Chris = Fabulous!

June is by far and away our busiest month of our entire season. So it somewhat goes with the territory that not every member is able to perform with us at each event.  that being said, we still ask that everyone comes to each practice, because as the saying goes, "practice makes perfect" and we want to make sure we keep all of our skills as sharp as possible for all of our fans out there! This week, it was one of our members who won't be able to attend the weekend's events who really stood out at practice. Even though he wasn't placed in any of the stunt pods or set in any of the formations, Chris W. worked the entire practice long doing countless burpies, endless crunches, and push-ups until he just couldn't push anymore! It's that kind of dedication to the team that we love so much about our hard working members. Please join us in giving Chris a big congratulations as he is our Fabulous Award recipient for the week! 

 Name: Chris W.
Member since: August 2012
Position: Base
Why did you tryout for Cheer New York:  I wanted to give back to my community and get involved in a group of people in the city that enjoyed do the same things. And I wanted to do some stunting in the meantime!
Education: Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design and Masters of Arts in Art Education
What would people be surprised to learn about you? I am a puppeteer! I was fascinated with puppets when I was a kid, but didn’t really start seriously working with them until grad school. Now I perform with a Latino children’s theater on the Lower East Side.
What is your favorite flavor of ice cream? My favorite kind of ice cream is anything except mint chocolate chip. I do LOVE chocolate or vanilla ice cream with chocolate birthday cake and frosting mixed in with it.
What’s your favorite time of year? I really like the summer because I love swimming and getting my tan on, but fall is my absolute favorite because of the beautiful colors and pumpkin anything!
What is your favorite quote? "The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return." -Eden Ahbez "Nature Boy" (song, recorded by Nat King Cole)

Looking to add a little spirit to your weekend? We will be super busy both Saturday and Sunday cheering through the streets of New York! Saturday, we will be alongside all of the walkers, runners, and racers as they make their way through Central Park for the YAI Central Park Challenge. Sunday, we will be out in Queens officially kicking off the start of our Pride season! The parade gets going at 12 noon followed immediately by the multicultural festival where we'll be performing on the main stage! Two great events that you will NOT want to miss. We can't wait to see you there!

Eli, You Are F.A.B.U.L.O.U.S!

Sorry we haven't been blogging about our events as much lately, but trust us, we've been BUSY! Don't worry, we'll tell you all about them very soon!

In the mean time, please join Cheer NY in congratulating Eli R. who won the Fabulous Award last week! We definitely pushed Eli to the max last week, but you wouldn't know by watching him that he was tackling stunts and pyramids that he had never done before. He was high-flying in the air like a pro! Way to go Eli!

Eli R. is a constant bundle of energy and we would love for you to get to know him a little better.

Name: Eli R.
Member Since: August 2012.
Position: Mid-Base Flyer.
Why on Cheer NY: I joined Cheer New York because I wanted to give back to the community, create new friendships, and pursue my passion for cheer & dance again.

Fun Facts About Eli:

• My celeb crushes are Adam Levine, Joel Madden, & Daniel Radcliffe
• Favorite bands are Green Day and Blink 182! Do Britney Spears & Madonna count too?
• Favorite meal is sushi. I'm Asian/Islander, I know! Typical. 
• Favorite dessert is red velvet cake.
• People might be surprised to know that I enjoy fishing. 
• In my free time, I roam the city looking for design inspirations, whether it's from browsing at flea markets, sketching at Central Park, or running in my neighborhood. This city is truly magical.
• Growing up I always thought I'd be a nurse or a doctor but as you grow up you learn more about yourself and discover your passion in life. For me, it's fashion design and that is how I ended up here in NYC. 
• I am so glad to be part of this amazing organization. The people on the team have become my closest friends. Everyone is genuinely passionate and kind, I definitely felt at home after the first practice. In cheerleading trust is important and I think that's what initially connects each and everyone of us immediately. 

  

Who's Fabulous? Cody!

As the workday winds down here on the East Coast, our Cheer New York members still have a long night ahead of them with another practice that will go into the night. These practices only get tougher and more grueling as we are fast approaching our Pride season (17 days 'till Queens Pride; 24 days 'till Brooklyn Pride; 25 days 'till Philly Pride and a short 45 days 'till NYC Pride)!!

As you (our loyal blog readers) may have noticed, we award a different team member each week for an exceptional job well done at practice. We hope that you've enjoyed getting to know a few of our team members, but now it's time to recognize one more! Last Wednesday, Cody W. really did an exceptional job filling in wherever we put him with a phenomenal attitude. Won't you please join us in congratulating Cody for winning this past week's Fabulous Award! 

Take a moment to get to know Cody W. a little better... 

Name: Cody W.

Member since: Fall 2010.

Position: Base.

Why did you join Cheer New York? I originally joined Cheer New York because I missed cheering so much. I've been cheering since I was 15, but after joining this amazing team, making some of my best friends and helping out the community the way that we do...the reasons are endless!

Age: 31 years old.

Occupation: Freelance dancer and choreographer.

Where are you originally from: Utica, upstate New York, it's about 4 hours away from NYC.

How long have you lived in NYC? I moved to NYC in 2010...the day I moved here, I tried out for Cheer NY!

How long have you been cheerleading? I started when I was 15.

What is your favorite stunt/trick? Basket tosses.

What is your favorite Cheer NY event? I have two favorites! The ING New York City Marathon and NYC (Manhattan) Pride.

What do you do with your free time outside of Cheer NY? I work as a dancer, hairdresser, makeup artist and costume designer. Although it's my work, that is what I do for fun!

List six things you couldn't live without: My family, my iPhone, dance, cheerleading, chocolate and love.

Tell us something interesting that you want our readers to know about you: When I grow up, wait...I'm 31 (HAHAHA). When I die, I want to be known worldwide for my passion for dance and the performing arts.

What is your favorite time of year? Spring.

Ember D. Is Fabulous!

In case you missed the memo...Pride season is just around the corner. Cheer New York's first Pride appearance will be in Queens, NY in less than a month and the "main event" (NYC Pride) is just a short 53 days away. So what does that mean for us? New tricks, new flips, new dances and practice, practice, practice! 

Someone that is a true pro when it comes to rolling with the punches, bumps, and bruises that go along with Pride preparation is none other than Ember D! We are so excited that she will be with us for her THIRD Pride season this summer. Ember truly is such an amazing asset to our team and we are lucky to have her. 

Take a moment to get to know Ember D. 
a little better!

Name: Ember D.
Member since: 2010.
Position: Flyer / Tumbler.
Why on Cheer New York: C-H-E-E-R-N-Why? Because cheering for charity is an inspiring and productive way for me to support the community. Also, my belly-baring uniform motivates me to stay in shape and my teammates are all wonderful friends who totally rock.
Occupation? Family Nurse Practitioner.
Where are you from originally? Sacramento, CA.
How long have you lived in NY? 4 years.
When did you start cheerleading? When I was 12 years old.
What’s your favorite Cheer NY event? Out at Night at Six Flags
What would people be surprised to learn about you? I'm 1/4 Chinese.
Who is your celebrity crush? Natalie Portman.
What’s your favorite meal? Sushi.
List 6 things you could never do without: Ketchup, earplugs, NYC MTA, Rainbow sandals, toothbrush, laughter.
What’s your silliest fear? Clowns.