Examples Of "Introduce Yourself", "Show Me How You Get Down" & Other Examples Of Command/Refusal Foot Stomping Cheers

waveandsmile, Jan 4, 2007

introduce yourself

NO WAY!

introduce yourself

OKAY!
-snip-
The words for this cheer are given below in this post.

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Edited by Azizi Powell

Latest revision - November 23, 2024

This pancocojams post showcases a YouTube video clip from the 2006 cheerleader movie Bring It On All Or Nothing. That clip serves as an example of an adapted version of a suv-category of African American originated foot stomping cheers that have a distinctive textual (word) pattern.  I refer that pattern as "command, refusal, command, compliance" which I abbreviate as "command/refusal".  

This pancocojams post presents my notes about "command/refusal" types of cheers and also presents some examples of those cheers.

This post also presents my notes about other examples of these recreational compositions that I refer to as "asks/comply" cheers.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are featured in this showcased video and thanks to the producer of that video on YouTube. Thanks also to all those whose cheer examples are featured in this post.
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2016/09/foot-stomping-cheers-alphabetical-list.html "Pancocojams Compilation Of Foot Stomping Cheers (Alphabetical List: Numbers - C)" That is Part I (Numbers- C) of a five part series that provides an alphabetized list of text (word only) examples of foot stomping cheers. I'm referring to this compilation as the pancocojams (Azizi Powell) compilation of foot stomping cheers

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PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTES ABOUT "COMMAND/REFUSAL" CHEERS
written by Azizi Powell, January 17, 2024

Explanation of the term "foot stomping cheers"

Foot stomping cheers are types of children's recreational cheerleader cheers that originated in African American communities in the early 1970s. These cheers are formulaic compositions which have a modified call & response structure that I refer to as "group/consecutive soloists". What "group/consecutive soloists" means is that the group voice is the first voice that is heard in those cheers. A designated soloist responds to the rest of the group's words and that soloist and the group alternate until that rendition ends (usually with the soloist's voice or the soloist & the rest of the group's voice). However, the cheer immediately begins again with the next designated soloist. This pattern continues until every member of the group has had a turn an equal turn as the soloist.

Foot stomping cheers are chanted while their performers stand in a horizontal line or in a circle and execute choreographed, syncopated, percussive movement routines. These movement routines are very similar to African American originated Greek lettered fraternity & sorority stepping (steppin) with individual hand clapping, sometimes with body patting.

Explanation of the "command/refusal" and "ask/comply" textual patterns in children's cheers

A small number of cheers that originated as foot stomping cheers* have what I refer to as a "command/refusal" textual pattern (word) or ask/compliance textual pattern, or adapted versions of one of those patterns. "Command/refusal" is a shortened form of the actual pattern which is "command, refusal, command, compliance".

"Command/refusal" cheers are those in which the group commands (demands) that the soloist do something (such as show the group a dance movement). The soloist initially refuses to do that. The group repeats their demand and the soloist responds by saying "Okay" or just begins to do that action.

An important distinction between what may have been the earliest command, refusal, compliance cheers and later forms of "command/refuse" foot stomping cheers is that in those early examples the "soloist" doesn't give a reason for initially refusing to do what the group commands her to do. However, in some later examples, the soloist gives a reason for not wanting to do that action (such as "my back is aching and my bra's too tight" in cheers with that name or the same or similar cheers known as "Bang Bang Choo Choo Train" and adapted versions known as 'Peanut Butter In A Cup".)

In contrast to command/refusal cheers, a small number of foot stomping cheers have what I refer to as an "ask/compliance" textual pattern. In those cheers the group asks the soloist to do something (such as dance) and the soloist immediately complies with that request.

It seems to me that more adaptations of ask/compliance foot stomping cheers are used in mainstream cheerleading nowadays (in the 2000s) than command/refusal cheers because ask/compliance adapted cheers take a shorter amount of time to perform. This time factor is probably also one of the main reasons why adapted foot stomping cheers are chanted in children's summer camp settings rather than by cheerleaders at sport events.  

In a few other foot stomping cheers, when the group commands her to do a certain action, the soloist says that she is "too shy". In another variation of this type of cheer the soloist responds "I might" and begins to do what the group demands or asks her to do.

In some other examples of these foot stomping cheers after the first time or after the second time the group  demands or asks the soloist to do something, she does it without saying anything. I think these are variations of the earlier command/refusal form of these cheers. However, notice that I collected one example of that immediate compliance without saying "Okay" or anything else in the 1980s. (Gigalo, example #1 below.)

