UP repeats as UAAP Cheerdance champion

GMA NEWS:

The University of the Philippines Pep Squad used a Madonna-inspired theme to successfully defend its UAAP-Samsung Cheerdance Competition Saturday behind a packed crowd at the Araneta Coliseum.

All members of the team sported Madonna's signature blonde locks and performed their six-minute routine in sync with some of the Queen of Pop's hits like "Like A Virgin" and "Four Minutes" in front of 20,842 people at The Big Dome.

They capped their solid performance with one of its members copying the famous UP Oblation to win the P340,000 top prize.

UP, which has won four of the last five cheerdance competitions, clinched its seventh overall crown to move closer of tying the eight titles by the University of Santo Tomas Salinggawi Dance Troupe.

La Salle's Animo Squad made a surprising podium finish when it placed second while the Far Eastern U Cheering Squad, which foiled UP's three-peat title bid in 2009, finished third.

La Salle and FEU pocketed P200,000 and P140,00 each. The scores were not made public by the UAAP.

Laurence Martin Bautista, co-captain of the UP Pep Squad, said that the Madonna-look was inspired by the personality of the team.

"Madonna is known for always reinventing herself and we can identify to her," said Bautista. "Our goal is to reach as much people as we can. Madonna is so popular and we know that with our routine, we inspired a lot of people."

"I think our edge was we presented a clean routine but very challenging," added Bautista, who shares the captain role with Kathleen Anne Madrigal.

The Animo Squad had a warrior-like theme with Aiana Lontoc staying in character and finished her performance despite dislocating her left arm.

"We only knew that she was injured at the end our performance. She cried when she learned that we won," said Animo Squad team captain Harriette Mauricio.

Ruf Vandolph Rosario, who led the University of Perpetual Help Cheering Squad to the 2010 NCAA cheerdance crown, coached the La Salle Animo Squad.

FEU equaled its third-place finish last season with its Bollywood theme.

CONTINUE READING FROM ORIGINAL [SOURCE] 
Information Courtesy of GMA News / REUBEN TERRADO

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UP repeats as UAAP Cheerdance champion

GMA NEWS:

The University of the Philippines Pep Squad used a Madonna-inspired theme to successfully defend its UAAP-Samsung Cheerdance Competition Saturday behind a packed crowd at the Araneta Coliseum.

All members of the team sported Madonna's signature blonde locks and performed their six-minute routine in sync with some of the Queen of Pop's hits like "Like A Virgin" and "Four Minutes" in front of 20,842 people at The Big Dome.

They capped their solid performance with one of its members copying the famous UP Oblation to win the P340,000 top prize.

UP, which has won four of the last five cheerdance competitions, clinched its seventh overall crown to move closer of tying the eight titles by the University of Santo Tomas Salinggawi Dance Troupe.

La Salle's Animo Squad made a surprising podium finish when it placed second while the Far Eastern U Cheering Squad, which foiled UP's three-peat title bid in 2009, finished third.

La Salle and FEU pocketed P200,000 and P140,00 each. The scores were not made public by the UAAP.

Laurence Martin Bautista, co-captain of the UP Pep Squad, said that the Madonna-look was inspired by the personality of the team.

"Madonna is known for always reinventing herself and we can identify to her," said Bautista. "Our goal is to reach as much people as we can. Madonna is so popular and we know that with our routine, we inspired a lot of people."

"I think our edge was we presented a clean routine but very challenging," added Bautista, who shares the captain role with Kathleen Anne Madrigal.

The Animo Squad had a warrior-like theme with Aiana Lontoc staying in character and finished her performance despite dislocating her left arm.

"We only knew that she was injured at the end our performance. She cried when she learned that we won," said Animo Squad team captain Harriette Mauricio.

Ruf Vandolph Rosario, who led the University of Perpetual Help Cheering Squad to the 2010 NCAA cheerdance crown, coached the La Salle Animo Squad.

FEU equaled its third-place finish last season with its Bollywood theme.

CONTINUE READING FROM ORIGINAL [SOURCE] 
Information Courtesy of GMA News / REUBEN TERRADO

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In cheerdance, UP is at the top of the heap

GMA NEWS:

At seven in the evening, on the way to the University of the Philippines gym, one is reminded of why the place is called Diliman. It is so dark that with an overactive imagination, one might simply turn back and miss seeing the gym, which unlike the rest of the campus at this hour, is brightly lit and bustling with activity.

