Is It Racist To Say That You Prefer The Ways That Black Cheerleaders Cheer Rather Than The Ways That White Cheerleaders Cheer?

TINA PLUNK, August 15, 2018

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Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases a YouTube video of a practice session for a high school stomp and shake cheerleading team performing the basketball cheer "Put That Ball Up In That Hoop". The cheerleading team that performed this cheer is unidentified.

A second video of a cheerleading try out session that was published on YouTube by the same person is also showcased in this post. 

This post includes my transcription of that first cheer along with my Editorial Note on the subject of race and cheerleading. 

Selected comments from both of these videos' discussion threads. Most of these comments either praise "Black cheerleading" or are in response to those comments.

The content of this post is presented for socio-cultural and recreational purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to this cheerleading squad and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to Tina Plunk, the publisher of these two videos on YouTube.

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WORDS FOR THE CHEER IN THIS FIRST EMBEDDED VIDEO 
(This transcription is given without performance directions.)

PUT THAT BALL UP IN THE HOOP [Added November 29, 2021
One cheerleader - 
Show out 
Show out 
Show out 
Show out 
Show out
Show out
Show out
Show out
Show out
Show out
Show out

All cheerleaders - Put that ball up in that hoop
Hoop!
One cheerleader - Ball!
All cheerleaders- in that hoop

[All cheerleaders -repeat the "Put that ball in the hoop verse
and then repeat the "Show out" portion.]

[Repeat the cheer excerpt for the beginning "Show out" portion.]

At the end of cheer, all cheerleaders chant-
Hoop!

Hoop!
-snip-
This is my transcription of this cheer. Additions and corrections are welcome.

Here's a vernacular definition for the term "show out":
From https://www.macmillandictionary.com/us/dictionary/american/show-out
"to make a strong impression

When you show out, you captivate those around you, make a powerful impression, and leave them wanting more

Submitted from: United Kingdom on 15/08/2020". 
-snip-
I believe that this vernacular use of "show out" is from African American Vernacular English. A common saying among some African Americans is that they are going to "Show up and show out". 

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PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE
It's really unfortunate that race has become the defining referent for two different categories of cheerleading - "White cheerleading" meaning  "mainstream" cheerleading (I use "mainstream" here for want of better term) and "Black cheerleading" meaning stomp and shake cheerleading.

Just like there are different styles of "mainstream cheerleading", there are different styles of stomp and shake cheerleading. Some people might prefer one way of doing mainstream cheerleading over another way and some people may prefer one way of doing stomp and shake cheerleading over another way. 

References to race are easily brought up in discussiond about cheerleading because  historically "mainstream" cheerleading was only associated with White males and White females. And "mainstream cheerleading" is still largely represented by White people. Furthermore, "mainstream" cheerleading movements and chants still largely reflect White American aesthetics. In contrast, African Americans originated stomp and shake cheerleading in the 1970s and stomp and shake cheerleading is still almost entirely associated with African Americans. Furthermore, stomp and shake movements and cheers reflect African American aesthetics. 

Some people-regardless of race or ethnicity- are resistent to acknowledge that cheerleading can be performed in ways that are different from the way it has historically been done. Instead of recognizing stomp and shake as another form of cheerleading, some people-including some African Americans-argue that stomp and shake teams are dance teams or stepping teams. Since stepping is very closely associated with its historically Black Greek letter fraternities and sororities originators, labeling the movements that stomp and shake cheerleaders do as "stepping" is another way that race becomes centered in discussions about stomp and shake cheerleading.

I believe that it's very important to note that some Black (African American) cheerleaders cheer the same ways that White cheerleaders and other non-Black cheerleaders do. Furthermore, some White cheerleaders and other non-Black cheerleaders have been and are now part of stomp and shake cheerleading squads. 

Given the history of race and ethnicity in the United States, and the fact that race/ethnicity is a highly volatile subject in this nation, I also believe that a much better way of phrasing one's preferences for cheerleading styles is to leave race out of it and say that you prefer a particular cheerleading style over another. 

-snip-
Click the "stomp and shake cheerleading" tag below for more pancocojams post about this style of cheerleading, including http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/05/overview-of-stomp-shake-cheerleading.html "Overview of Stomp & Shake Cheerleading (When This Style Of Cheerleading Began & Other Information & Comments)".

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SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THE DISCUSSION THREAD FOR THE EMBEDDED VIDEO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yhc3XCXl7xA&ab_channel=TINAPLUNK

WARNING: Some comments in that video's discussion thread include profanity (including curse words that aren't meant to be profane such as "I really like this sh*t"). However, the comments given below don't include any profanity.

Numbers are given for referencing purposes only.

1. TyMeera Newton and Saniyah Johnson, 2019
"Periodtt y'all can dance❤"

*️*
Reply
2. dance is a sport シ, 2020
"You mean cheer ."

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3. Morgan Sanders, 2020
"Kahlila Ross it’s not steeping and cheering are two different things. When you step it’s a rhythm and when you’re cheering it’s a beat Nd it’s just a couple of stomps. Trust me steeping and cheering are two different things.
-snip-
The comment written by Kahlila Ross is no longer shown in this discussion thread.

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Reply
4. period pooh., 2020
"@Morgan Sanders  nobody said they were the same.."

