List of cheerleading stunts

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Stunts are defined as building performances displaying a person's skill or dexterity. Stunting in cheerleading has been previously referred to as building pyramids. Stunts range from basic two-legged stunts to one-legged extended stunts and high flying basket tosses. There are numerous variations of each basic stunt.

A stunt group usually involves up to four bases holding or tossing another cheerleader in the air. In general, all-girl cheerleading stunts usually involve up to four other bases while co-ed ("partner") stunts are comprised of only one base (usually male) and his partner (the flyer, usually female). Pyramids are multiple groups of stunts connected aerially by the flyers. This connection may be made in a variety of ways, from a simple linking of hands to having a multi-level pyramid, with the flyers already in the air acting as primary bases for another flyer or flyers on top of them.

Contents 1 Athletes involved 2 Two leg stunts 3 Transitions and dismounts 4 21/2 High Stunts 5 References

Athletes involved

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Bases 

Cheerleaders that stay on the ground providing the primary support for the flyer during a stunt. Bases make eye contact with each other throughout the stunt but also look at your flyer. Bases can be male or female. The bases are usually 2 females or 1 male.

Main Base 

This base is the main base, as the name implies. This base, in one leg extension stunts, has the most support on the flyer. The base will be the main lifter and supporter of the flyer. The main base can either be female or male.

Side Base 

The side base helps the main base lift the flyer up into the air. In a one leg extension stunt, the side base grabs the foot, but does not base most of the flyer.

Flyer 

Person that is up in a stunt in the air. This is the person that is commonly the main focus of the stunt. Flyers stay tight throughout the entire stunt. The flyer controls the stunt. A strong core and good sense of balance are key qualities to possess when stunting.

Front Spot 

The person standing in front of the flyer, who will catch her feet and prevent her from falling forward. The front spot often provides extra support to ankles and wrists in higher stunts such as extensions.

Back Spot  

The backspot stands behind the flyer. They are responsible for holding the flyers waist, and lifting, jumping, or helping her into the bases hands. The backspot also provides support on the flyers ankles, knees, or thighs, in almost all stunts. This helps the flyer stand straight and prevent falling backwards. The backspot catches the flyer's upper body, usually under their arms.

Additional Spotter 

This person does not actually touch the stunt unless something goes wrong. The free standing spot can stand behind, in front, or beside the stunt. Arms are up in the air and eyes stay on the stunt at all times even though the stunt is not touched.

Two leg stunts

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Prep  

A Stunt in which flyer stands with each foot in the hands of a base at shoulder level.The two bases, facing each other, hold the feet of the upright flyer at collar-bone level, so the flyer is standing about shoulder-width apart. The flyer controls every stunt, and can bring the bases closer together or push them farther apart, if desired, by simply moving his or her legs. The backspot holds the calves or ankles of the flyer. A front spot is optional and may be used to secure the stunt by the shins of the flyer. An Extension Prep can serve as a stunt in itself, or as the transition point between other, more complicated, stunts. It is also called a Double Base or Elevator in some regions.

Prep Extension 

In single base stunting, the base holds both the flyer's feet with one hand in an extended overhead position. In multi-base stunting, two bases hold flyer's feet the same way they would in a prep, at full extension level.

Cupie, or Awesome 

The Cupie (called an "Awesome" in some regions) is almost identical to the Full Extension except that the flyers feet are together, in one hand of a single base or with one foot in the hands of two bases. ^[1]

Extension 

"Second level" of an elevator. Flyer stands with each foot in the hands of a base withs arms are in an extended overhead position. The Extension is similar in form to the Extension Prep except that the bases arms are now fully extended upright and locked. The backspot can either hold the ankles of the flyer, or support the wrists of the bases.

Split-lift 

Two bases hold the flyers legs at the knee area. They then slowly walk apart until the flyer is in a mid-air split.

Thigh stand (beginner level)

A Thigh Stand is a simple stunt. The same 2 bases and a back. The bases kneel on one leg and have the other feet touching each other by the sides of their shoes. the back spotter will hold the flyer at the waist. The flyer will have one foot on one of the bases thigh then the back will then count to three. on three the flyer will bounce on the with the other leg that is not on the bases leg and as soon as she does that before she is completely standing she will jump and the back will help lift her higher and she will stand up on the the other bases leg. Then she can choose whether to yell Yay team, hit a hi-v, etc.

Note: All of the variations can be done at prep or extension level.

Liberty 

One or more bases holds up the flyer by the foot and the flyer balances weight on one that straight leg. The flyer's other leg is bent with the foot positioned at about the knee level of the flyer nestling it alongside the standing leg's knee. The name of this stunt is often shortened to 'Lib'.

Scorpion 

This is a liberty variation facing the side. One or more bases holds up the flyer by the foot and the flyer balances weight on one that straight leg. The flyer then grabs the loose foot and bends that leg upward behind the body until the toes are close to the back of the head, a position resembling a scorpion's tail. The foot is secured in place by the opposite hand. A more advanced variation of the scorpion is the "Chin-chin," where the flyer tucks her foot underneath her own chin.

Scale 

This is a liberty variation facing the side. One or more bases extend one of the flyer's feet. The flyer's other leg is held by the flyers hand to the side and the leg is fully extended. Called a Skate or Skater in some regions.