The gym is home to the university's athletes, including the multi-awarded UP Pep Squad. The team spends so much time at the gym that they could probably make their way there with their eyes closed. It's the kind of devotion that produces championships.

The UP Pep Squad is the defending UAAP cheerdance champion, rehearsing tirelessly for this Saturday's UAAP competition, now nearly as popular in the league as basketball. On UP Diliman's campus, where the Fighting Maroons hoops team hasn't won a title since the 1980s, cheerdance commands a fervent following, with UP students lining up for hours at the Big Dome this week for tickets.

Six-time UAAP champions, the UP Pep Squad will represent the Philippines in the 6th World Cheerleading Championships November 26 and 27 in Hong Kong.

They represented the country in the 2002 Asian Games in Busan, South Korea and in the 2008 Asian Cheerleading Championships in Tokyo, Japan.

Playful vibe, intense training

On Wednesday night, only a few days before the highly anticipated cheerdance competition, the team piles out of a convoy of cars, one bottle blonde head after another.

The fact that they are a unit is impossible to miss, and it isn't just because of their matching hair. The energy they give off is intense, and one can't help but be intimidated. They flow across the gym to their assigned spot, a graceful line of sunshine-haired dancers, and immediately set to work, warming up. Even if they're just stretching, you know they mean business.

Despite their seriousness, there's also a playful vibe, and you can tell that the members' closeness goes beyond their routines.

It's not surprising, considering their demanding training schedule. The team practices daily for at least three hours, and since they end way past dinner time, the members often grab a bite together before finally heading home.

"It's really hard at first, talagang ma-shoshock ka na six to eleven or six to twelve yung training. Kapag competition time, sobrang late na kami natatapos," says Laurence, the team's co-captain.

Many if not most of the members have been on the squad for as long as they've been enrolled. Despite the heavy schedule and the constant challenges, they wouldn't have it any other way.

CONTINUE READING FROM ORIGINAL [SOURCE] 
Information Courtesy of GMA News / CARMELA G. LAPEÑA

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In cheerdance, UP is at the top of the heap

GMA NEWS:

At seven in the evening, on the way to the University of the Philippines gym, one is reminded of why the place is called Diliman. It is so dark that with an overactive imagination, one might simply turn back and miss seeing the gym, which unlike the rest of the campus at this hour, is brightly lit and bustling with activity.

The gym is home to the university's athletes, including the multi-awarded UP Pep Squad. The team spends so much time at the gym that they could probably make their way there with their eyes closed. It's the kind of devotion that produces championships.

The UP Pep Squad is the defending UAAP cheerdance champion, rehearsing tirelessly for this Saturday's UAAP competition, now nearly as popular in the league as basketball. On UP Diliman's campus, where the Fighting Maroons hoops team hasn't won a title since the 1980s, cheerdance commands a fervent following, with UP students lining up for hours at the Big Dome this week for tickets.

Six-time UAAP champions, the UP Pep Squad will represent the Philippines in the 6th World Cheerleading Championships November 26 and 27 in Hong Kong.

They represented the country in the 2002 Asian Games in Busan, South Korea and in the 2008 Asian Cheerleading Championships in Tokyo, Japan.

Playful vibe, intense training

On Wednesday night, only a few days before the highly anticipated cheerdance competition, the team piles out of a convoy of cars, one bottle blonde head after another.

The fact that they are a unit is impossible to miss, and it isn't just because of their matching hair. The energy they give off is intense, and one can't help but be intimidated. They flow across the gym to their assigned spot, a graceful line of sunshine-haired dancers, and immediately set to work, warming up. Even if they're just stretching, you know they mean business.

Despite their seriousness, there's also a playful vibe, and you can tell that the members' closeness goes beyond their routines.

It's not surprising, considering their demanding training schedule. The team practices daily for at least three hours, and since they end way past dinner time, the members often grab a bite together before finally heading home.

"It's really hard at first, talagang ma-shoshock ka na six to eleven or six to twelve yung training. Kapag competition time, sobrang late na kami natatapos," says Laurence, the team's co-captain.

Many if not most of the members have been on the squad for as long as they've been enrolled. Despite the heavy schedule and the constant challenges, they wouldn't have it any other way.

CONTINUE READING FROM ORIGINAL [SOURCE] 
Information Courtesy of GMA News / CARMELA G. LAPEÑA

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