Cheerleading, Chinese style

Cheerleaders break new ground by combining traditional and ethnic elements to their routines, Hou Chenchen and Li Yingqing report.

When Shen Yajun received an invitation from Pu'er University cheerleading coach Li Dong in 2018 to join the school team, he promptly declined. As a dedicated practitioner of Chinese kung fu, Shen felt his interests lay elsewhere, rooted in the traditions of his culture.

But Li persisted and continued to encourage Shen to try out cheerleading. The university student eventually agreed, setting out on a journey to become a pioneer in the field.

The coach saw similar potential in Shen's fellow student Gong Ningjunnan, who is skilled in martial arts and gymnastics. Gong, now 28 would soon also become one of the first leading practitioners of "Chinese-style cheerleading".

Cheerleading, an activity primarily associated with American football and basketball, had been unfamiliar territory for the two students.

"I'd never even heard of cheerleading before coach Li's invitation," said Shen, 27. "The idea of participating in a pompom competition with flower balls and wearing skirts, that was completely foreign to me."

Li Dong started his career as a sports teacher in the university in Southwest China's Yunnan province in 2017. He subsequently worked to establish a cheerleading team that included boys, breaking away from the stereotype cheerleading squad comprising girls in colorful skirts.

Shen and Gong began to gain recognition for their moves in 2021, when their team secured a third-place finish at the cheerleading world championships. Their performance integrated elements of Chinese martial arts, striking what many people saw as a perfect balance between power and grace. It also marked the first time for such a Chinese team to win a medal at the tournament.

In April, a winning fusion of Chinese culture and cheerleading, incorporating the enchanting melodies of traditional musical instruments, also struck a chord among global audiences. A Yunnan cheerleading team performed at the 2024 ICU World Cheerleading Championships held at Disney World in Orlando, Florida, where competitors from more than 66 countries and regions showcased their moves.

"Paintings, musical compositions and ancient texts — each of these can be integrated into our cheerleading routines," Li said. "We gather these cultural elements and blend them with sports. Our aim is to incorporate Chinese traditional culture, aesthetics, and the dances of our ethnic groups into our performances."

Li said that in the process of dance design, there are three key aspects to integrate dance with traditional culture; through costume design, musical expression, and the choreography of movements.

In a Chinese cheerleading performance Journey to the West, named after the classic novel, students wore costumes adorned with black and golden elements resembling the golden cudgel wielded by monkey king Sun Wukong, one of the story's main characters.

Team members also positioned themselves to mimic the mountains of Chinese landscape, while another performer portrayed Sun jumping among them.

"We incorporate characteristics of the heroic Monkey King, such as riding on clouds and mists and his ability to perform 72 transformations, into the design of our dance routine. This allows us to integrate cultural elements into cheerleading," Li said.

"Our goal is to integrate our ethnic culture into cheerleading," he said.

Building bridges

Li said that while cheerleading is commonly viewed as an American activity symbolizing school spirit, leadership and youthfulness, it also shares similarities with China's traditional ethnic dances.

"American cheerleading combines power and aesthetics, while China places greater emphasis on cultural connotations," he said. "In both American cheerleading and Yunnan's ethnic dances, we see reflections of our peoples' vibrant cultural expressions."

"Cheerleading arose from a context of support and enthusiasm, much like the origins of many ethnic dances rooted in festivals and communal celebrations," Li said.

"These occasions often witness people from diverse ethnic backgrounds coming together to sing and dance, fostering joy and excitement. It underscores a shared essence embedded in our everyday lives, which is to positively live our collective selves."

Yunnan, the birthplace of the cheerleading team, stands out as one of China's most culturally diverse provinces, with ethnic minorities constituting about 34 percent of its population. Among China's 56 recognized ethnic groups, nearly half are found within Yunnan alone.

In his role as the team's coach, Li has endeavored to include members from various ethnic groups, thereby infusing their cheerleading performances with a rich tapestry of ethnic elements. More than 60 percent of the team is made up of members from ethnic minorities.

Their cheerleading routines showcase a vibrant array of ethnic dances, providing a window into multifaceted Southwest China, Li said. These performances include traditional dances such as the Va ethnic group's hair-swinging dance and Dai ethnic group's drum dance, which have deep roots in folk festivals and ceremonies.

These dances authentically reflect the distinct daily lives, work scenes and spiritual beliefs of local communities, he said.

For most performers of the Pu'er University team, the championship in April was their first visit to the United States. Throughout their journey, the cheerleaders encountered numerous heartwarming moments.

"We received traditional hats from the Mexican team members and in return, we shared our Chinese knots and panda badges with athletes from other countries," Li said.

"We felt encouraged and supported by athletes from various nations," he said. "This sense of camaraderie is a defining feature of cheerleading team culture and it brought a wonderful warmth to our experience."

Inclusive activity

Cheerleaders take pride in a team sport in which bonds naturally form between teammates. Su Xianliang, 25, a team member of Yi ethnic group who took part in the championship, used to be an introvert but the spirit of cheerleading has changed his life, the coach said.

"He seldom talked previously and did not have too much confidence," Li said. "But through the cheerleading training he has gained a clear goal, and become thoughtful and proactive in many aspects, which is truly impressive."

In April, Su stood on the international stage with confidence and had the honor of being a member of his team to carry the national flag during a ceremony at the event.

"Cheerleading has given me significant spiritual strength," Su said. "It has fortified my will to face difficulties and solidified my belief in pursuing my dreams."

"The key word of our cheerleading is unity," Li said.

"Cheerleading transcends the stereotypical notion of elegant dance; it embodies both strength and aesthetic appeal. Unlike traditional art dances, cheerleading is accessible to all without high barriers to entry," he said.

"As a cheerleading team, we welcome students of different gender, height, weight and background to join us and train with us."

"To bring together a group of unrelated individuals into a team, I think this is the most fascinating aspect of cheerleading. Through training and the technical coordination that comes from being together, we transform into a harmonious dance unit," said Lu Yanxia, a female student who has nurtured a passion for dance since childhood.

In the US, the earliest cheerleading squads were predominantly male before becoming a sport dominated by females.

"I want to try to change it because sports should not be divided by gender. Therefore, I want to see if males can perform stunts with the same finesse and excel in cheerleading. I hope to break these gender stereotypes," Li said.

Lu Yanxia, Shen Yajun, and Gong Ningjunnan, three of Li Dong's students from Pu'er University, have all chosen to teach at primary and secondary schools after graduating. As graduates of the cheerleading team, they have helped spread the practice beyond Pu'er University, making it increasingly popular throughout the area and beyond.

Since its inception in 2016, the Pu'er cheerleading team has clinched eight international competition titles and 20 national championships. In 2018, it was designated as a national cheerleading experimental school.

Each athlete must possess a positive attitude, discipline, hard work and dedication in order for the team to mesh well, Li said.

"I hope cheerleading can instill these values to athletes so that they can carry them into the real world."

Hu Xinyue and Kuang Hanying contributed to this story.

Contact the writer at houchenchen@chinadaily.com.cn