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Socio-cultural implication of the command/refusal textual pattern in children's cheers

I believe that a person refusing to immediately do what a group demands or asks her to do conveys a different cultural message than immediately acquiescing to that group. 

In African American street culture, in particular, the soloist's initial refusal to comply with the group's command may be part of the "tough" street girl persona.  A "tough girl" does what she wants to do when she wants to do it. Nobody can tell her what to do and when to do it.  The fact that the girl initially refuses to do what is demanded of her demonstrates or suggests that the girls (and their community) place a high value on being independent and not (immediately) doing what people demand that they do.

My interpretation of that initial refusal is the soloist showing that she doesn't do whatever anyone tells her to do (i.e. She's strong and tough and not someone who can be bossed around. I interpret the soloist's eventual compliance as since she has made that point, she then can acquiesce, with something like an unspoken statement of "Well, since you insist, here's how I do [what the group wanted her to do.].

That said, I believe that the girls who chanted/chant the traditional "command ("demand") form or the adapted "immediately compliant" form of these cheers don't consciously recognize the messages that these types of cheers convey.
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2021/11/an-overview-of-foot-stomping-cheers.html for a 2021 pancocojams post entitled An Overview Of Foot Stomping Cheers From the 1970s To The Early 2000s & How And Where Some Of Those Cheers & Their Movement Art Have Survived In The 2000s.

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EXAMPLES OF "COMMAND/REFUSAL" CHEERS OR "ASKS/COMPLY" CHEERS

These cheers are given in alphabetical order.

The command/refusal pattern or the asks/comply pattern isn't found in every example of cheers with these names. 

BANG BANG CHOO CHOO TRAIN (Example #1)
Bang, Bang Choo Choo Train.
Watch [girl's name] do her thang.
[Girl] I can't.
Group: Why not?
[Girl] I can't
Group: Why not?
[Girl] Because my back is achin.
[And] My bra's too tight.
My hips keep movin' from the left to the right
Group: Her back is achin.
Her bra's too tight.
Her hips keep movin from the left to the right."
-Repeat this from the beginning, with each girl in the group having one turn as the soloist. (The turns were determined by how fast the girls shouted first, second, third etc.)
-African American girls ages 7-12 years; (Alafia Children's Ensemble, Braddock, Pennsylvania), 10/1997; collected by Azizi Powell. 10/97; also collected by Azizi Powell from African American girls 7-12 years; Pittsburgh, PA (11/2001 & additional dates through 2005 as hand clap rhyme)

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BANG BANG CHOO CHOO TRAIN (Version #2)
Here's one cheer from Saltillo Mississippi

Bang,Bang choo choo train
come on girls let's do our thing
''No''
Why not
cause my back is aching and my bras to tight
my booty's shaking to the left to the right
see my pinkie see my thumb
see my fist so you better run
this is skinny this is fat
this is me i'm all that
i like coffee
i like tea
i like boys and boys like me
so O-U-T spells out.
-Alibeth H., cocojams.com, 10/29/2007
-snip-
"Cocojams.com" was the name of my cultural website that was online from 2001 to October 2014. That website is no longer active, but some content from that website is found on my cocojams2 blog and on this pancocojams blog.

Here's a link to a page on that cocojams2 blog that includes that
Bang Bang Choo Choo Train" example and a few other examples of that rhyme/cheer: 
https://cocojams2.blogspot.com/2014/11/taunting-rhymes-k.html

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GIGALO
[All]:
Gig ah lo-o
Gig gig a lo-o
Gig ah lo-o
Gig gig a lo-o
[Group]:
Hey, Kayla                 
[Kayla]:
What?
[Group]:
Are you ready to gig?
[Kayla]:
Gig what?
[Group]:
Gigalo
[Kayla]:
My hands up high
My feet down low
And this is the way
I gig a lo *
[Group]:
Her hands up high
Her feet down low
And this is the way she gigalos

{repeat from the beginning with the next soloist, and continue until everyone in the group has a turn as soloist}

-Tazi M Powell, foot stomping cheer; remembrance of mid to late 1980s, Pittsburgh, PA; also collected by Azizi Powell in Pittsburgh, PA in 2004 among African Americans girls 6-10 years old.

* The soloist does a contemporary dance. In the final group portion, the soloist continues dancing while the other members of the group join in doing their own version of same dance.
-snip-
Read other examples of this cheer/rhyme below under the name "Jigalo". The cheer "Peanut Butter In A Cup" below is an updated version of those cheers/rhymes. Notice that these examples include lines from "Bang Bang Choo choo Train", although that's not always the case. 