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5. Morgan Sanders, 2020
"xoxife stepping*😂😂😂"

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6. Morgan Sanders, 2020
"kay dior someone said “it’s more of stepping” when it’s not stepping it’s cheering so ✌🏾! 😂😂😂"

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7. period pooh., 2020
"@Morgan Sanders  exactly, the person was saying that it was "stepping" not that they were the same 😂😂"

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8. Morgan Sanders, 2020
"kay dior so I said no it’s not like stepping, because stepping and cheering are 2 different things! They said “ it’s more like stepping”. When it’s not it’s cheering and cheering and stepping are 2 different things!"

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9. SIMPLY JUST RONNIE, 2020 
"I love black cheerleaders 🥰" 
-snip- 
This comment had 821 likes and 33 replies as of Nov. 29, 2021 at 5:21 PM EDT,

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10.. Candy Vibes, 2020
"SIMPLY JUST RONNIE I love all cheerleaders! Plus, I do believe these isn’t cheerleaders."

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11. Who am i, 2020
"Black cheerleaders are not better than white cheerleaders and white cheerleaders are not better than black cheerleaders. I mostly like black cheerleaders better because in my opinion they have more Style"

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12. lifeof.jariya, 2020
"Same, they have much more energy, and voice enthusiasm."

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13. Anqelz, 2020
" @Who am i  She was just saying she likes black cheerleaders.

Chill"

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14. ilove food
"@Candy Vibes  these are cheerleaders....

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15. Life As Nunu, 2020
"don't we all??"

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16. Jorden Nyberg, 2020
"Me to"

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17. Zahara Blaire, 2021
"@Candy Vibes  your just trying to prove a point all cheerleaders are good"

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18. Sacrxdflowxr, 2021
"@Ricky Homan  *cough what did u just say I don’t think I read that right can u explain that to me again. Try not to use the term nappy cause that’s not very good"
-snip-
All comments from Ricky Homan have been removed from this discussion thread, including his  comment that refers to “nappy”.

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19. Sacrxdflowxr, 2021
"@Ricky Homan  oh guess what your racist.all she said she likes black cheerleaders she didn’t say she didn’t like white or any other"

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20.Sacrxdflowxr, 2021
"@Ricky Homan  and your talking a whole of nonsense"

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21. Sacrxdflowxr, 2021
" @Ricky Homan  and black and white ppl have all different types of hair im suprised u didnt know"

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22. Princesa AJ, 2021
"@Ricky Homan  your a damn racist black girls are better PERIOD , and nappy hair is our culture we have 4c hair for some of us , so don’t even start Ricky we are better and that’s ALL I gotta say"

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23. Princesa AJ, 2021
"@Ricky Homan  WE HAVE CLASS ALRIGHT SOME OF US ARE MORE SUCCESSFUL THAN SOME WHITE PPL SO DONT EVEN GO THERE , WE WILL GO TO ANY EXTENT AND FIGHT FOR US BECAUSE WHAT YOU ARE SAYING IS NONSENSE"

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24. S s, 2021
"@Ricky Homan  damn, we really be in y’all minds rent free. 😂😂😂 that’s sad get a job or a hobby."

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25. S s
"@Ricky Homan  If you didn’t mean it you wouldn’t have said it. Like I said get a job or a hobby."

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26. mikayla jones, 2021
"@Candy Vibes  she's not racist she's black and plus black cheerleaders has rhythm"

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27. Gabrielle Exum, 2021
"@Candy Vibes  that’s not racist child"

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28. Nae's Private Life, 2021
"@Candy Vibes  yo.. Saying that they love black cheerleaders isn't racist. Racism is Racial slurs and derogatory/degrading words. They never said that any other race wasn't as good. They just said they love. Black. Cheerleaders. Gacha kid- common sense please."

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29. Kay Luvv, 2021
"@Candy Vibes  they are cheerleaders clearly"

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30. ✨nikaaa✨, 2021
"@Candy Vibes  I don’t think preferring types cheerleaders is racist."

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31. Theyluvny Reed, 2021
"@Candy Vibes  I agree but they are a stomp and shake cheer team"

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32.🕸nana🕸
" @Candy Vibes  girl shutup she not even being racist dumbass"

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33. Princesa AJ, 2021
"@Candy Vibes  first off she has a right to say she likes them more that’s not racist 💁🏽‍♀"️

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34. cleooo marie, 2021
"black cheerleaders are so much more enthusiastic than white cheerleaders & i’m living for it"

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35. Savannah Purter
"Black Cheerleaders are just Top Tier 🔥"

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36. JJJ Love, 2021
"Ooh I love the black cheerleader routines. The majority of them are hella energetic"

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SHOWCASE VIDEO #2: Let's Go Fight Win - Tryout Cheer #2 2018

TINA PLUNK, April 11, 2018

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SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THIS VIDEO'S DISCUSSION THREAD

WARNING: One of these comments includes profanity. That word is given with amended spelling. 

Numbers are given for referencing purposes only.

1.Kimberleyy’ Ania, 2020
"i would be embarrassed to be on that cheer team"

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2.  xo.kamariya, 2020
"Then why you watching there videos 😌 girl sit down somewhere that was a decent cheer🙂"

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3. Kimberleyy’ Ania, 2020
"because i’m a advanced cheerleader and ik good and terrible when i see it 💀.. and bit-h* i scrolled passed and so i clicked on it to see what they was about .. you in my business? , don’t do dat🖕🏾😂😂😂😂 @xo.kamariya"
-snip-
*This word is fully spelled out in this comment.

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4. xo.kamariya, 2020
"Kimberleyy’ Ania I’m a cheerleader too hunny😌. And that was a decent cheer u must be one of those stiff cheerleaders that don’t do stomp and shake and your in their business actually these videos are posted for them to practice don’t do that ma😆

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