've not attempted to a list of the cheers that were performed in this cheer battle. However, some of the words to those cheers are found in the cocojams.com page whose link is given below.]

Amber Brown, 2010
"Originality: Manning Motions and Voice: Timberland #thatisall :) Good job both squads. Looking forward to basketball season p.s. In Anidra's defense the battle was over but they started up again so chilllllllllllll :) They made a game winning shot after the clock was out but hey gotta do whatcha gotta do. :)"

**
TheKierabethune, 2010
"Well as the Captain of the Manning Monarch cheerleading squad; I must say...We as a squad represented well and to thee fullest extent. All of this yall putting on here bout THS is thee best cheer squad and that they have never lost a cheer battle....Yall can CUT IT OUT!! For 1-Stealing cheers from off of YOUTUBE doesn't make your squad thee best!! Anybody can get on there and take cheers && re-enact them. For 2-MHS is ORIGINAL..And thats all it is to it. That was beautiful MHS...Good job THS"

**
17Reks, 2010
in reply to TheKierabethune
"@TheKierabethune okkk not to jump on your case but....... yes we get some of our cheers just like any other squad, however before you call us out please make sure that you know not all of ya'll cheers are original. Just like we borrow some ya'll do to. And for another known fact we DO make up our own cheers too. (Everyone has a squad they hope to be like or be better than). But still none the less both squads did a GREAT JOB!!! 2 of the best!!!"

**
jlesaine34, 2010
"As head varsity cheerleading coach of the Monarch cheerleading squad, I would like to commend both squads on a job well done. Both squads represented their schools well. Cheer battles are common among colleges (HBCUs) and now high school squads are doing them. As Anidra stated, it is suppose to be a friendly competition. Let's all remember that everyone is entitled to their own opinions. We ALL use something from other squads. It's nothing new."
-snip-
"Monarch cheerleading squad = Manning High School
"HBCU" = Historically Black Colleges And Universities
**
careen newyork, 2012,
"@natday4u well as a former high school stomp and shake cheerleader and collage all American cheerleader and now a cheer Coach it is not good to do battle cheers and they are stolen how are you going to battle one another using stolen material be original from one Coach to another puffs my point sooo......"

**
StephyLovee31710, 2013
"Alot of ppl dwn there trippin on the fact that its not there cheer ... Its a highschool team using a college teams cheer . Theyre not gonna go against the team they took it from .. Who cares ? If everyone could track down all the cheers everyone stole NOBODY would have any cheers. Pleasee ,"
-snip-
"trippin" - wasting time talking about...

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RELATED LINK
Click this page of my cocojams.com cultural website for more information and university examples of stomp and shake cheerleading: http://www.cocojams.com/content/stomp-and-shake-cheerleader-cheers

Also, click http://www.cocojams.com/content/childrens-cheerleader-cheers for some examples of high school stomp and shake cheerleading
-snip-
The Addendum #1 section of http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/01/five-stomp-and-shake-videos-of-west.html "Five Stomp And Shake Videos Of The West Meck High School Varsity Cheerleading Squad (North Carolina)" showcases commenters discussing how this cheerleading squad is similar in different ways to the stomp and shake squads of two North Carolina historically Black universities: WSSU (Winston-Salem State University) and NCCU (North Carolina Central University).

The Addendum #2 of that same post showcases a video of the West Meck High School junior varsity cheerleaders.

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Thanks to those cheerleaders who are featured in this post. Thanks to all of those who are quoted in this post.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Read More

Five Stomp And Shake Videos Of The West Meck High School Varsity Cheerleading Squad (North Carolina)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases five videos of West Mecklenburg High School [West Meck] Varsity Cheerleading Squad (Charlotte, North Carolina).

Those five videos and a transcription of their cheers are showcased in this companion post that lists seven qualities that are highly valued by stomp and shake cheerleader fans: http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/01/what-qualities-are-valued-in-stomp.html.

I'm showcasing these videos of the West Meck High School varsity cheerleading squad partly because I consider these featured squads to be very good. I'm also showcasing these videos because the words to these cheers are either transcribed in the video's comment section, or I believe I understood the words of that cheer enough to attempt a transcription.

It's significant that this cheerleading squad is from North Carolina as my online research strongly suggests that North Carolina and Virginia were the birth places of stomp and cheer cheerleading. And those states along with South Carolina and Washington D. C. appear to be the centers of stomp and shake cheer activities.

The content of this post is presented for cultural purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

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FEATURED VIDEOS
(These videos are presented in alphabetical order based on the first letter of the cheer's title.)

Example #1: West Meck HS Varisty Cheerleaders-All you gotta do w/ Julia



Sophia Ward, Uploaded on Feb 22, 2011

WORDS TO THE CHEER: "ALL YOU GOTTA DO"
if you want to rock
all you've got to do
is rock
all you've got to do
is rock
If you want to rock
if you want to rock
here’s how we do
all you gotta do
is rock
all you gotta do is
is rock
all you gotta do
is rock
we got to
you got to
you got to
rock
-snip-
This is my transcription of this cheer. Additions and corrections are welcome.
Julia is the name of the young girl who is cheering with the high school squad.