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INTRODUCE YOURSELF (Example #1)

Here's a version of "Introduce Yourself" that I collected from my daughter in the mid 1980s:

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.

-Tazi M. Powell; Pittsburgh, PA mid. 1980s; transcribed from audio tape by Azizi Powell, 1997
-snip-
In the context of those cheers, the soloist's response of "No way" means that "I'm not going to show you how to do that dance right now just because you ask me to."  The "no way" response doesn't mean "I don't know how to do what you want me to do". 

When the word "Yo" became outdated, it was replaced by the word "What" or "Hey what". 

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INTRODUCE YOURSELF (Example #2)

Britney:

Hey Amber.

Amber:

Hey what?

Everybody:

Introduce yourself!

Amber:

No way!

Everybody:

Introduce yourself!

Amber:

OK. 1,2,3,4,5, my name is Amber and I say "hi". 6,7,8,9,10, back it up and meet my friend. Hey Winnie!

Winnie:

Hey what?

Everybody:

Introduce yourself!

Winnie:

No way!

Everybody:

Introduce yourself.

Winnie:

OK. 1,2,3,4,5, my name is Winnie and I say "hi". 6,7,8,9,10, back it up and meet my friend.

Hey Britney.

Britney:

Hey what?

Everybody:

Introduce yourself!

Britney:

No way.

Everybody:

Introduce yourself!

Britney:

OK. Sha boo ya, sha sha sha boo ya, roll call. My name is Britney. I cheer so strong. And when I shake it, you better bring it on. Sha boo ya, sha sha sha boo ya, break it down now.

Sierra:

I'm Sierra! And.

[Sierra quits when she realized they've stopped]
- https://www.quotes.net/mquote/981987 ; from Bring It On All Or Nothing, 2006 movie
-snip-
Read my comments about this Bring It On: All Or Nothing cheer in the comment section of this pancocojams post.

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INTRODUCE YOURSELF (Example  #3)

Introduce yourself

to shy

introduce yourself

I try

my name (say your name)

yeah

I cheer for (say who you cheer for)

my sign is (say your sign)

and when I'm up I'm hot stuff

And when I'm down don't mess around

and when I'm me don't scream or shout or you'll get knocked out!

-De'ajaih; (African American girl); Garfield neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania); 5/16/2006

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JIGALO (Example #1)

here is the real version ppl.

HEY(Girls name)
Girl:what?
ME: are you ready to jigalo?
girl:yeah!
Both: my hands up high!
My feet down low!
This is the way I jigalo!
jig-a-low
jig-jig-a-looow
jig-a-low
jig-jig-a-looow

(you keep repeating until you get bored. You also do a little dance :) hoped this helped
-GUEST meesha, 17 May 10, https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=100807 Gigalo & other children's rhymes &cheers

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JIGALO (Example #2)

Group: jigalo ji jigalo say what

Group:hey (persons name)

Peron: yeah?

Group: show me how to break it down

Person:no way!

Group: show me how to break it down

Person: okay... My back ache my bra to tight my booty shake from left to right my hands up high my feet down low and this the way i jigalo (she dances)

Group: her hands up high her feet down low and this the she jigalo

Repeats with other person
-GUEST,Davelinee, 04 Dec 12,  https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=100807 Gigalo & other children's rhymes &cheers

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MY BACK ACHES
reeses peices buttercup this is the way i move my stuff bang bang chu chu train come on cudas do your thang i cant why not i just cant why not my back acks the sun top bright i move my hips from the left to right from the left to the right

-GUEST, 28 Sept 10,  https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=100807 Gigalo & other children's rhymes &cheers

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PEANUT BUTTER IN A CUP

ALL  Peanut butter in a cup we sing this song to pump us UP!

Bing Bang choo choo train, come on Bridgette do your thang…

BRIDGETTE: I can’t!

ALL:  Why not?

BRIDGETTE: I just can’t!

ALL:  Why not?

BRIDGETTE: My back’s aching, the sun’s too bright, my hips popping from left to right. To the left. To the right, to the left, To the right.

ALL: Left, right, left, right, left, right, left, right, left, right…

Peanut butter in a cup we sing this song to pump us UP! Bing Bang choo choo train, come on Lindsay do your thang…

LINDSAY: I can’t!

ALL:  Why not?

LINDSAY: I just can’t!

ALL:  Why not?

LINDSAY: My back’s aching, the sun’s too bright, my hips popping from left to right. To the left. To the right, to the left, To the right.

ALL: Left, right, left, right, left, right, left, right, left, right…

Peanut butter in a cup we sing this song to pump us UP! Bing Bang choo choo train, come on Mitch do your thang…

MITCH: I can’t!