Crazy Eight 

Similar to a scale, but the ankle is supported by the flyers wrist while her hands clasp to form a circle above her head. The resulting pose is resembles an Eight, due to the two circles, one formed by her arms, and the other by her leg and side.

Torch 

The stunt group faces a side (not forward) and the flyer performs a Liberty, with her body turned outward.

Heel Stretch 

Variation of a liberty. It is a stunt in which the base/bases holds one foot of the flyer while she holds the other foot in an elevated stretch position with her same hand. A more advanced version of the heel stretch is the Bow-and-Arrow, where the flyer holds her stretched leg with her opposite hand and puts her other hand in front of her leg, holding it out straight to look like an arrow in a bow.

Arabesque 

Variation of a liberty facing the side. It is a stunt in which the base/bases holds one foot of the flyer while she extends the other leg behind her, making a 90 degree angle with her standing leg, extending her leg as close to horizontal as possible while keeping her torso vertical as well.

Needle 

Variation of liberty facing the side. The main difference in a regular scale and a needle is the flyer's position in the air. Where in a normal scale the chest is either parallel or higher then the hip on the supporting leg, a needle scale the chest is down beside the main support leg. Also, the leg that was supported by hands in a regular scale is now "free" and is pointing to near as north or "12 o'clock" as flexibility allows the flyer to obtain. The flyer also maintains balance by holding onto the bases hands and her own ankle. Sometimes called a spike.

Transitions and dismounts

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Basket toss 

A basket toss is an advanced stunt in which the bases propel the flyer upwards (10-30+ feet) from the loading position. It is a toss by a maximum of four bases of a top straight up in the air so the flyer can perform a trick (toe touch, ball-out, kiss-out, pretty girl, twist, tuck, kick twist down, pike, etc.) and then land back in a cradle position. It gets its name from the basket, or square, the bases get from locking wrists. The basket is assembled by each base grabbing their own right wrist with their left hand, then using their right hand to grab each others' left wrist. The flyer, with some assistance from the back spot, will place her feet on the square created to minimize pressure.

Pop Cradle or Cradle Out 

Dismount from a stunt in which the base/bases toss the flyer straight up from a stationary stunt then catch the flyer in a seated position pike position.

Dismount 

A way to return the flyer to the floor or complete a stunt.

Squish 

Two bases will each hold a different foot of a flyer at their waist level. The flyer is squatted down so the flyer is not taller than the bases. This is how the flyer loads in to the stunt, before jumping and pushing off the bases shoulders, and the bases drive their arms upwards and extend the flyer. Also called a Sponge in some regions

Retake 

When a stunt is extended in the air, and then goes back down into a load-in position placing both feet in the bases hands, if previously in a one-footed stunt, and being pushed back upwards into another stunt.

Show and go 

Two bases will each hold a different foot of a flyer and bring it up to a full extension. The flyer only stays up for two counts and returns back into a squish position. Also known as 'fake-outs' or 'flashes'. Depending on the stunt, the flyer can throw any number of tricks in a show and go. If loading in with both feet, most times the flyer will "show" a cupie, and after reloading, come back up to a cupie in either a prep or extension level. Another variation is the one-legged show and go, where a flyer starts as if in a one-legged stunt, and "shows" one leg kicked up to the heel stretch position (without grabbing the ankle or instep). As this variation is brought back down, the flyer brings in her leg from the flash and reloads in either a two or one legged sponge, "going" back up to prep or extension level.

Tick-Tock 

When a flyer switches the foot being stood on in mid air after being popped by bases.

Full Down (Twist Cradle) 

Variation on a pop cradle. It is a dismount from a stunt in which the base/bases toss the flyer straight up from a stationary stunt, the flyer does a 360 degree turn in the air, and then the bases catch her in a cradle position. Called a Single Down, Single, or Full Down in some Regions.

Double Twist Cradle 

Variation on a pop cradle. The same as a full twist cradle, but two 360 degree turns are completed before cradling. There are also increasing numbers of twist downs possible, often as many as five, witnessed especially when four males are basing a basket toss.

Reload 

A transition that connects two stunts when a flyer cradles out of the first stunt, and the bases dip and pop the flyer back into a load position. A similar stunt is a barrel role. Sometimes called a 'cradle pop'.

Barrel Role 

Seated in a pike position, ( as if she had just cradled out ) the bases toss the flyer, she lays flat and does a 360 degree spin in the air.

360 up 

A variation on the double take in which the flyer does a full turn in the air in between stunts while staying in contact with the bases. Also called a Full up in some regions.

Deadman 

When the flyer falls backwards or forwards out of a stunt. 3 or 4 people catch the flyer and could possbly push the flyer back up to the bases hands. ^[2]

21/2 High Stunts

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21/2 people high is defined as 2.5 body-lengths, not the number of people stacked. An example of 2.5 high is one person held at extended level, and another held at waist level. The various 21/2 high stunts include but are not limited to:

• The A-Frame
• Swedish Fall
• 2-2-1
• 2-1-1
• Table Top
• Wolf Wall
• High Split
• High Chair (also high hands, lib, cupie, etc.)

References

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