Skills and Drills – Transitions

 

[Caution: Cheerleading gymnastics, including stunts, pyramids and tumbling, should only be performed under the supervision of a qualified adult.]
Check out Virginia Tech University cheerleaders Michelle Griffin, Lauren Ellis, Colleen Cassidy, and Megan O’Hargan, the runners-up in the National Partner Stunt competition at the 2003 College Cheerleading and Dance Team National Championship perform a stunt sequence from their nationals routine!

This is an elite level partner stunt sequence that includes a 360 to an extended stunt and a variety of single-legged stunts.

The group sets up in a normal liberty load-in position, facing the side.

When they get to the top, the top girl pulls a stretch to the front with her left leg and grabs her foot with her right hand. She turns her body to the front and hits a high V with her left arm.

The bases are holding the stretch in normal liberty grip, facing the side.

At the top, the bases take a timing dip together and lower the top girl to the seated, peg leg position pictured at left. The main base continues to hold the toe and heel, and the side base holds underneath the hip and at the ankle. The back spot holds underneath both hips.

The top girl waits for the timing dip and pulls up with her shoulders as the bases lower her down. She continues to pull up with her shoulders as she bends her right leg and extends her left leg out in front of her. She also reaches for the bases’ shoulders to hold her own weight in the seated position.

The group dips twice. On the second dip, the main base changes her grip to a 360 grip.

The bases use that dip with their legs to drive straight up as the main base initiates the 360 degree spin.

The top girl uses the bases’ toss to pull herself back into a straight body position, and then she looks over her right shoulder to initiate the spin.

Instead of spinning back to a load-in position, the group catches the spin at the top.

The main base catches the back of the right heel with her left hand in an extended position. The side base grabs the middle of the foot and the main base’s front wrist. The back spot grabs the ankle. The group is back in a normal liberty position.

The top girl stops her spin and squares her shoulders to the side before pulling a scale to the front.

After taking another timing dip, the bases begin to lower the top girl back to the ground again. The main base keeps her right hand on the toe as her left hand reaches underneath the top girl’s thigh to slow her down to the ground.

The side base helps right foot until she can reach the left foot as the top girl brings it down. Then she lowers the left foot to the ground, keeping the foot close to her body, her back straight, and absorbing with her legs.

The back spot pulls up on the ankle until she can reach the waist of the top girl. Then she slows her down to the ground at the waist.

The top girl waits for the timing dip and then brings her scale leg down next to the right leg. She pulls up with her shoulders and keeps her shoulders and hips tight as she is lowered to the ground. She also reaches behind her to catch herself on the wrists of the back spot’s hands, giving her some resistance to slow her down.

The group dips at the bottom to drive the top girl straight back up to arabesque.

The main base makes a “J” with the right foot, dipping down, taking a step towards the top person, and then driving straight up to the top.

The side base drives the left foot straight up, using her legs and keeping her back straight. When she gets to the top, she releases the left foot and grabs a liberty grip on the right foot.

The back spot tosses at the waist and reaches for the right foot as soon as she can, grabbing and pulling up at the ankle.

The top person takes a big jump off of the ground and pulls up with her shoulders. At the top she pulls her leg into the middle of the stunt, over the bases. She stays nice and tight the whole time, and then she pulls an arabesque at the end.