ALL:  Why not?

MITCH: I just can’t!

ALL:  Why not?

MITCH: My back’s aching, the sun’s too bright, my hips popping from left to right. To the left. To the right, to the left, To the right.

ALL: Left, right, left, right, left, right, left, right, left, right…

Peanut butter in a cup we sing this song to pump us UP! Bing Bang choo choo train, come on Michelle do your thang…

MICHELLE: I can’t!

ALL:  Why not?

MICHELLE: I just can’t!

ALL:  Why not?

MICHELLE: My back’s aching, the sun’s too bright, my hips popping from left to right To the left. To the right, to the left, To the right.

ALL: Left, right, left, right, left, right, left, right, left, right"… 
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPCGfa44bF0 Peanut Butter In A Cup; published by GoNoodle, August 24, 2016 [entire lyrics in this video's summary]   

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ROCK THE BOAT (Example #1)

Rock the boat. Don't tip it over.
Rock the boat. Don't tip it over.
Hey, Aniya. "Hey what?"
Hey, Aniya. "Hey what?"
Can you rock the boat? "No way."
Can you rock the boat?! "Ok."
She slides. She slides. She do The Butterfly.
She dips. She dips. She shakes her little hips!
-ti55, Mar 16, 2008, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9QuTsAtQPY

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ROCK THE BOAT (Example #2)
 I know another example of that song. I sung it at my camp before. It is similar to example 2. It goes like this:

Hey ____!

Hey What?

Hey ____!

Hey what?

Can you rock the boat?

I might.

Can you rock the boat?

Alright!

I slide, I glide, I get on the monkey ride and I want you and you, to rock the boat too.

Rock the boat, don't tip it over.

Rock the boat, don't tip it over.
- Anonymous, July 20, 2017,  https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/05/examples-of-childrens-cheer-rock-boat.html

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 SHOW ME HOW YOU GET DOWN (Version #1)

All: I saida D-O-W-N. That’s the way we get down.

D-O-W-N. That’s the way we get down.

Group: Hey, Danielle.

Danielle: What?

Group: Show us how you get down.

Danielle: No way.

Group: Show us how you get down.

Soloist: Okay. I said D-O-W-N.

And that’s the way. That’s the way. That’s the way

I get down.

Group: She saidah D-O-W-N.And that’s the way.

That’s the way. That’s the way she gets down.

Repeat the entire cheer with next soloist who says her name. This continues from the beginning until everyone has had a turn as soloist.

-Tazi M. Powell .(African American female; memories of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, East Liberty/Garfield neighborhoods of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania mid to late 1980s,also collected in same neighborhoods in early to mid 1990s); Collected by Azizi Powell, 1998

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SHOW ME HOW YOU GET DOWN (Version #2)

Group (except soloist): Hey Ree Ree

Soloist (Ree Ree): What.

Group: Show us how you get down

Ree Ree: Too Shy.

Group: Show us how you get down.

Ree Ree: With ah D

The O

The W

The N

And that’s the way

you get down.

The group repeats the entire cheer with the next soloist saying her name or nickname. Continue until everyone has a one turn as the soloist.

-Riantai (Ree Ree); African American female; 8 years old; Faison Primary School (Homewood area of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania); October 30, 2009

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YOU AINT GOIN NO WHERE

Entire Group: You ain’t goin no where

no where

You ain’t goin no where

You ain’t goin no where

no where

You ain’t goin no where

Hey Shadeya

Shadeya

(Soloist #1): Too shy

Group: Introduce yourself

Shadeya: I’ll try

My name is Shadeya

I cheer for Garfield.

My sign is Libra.

And when I’m up

Group: When she’s up.

Shadeya: I’m hot stuff.

Group: She’s hot stuff.

Shadeya: And when I’m down.

Group: And when she’s down.

Shadeya: Don’t mess around.

Group: Don’t mess around

Shadeya: Don’t make me scream

cause you will be _knocked _out.
-snip-
" __ " means to pause a beat. * name your community or school athletic cheerleading team; "my sign" means the person's astrological sun sign.

Repeat the entire cheer from the beginning with the next soloist who says her name or nickname, the name of the sport or community team she cheers for. The girl doesn't have to really be a cheerleader. She is engaging in dramatic play- that is-she's pretending to be a cheerleader.

Continue this pattern until every one in the group has had one turn as the soloist.
-Shadaya, Fort Pitt School; (Garfield), 2002; collected by Azizi Powell; I also collected the exact same cheer in 2008 at Fort Pitt school from Conraya and another girl whose name I didn't get.

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