How to Do Cheerleader Dance Moves in 2024

Are you looking for cheerleading dance moves to add to your squad’s routine? Basic to complex moves are included in this collection. If you combine a few of them, you’ll have the perfect foundation for your dance sequences, sideline cheers, and chants.

Start With Basic Arm Positions

The basic arm motions must be taught at the beginning of any cheer dance lesson. Putting these in place sets the stage for everything else to follow.

  • A 45-degree angle is formed by the arms extending straight down and out to the sides
  • A 45-degree angle is formed with the arms extended up and out to the sides
  • You should hold your elbows at shoulder level and your hands at the edge of your chest in a broken T position
  • Stretched out at shoulder level, arms stretched out to the sides
  • Lie on your stomach with your elbows tucked tightly into your ribcage and your hands facing each other at shoulder height
  • During a touchdown, the arms are extended straight up, the hands are shoulder width apart.
  • It is a clap in which your palms are connected and your fingers are wrapped around the outsides of your hands
  • Pull your arms tightly to the sides of your body and draw them straight down.

Instead of using two arms, one arm can be used for each move. The left arm touchdown and right arm broken T can also be combined (e.g., left arm touchdown and right arm broken T). Practice moving quickly from one position to another. 

Clean and sharp movements should be made at all times. To prevent wobbly hips and torso movements, train your core muscles to stay firm and tight.

Add Jumps

Your dance will be more exciting and colorful if you use cheerleading jumps.

  • You can jump with your feet together under your body in the shape of a pencil by jumping with your feet together under your body
  • Jumping with your knees up toward your chest is called a tuck jump
  • As far as possible, spread your feet apart as you jump up and down
  • The side hurdler consists of one knee bent, one foot out to the side, and the other leg stretched out in front.
  • A Herkie Jump involves kicking back with one foot bent at the knee and extending the other leg straight up and out in front.

Move Your Legs

To make it a dance, combine basic cheer arm movements with simple leg movements.

  • If you’re about to sit on a chair, bend your knees and press your hips back.
  • Bend your knee and step forward one foot at a time.
  • The in-twist is performed by lowering one knee into the center, then straightening the leg and dropping the other, alternating sides.
  • To kick high to the front or side, lift your foot up as high as possible.
  • Step forward with your right foot and rotate half a turn to the left, stepping forward with your left foot. Either side can perform this.

These are simple steps that are often used in cheer dance routines. In addition to the arm movements and jumps, these alone will set you up for a solid sideline routine. The dance styles you should use for competition and halftime include hip hop, ballet steps, jazz moves, and Latin dances like salsa and samba.

Put It All Together

The next step is to put your dance routine together once you’ve practiced all the pieces. Here are a few examples of cheerleading squads of different levels.

Simple 8th Grade Routine

This is a simple routine with steps that are easy to learn and perform at a moderate pace. Keep a note of the steps and combinations you enjoyed so that you can use them in your dance in the future.

Central High Pep Rally

Central High’s dance crew mixes a variety of dance styles to entertain the crowd.

Cheer Extreme Competition Dance

Join choreographer Brandon Hale as he teaches this competition-style dance routine. Make sure you watch the video all the way through so that you can mark the moves and see how the dance is performed. Practice with the group after restarting the video.

One Step at a Time

Your cheer dance can be created in a much simpler way than you might think. Start with the basics and piece them together slowly until you have a workable routine. Adding some easy stunts and tumbling to your dance will complete your performance.

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