In the context of this cheer, “rock” means to be very good at doing something

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Example #2: West Meck HS Varsity Cheerleaders-Can you jam.MOV



Sophia Ward, Uploaded on Feb 22, 2011
-snip-
WORDS TO THE CHEER: "CAN YOU JAM"

Can you jam like those west cheerleaders
can you jam like we do
we do
we do
-jasmine mills, 2011
-snip-
In the context of this cheer, “jam” means “move”.

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Example #3: West Meck HS Varsity Cheerleaders-Fire it up.MOV



Sophia Ward, Uploaded on Feb 22, 2011
-snip-
WORDS TO THE CHEER: "FIRE IT UP"

Come On Hawks
Lets Hear It
Fire Up That Spirit !
Do do it..
Do It
You Got to Put Your Mind Into It...
Everybody Get Get Down......
Everybody Get Down..
-Nakayla Lane, 2011
-snip-
This commenter corrected the words that another person wrote for this cheer, saying "i Would Know Because I go To West Meck"

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Example #4: West Meck HS Varsity Cheerleaders-Hawk Rock.MOV



Sophia Ward, Uploaded on Feb 22, 2011
-snip-
WORDS TO THE CHEER: "HAWK ROCK"
If you want to rock
like a hawk rocks,
all you have to do
is rock nonstop.
just rock
(just rock)
just rock
(just rock)
ROCK NONSTOP
-BVCS2011, 2012

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Example #5: West Meck HS Varsity Cheerleaders-Hawks We Do.MOV



Sophia Ward, Uploaded on Feb 24, 2011 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fN0wv1IWh8c http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fN0wv1IWh8c
-snip-
WORDS TO THE CHEER: "HAWKS WE DO"
Hawks we do
this is how we do
Hawks we do
we do
-snip-
This is my transcription of this cheer. Additions and corrections are welcome.

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ADDENDUM #1 - An Exchange Of Comments About The Way That West Meck High School Varsity Cheerleading Squad Cheers from "West Meck HS Varsity Cheerleaders-Hawks We Do".

2011
ICON ALEX
"i see WSSU in this cheer!!! i love these girls!!!!!! Ya'll are very talented"
-snip-
WSSU = Winston-Salem State University (a Historically Black university which is noted for its stomp and shake cheerleading squad.]
**
BlaWaiian2008
"i think its a little bit of both...their MOVES are def. NCCU, but they embody WSSU's "energy" ...champagne (to me), they're more graceful and slowed down, and WSSU is more hard and forceful (in the good way lol)..and West meck i think have the Moves of nccu but the personality of WSSU. but thats just me."
-snip-
NCCU = "North Carolina Central University". a Historically Black University that is also noted for its stomp and shake cheerleading squad. "Champagne" is the name of their cheerleader squad.

Onevoice412
in reply to cavettaj
"@cavettaj honestly, after cheering in the CIAA, and seeing all the schools in person and on YouTube. This high school can be put above just about all of them except WSSU. You can tell being in NC, this high school has a lot of exposure to two of the BEST squads, NCCU & WSSU and they are a mix of both. I absolutely love them."
-snip-
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Intercollegiate_Athletic_Association
"The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) is a collegiate athletic conference, mostly consisting of historically black colleges and universities. CIAA institutions are affiliated at the Division II level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

Conference members are primarily located in North Carolina (eight) and Virginia (two). There is also one school from Maryland and another from Pennsylvania."
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breyanna25
in reply to Steave Clements
"@SAC010 if u look at them and nccu they do the same moves plus somebody told me their coach was a nccu cheerleader"

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ADDENDUM #2: Video Of The West Meck Jr. Varsity Cheerleaders



jasmine mills, Uploaded on Mar 10, 2010
-snip-
This video's publisher posted these words for that cheer:
"their saying r-e-b-o-u-n-d that ball west meck hawks you've got to get that ball"
-snip-
An exchange of comments about the deep voices that the West Meck Jr. Varsity Cheerleaders use in another video is posted as a comment to http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/01/what-qualities-are-valued-in-stomp.html

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RELATED LINK
Click this page of my cocojams.com cultural website for more information and university examples of stomp and shake cheerleading: http://www.cocojams.com/content/stomp-and-shake-cheerleader-cheers

Also, click http://www.cocojams.com/content/childrens-cheerleader-cheers for some examples of high school stomp and shake cheerleading.

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Thanks to all the cheerleaders who are featured in this post. Thanks also to Sophia Ward for posting these videos of the Varsity squad, thanks to Jasmine Mills for posting the video of the Junior Varsity squad, and thanks to all of those who are quoted in this post.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

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